Something I learned from Barb...

...Barb Carroll, that is.  While I cannot remember all the subtle things I've learned from Barb over the years of classes there are two which really hit home after this last rug camp. 

First was Rug Binding.  UGH!  Not my favorite thing to do and not sure if I know anyone who enjoys it.  AND, my friends, if you admit you LIKE binding you might end up getting some offers for that task so be careful. 

Moving right along, while being taken on a mini tour at Woolley Fox I knelt down to look at the binding of her beautiful rug Santa Fe Crossing and realized there was a way she did the binding which not only was whipped with wool but allowed the last row of hooking to show instead of the wool whipped edge.  HUH?  Why didn't I absorb this from her book before?  Perhaps I just skipped thru that part thinking I knew it all.  There is a lot to learn in this booklet so contact Woolley Fox to get your copy of this book if they are available.

So this week I started binding The Cat's Meow rug trying to do it the way Barb's rug was done but with the wool yarn I have on hand.  This is the back of the rug where I'm grabbing almost 1/4" of cotton binding and whipping it sorta between the rows of hooking. 

This is a great way to bind a rug so gets a lot of protection from use BUT the whipping isn't seen from the front where the backing is rolled forward and whipped so it is wool yarn seen from the front. 

That is exactly what hit me in the head when seeing Barb's binding method on Sante Fe Crossing.  So thought I'd give it a try on my rug.  Above this the back of the rug with the whipped wool protection and here is the front where it is wool hooking showing.  VOILA.

The other thing I learned this class was about the last row of hooking around MY rug.  Surely every rug is different, but this is what she taught me about MY class rug Magdalena's Farm. 

Barb will always go to the student's wool first for the student's rug since those are the colors he or she likes.  Usually I know first off if I want a light or dark background.  This time I didn't care and told Barb that.  This way she could color plan to her heart's content with freedom knowing it could be light or dark and I'd be happy.  Based on the colors I took to camp Barb chose primitive black.  Sounded great to me!

So she told me to use a wool called Woodland Junction (yes, my name sake from Heavens to Betsy) along the entire edge so it would give the appearance of the rug being scuffed and worn beyond the other primitive black background.  Here is what Woodland Junction looks like along the edge in this section.

Below is what Woodland Junction looks like in the other corner of the rug.  Yeah, it does look like there was a little more wear there and would definitely add to the old look of the rug.  Woodland Junction wool is the only thing I'm using along the last row of hooking AND, it is also being used inside the rug here and there just for the dusty and worn look.  Sounds like a keeper for that antique primitive black background.  It was recently RE-milled by Betsy so you better grab it now because it may be a while before it is milled again. 

Maybe tomorrow I'll have some real progress to show you on Magdalena's Farm rug.  I could have shown you what it looks like now but I'm saving it until there's more hooked.

Have a great night and be kind to one another.

Saundra