A LITTLE T & T

T&T translated means "This and That".  

Hard to comprehend it is December already; where did this past year go?  The seasons just sorta flew by but all those seasons are visible in the new lines on my face, lol.

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, the calendar has been flipped to December so it is time to remove the hooked turkey rug from the harvest table and put something else in its place.  

It's too soon for Santa so will enjoy the Deer and Blue House I hooked plus the inside bird houses purchased at Rugs by the Sea camp.  They are made with discarded parts from the Chalfonte Hotel as repairs were made.   

But soon, too soon, the adaptation of Santa and Deer will appear in that spot.

My Thanksgiving baked chicken dinner was good.  While I wanted to pick up a few things at Walmart the next day decided it was unwise due to it being Black Friday and avoided the whole weekend.  So decided to make a T&T soup from my fridge and freezer.  

Personally I think vegetable soup is made much better with cabbage ~ could be because that's what my mother always said.  I only had a small wedge of cabbage left so chopped that up along with a little left over chicken breast, celery, onion, a couple potatoes, carrots and bits of this and that.  Was good but probably would have been better if I'd had more cabbage.

Back in the day when I vended at the beach area there were so many creative artists and the temptation to buy overwhelming.  This painted rock was just one of the many purchases I made.  But this isn't just any ordinary rock.

This was one of hundreds of rocks used as ballast in a British War Ship which sunk off Lewes, Delaware.  The artist attached this inscription to the bottom of all her work.  If you want to learn more about the HMS DeBraak click HERE.

That's it for this post, happy December and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

DAFFODILS and SPROUTS

This weekend we SPRING ahead one hour.  Daffodils started peeking out of the ground a couple weeks ago and now the weather is going to be below normal overnight and into tomorrow.  So thought it best to bring in a few of those limping daffodils inside to enjoy.

Sharing the spotlight is this hooked Spring Daffodil delight designed by Kelley Belfast a few years ago.  I did proddy daffodils in the field and a bell on my sheep.  It was definitely a fun challenge hosted by Lori of Out of Hand and as  mentioned...designed by Kelley.

Those two green birdhouses were purchased at Cape May and built by Jack Riehl using vintage recycled parts of the Chalfonte Hotel.  They have never seen my yard as they are special so live inside.

Now to the Sprouts ~ In following Cathy's blog Acorn Hollow noticed she was growing her own sprouts.  I LOVE sprouts on sandwiches and salads so inquired.  She purchased her seeds on-line but as there is a health food store in this sleepy town decided to see if they had alfalfa or broccoli sprout seeds there.  They did.  This is a jar of broccoli sprouts started last Sunday and will definitely be ready to devour tomorrow, hmm maybe I'll put some on a salad tonight.  Looks like they are ready.

Thank you Cathy, am finally able to enjoy my own.  I plan to look for plastic jar lids but doubt they will be available until after harvest season in the fall. Meanwhile I'll use what I have which is a plastic screen cut and inserted inside a metal jar lid.

On a present rug hooking note....I'm not quite done hooking Posies and Stars mat but ordered a whimsical pattern which will be next on my frame.  As much as I'm looking forward to receiving it am afraid it will arrive before the Posies mat is done. The temptation to start the new one and put Posies aside might be too overwhelming.  To be continued 😊

Saundra

Nantucket Broom Ride

Thought I'd share another of my favorite Halloween hooked pieces as I switch them out every couple days.  This is a design by Lori Brechlin and offered in pattern form by Spruce Ridge Studios.  I hooked it in a class with Kris Miller at Cape May a couple years ago.

Below is a photo of the rug on my harvest table with the paper mache' Jack-O-Lantern I made.  To match the theme of the houses in the rug I added a couple birdhouses made by Jack Riehl.  He uses remnants of the Victorian Chalfonte Hotel to build them.  

Received the new floor lamp already and it is working like a charm.  First thing gathered for rug camp.

Saundra

Cotton Binding a Rug Part 2

Now all bound, the little circle mat graces my harvest table.  It is in good company with favorite INSIDE birdhouses.  They were made in Cape May using re-purposed treasures rescued from shutters, old electric and door knobs of the Chalfonte Hotel where Rugs By the Sea rug camp is held each year.  If you are interested in learning more about that camp write Norma by clicking HERE.

In the previous post I recommended bleeding out the dye from the cotton binding.  Once dry I cut a length around the circumference of the rug and I always like to add about 2" for the heck of it.  I'd rather cut away an inch for the trash than end up an inch short. 

If you look closely in the photo below you can see the thread which is on one side and can be pulled to gather around the curved corner or a circle chair pad.  If you feel both sides one side feels a little sharper or ridged and that is the side which would have that gathering thread.  Sometimes it takes several attempts to find the pesky thread and sometimes I've hit it on the first try.  If one end doesn't work the play with the other end.

I start the gathering even before attaching to the mat and later manipulate it in the spots where the gather is needed.

I used black Perle cotton to attach the binding tape around the perimeter near the last row of hooking.  In the photo below you can see that as I near the rounded corner it will require gathering on the inside so that it will lay flat.  Also, I started the end on a straight and not the curve.

 As you work around the hooked piece you need to work the gathering to the proper areas inside the mat/rug. 

Here is a picture of two rounded, gathered and stitched corners.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms and hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Saundra