Seaside Swimsuit and Beloved Belindy

It has been a few days since posting anything new on my blog and frankly I've been too busy with life getting in the way and taking sharp right or left turns in a moment's notice to take much time to read other blogs I enjoy.   But with grass cutting, drawing more patterns for someone and getting an order for a doll, I've taken other paths during my waking hours. 


Yet I have managed to pull a few more loops on my vintage swimsuit (a Polly Minick design) and this is how it is looking right now. 

 It will be SO good to finally get it done as it has been a UFO for a couple years.  Since it had wool which needed to be pulled out it didn't seem like a very friendly project so it stayed tucked away ~ out of sight, out of mind.  But I can't sell it if it isn't finished.


Then I received an order for a Beloved Belindy doll ~ she is a friend to Raggedy Ann and Andy.  Since I didn't have any already  made up had to work on the order but this time I cut out two so will at least have one started for me to take to my Lewes show in July or have it ready for the next order.

Two bodies have been sewn but will finish the one for the order first; at least the other is partially made.  As you can see neither has a face yet either.  However, this is how Beloved Belindy will eventually look.

That is a picture of the last Belindy I made for an order I had from my web site and since that particular skirt fabric was all I had it required me to go buy another yellow small print fabric which has some red in it.


Well time for lunch then work on the Beloved Belindy for a while.

Magdalena meets Polly

This is a really cool hooked piece by Evelyn Lawrence.  It is the same Daleview Farm pattern that I hooked only Evelyn made hers look as tho Magdalena might have done it.  I love it, well I love everything that Evelyn hooks.

And here is the one I hooked ~ a big difference and now I want do do one in Magdalena style.  Me thinks that with all the research Evelyn has done of Magdalena Briner she is beginning to become her.

I sent a picture of Evelyn's piece to Polly (upon request of Evelyn), and Polly liked it a lot.

My Hooking Year in Review

I was just thinking back on what rugs I had hooked this year ~ the year from last May to this upcoming May.  Last May I drew up this Frost Sheep with scrolls and took it to a class in May with Barb Carroll, so it was finished within the year.

Meanwhile, I finished up this Karen Kahle Tea Cozy, as that is what I was working on the first evening at Barb's (for something to do) and also worked on in class until it was my turn with her.

Sometime during the year I started working on the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug and completed it in time for the deadline and hopefully you'll see several other challenge participants' rugs in an upcoming issue of Rug Hooking magazine.

I also joined in the Sensational Seasonal swap on Yahoo Rughookers and hooked 2 of these snowman mats (one for my swap partner and one for my dear daughter-in-love) because she collects snowmen.  Next was a Spring Swap and did this for my partner.  And I've completed my summer mat for my new partner but can't show you that since it isn't time to send it yet and it is supposed to be a secret until it arrives.

Next was the Log Cabin and Sheep rug which is an adaptation of July Cabin which is a design offered by Barb Carroll in one of her books.  I changed the trees, changed the direction of the smoke to make it smaller and generally made it into what I wanted to hook and see.  Oh dang, the flash really washed out this picture.

Then in November I drew out and started the other Frost Sheep design with flowers and Birds; this too has been completed but remains to be bound (workin' on it tho).

After that was finished being hooked think it was then Magdalena's Dog which went on my frame.  This guy is on my kitchen antique harvest table and makes me smile each day.

Whew, didn't realize I'd hooked so many things during the year.  The 2 chicken Daleview Farm, a pattern by Polly Minick but with 3 chickens originally, this was also hooked and bound.

Also hooked this Candle Mat for my soon-to-be neighbors as a housewarming gift but they haven't moved in yet so it is still here but done.

OH!  I almost forgot the cute elephant design by Robin, and that is the one I just most recently finished..... how could I almost forget that?

Oh goodness, I'm now editing my post because I saw a picture of a rug which was started last August and had it finished to take to my October show last year....so add at least one more rug to the count for the year between May 2011 and May 2012 (coming up).  

