HAPPY HALLOWS EVE

Tis the eve when all the ghosts and goblins will gracing our doorways and shouting "Trick or Treat".  Of course there will also be some Princesses, a Spiderman or other super hero or villain walking around at dusk too.  And the eve when all the kids over indulge in sweets and perhaps even a belly ache or two.  Oh I remember those times as a child myself.

This is a piece I hooked and is a design by Barb Carroll called Jack.  This was a free pattern insert in an old issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.  It was fun and fast to hook and love the colors.

This is another piece hooked and designed by me which I sold a few years ago at one of my craft shows.

And this was a Fall Swap mat I hooked last year and is a design by Lori Brechlin of NotForgotten Farm.

Another design by Lori Brechlin that I hooked (and sold at a show) was this cute design.  Thanks Lori for being such a creative person and giving us such cute designs to hook.

And a Cat in Candy Corn that I made as well.  OOPS, can't get the dang photo to be upright, sorry.

 

There have been many other witches I've made that were adorable but can't find a picture.  AH  HA!  I was able to circumvent the situation and went into the belly of old images previously on my web site so DO have some pictures.  Here is a picture of a quilt applique wall hanging and cannot remember the old magazine from which the pattern was offered.

And now a Witch with a hooked face that I hooked a couple years ago.  Oh, since I don't have any vintage pumpkins (lucky Lauren does tho), I made my own as you can see in front of the cat.

And more doll type witches I've made, of witch (pun intended) I made two just a smidgen different to give buyers a choice.  This was a pattern by Nettie LaCroix.

 

 

 

Just love this pattern I purchased a few years ago from Veenas Mercantile, believe the designer was Niddy.

And then we have white wool pumpkins I made.  I've made and sold several of these over the years on springs, hog scrappers and without.  And in various shades of orange and white.

Have a great evening, enjoy the upcoming entertainment as visitors come and go on Hallows Eve.

Saundra

Taking Creative License

Well, that is if you really want to call a border change creative license.  Since there wasn't much of a border but a couple rows of hooking in the original design, figured I wanted to make it interesting by adding a flow that is represented in the hill at the bottom of the red house.  The thought of squared off top corners just didn't do it for me.  So this is what I've drawn and hooked so far.

In case you're wondering, I haven't hooked on my girl Shadow for a few days and am enjoying the freedom and frivolous fun of this primitive rug.  But she is displayed on the back of the love seat in the living room so that I can feel guilty every day.  Every day she looks at me with those 'puppy dog' eyes and head twisted in wonderment and know she needs to be completely hooked.  SIGH.  Oh what guilt we put on ourselves.   

Hmm, come to think of it.... isn't that what we were taught as children?  We were taught to finish our projects, take pride in what we do, respect for others, so perhaps guilt is really my conscience.  Now that will give you something to think about tonight while I enjoy hooking my primitive rug.

Have a great evening everyone and enjoy what may soon be the last of the warm fall weather.  Life is Good!  BTW, I love those Life is Good tee shirts.

Saundra

Long Island Farm and Pizza

I've given myself permission to have a little self-indulgence ~ The comfort of hooking a primitive rug and pizza.  It has been very nice hooking on Long Island Farm and I'm liking it a LOT!.  While I really wanted to keep hooking to show you more progress finally decided to pull it off the frame and take a picture of it.

And now to the PIZZA part!!!!  I love anything with red pasta sauce (or as the Italians call it 'gravy'.  I could drink the red sauce straight or over Cheerios I think. 

Anyway, in a quandary on what to have for lunch was craving pizza. And then I remembered there were two Pita Breads left and in the freezer.  There was also some left over pasta sauce and always veggies in my fridge.  So this was my delightful lunch.  Yup, was going to only fix one but decided to make two and I ate them both and proud of it.

The ingredients were, of course, the Pita bread and:

Pasta sauce spread on Pitas
Broccoli (lightly steamed)
Red pepper sliced
Red onion sliced
mushrooms sliced
black olives sliced
Roma tomato sliced
Fat Free Mozzarella cheese

I pre-baked the pita bread for 3 minutes on the rack in the oven then placed the pitas on a baking pan with other ingredients on top.  Baked again until I liked the looks of the melted cheese. You can also sprinkle garlic powder, Italian seasoning, etc.  Oh my but my tummy felt yummy after lunch.

Have a great weekend everyone, and please be kind to one another.

Saundra

If at First You Don't Succeed......

