Blogger Friendships

Since starting my blog I've gotten to know and established great friendships with people I've never met.  When they do a new blog post it is like a door opening to welcome you in for a conversation, sit a spell  and share a cup of tea and see what they have been doing.  

Some of my blogger friends and I communicate daily even without a new blog post.  That is tantamount especially since this pandemic has put us in isolation plus the added winter time.

All of my blogger friends are talented and, like Lauren I was a lucky recipient of water color gifts from Donna from A little this and a Little That blog.  These came in the mail to me today.  

Take a look at the detail on that mushroom on the left.  I was wondering what that would look like hooked.  Was interesting too see see the bold letters of 'STASH' on the tea bag.  It struck me funny as we rug hookers know all too well about the 'stash' of wool we own.  In the mornings I need/want my coffee but from time to time do enjoy a cup-o-tea.  Me thinks tomorrow afternoon with it raining outside I'll have a cup of that Earl Grey 'black tea noir'.  Now that I'm looking forward to.  THANK YOU Donna!!!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

HEARTS, HORSES, and CATS, OH MY

With the emphasis more on hearts as I just finished those two blue hearts in front.  Thought I needed some blue to go with the Cat's Meow antique adaptation.  They are stuffed with snippets and lavender, ooh they smell good.

And the addition of those hearts would also enhance the look of Horses and Hearts, which is a design by Marion Ham.  The pattern was provided as a free to draw design in the American Folk Art Crafts book.  The pattern in the book has more than 6 horses but whoever drew it did the condensed version which I purchased at a great price during a sale at Cape May rug camp.

The horse rug is on my table now and must admit I like it better now than after I  finished hooking it.  At the time I was sick of hooking all those horses and hearts so put it away and this is the first time I've unrolled and displayed it since.

Here is the book the pattern is featured in.

Happy Sunday and happy hooking,

Saundra

FLASHBACK THURSDAY

Flashing back to 1980 when my first husband Gary, son Greg and I visited Monterey, California.  We lived in the east Bay area of San Ramon along the San Andreas fault 😞 but would cross over the Golden Gate Bridge to visit San Francisco often as well as Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz and other tourist sites.   

Here's Gary and Greg beside a long retired train.

Me on the caboose of said train.

In the photo album I've loads of photos but just picked a couple for today.  Here is Doc Ricketts' building who was friends of the local working girls of the area.  If you have read John Steinbeck's Cannery Row then you will be familiar with the name.  Click on the link above to learn more about the real Doc Ricketts.

This is, or was, the coolest bar and was near the wharf.  What you don't see are the vintage cars hanging on the side of the wall or the car doors which opened the restrooms.  Note the stop light in the background.  Don't know if the place still exists as I left California after Gary died in 1981.

We did a lot of touristy things in the 3 years living in California but sadly one of them was not visiting wine country.  Boy I would have loved that for sure.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

White Horse With Scrolls

Thought you might like to see a more recent photo of my progress or lack there of on the antique adaptation White Horse with scrolls.  

Am happy with choosing a dark border vs. the light as in the original antique shown below.  Yet I love the light border too and it was hard to decide which to do.

Have a small heart drawn so think I'll spend the rest of the evening working on that.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

A Favorite Type of Blog Post

The largest number of visitors show up when I post an antique rug show; by far larger number of viewers.  So perhaps it is time for another show.

First one is 2 cats with scallop border measuring 25 x 44 and hooked early 20th century.  A good use of left over worms too without the hit and miss look.

A  geometric which the auction site called a Spider Web design.  But it reminds me of the early days of TV with a test pattern before the hour shows would begin on the station.  Rug dimensions are  27 x 48 hooked in the 1920s.

A very worn rug of a Dove hooked 1898.  It measures 30 x 49, here is the front.

You can see the original colors were a light value and one would have assumed the rug to have faded a lot from looking at the front.  Also notice how they use to hook their rugs by folding over the edge of the foundation (mostly burlap) then hooking thru both layers to protect the edge without having to bind the rug.

The Brown Dog rug below was located in Downingtown, PA and hooked in 1900s.  If you tap on the photo it should enlarge and you can see it was hooked with homespun mostly.  It measures 20 x 30.

Two dark dogs from a Maine estate collection hooked in the 1900s.

Another dog rug and this one has a scallop border.  It measures 31.5 x 40 and from the 20th century.  This is the front; just love it when the auction house shows the back for original color comparison.

And a back view; notice again it is not bound but uses the same technique as described above.

With a close up of the top left corner.  

