Magdalena's Animal Parade

My friend and rug camp roomie Deb just finished binding this humongous rug.  Magdalena's Animal Parade measures 33 x 79 and am quite sure I'll not be hooking it at that size.  Frankly I think Deb did quite a great job getting that rug hooked in under a year since she has a 'day' job and has hooked other projects between.  Like most of us (uh, me), the binding is always last, but she wanted to take it to Cape May in September for the show so finally bound it. 

And finally my Chum rug is bound.  Yeah, I know...for you new readers looking at this dog with those toes you're a little skeptical I'm sure.  When first drawing this out from the antique did draw regular paws.  However, when Barb saw the antique she suggested that it have the antique folk art toes originally hooked.  And so it was.

Just noticed in the photo above that the lighting in the kitchen made a difference in the coloring on the left and the right sideds.  The very same wools were used for both sides but the left looks more correct in the color than the right.  Interesting.

This is the original antique.

For those of you who may wish to hook this antique rug design I'll offer the pattern in both dog paws and with these toes.  The finished hooked piece measures 18 x 33.  Naturally it was hooked with nothing less than #8.5.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Busy, Clutter, Chaos and Overwhelmed

Frankly I'm feeling all those descriptive words all at once.  Yesterday I awoke to an order for two rug patterns and they will ship today.  I also cut grass yesterday so it was a very productive and busy Sunday.

Then today after shipping the other two patterns had an order for another pattern which was just drawn.  So yes, been a busy girl here.

Am still plugging along and NOT enjoying the binding process of Chum....there Lauren, I said it, lol.  It isn't even halfway done so will struggle thru the rest of the day working on it.

My son's Man Cave pattern is in the basket patiently waiting to have more loops pulled and having it there staring back at me is disturbing.  Perhaps I should tuck it away until I'm ready to work on it, right?

The second Black Kitten mat wool is also hanging around waiting it's turn at the frame for my friend when I'm ready for a break from my son's rug.

Yesterday this was my view from the drawing table with only a portion of the room in  view which is in total chaos; wool on the floor, wool oozing out of shelf spaces, colors mingled and some yardage needing a home other than the floor.  I must find a home for the Polly patterns which get drawn less these days and organize this room AGAIN which continues to get organized only to get in disarray over and over.

Before leaving the room after drawing a pattern did organize one narrow cubby of wool.  But since seeing a wool color (that purplish on the Nantucket Broom Ride) decided to see if that could be used somewhere in the Cape May class rug.  Oh yeah, may as well add more chaos into the mix Saundra.  Nantucket Broom Ride is a design by Lori Brechlin and offered by Spruce Ridge Studios.

Must decide which colors I want for the houses and think I want fall colors.  Since it is a Halloween rug too, it needs some purple and orange and green.  I'm sure as the chaos of the wool room gets more organized I'll encounter lots of wool possibilities.  Cape May rug camp is a little over 2 months away so there really is plenty of time to get ready for that.

Have a great Monday evening.

Saundra

The Rug CHUM is Hooked

It may not be bound yet but all the hooking is done on Chum.  This photo is a little more true to the color, albeit a little dark, and was taken without a flash.  He does look a little sinister and wonder if it is the mouth color/size strip or the eye?  I'm sure those finger/claw toes don't help but that is the way the original antique shows the rug and kept it true to the antique.  However, when I offer one of these for sale it will be with the option of regular paws or these.

The photo below is really washed out but at least you can see more of the mixes of color in the background, and is taken with a flash.  Why can I never get a photo with the true color?  Oh yuck, what a horrible photo; almost removed it but what the hey, it is what it is.

If you new to my blog, or can't remember what the original antique rug looked like, here it is.  And, if you'd like to see the wool I used to hook Chum, just scroll thru a couple posts to see a picture.

And for those of you inquiring minds wondering the dimensions, my rug measures 18 x 33, which is plenty large enough for the space planned on my wall.

Tonight's plans are to finish binding Harvey's Magdalena so will show you that tomorrow.  After that, if there is time I'll pull some loops on my son's Man Cave Rug.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Textured Wool vs. Solid Colored Wool

In yesterday's post I told you I'd show the wool used for CHUM and here they are.  At the very top left is the herringbone textured wool for Chum's face and to the right of that...the plaid, is what was used for the body.  Sorry, can't remember where I got that wool.  Oh but there were two solid green spots on the body and tail stripe which were a dark green.  

To the right of that (cattycorner) is a similar colored wool to what I used for the inside border.  When I started with that wool wasn't sure if there would be enough left home to finish the border.  So Barb Carroll generously gave me that piece to use whether I ran out or not.  She thought it would add to the old look if I put it in the rug since women used what they had and 'made do'.  Barb is so dang sweet.

On the left side bottom is a  boucle nubby wool which was a woman's blazer fabric and Barb loves using it in my rugs each time I take it.  Just love how it gives the look of wear.  And then the wool above that is a textured wool I purchased eons ago when I took a class with Patsy Becker at Cape May.  You can see a better view with the close up pictured below.

In the first picture, on the bottom is a plaid called Gemstone, a wool by Heavens to Betsy, which is the outer border line.  The inside primitive dark is a bunch of different dark colors from my stash of dark wool.

