Edward Sands Frost Sheep

Back on the frame is the Frost Sheep.  I have pulled out some wool and rehooked with a smaller size strip in some areas.  Since my drawing of this design is a little smaller than the original antique I couldn't use the #8.5 strips in some areas as I'd hoped. 

One of the questions I had as a newbie hooker and one that I often hear or read to be asked by other newbies on Rughookers group, "is it okay to mix sizes of strips in the same rug".  And the answer is 'yes'.  Heck, our foremothers did and they also used whatever textile they had available to hook in their rugs, whether it be red long johns, denim, calico, silk ~ in other words they used anything they had available so why shouldn't we be able to use different size strips and various textiles in the same rug too?

I'm really liking how the background colors are in blocks where the wool may have faded.  What is bothering me now is the hill the sheep is on.  I thought for sure this was the answer and I hooked the whole dang thing with what I thought was going to work.  Perhaps I should have gone with that piece of 'dirty muddy' wool I purchased from Lucille.  But the color was so very close in color and value as the lower part of the legs that the legs would be lost. 

So for now I'll keep hooking "what I know" (a phrase coined by Eric Sandberg) and will come back to the ground underfoot and deal with that tomorrow where I'll take another picture.  Since I've pulled out wool and rehooked today just want to feel as tho I'm making some headway on the rug so won't pull that out tonight.