......Try, Try Again.  That was just one of my Parent-isms so wisely told to me in my youth which we all tend to pass on from generation to generation.  And try again I did and will have to try once again.

Even tho I made what I thought was the appropriate adjustment to Shadow's jaw line can see (now that it is hooked in, that it still isn't right.  Not only that but can see darker wool is needed near the eye below and to the right of the very dark that is hooked in.  OMG, perhaps my downfall is placing the photo right beside the rug to make the comparison.  I mean, if I didn't have that photo butted up against the rug I'd think it was Shadow.  But the truth is the jaw is still too large.

So this picture doesn't have the photo next to it, but you can scroll down for the comparison yourself.  Guess it's time for my Long Island Farm to go back on the frame for comfort hooking.

And I've put a picture of a Santa below which Kara inquired about.  She saw it on a previous blog post and inquired if it was still for sale.

Kara, I was unable to respond to your blog inquiry since you have a "NO REPLY" Blogger.  That happens when you sign up for blogger but you don't put any identity as to e-mail address.  If you are reading this and still interested, it is for sale and can read about it on my web site HERE.  So you can write me personally at saundra125@comcast.net if interested.  But just know that unless you go to Blogger and provide an e-mail address no one can reply to any request or comment you make.  I believe that is a little known fact that numerous people aren't aware of.

So, guess what I'm going to place back on my Snapdragon?  You got it!  A comforting wide cut primitive.

Have a great evening folks and stay warm.  Well at least it isn't raining or snowing.

Saundra

Throwing Caution and Proper Hooking Techinques to the Wind

I have never had a class with Elizabeth Black, mostly because I don't care for tiny cuts even tho my Rottweiler Memorial was hooked in #3.  At my age I don't want my hand slapped with a ruler if I don't follow the rules (pun intended).  But I've heard that when hooking animals you hook them the way the hair grows.  Oh, right.  Look at Shadow's picture further down ~ her hair moves in every direction because of the folds.

The reason my poor girl Shadow hasn't been completed yet, even tho it has been almost 2 months since starting her is because of the jaw and neckline.  So I did all the easy stuff first (like the complete border and the body to the left bottom).  Oh oh... so now what Saundra?  Well, Saundra stopped and decided to start on the comfort of a primitive rug.

So this morning I threw caution to the wind and decided to hell with it I've got to move on and make some sort of progress with Shadow.  I pulled out some loops and drew in and hooked a jaw line across grain.  I was always under the assumption that the definition is made with the change in color of the direction of hooking the way the hair grows and not the way this was done.

Now that I look at it in this photo think I've made her jaw too thick in an area.  Yup, got to angle the dark wool up a little.  Here is my subject in my favorite pose of my special girl.

She isn't going back on my frame tonight because I need to chill and hook for fun.  My girl Shadow will just have to wait for her 'nip and tuck' for another day.

Dang, I lost a FOLLOWER today and can't imagine what I've done, and frankly don't know that I've ever 'UN followed' someone's blog which I joined.  Oh well, as the saying goes...."win some, lose some".  Sorry I didn't pique your interest.

Have a great evening everyone and PLEASE be kind to one another.

Saundra

Long Island Farmhouse on the Frame

I stand corrected on my previous post about what was on my frame.  Seems to me I erroneiously named it Vermont Farmhouse when in fact it is Long Island Farmhouse.  This is a design by Lucille Festa and measures 24 x 25.

Since I was having so much fun hooking on it hated taking it off the frame long enough to take this picture and update my blog.  Well, and the fact I've been busy the last couple days drawing patterns, mulching leaves and cutting the tops off the weeds in the yard preparing for winter before it gets too cold out, so it felt really good to sit and hook for a bit. 

Tomorrow I'm hoping to work a little on my girl Shadow and attempt to get over the hurdle of her jaw and neckline.  It would be so easy to roll it up with the wool and tuck it away but I'm so close and she was such a good girl that she deserves the best attention from me now that she had then. 

Sure wish someone had known who hooked the Domestic Zoo rug that was in the show at Cape May week two.  I really liked it and would love to label the photo with the person's name.  It is copyright free since it was hooked in 1881 so it isn't a copyright issue, I'd just love to have the name and comment to the person that the 'creative license' was cool.  Just loved that arrow pointing at the snake at the top of the rug. 

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Love Domestic Zoo

In September I attended Rugs by the Sea at Cape May the first week of classes and friend Joan Strausbaugh went the second week.  Joan was kind enough to share pictures from the rug show that I wasn't able to see.  Among the photos was Domestic Zoo.  For those of you who may not be aware, it is a design attributed to Magdalena Briner Eby and hooked around 1881.  This is the one on display at Cape May the week she was there.

