Mary Lou Forrest has always loved crafts, and has made gorgeous, well-wrought rugs, fine knitted work, hand-stitched quilts, and clever pinestraw objects from her own designs.

She has continued her various arts since she and her husband, David, moved to Penick Village five years ago. He is a woodcarving expert, and work by both of them will be available at the Penick Village Art Show and Sale at the end of February.

Mary Lou and David met in junior high school back in Pennsylvania. They have both displayed their quick intelligence by becoming Bronze Life Masters in bridge. Much of their traveling pleasure, especially since retirement, has been going to tournaments all over the South and farther abroad. Among her other skills Mary Lou makes a killer afghan. She twice won first prize for knitted work at the Moore County Fair. Dozens of sweaters made by Mary Lou have been given to poor children by Guidepost's Knit for Kids project.

Around 20 years ago Mary Lou took a course in caning and rushing chair bottoms at Sandhills Communitiy College, taught by James Burt, a craftsman, now deceased. He was probably known to some readers from his former employment at Pinehurst Hardware. Mary Lou started her caning career with a chair she acquired from an aunt and uncle.

Now Mary Lou is working on an antique chair that was donated to the Penick Village Foundation for its annual benefit sale. The chair had been caned by a cheaper method at some time in its life, and the original holes through which the rattan passes were all glued up.

David took on the job of opening them and otherwise restoring the chair to prime condition. Mary Lou has patiently woven the rattan in the intricate pattern of well-caned chairs, and the rattan has a beautiful luster that will mellow and darken with age.

Mary Lou buys rattan and other caning and rushing materials from Suzanne Moore's N.C. Basket Works in Vass. This place is worth a visit: a huge warehouse containing more caning, rushing, and basket-weaving materials than one could imagine, along with a fine collection of baskets woven by craftsmen from all over. The Basket Works is one of the two or three largest basketry and caning suppliers in the U.S.

The newly refurbished chair will pass to a lucky bidder at the Penick Village benefit held in the North Building, 100 Rhode Island Extension, Southern Pines.

The preview party will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. Valet parking, hors d'oeuvres and beverage pairings, music, and a silent auction accompany a chance to preview and purchase the artworks on display. Admission is $45 per person.

The art show and sale is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, and from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1. Admission to the show and sale is free. Light refreshments will be served.

For information or to purchase a ticket for the preview party, contact the Development Office of Penick Village at 692-0381, or visit www.penickvillagefoundation.org.