Plus, In reading back to my May 10, 2011 post I had just finished this Home Tweet Home design by Karen Kahle. Goodness but I was one busy girl last year.

And if that wasn't enough, I hooked and lined a couple eye glass cases for a hooking well-known as examples for her upcoming classes as well as making 40 flower pins for me to take to my shows.  Uh, I think that might be all I hooked, but if I remember something else I'll be sure to post it. 


And yesterday I posted the UFO that I'm presently working on.  I'm hoping to have it done before leaving for Barb's in May because I want to start the bumblebee chair pad to give me something to hook the evening before class starts and until it is my turn with Barb.  

Back to my UFO

This is a UFO which was started about 2 years ago and had hoped to have it done by this past July for my show in Lewes, DE (a beach resort along the Atlantic seaboard).  But because there was some undesirable wool hooked in here and there I lost interest.  That wool was thready and thin but had such a nice indigo color that I wanted to use it.  Well it didn't work so pulled it out.


So the wool pulled out and I'm hooking it again with the hopes of finishing it before July this year.  Actually I'm hoping to have it finished before I attend Barb Carroll's class next month because I'll have a new love interest on my frame then.

As you can see, I've used the pillow ticking for the eventual binding which was sewn on before hand.  This pattern was offered in kit form several months ago on Polly Minick's web site as part of her Semper Fi program.  And, no, that thready wool was not hers, it was mine.  I've added the word Seaside at the bottom in hopes it will entice someone and make it's way to their beach house.

Progress

I've made some progress not only on the cute design by Robin of Bird in Hand Primitives  but also a doll to take to my show in July.  It is like pulling teeth for me to work on dolls anymore, as I'd really rather be hooking.


This doll is 37" tall, her skirt is made using vintage fabric and her jacket is made from a portion of a vintage reversible wool blanket.  I just hate that I cannot rotate this picture on Blogger.  It is standing upright in my photo file and when I transfer it here there is no way to right it that I'm aware.  Now, when I took the picture I did turn my camera so perhaps that is the reason.  Yet, I did rotate the picture upright with the Paint program and was able to list her on my web site just fine.

And here is the finished design from Robin but it still needs to be bound, at least I've trimmed the backing and pressed it so it just needs the binding tape sewn on.  OR, I was even thinking of using a pillow ticking like Polly does on some of her rugs.  

And you wonder what I'm working on now?  I am working on my Summer Swap Mat for my partner.  It doesn't have to be mailed until the middle of May but want to be sure mine is done and not waiting until the last minute to finish it.  Can't show you a picture of it because Debra is my swap partner and we each check out blogs. 


And then when that is done think I'll pull out a piece I started that is a Polly Minick design.  This is also something needed to be completed before my July show but it has been tucked away with little desire to work on it because it needs to have some undesirable wool pulled out and rehooked.  At first I thought that blue wool would blend in nicely but as I continued hooking with it realized it was distracting and didn't look good at all.  So I'll have to bite the bullet and pull out wool....sigh.

Getting close to Done

Oh boy, oh boy am I getting excited since it is nearly completed.  This has been a fun fun project even tho there have been places which I've pulled out loops and re-hooked, but hey, don't we all do that with every piece we hook?  I know I have.


Once again, thanks to the creative Robin of Bird in Hand Primitives I was able to have fun playing with this design.  And, as she mentioned yesterday on her blog, I learned that collectors of anything elephant require that the trunk be turned upward so the good luck doesn't run out.  So out came some loops and I changed the direction of the trunk.  Happens that she didn't know that either and I didn't feel uninformed at my age (uh, I'm older than her).  Of course it's an old wives's tale, but hey we certainly want to contain the luck for sure.

Oh my, now that I posted a picture of the rug I'm thinking that maybe the yellow in the bottom right swag is over powering so might rethink my color choices.  Nothing more fun than the hunt for beautiful wool than hooking with it .