I have hooked the runner myself and even tho it was a long runner it was fun since there are so many elements which can be hooked quickly and then move on to the other, so it seems to go fast. 

The label is not legible and cannot read it and Joan didn't recall who hooked it.  So if anyone knows who hooked this beauty and entered it in the rug show I'd love to know so that I can put a name on the picture. 

Don't you just love all the colors of the varied and fun motifs throughout?  I know primitives aren't for everyone but the first time I saw a picture of this rug knew that I was destined to hook it.

Whoever hooked it did a great job and would love to hear from her/him.  Something I found interesting and fun is the black arrow pointing to the snake.  FUN!

Thanks for dropping by and enjoy your Sunday.

Saundra

Update on Ben and Shadow Profile

This morning I received a phone call from Ben's vet as he had just opened his mail and Ben's lab results were among the delivery.  Lab reports that there is no sign of lymphoma, no sign of cancer, the red and white blood cell count in the spleen sample was normal but it was a reactive spleen. 

What the vet told me about "reactive spleen" is that Ben may have had an intestinal bug or similar illness which made the spleen enlarge but didn't interfere with his behavior.  So I am to continue Ben with the broad spectrum antibiotic until it is gone and Ben should be good until his next visit.  So FANTASTIC news about the health of my handsome boy.

OH!  Something else about my vet.  When I brought Ben home from the vet the other day, after sedation, noticed that all his nails had been trimmed and there was no charge on my bill for that.  Now, Ben will let me cut his nails but admit they did need the tips cut.  When my vet called this morning with the good news I let him know that Ben's nails did not go unnoticed and that his care for his clientele is magnificent.

Now to my girl Shadow's profile.  I used some of the found similar dye wool to fill in spots to the right and it is hardly noticeable, so that's good. 

The ear to the left I re-hooked (to hopefully give it more depth) and it probably could use a little more tweaking but I'm not going to bother with it, at least right now.  Frankly, the eye to the right (Shadow's left) needs to be honed in better but hey, I've open linen which still needs to be hooked and I'm not making progress if I'm still pulling out and hooking something back in.

 

So I'm taking Shadow back off the frame and putting a more relaxing project back on my frame.  I figure that at this speed, if I hook a few loops every week Shadow might be done by spring.

 

Finally today I was forced to turn on my heat due to the low temps and rain.  The thermostat is set on low but at least it will take the chill out of the rooms.  Yuck, winter will soon be among us.

 

Hope you have wonderful weekend everyone.

 

Saundra

 

My Boy Ben and What's on the Frame Now

So there will be something related to rug hooking showing up in the blog's photo I'll post my newly started (but not by much) project.  I've been busy with  my boy Ben's vet visits so haven't hooked much.

Yes, it is a design by Lucille Festa that was previously mentioned as being on my list 'to do'.  Well, I'm about TO DO it.  It is called Long Island Farmhouse and as you can see the size is 24 x 25.

Now to my dear sweet Rottweiler Ben.  Last Wednesday was his annual wellness visit.  Ben was 3 years 7 mos. when I adopted him and we just had our 2 year anniversary.  The vet checked his teeth, ears, heart, and was feeling around the belly and he said that Ben's spleen was enlarged. 

That gave him (and me) concern because the blood filters thru that and while it can enlarge overnight if it is fighting a bug, it can also reduce in size overnight.  Ben's was 3 times it's size and was of great concern.  The vet brought in the portable sonogram machine and while he didn't see any tumors and Ben had not been showing any physical signs of illness, he was going to take precaution.

The vet prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic for him to take for a week and then a return visit.  We went back today and the spleen had reduced in size but still enlarged.  So the vet wanted to get better views on the sonogram and take a sample from the spleen.  He didn't do a biopsy, just drew fluid from the spleen which will be sent to the lab for testing.  Since that required that Ben be completely still with the insertion of a needle, he needed to be sedated.

So, good news is that there was no evidence of cancer that he sonogram picked up and his other organs look good.  The fluid will give a report of what may be brewing or what caused the swelling as one spot was excised and sent to the lab. 

My active boy has been very lethargic today and I've not left his side until doing the blog. I even hand fed him morsels of food since he couldn't eat this morning before the test.  Here's my sleepy head.

After feeding him by hand think he had good intentions of going out back in his yard but instead plopped down on the back porch in his favorite spot.  So here he is still at 5:30 p.m. and I brought him home just before noon.