A 1930 Eagle chair pad.

Definitely not my colors, but here is an Abstract Floral measuring 25 x 40.

Chickens hooked early 20th century, located in Downingtown, PA.  Size is 25 x 45.

A 1900s Beaver with the Grenfell Labrador Industries Label attached.  From Delray Beach, FL.  If you newbie rug hookers would like to learn about the Greenfell Labrador project click HERE.

A landscape named Cottage Under Big Tree by the auction house, measures 27.5 x 41.  Said to be hooked early 20th century.

And for an even dozen rugs and since Valentine's is nearing, here is a Hand in Heart with hit and miss background circa 1920 provenance Garth's auctions 22 x 45.

Happy Sunday and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

Silly Dye Mistake

Today I felt like pulling out the dye pots but didn't want to pull out all that stuff, you know....the spoons, recipes, dye packets, measuring cups, mask, etc.  Instead I looked on my shelf of leftover recipes already mixed.  

There were two Karen Kahle recipes ~ in one jar was Faded Apricot, the other jar was Tawny each with a note on top to add 1/2 yard or more per quantity.   Okay, so pulled wool and soaked.  Note to self: (go for more and soak just in case.)

Two pots on the stove and put the remaining liquid in each pot, stirred and put in the wool.  Quite soon, and since I'm a primitive hooker the vivid colors hurt my eyes.  I scrambled to the wool room and grabbed more wool and didn't bother to soak and just put it in the pot.  

Colors were still too bright for me so went to the liquid collection and saw a jar of 'light brown' to tone down colors.  Hell, don't think there was enough of that light brown to tone down these jobs.

What I SHOULD HAVE DONE, and what I have done in the past is put just  a couple tablespoons of the dye in the pot and repeat to see the results developing as I go.  But no, I just dumped the whole damn thing in the pot.  This first photo is with a flash and strangely more realistic to what hurt my eyes ~ that would be the wool on the left.

The bottom photo is without a flash and would be more acceptable to my primitive eyes IF that is what it looked like.

So newbie dyers take a lesson from me and you'd think I'd have learned by now.  Guess I was over zealous about dyeing for a little diversity in the lock down.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

MAIL, as in USPS

July 26, 1775 Benjamin Franklin became the first Post Master General even tho there wasn't much mail being transmitted between people at that that time.  

The Postman was a movie Kevin Costner starred in where I think there was a line like...'thru wind, rain, sleet and snow your mail will be delivered'.  Or something to that effect.  Well what the hell has happened despite the exorbitant rising costs of shipping?

On December 6, 2020 I ordered a pattern from Cushing and just received it yesterday January 12, 2021 ~ it took 37 days to get here from Wells, Maine.  FYI I do NOT blame Cushing as I've always received my orders from them in a timely fashion.  Anyhoo......

Here is my late birthday/early Christmas present to myself arriving after the new year 😂.

Not sure I'll hook either of these this winter because I've still a rug on the frame and want to hook a heart or so next. But who knows what this fickle hooker will choose to do.  For sure will need to watch Lisanne's tutorial on hooking a plaid for the ice skates piece.  Thanks Lisanne!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

OH MY STARS and HEART

This morning as I was waking up stars were on my mind.  Before the new year the subject of new years resolutions was written about on some blogs.  And in the past I'd make a resolution but end up breaking it.  Yet I did say to myself....'hope I'll finally work on the star quilt again sometime this year'.  The last time I worked on and blogged about it was 2017.  Good grief!  that was four years ago.  If you'd like to read those posts you can see them HERE.

I even  surprised myself today by assembling a few more blocks.  Honestly don't know how many blocks are needed to finish the never-ending at least decade long quilt project because I didn't assess that today.  But did sew 5 more blocks.

Perhaps after I've had a couple days to catch up on pulling loops on my dear horse rug I'll check thru the box with the quilt and determine what is needed.  Surely that fabric is aging as fast or faster a rate than I am 😕 so need to finish it. 

Have assembled my mitten with heart and not ready to hang it since it's not February yet.  I'll get some greenery and have a couple fabric hearts to put in the mix or perhaps I'll have to hook a couple small ones to insert.

After blogging the start of my hooked mitten project and Kindred Spirits booklet friend and follower Nancy Kilrain remembered she had that booklet and had plans to make two for her twin grandchildren.  She posted her first mitten on FB with a delightful braided hanger... UH, an idea I stole from her ~ thanks Nancy.  By the way Nancy, in all honesty I like your hooked version better than mine.  Yours has more character and mine is rather stagnant.  Hey!  Give credit where credit is due.  Good job gal!