Look'n Good

I am really liking how this beauty is looking.  Tho I must admit that I've hooked and ripped out and replaced at least one color in each of the swags.  I'd really wanted to use either the grey and white herringbone which spells "Liberty", or wanted to use the cream which is in the stripes in the blanket, they both seemed to pop too much so replaced them.  I'm posting a picture with a flash so you can see a more detailed view, however this is not how bright it looks in person.

Perhaps I could have, should have chosen a different yellow for the stars, either a darker or brighter color, I'm not going to pull those babies out again even tho they are close in value to the background.  And, while I did take out some loops in the swag on the right side it still wants to bulge a little.  Hopefully when I steam the rug I can manipulate it to make it more straight.  For some reason the swags on top didn't  do that.


This is a really fun project Robin, thank you.

Work in Progress

This is what my project looks like now.  As previously mentioned, it is an Americana Thyme design by Robin of Bird in hand Primitives.  This is a shot without a flash.

This is a picture using the flash.    I'm really liking how it is turning out, but see that I need to release some pressure inside the swag on the right side because it  is bulging out too much.  And, now that I'm looking at the pictures better, think that I'll remove the white in the swag and replace it with more blue.  I think that would look better.  Maybe I'll do that now and then update my blog a little later today.

I think the background is working better than I'd originally thought ~ or at least it does in person..... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

New Design on my Frame

Ah, it was good to complete another rug and I have actually starting binding it ~ I'm referring to the 2 chicken Daleview Farm design.  Uh, but I still have two rugs which need binding.  


Here is my cutie pie design that I am working on now.  

If it looks familiar to you, it should it is from that sweetie Robin.  As soon as I saw it just knew it had to be mine!  I love all the designs in that booklet but this one had to be first on my frame.  Frankly, she has several pattern booklets I want to own so go check out her blog to see all the goodies she has to offer.


Anyway, I'm having a dilemma in choosing the right background wool for this rug based on the wools I wanted for the elephant and star.  I wanted a light background and the first one I chose was too light.  Then I tried this textured wool and figured it was not only too light also, but too close in value to the star colors.  Back to the wool shelf found another textured wool but it was even closer in value to the stars.  


So back to the wool room to cut thin strips to wedge between the background and star.  BUT, in looking at this picture taken with a flash it appears the background and stars are just fine.  So now I plan to remove that narrow strip cornrowed between the backing and star and leave it alone.  Otherwise I think it will draw attention to just the stars and the eye won't move around the rug.  Yet, ye hookers know these hooked loops might be history in a day or two.  A hooker has to do what they have to do to make it satisfactory to OUR eye.


This cutie pie small piece I only enlarged to something like 11 x 14 so was hoping it would go fast.  HA!  Such is not the case.  Today I got an order for another Edward Tulane rabbit doll (thankfully I'd started the process and have some done already) PLUS an order for a rug hooking kit which was one I didn't have already prepared.  So now I'm working on the kit and will work on the ET a little each day as well.


For those of you who might not have seen my last project of Daleview Farm, here is my adaptation with 2 chickens which is on Polly Minick's pattern.  Polly does sell the two chicken kit as well.  

Again, visit Robin's blog and check out her goodies; Thank you Robin!!!!!!

Magdalena Briner the Prolific Rug Hooker

In past posts there have been lots of information, pictures of her rug designs that I've hooked, and I posted a picture of the book written by Evelyn Lawrence and Kathy Wright about the life, times and works of Magdalena.  What I haven't posted yet is a rug that was discovered after the printing of that book.


I knew that Evelyn was hooking it but was held to secrecy until such time as the pattern was given to Barb Carroll of Woolley Fox to sell and the existence of the rug was made public.  So the rug has been duplicated by Evelyn, pattern given to Barb to sell and a picture of it was on Woolley Fox's web site just before their face lift.  And, unfortunately it might still be a few days before Barb's site is back up because of the numerous pictures and information can be transferred to the new web page.  Yeah, I really need a Woolley Fox fix too but will have to wait like the rest of you.