Have a good evening everyone.  Right now Life is Good since it appears my boy Ben will be with me for a little longer.  Still have to wait for the pathology report for the final say but the vet gave me good vibes that Ben is okay.

Saundra

Lookee, Lookee........

...what I received in the mail.  This was a Halloween giveaway generously offered by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company.  It arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon and of course I had to pull it out of the bag and fondle everything.

Those are the best ever buttons and while it gives the appearance of quilling it takes all the work out of the task of quilling by having buttons to sew.

This is Maria's sample for the giveaway offered on her blog.  I fell in love with the beading she did around the perimeter and the stem.  Only hope I can do as good a job at hooking the piece as Maria.  I've never hooked a white pumpkin before and am looking forward to it.

Since I've still my Shadow Portrait to finish and have already started another project the white pumpkin will have to wait a little.  But heck, white pumpkins aren't just for Halloween, right?

Perhaps tomorrow I'll post a picture of what I've started hooking during my sabbatical from Shadow. 

Thank you for your very generous giveaway Maria and boy was I a lucky one!  I'll post a picture of this when it is hooked.

Saundra

UNCLE!

Yes, I'm crying Uncle.  Actually it is more of a sabbatical as I need to take time from my girl Shadow project.  That will give me a fresh vision (I hope) of what has to be done to do her justice.  Here's what my girl looks like now mid pulled loops from the left ear and background holes on the right.

Yes, sadly what didn't help was the fact that I was just a long wool strip away from filling in all that background.  Here is a close up of those small areas where background is missing and you can see the pins.  These were pieces of wool I found in my stash and not something I had to over dye with the remaining dye solution from the previous dye job. 

 Another reason for the time away is because I'm even thinking of using a strip of the 'found' wool to fill in the spots rather than dying some wool. 

And then the ear to the left.  It also bothered me and knew something wasn't right but couldn't put my finger on it.  Thanks to my hooker/teacher/friend, she gave me some advice.  So I proceeded to pull out some strips, looked for the right colors of wool but of course these are what I had close.

The short squiggly piece of wool I'd just pulled out from the area so not good.  The other strip had a too red /brown at the one end.  So basically that is when I decided to cry "UNCLE" and take a brief sabbatical.   

DEAR FRIEND...... it has nothing to do with your wonderful advice on the ear as I know you are right.  It just so happens that I was walking on the ledge for the last week or so and just now decided to take some down time from my girl.  I'm sure I'll have a renewed energy when I put Shadow back on my frame.

Meanwhile I'm going to start a primitive, wide cut design which has no particular color plan and if I hook outside the lines or don't get it just right it will be in the name of FUN HOOKING.  I think mama needs a break since it has been a month since my good girl Shadow portrait was started.

Have a great evening.

Saundra

Hooked Some Loops In.....

....Pulled Some Loops Out, Hooked some in again and looked it all about.  Sounds like I'm singing the Hokey Pokey, right?  In this case it is the HOOKEY Pokey and it is still unfinished so it is a SLOW Pokey. 

Sadly I think the periwinkle wool won't make it and will need to dye up a tad more.  Was sure that the half yard of that wool would be enough but don't think so.  That was the last half yard of that particular wool so if I do dye more will have to pull out some loops randomly on the left side, fill in with the new wool in places and as Tim Gunn would say, "make it work".

Here is what Shadow looks like right now.

This is what she looked like before pulling out some wool and replacing on her.  Not sure if you'll even notice the difference because it was very subtle; but I pulled out a couple dark brown rows on her cheek near the muzzle and replaced the light strip at her temple between the ear and eye.  In person it looks better but in this picture it doesn't look like there wasn't any change at all ~ guess it is the flash.

Even tho I worked on the fold of the ear to the left as you look at Shadow in the picture it looks like it still needs a little defining. 

It has been frustrating going from looking at the picture of the pose I wanted (below) with the washed out colors due to the flash of the camera.

And using her other picture for her more true colors. 

Due to the size of the piece (20 x 23) I should have been done with this by now as it was started September 15th.  I'm really getting anxious to have this off the frame and on the wall so I can start something else. 

Have a grand Sunday and hope the rain is disappearing for those of you who have been under the rain cloud all week like I have. 

Saundra

Why Do We Hook What We Do?

My desire to learn to hook was my love of the antique rugs in issues of Country Living magazine.  Knowing I'd probably never be able to afford an antique one nor a newly hooked one, decided to teach myself.  So it was the naïve, primitive, wide cut rugs that I was enamoured with.  Therefore that is what is usually on my frame.

