Update on Out in the Garden

Was so hoping to get this piece all hooked before the end of November but didn't happen.  It was started at rug camp on the afternoon of November 7th so guess it's not too bad with timing ~ just a tad of background and border.  This is a design by Maggie Bononami and offered by Blackberry Primitives. 

Believe it or not the white in the three flowers is not as bright as it shows here.  It has threads of a caramel color woven in and thought it would be perfect for the light in the flowers.  However, the other white in the background is an unhooked area.....am sure you figured that out all by yourself.

If I can manage to remove the hook from my hand tomorrow there might just be a different project posted about.... wait and see.

Have a great evening, the two day mild weather has been great here but as so saddened for the folks in Tennessee.

Saundra

Rugs, Rugs, Rugs

Saved a few vintage rugs to show when I needed more time to work on my project.   

The first one looks like a story rug to me which isn't organized in sections but rather like puzzle pieces.  It was hooked in 1889 and I see initials which could be CMS.  It may even be a wedding rug since it has mingled hearts in the center, fish for Christianity, doves, lucky horseshoes, an eagle on top left, stars, cross, etc.  Quite an interesting and busy rug so bet the hooker didn't get bored.

Below is a 1900's Pennsylvania penny rug using wool and homespun according to the auction house.

Below is a primitive pot of flowers with bird images and diamond shapes at border edge.

Per the auction house the rug below was hooked by Ms. Goetz and was found near Clifton Ontario.

The rug below has colors which look rather good together but not something I'd probably hook...unless I was trying to get rid of those colored worms.  Sorry, no provenance on this one either but was on an auction site. 

Isn't the rug below cute?  Two kids sitting on a fence looking and the animals.  No provenance on this either...sorry.

Not sure if the piece below is a framed mat or pillow but am guessing mat.  For sure I'd get bored with so much border but think it is a lovely dainty piece for the center motif, love the scrolls and neutrals. 

This dancing rug makes me smile... can almost hear the music.  While I don't particularly care for directional hooking (due to boredom) the wide open and softness of the background makes you feel like there's only the couple there.  The music is in the background but the man and woman are the objects of their affection.

Obviously the piece below was hooked in 1935.

 The dog piece below was to have been hooked between 1890-1920 in Vermont and was hooked with yarn.

Oh do love the rug below.  It sorta reminds me of the antique rug  I replicated and named Cherries and Candy Stripe.

Okay, so as not to keep you wondering..... here is what the antique Cherries and Candy Stripe looked like.

And this is my adaptation of that rug which I offer in pattern form.

Okay kids..... gonna fix dinner then sit and hook for a while.  Gotta get my hooking in for the day.

Saundra

Out in the Garden

Figure it is about time to show an update on my slow progress on hooking my camp rug.  But then there was the Thanksgiving holiday which slowed me down.

Below is a photo using the flash of my Sony digital camera.  This sometimes works for me and sometimes not.  The photo shows the colors more bright than in person but not neon like Debbie's Horse yesterday.

Since I have a setting on my camera for 'automatic' thought I'd take a photo using that.  Here is the result.  The rug actually looks closer to somewhere in between.

For you pixel photo knowledgeable the first photo size is 1.87 MB and the second photo 99.6 KB.  As the saying goes....'frankly Scarlett I don't give a damn'.  Since I'm not a photo journalist or professional photographer my digital camera will do just fine for my needs.  

Am pretty sure this rug will be all hooked before January and then there will be two rugs to be bound before starting the next one.  Red Lion also still needs to be bound ~ started it but more to do. 

Happy Saturday.

Saundra

Debbie's Horse

I'm so not ready to pull the camp rug off the frame for a photo just yet, thought I'd show you a rug I hooked in 2009.  I tried to find out how long I'd been blogging but couldn't locate a date.  It's possible I never showed you this mat before.  The picture below is showing up rather dark and is a photo taken sometime ago and probably without a flash.

If you'd like to enlarge and get a view of what wool was used below is a photo just taken with a flash.  If you tap on the photo you can see the wool better.  OMG, put on your sunglasses ~  this is not what the rug looks like in person.  Guess that is why only the above dark  photo was saved.

Anyway, this is a design called Debbie's Horse and is a free pattern in Barb Carroll's Book American Folk Art Rug Hooking.  It may be out of print but you could always check with Amazon if it isn't already on your book shelf.  Hey, don't all rug hookers have every book by Barb Carroll?

Happy day after Thanksgiving and enjoy the calm for those of you who chose to go out shoping on Black Friday.  I avoided the shopping malls.

Saundra

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Would also like to thank all the newbies who ask questions because without you my blog wouldn't have much of a mission.  Also, thanks to all the teachers and other seasoned hookers who helped me along my journey and to whom I still depend.

Saundra

Red Lion

YAHOOOOO, pulled the last loops this afternoon, pressed it and trimmed the excess linen backing.  Next step is...ugh, binding it.

As is usually the case with my photos, the rug isn't nearly as bright as it is showing here in the photo.  And the background is actually a little darker too.  You can scroll down in past posts to see a picture of the original antique.

