Ruckman Mill Farm

Inspiration for art can be found in the air sometimes.  Oriole Orange, Ruby Red, and Shimmering Swallows

These past few beautiful days here on the farm have included the welcome arrival of several weary travellers: the migrating birds.  Right on time the bright orange feathers and high pitch trill of the Baltimore Orioles arrived April 30, and the females went right to work repairing their sock nests.  I collect the linen and cotton threads pulled while making patterns during the winter and cut them to about 20 inches long, draping each strand around the locust branches for the eager birds.  For about a week this will be a chore I dare not forget, often going out three times a day with dozens of pieces each time. 

Last year I didn’t cut the 60 inch strands down and saw the strings flying behind the bird, then getting caught in the pine tree prior to weaving into the nest, frustrated, the birds kept working.

The hummingbird has come back too.  Only one so far, but he has found the red kale flowers (beautiful bright yellow on deep purple stalks… nature knows about complementary colors too!).  The kale, rutabagas or even brussel sprouts if able to winter over will bloom early and are excellent nectar for these thirsty creatures.  Sure to have several pairs soon, flitting in and out of the garden to their nests in our woods all summer.

The swallows are living in their nestboxes and eaves of the barn across from us.  The chatter and acrobatic flying stunts we are treated to by them is always comical.  I crushed up some egg shells from the compost and they are eagerly eating up the shards, supplementing thier calcium needs.

Jim and I feel priviledged to have preserved this property in a wild enough status to support the wildlife.  We recently donated the developement rights to remain in CONSERVATION EASEMENT forever.  One legacy we are both proud of.

Ruckman Mill Farm joins four other vendors with loads of colorful fibers, patterns and supplies at the Mountain State Fiber Artists 6th FIBERFEST in Yellow Spring, WV on Saturday August 11. 

The event is sure to be another fun filled day including delicious salads and baked goods for summer lunch all included in the registration fee of $10 advance, or $12 at the door.  Download the form FIBER FEST 2012 and post today.

The Schwenkfelder Library and Museum, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg,PA is the site of an exhibit co-curated by SusanL. Feller and Candace Perry featuring hooked rugs, samplers of the 19C, artifacts, and 18th-19thC watercolor drawings all featuring architectural elements.  The intimate gallery space is painted a deep abrashed blue which anchors and accents the artwork while enveloping the viewer with support.  Up through September 8, the theme introduces viewers to another subject and vocabulary of design motifs not often used in decorative arts.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays beginning at 10 and with varying ending hours, the Museum’s other exhibits include a Love theme, Schwenkfelder historical material and a geneology Library. 

Below are the rugs and some artifacts.  Contributors in the fiber arts are: Donna Bennett, Ohio; Carolyn Boutilier, Virginia;  Susan L. Feller, West Virginia;  Donna Null, Missouri; Anne Ray, Tennessee

Jim completed a major project:

Sideboard by Jim Lilly

and Susan finished a new design for the pattern catalog:

Flower Power Runner by Susan L. Feller

Great to be on the farm with time to create.  The chickens are starting to lay eggs after the dark days of winter and it has been mild enough to work in the gardens.  Jim built the structure for our first coldframe.  Greens will be sprouting sooner than ever, need to get back to eating from the garden.

The following businesses now also carry Design in a Box-Frakturs.  A visit to their shops or online stores is a mutually winning action… you’ll see great rughooking products, and we all enjoy the support.  Mention you heard about the Box online at Ruckman Mill Farm.

Dorr Mill Store, Guild NH..800-846-3677. www.DorrMillStore.com see Susan Feller for list of patterns and ask about box

Green Mountain Hooked Rugs, Montpelier, VT 802-223-1333  www.GreenMountainHookedRugs.com Stephanie also sells our patterns

Crows on the Ledge, Chardon, OH 440-279-0610  www.CrowsontheLedge.com Donna Bennett

Woolley Fox, Ligonier, PA 724-238-3004 www.woolleyfox.com Barbara Carroll and the world of primitives await you

Cottage House Primitives, Lodi, WI  608-592-7474  www.cottagehouseprimitives.com Carol Naab

Wool Gatherers, E. Berlin, PA  Carole Meyer

Online you can view an interview with Susan L. Feller conducted by Gene Shepherd with the topic FRAKTURS. What they are, who created the originals, where and how to interpret the motifs into decorative arts such as rughooking designs.  See www.GeneShepherd.com and sign up for his InternetRugCamp, the video is available to members only.

Ruckman Mill Farm in December

VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL, this year and next.  Caught the morning light accenting our cedar tree laidened with the evening’s snowfall.  December 7, wonder what is up for the coming weeks of winter here in West Virginia.

new book Elements and Principles of Design

Reviews are coming in for the book, including:

“Learning with each chapter”

“The variety of works included illustrate the subjects.”

“This should be required reading for teacher’s programs.”

Order yours today here on the site, and bring your copy to be autographed at a workshop or vending event, check out the calendar.

There is a free pattern included “Mountain Treeline”.  On www.Artwools.com there will be a post where finished versions of this design are listed. Visit it over the months and send your interpretation to Susan at rugs2wv@yahoo.com

The Show Special at Eden Resort, Lancaster, PA during the ATHA Bi-Ennial October 20-22 will be $5 off for the DESIGN IN THE BOX-FRAKTURS.  Susan’s workshop to create a folk art pattern has been artfully put into a custom designed box. 

VISIT THE BOOTH AND MENTION THIS POST.

The 90 templates are on cardstock, easy to trace using the paper included, or your own notebook.  History of this unique American art form developed in isolation by immigrants to PA and their descendants who migrated to the Shenadoah Valley, north to Ontario, and farther west is in the book accompanying the designs. 

Hints on how to arrange a pleasing composition and colors to use for historical accuracy or contemporary decor.

Barbara Ebersol Star Flower by Susan L. Feller

The September/October 2011 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine includes a feature article by Susan L. Feller titled: Frakturs for Designing, Old Pennsylvania German artwork finds a new place. 

Using the quirky work of Barbara Ebersol of Lancaster, PA, Susan leads readers through how to create a hooked design with elements and principles peculiar to Frakturs (illuminated manuscripts popular in mid 1700-1850′s  by PA Germans and migrants).

Select the product Design in a Box from our shop and begin to create your own hooked pattern inspired by FRAKTURS.

This is a hooked mat interpreting the fraktur art of Friederich Bandel active in the Shenadoah Valley between 1800-1820.  Unique to Bandel was a thin squiggle line echoing the motif.  Susan Feller attended a lecture by Jeffrey S. Evans at the Rockingham Museum in Dayton, VA which focused on the new research about Shenandoah Valley fraktur artists.  This accompanied an exhibit of photos presenting the largest presentation of regional frakturs to date.  The show is at the musem through the end of 2011.

The other mat interprets a strange pot and striped tulip drawn in 1847 by Emanuel Wilkins in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Both of these designs are available as hooked rug patterns from Ruckman Mill Farm.  See our Shop under Fraktur Designs.