I have friends who hook a variety of styles with the intent on challenging themselves and broaden their hooking experience.  My friend Lynne Fowler is working on a piece called Steamy Windows, which I have not seen yet but hope to see in November.  Knowing her I can only imagine it will be awesome.  Laura Pierce's Girl Blowing a Bubble blows me away with how she got the translucent rainbow colored effect in that bubble amazes me. 

Another would be Joan Strausbaugh who hooked her Thumbprint using lights and darks, wish I could remember the other 'out of the box' pieces she has hooked which I've seen in person.

My friend Char hooked an incredible wedding rug with the names of the family members of both sides hooked into the roots of the tree and would love to see a rug she started which is the ends of tree trunks from the back of a log truck. 

There are many more hookers I could name as there are many who challenge themselves, work outside their comfort zone in the name of creativity .  These type people are who I consider artists.

Me?  I don't bother challenging myself as I hook what I enjoy and designs which grabbed my attention at that time.  Okay, I take that back.... once I did try working outside my comfort zone and learned a very valuable lesson.  My class was with a teacher who I respect, love her work and had high hopes that she could pull me outside my box.  She tried but I felt like a fish out of water floundering around. 

That is NOT a statement about her teaching ability but rather the narrowness of my creativity.  I just felt awkward stretching and using bright colors.  The rug did get finished, I didn't like it for my house and sold it.  A woman at a show was gravitated to it and didn't question the price, bought it on the spot.  The customer was very excited to go home and hang it on her wall that afternoon.  Sadly I didn't even take a picture of it.  I'd like to see again, tho I know my taste hasn't changed, just want a record of it.

Speaking of antique rugs, thought I'd post a few here for your enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh I've lots more antique rug photos as I'm looking thru them now to see what may strike my fancy to hook at a workshop in November.  I think I've made my selection but that will be for another day's post.  Have a great afternoon and hook on.

Saundra

 

Shadow Slowly Coming Together

This has been a very slow process working on my Shadow girl.  And when she and I would chat on our walks (okay, I'd do the chatting), we agreed she'd 'be a wide cut sorta girl'.  I thought it would go faster and easier than this has been.

Trust me when I say that you CAN realistically hook an animal in a wide cut and make it look real.  The problem is when it becomes personal.  If this was a project being hooked by someone else I'd be in awe at the similarities.  But this was MY GIRL and I want to feel her presence.  So that is where my stress is coming from.  ANYHOO.......  moving right along.....

This is what my girl looks like now; a picture without a flash...... 

....and  my girl with the flash.

Not sure about that additional strip under the ear on the left and just might make changes, pull it out all together???  Looking at it on my blog might help me.  Her ear would flop and turn or roll on itself and I'm trying to capture that.

Actually, in all honesty she looks beautiful and my eyes are welling up.  So I will keep on hooking as I'd like to soon place her on my wall so that I can see her every day.  I have a perfect spot and it will be to my left as I'm sitting at the computer. 

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Misc. Hooking Chit-chat

Have decided to start binding my Magdalena Lollipop rug today while I wait for grandson to get out of school.  It will give me something to while away the boring wait time in the parking lot.  Must get there early or you can't get a parking space.

Am still working on my Shadow Portrait, albeit slowly.  Partly because I find it intimidating since it should be a close likeness and hesitate pulling loops.  Plus the fact I've been busily drawing dozens of designs for someone and this shipment needs to go out tomorrow.

So while those are on my 'to do' list there is also a rug camp coming up in November.  It will be a class with Betsy Reed and will concentrate on hand torn strips, which I'd like to try.  Don't know what design I'll do yet but it won't be too big in case the size of the strips hurts my arthritic hands.  And think the design should be something that is easily adaptable to the width of such a strip.  So I'm thinking geometric, small, vintage but there is still time as it is still over a month away.

But sitting in the wings teasing me as I draw the patterns is this design of Lucille Festa's called Long Island Farm.  I have it draped on the back on the chair at the serger staring at me.

I want to start hooking it so badly you'd think that would be the incentive for me to finish Shadow and real soon.

Will show pictures of updates on Shadow soon and of course a picture of the Lollipop Bouquet once it is done.

Thanks for dropping by.

Saundra

Dying Shadow's Background

Yesterday I mentioned dying Shadow's background a periwinkle blue at the recommendation of my teacher Diane Stoffel.  This picture was taken at Cape May using a piece of wool the color she suggested.  Then I came home to replicate the color (hopefully).