Hooking this was fun, particularly when it came to the background. Normally I find backgrounds boring but with the attempt to make it look old by using ugly (lovely) leftover wool worms in various widths it was a challenge and made it like working a puzzle.  

Obviously this type of hooking doesn't appeal to all people but I have also hooked some rugs with bright colors, some whimsical rugs and a narrow cut realistic rug (#3 cut of my departed Rotties).  Love my Rottweiler Memorial piece but wide cut primitive antique look is what makes my heart sing.

So now my camp rug, Out in the Garden will go on my frame this evening.

Guess some of you are scrambling to prepare for the festivities this Thursday.  I'm very fortunate (as is my sweet DIL) in that my son is doing all the cooking on Thursday.  Then Cathy and I will clean up after. But hey, we got the best of the deal because my son cleans up after himself as he goes along.

Enjoy your evening.

Saundra

Treasures, Trash, Value?

It has been time to purge my previously thought treasures for some time now.  It is an overwhelming task (for me anyway) because memories of when or why items were purchased or collected. Problem is those 'collectibles' manage to grow to great proportions over the years.

I've made numerous trips to the thrift shop where I just dropped off things but had some vintage items which I felt might be worth taking to the local auction house instead.  I say local but it was about a 25 minute ride both ways and it was me who had to set up the table.  Yeah, sorta like setting up for a show if you know what I mean, so work involved.

Of course I didn't have to stay or come back the evening of the auction as they would send me a check.  I was aware they would take 20% of the sale but figured a little something from the sale was better than nothing giving it to the thrift shop.

In this first picture there is an old electric sewing machine without the top and doubt it worked.  I had it displayed in my sewing room along with vintage Dollie dresses hanging on the wall.  I wanted to make a sewing room nest like my friend Frannie when we were all in the doll club together.

In the boxes above were tin and copper vintage kitchen items, glass cake plate with tin cover, mason jar full of buttons, chalkware fruit with hook which hung on the walls of the mid 1950s house...you get the idea. 

The above photo is an antique and modern folk art doll cradle, 1950's child's toy crib filled with Raggady Annies, child blocks, celluloid dolls and other toys. 

This photo shows a workable child's ironing board, electric iron from the 50's, vintage halloween mask, vintage cowboy tin lunchbox, homemade doll house and large dolls, 1950's doll stroller in background, picture of a little girl in rocker, antique drying rack, and sundry other items which I've forgotten.

So today I get a check.  Couldn't wait to open it as I figured it might be somewhere about $80 or so.  Nope........are you ready for this?  

The check was for $32.00.  All the items went for mostly $2 each, even the lovely and in working condition was the 1950's crib.  The highest item sold for $5 was the lot of childrens blocks.  The jar of buttons went for $3 and the vintage crib for $2?????

Okay, that cured me for taking things to the auction.  The same person purchased everything with exception of the blocks. 

OH, in case you're wondering ~ no the hooked rug was not part of this auction. 

Have a great evening everyone.  I'm thinking (hoping) that I'll be finished working on the background of big red, the Red Lion antique rug before Thanksgiving day.  That way I can bind it at my son's house as he is cooking dinner for his family and my wonderful DIL is perusing the ads awaiting early 'black friday' sales events.

Saundra

Sunday Evening Chit Chat

Today was a blistery chilly and windy day ~ guess I'm being a bit redundant with my verbs.  Frankly I'm not ready for the winter, Thanksgiving (which is next Thursday) or Christmas.  I want either spring or fall back.  Well, that ain't gonna happen.

I've decided to continue hooking on the Red Lion rug until all the loops are pulled then will go back to the camp rug.  Just now when I took a photo decided to do a test.  The photo below was taken close to the rug as I wanted to see if it changed the appearance of the rug than the photo taken further away. Sometimes I've wanted to get close to the rug to get the whole rug in focus.  And it DOES make everything look brighter.

The photo taken further away is more closely to what I see on my frame.  What I did tho was 'crop' the photo so there wasn't a lot of excess around the pattern.

Will be happy to see this big red boy hooked and bound then move onto my camp rug.  Matter of fact, believe it or not I'm looking forward to binding this one.  Of course 'tis the season' for me to have various health check ups and will take it with me to work on binding while sitting in the doctor's office.

Have a great evening and hope you are looking forward to settling in for a long winter with hooking projects.  I've got a pile of patterns to keep me entertained and lots to wool to do them with.

Saundra

Saturday and Old Rugs

Sheesh, the only time I have sit down today was when I ate breakfast, lunch and sewing patches on my son's jackets.  Then started making homemade soup so NO progress has taken place on either of my rugs.

As I'm not ready to show any progress on either of my 'in progress' rugs thought it would be nice to show you some old rugs just to keep my viewers happy.

Sorry, but don't know any info other than it was late 19th c or early 20th century from a private collection.  

The two roosters above is a design from Pat Hornifus.   

OMG, I adore this old lion hooked piece.  There are a LOT of antique lion rugs which have distorted faces as they were drawn by folk who had no knowlege of animal form.  This one is magnificent and would LOVE to know when it was hooked and who hooked it.  Yes, could be it is a modern day drawing from someone with artistic talent and who is a quilter.  Whomever it is this is magnificent.