Anyway, since not all my followers are on the RugHookingDaily group which discusses the Magdalena rugs, thought I'd share this information with the rest of you.  


This is a picture of the original rug hooked by Magdalena Briner.  I forget the dimensions and since Barb's site is not up cannot access that information right now. But if you thought the Domestic Zoo was big, HA, this one is even larger.

And this is the rug which was duplicated by Evelyn Lawrence.  Evelyn started hooking it before she had the opportunity to see the original in person so she had to guess how the colors would have been new and before fading and wear.  

I commend Evelyn for her devotion to bringing out all the folk art hooked rugs by this spectacular woman Magdalena.  And perhaps that enthusiasm has impacted me too; maybe that is why I've tried to stay true to the designs originally done by her.


Yes, I know it is okay to do an adaptation of a public domain, copyright free piece as long as you give the original designer credit.  And of course I would do that.  But I'm still finding it hard to pull a motif from one rug and another from another rug to make something different, even tho I would still say "inspired by the designs of Magdalena Briner".  Believe me when I say that I'm not making judgements on anyone who does that.  And, yet I did do half of her 1885 horse rug so in a way I did alter her design.... so maybe I'll get there yet.  But it is a struggle since I am in awe of the amount of work that woman did in the 1800's.


To use thoughts posted by Ter'e on RHD, I wonder how many other hookers there are who have a style which could be researched and bring out even more wonderful works of hooking folk art.

Now Off the frame and what's On the Frame?

This was a really fun small and quick rug to hook.  It is an adaptation of Polly Minick's Daleview Farm.  The original design has 3 chickens and I chose to hook just 2.  In all honesty, these photos are before steaming because I need to see it in a picture so I can decide what needs to be pulled out and replaced in the border.

The hit and miss border might seem like an easy peasy task but it isn't that easy.  I was forever pulling out my value finder to see how close in value the hit and miss was.  Sometimes I could fudge it if the colors were really different even if close in value, but hit and miss isn't as easy as one would think.  BUT.... what is lovely about a hit and miss is that you can use up your worms.  And that is yet another story....


I started out with values or colors in baggies and sorted nicely in my baskets.  So I pull out my darks for the background.... pull out various values from other baggies and this is the mess that I must clean up now before I can start my next project.  An trust me when I say this doesn't do the clutter justice.

And now I can put something else on my frame now.  However, this makes it now 3 rugs which need binding.  Not to mention cleaning up the mess I made on the sofa.


But, Robin knows what I'm putting on my frame next so it is a secret between the two of us until I post a picture.  But just a hint.... it is a cute design which she offers in a booklet for little cost.  So my task tomorrow ~ uh in addition to cutting grass ~ is cleaning up and getting another rug on my frame.    THANK YOU ROBIN!!!!!!!

Beloved Primitive Rugs

Now really folks, when you get down to it this is really how our fore mothers and sailor forefathers started hooking rugs.  It was the hand cut, use what you had, make do or do without which made the rugs happen.


My long departed inspiration has been from Magdalena Briner.  So far I've only hooked 4 1/2 rug designs attributed to her.  They are:


Dog and Crows
McCue Eagle
Domestic Zoo
Magdalena's Dog
and.... the half rug of 1885 Horses which I have pictured here.

In all honesty my adoration of Magdalena rugs wouldn't have happened had it not been for the research and devotion of the woman who loves Magdalena more than me... Evelyn Lawrence.  She worked years to research and compile information about her life and rugs from family and historical information.    This is a picture of the book which will provide pictures of original Magdalena hooked rugs as well as rugs that Evelyn hooked to replicate her endeavor.   It is a very good read with historical information as well as the eye candy.   http://www.rughookingtraditions.com/Book_Order_Form.html

AND...... as an added bonus for all you lovers of all things primitive, and particularly Magdalena, there is a group on Rug Hooking Daily which you can join, ask questions, post pictures of similar designs you've hooked.  So please feel free to join the group on Rug Hooking Daily.