It wasn't the choice I'd planned to use and while I love wearing that color (it looks good on an old broad like me <grin>) it isn't a color which I normally hook with.  And had planned to hook the background with the same soft green as was my Rottweiler Memorial.  Since I respected the advice of my teacher decided to change my plan.

You saw the results in yesterday's post and must say that it does make Shadow really stand out and be noticed.  This is the result of my trying to duplicate the color.  Wish mine had turned out a bit more mottled tho.  Interesting the change in color between the lighting at Cape May and here. 

The recipe was called "Soldier Blue" in the book Beautiful Wool by Laurice Heath.  The book has recipes for both Cushing as well as ProChem dyes so you can't go wrong.  Soldier Blue called for ProChem so that is what I used.  Here is the book:

Inside it says it is a Cabin Ridge Press publication in Fredericksburg, TX.  Not sure it is out of publication, but perhaps you could check e-bay or Amazon by either using the title name, author or ISBN 0-9714757-0-9.

I must say that every recipe ever tried from this book has turned out well for me.  And the COOL thing is that some of the recipes you make a 'formula' using the dyes and in 1 CBW.  Of that cup it will give suggestions and picture of various colors using a certain number of the FORMULA.  So you can start out with just 2 TBS of the formula and if it is too light you add more according to your plan.

Hopefully you have good luck and good results when using it too.    Something I do is cut a corner off, staple the results to a piece of paper and write down the recipe name, how many tablespoons of the dye it took and over what wool.  Oh, that is something else the book provides for you...... it will show a color picture of results with various tablespoons of dye for the job as well as whether it was over natural wool, grey, tan, etc.  A very good book to own if you dye, in my estimation.

Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy what may be the last of summer-like weather before fall.

Saundra

I Know,I Know, ......

...... you love me so much you wonder where the heck I've been...right?  Just kidding. 

But to fill you in, one day my conscience held me hostage until I finally started my fall cleaning in my living room where all the wool dust is, took the curtains down, washed and ironed them, washed the windows ~ well you know the story.

So the next day decided to dye some wool for Shadow's background. As I was stressing about hooking her to achieve a likeness I needed a break and concentrate on background as a release.  This is how my girl looks now.

So here's the story about background color ~ I told Diane Stoffel (my teacher) that I'd intended to hook the background with the same soft green used for my Rottie Memorial.  She suggested a periwinkle color for Shadow and pulled off a piece of wool from the teacher's shelf.  I took a picture of that wool sampling, gave it back and upon coming home tried to replicate that color from the picture.  BTW, that is yet another blog post coming soon.

And, this is a picture of the wool originally planned for the background.  Yes, it would have been okay and soft, would have been a nice duo with the other wonderful companions who passed.  But that periwinkle (which looks tame by itself) really makes Shadow POP.  And, in looking at her face many thoughts have come to mind that I'd like to share in a future post.  Things about my girl I miss.

In all honesty I'm still stressed over hooking her chest since the hair moves in different directions with the flesh foldovers and natural change of hair direction.  But I'm sure my girl will help guide me with color even tho my mentor and teacher Diane isn't here.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Saundra

Bleeding Binding Tape

Something Diane Stoffel spoke about in class was about pre-washing cotton binding tape.  I had learned this previously and even posted something similar to what I'm about to write about in a previous post. 

Since my Lollipop Bouquet is ready to be bound figured it was time for me to pre-wash the binding tape.  I unrolled a few yards ~ enough to bind Lollipop and enough to bind the next not yet hooked rug and soaked in very warm soapy water.  Here is was bled out of the black binding tape. 

After rinsing the binding tape I put it on the line to dry since it is so nice out and to put it in the dryer would have given me lots of knots.

So hey, why not take advantage of this free dye?  Seems I have lots of bits and pieces of tan wool so decided to change the color a little into more of an old looking piece of wool or 'dirty muddy' as Lucille Festa calls it.  This is what I started with.

Below are the results; the binding tape is dry and rolled up.  The two wool strips on the left is the color I started with and on the right is a somewhat darker samplings of the tan.  Maybe not quite as muddy as I'd hoped but guess I put too much wool in the pot for the amount of dye.  But you get the idea. 

So when it comes time to put binding on your rug, think about what could happen if the rug got wet and how that binding tape could bleed into your wool. 

Have a great day.  The weather here will be higher than normal for this time of year.... think it is to be 85 today.

Saundra