 

I've a confession to make.  Actually guess it really isn't so much a confession as an acknowledgement of my lack of knowledge about wool and hooking when I first started my journey.  So I'm just like the rest of you ~ hey, we all had to start somewhere.  So the thrift shop became my best friend to get different colors.  Problem was I didn't know how to use textures and tried to avoid them.  You can see this poor bland rug below that was hooked in almost all plain/flat wool...all except for the bowl which at the time I didn't particularly care for.  This rug I hooked on my own at home using #8 cuts.

Even some of my first teachers used mostly flat wool.  Everything in this rug is flat wool which may have been mottled or over dyed but still considered flat wool in my eyes now, thanks for the education by Barb Carroll on how to hook a warm antique looking rug.  Don't get me wrong, I love this rug and think it is beautiful.

Do I still hook with flat wool?  Yup and did so in my Ali Katz rug last year at Cape May.  But it depends on what I'm hooking.  If I want the rug look old and try my best to replicate an antique I'll use textures and strips of this and that to add to the 'make do' appearance.

I published this post yesterday but had forgotten to write another interesting fact about textures.  This one just blew me away.  I was at Cape May hooking a profile of my departed Shadow and to my dismay ran out of the wool for her head.  So my teacher (Diane Stofel) and I visited all the teachers to see what might work.  See that textured wool to the right of Shadow?  That is what I used to finish a lot of her part of her face and neck.

Once upon a time after taking my first few classes with Barb Carroll at Woolley Fox rug camp I thought about getting rid of all my flat wool but have since changed my mind since I do use it to hook flower pins and have used some in my son's Man Cave rug.  Just couldn't picture pool balls with textured wool since they are a solid flat, but shiny color.

In reality I really should dispose of some but hooking is more fun than downsizing the wool room.  Besides there just might be another whimsical or other rug which dictates that type of wool. 

Have a great evening everyone. 

Saundra

Rug Camp Update on CHUM

Hate it when life gets in the way of having fun.  One half day was spent shopping for a new riding mower ~ hopefully it will be delivered tomorrow.  BUT, it is supposed to rain for the next few days so grass won't get cut for a few days after.

THEN..... came home from errands yesterday and my garage door wouldn't open.  Thankfully a neighbor's boyfriend was able to determine it was a gear which ground down to nothing from wear.  Luckily my ex had purchased an extra gear so my friend's boyfriend was able to successfully replace the gear after 3 hours of work.  Now that's a VERY GOOD neighbor.

Anyway, here is the CHUM pattern I took to Woolley Fox rug camp.

Love the colors Barb selected...dang... I should have taken a picture of the textured wool used for the body of the dog.  Barb chose a similar color for a soft and plain face but wanted the body different.  You will not believe what can be done with a texture.  Next time I post an update I'll show you the wool used for the body of the dog.

There is already a spot on the wall for Chum (an antique adaptation), and will be in this computer room.

Have a great Sunday everyone.  Do you believe tomorrow is June 1st???  Me either! 

Saundra

What...You want to See My Camp Rug???

Here it is and boy do I have lots of things to talk about.  First, it is a fun rug to hook and size is great too measuring approx. 20 x 35.  The majority of wool used in the rug was taken by me but generous Barb gave me a few small strips to cut and use here and there. 

In all honesty, as I told Barb, I'd never have chosen those colors to hook the dog but I like the way he looks...sorta like a brindle colored dog.  Frankly, I'm over the moon happy with what she chose.

Now, if you think my hooked Chum with fork type toes looks weird....then take a look at the original antique hooked rug below.

Before camp, when drawing the design out on linen did ponder how I'd hook the feet.  Should I stay true to the folk art look of the original antique with fork feet or draw and hook normal paws?  I thought perhaps when the pattern is ready for sale that people might prefer regular paws, so below is what I drew.

But when Barb saw the original antique picture,  she easily made a case for me to stay true to the original antique.  Hey, it's folk art.  So when the pattern becomes available for sale I will offer both options; fork feet or paws.

Oh, and something else....notice on the original antique that star, or starfish or whatever?  I drew a regular star at the base of the feet.  And again dear Barb pleaded her case about making it more closely to the original antique.  

Which prompted me to ask Barb what the heck she thought that motif was.  Her reply was "it's a Whats'its).  (gotta LOVE that cool beans woman!).  So friends, it isn't a star, it isn't a starfish.....it's a whats'its.

All of you may know Barb has sold the rights of her pattern business to Katie of A Nimble Thimble but Barb will still continue to teach.  Katie is in the process of revamping the Woolley Fox web site but you can still order Woolley Fox patterns.  Once you decide which patterns, write Katie at woolleyfox@animblethimble.com.

If you would like the experience of taking a class with Barb you can write Barb HERE.  Maybe you will get lucky and fill in an empty spot or if there are 5 or 6 of you to make a group, perhaps you will have your own 4 days of 'bliss with Barb'. 

Have a great week.  OH.... my mail server is again putting all the blog comments in my spam folder.  Since I don't keep my PC on all the time don't see the comments right away.