Okay, getting dinner time and time for me to finally sit and hook to relax.

Happy Weekend.

Saundra

Primitive Antique-looking Backgrounds

Today I had the urge to work a little on the Red Lion rug.  It has been pulling at my heart strings since setting it aside to work on the camp rug in Ocean City.  

At camp last week I was number #11 in the list of students for the color planning of the class rug.  The choosing is done fairly with people pulling a number out of a box.  That was okay since there was time Sunday evening and Monday morning to pull a few loops on my lion before starting the camp rug.

Here is Red Lion so far.  It is an adaptation of an antique and this pattern was purchased from Norma Batastini of Heart and Hand. 

Was surprised at the number of people at camp who had positive comments about this rug and word spread so people from other classes came down to see what it looked like.  

The background is a mix of primitive black wool and old yucky worms saved but works great in a background for a 'make do' look.  Below is a picture of the original antique rug.

My sweet teacher Kris gave me such a compliment about my primitie background that I'm still holding those words dear to my heart.  

Tomorrow's weather will be quite mild for the season.  It is a follow-up visit to my eye doctor to check the left eye progression.  He may also dialate my right eye heavily to check it for my next surgery in December.  Honestly I can't wait since my eyes don't sync together nor do my trifocals works any longer either.

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

Update on My Camp Rug

Ya might think I'd be done hooking this project by now after arriving home last Thursday evening.  But nope.  Here is what my Maggie Bonanomi rug looks like now.

That really isn't a white wool in the flowers; actually it has flecks of tan in it but because of the flash everything shows up brighter, especially that wool.

Guess you can see that I've already started re-drawing leaves and border lines.  But I'm so indecisive even the last drawn lines might change.  

The Red Lion rug is still patiently waiting for my attention with just the background to finish.  There's probaly less to hook on the Red Lion than on this rug, so who knows what you will see next.

Have a great evening and please be kind to one another.  It isn't just kids who bully, now even adults bully.  Stop it.  Take a deep breath and do something which diverts your attention and gives you pleasure.  For me, it is hooking and loving my boy Ben.

Saundra

Camp Throw Down

There were some mighty fine rugs started at camp.  I think I'll be able to identify the projects which were in Kris' class and those in Loretta's class.  The problem will be identifying who was hooking what.

I'll start with the rugs being hooked in Kris Miller's class.  Sitting at my table was Renia who was hooking Jolly Halloween, a design by Kris Miller.

The two newbie gals who were a joy to sit with were Linda and Laurie. Linda, sitting closest to me was hooking the White Whale Runner, a design by Kris of Spruce Ridge Studios.  Linda is doing a great job and bet it will be completed before Christmas the way she is going.

Her friend Laurie was hooking Pearl, May and Laverne, a design by The Wool Studio.  Cute design and think Laurie will love it when it is done.

A new friend, Bonnie, was hooking this Large Horse Pillow design by Betsy Reed.  I love how it was being hooked so had to check out her wool and find out what she was using to outline the horse as well as the inside the horse and background blocks.  

Oh my, Cathy was hooking a wonderful pattern called Primitive Horse and Birds by Wool'n Gardner.  

I also have that design on burlap by Lib Calloway when Hook Nook existed.  When ready to hook it will transfer it to linen.  Now Jeannie Benjamin owns Lib Callaway designs.

The horse above is called Debbie's Horse and a Barb Carroll design free to draw from one of her books.  This is being hooked by Grace.  I also hooked this design a few years ago.

Okay, above is the one I'm hooking and is called Out in the Garden.  It is a design by Maggie Bonanomi and offered by Blackberry Primitives. However I haven't seen this particular pattern offered on her web site in a while.  Perhaps you could write to inquire.

The following hooked pieces were from Loretta Scena's class.
 Above is a design by Sibyl called Fruit and hooker unknown.

Don't recall seeing the above piece piece in the throw down, but it got crowded so maybe missed it.  Was able to capture a photo of it in Loretta's class while looking around.

 Above is obviously a piece being hooked in Loretta's class.

 One would think the fancy floral above would be in Loretta's class...but no.  It was being hooked by Loris and in Kris' class.

The flower and bee above is being hooked by Patty Mallon in Loretta's class.

 Sorry, don't know who is hooking the rug above nor the rug below but both were in Loretta's class.

 Pat Dutton is hooking this Michelle Micarelli design below and in Loretta's class. 

For the life of me cannot remember who was hooking the rug below. Yet I remember talking to them.  It will probably come to me in the middle of sleep tonight.

Janice Russel is hooking the below design by Carol Endress, a pattern of Woolley Fox.  

The piece below I capture a photo of while perusing Loretta's class just after lunch.  Not sure who is working on it but it wasn't in the throw down either.

The rug below I believe to be a story rug.  It was started by Janice Russell and now her daughter is finishing it.

Little miss Swan Lake's hooker I don't know either.

If anyone should know names of hookers or rugs I missed getting a photo of, please email me and I'll be sure to do an update.

Have a great evening everyone and happy hooking.

Saundra