Happy Monday, plans are to pull a LOT of loops tomorrow which will make me happier.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

Miscellaneous Chit Chat

Update on my serger ~ I picked it up this afternoon, serged the pattern and it is on its way to Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  While the Bernette is back working again with only a threading issue I still see a need for a backup serger.  

A friend gave me a New Home My Lock serger which is seized up.  Instead of buying another it might be worthwhile having it looked at and repaired vs. spending $500 or more on a second serger.  During my on-line search did see a Utube video of someone fixing a seized up Janome serger so maybe I've nothing to lose by getting a screw driver and do what that guy did if oiling the machine doesn't fix the problem first.

Truth is I still haven't accomplished much in the way of hooking but will give an update on the Horse with Scrolls rug anyway.

Between the horse's front and back legs on the original antique there is a light hooked strip but not sure I'll keep mine as hooked.  Also not convinced on the leaf colors either.  What I do know for sure is that hooking makes me happy and I'm about to get back to it with a glass of cabernet knowing my pattern orders are shipped and my serger is working fine for the time being.

Happy Saturday and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRug

Busy but No Hooking

The very minimum amount of loops have been pulled the last two days and not sure many will be pulled today.  Tuesday I drew and shipped three rug hooking patterns; they were Antique Black Kitten:

Posies and Stars, 

plus Antique Pot of Flowers, all of which were to one person.

Then yesterday I had three orders; one person wanted the small version of Horse and Scrolls.

another person wanted Cat's Meow.

The third person wanted an antique adaptation I'd not drawn before so a master pattern needed to be made before I could draw it out on linen.  

Then things went to hell.  I did get the master paper pattern done, cut the linen went to serge the edges and the thread broke.  This is an old totally metal but work horse Bernette by Bernina.  I inherited it from a friend a few years ago and it came in handy after my newer model Bernette died.  

I worked over an hour to try rethreading it and even have the manual but the damn thing wouldn't do the proper stitch and that same thread was missing something.  So I dropped it off at a local sewing center this afternoon.  However, the person who works on sergers is off today.  I'm confident it is just the threading but am having it serviced too.  

I'm dependent on a serger as I do NOT like glued edges which some teachers do to patterns they sell (had a couple and very disappointed they put something like that out there), I've seen some people using tape on the edge but think that is tacky too and wouldn't want to do that with mine and surely wouldn't sell a pattern like that.  So I've alerted the young lady I'll contact her tomorrow.

So you're thinking...'what's wrong with hooking now?'   Well, because after I walk to pick up my mail I'm coming home to make a pot of vegetable soup.  I love a bowl of warm vegetable soup, left overs for a couple days and also freeze some.  But boy it takes forever to chop those veggies.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

Brief Break & Rain Issues

Enjoyed a brief break from the horse and scrolls rug to work on  something small.  Plans are to use this on the front door for Valentines day.  It will be in pocket form with a wool back and filled with something to be revealed later.  As you can see I utilize every left over piece of foundation I have ~ a make-do mentality.

It could also be used at Christmas with greens, holly, hooked stars, etc.  I made these to sell at craft shows and for years wished there was one left for me.  Finally decided to make that happen.  The one below is an example of what I used to make and sell.  Those I made with applique sections but this time decided to hook those spots instead.

Am sure my sweet DIL will want one so before Christmas next year will need to make another.  Maybe for hers I'll hook a star????  This is a pattern from a Kindred Spirits booklet as seen below.

The water will just not dry up.  In my research learned there was 11.4" of rain during December for this area.   Don't know how much rainfall for November but I did post photos of flooding in my yard in November.  The photo you're looking at is my neighbor's yard.  See that black circle?  There is water flowing from a yard sump pump which is overflowing and backing down MY driveway.

Here it is flowing backward down my driveway and up close you can see the ripples of water.

Then there was yet ANOTHER all night rainfall and this is the water in my neighbor's backyard.  Which soon will be pumped to the end of the road and back in my yard.  Could be the drain hole has filled in so it has  no place else to go but my driveway.  But since the guy isn't one to encounter I've notified the development management to let them talk to him.

I now have a couple mallards swimming in the back woods, they are pretty but would prefer to not have a pond back there.  Oh the joys of home ownership.  Thank goodness I've my hooking ~ but I should be spending time to organize my wool room which is in full blown chaos.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

Welcome 2021

Happy New Year, at least I hope it is a happier year than 2020 was. This rug is called New Years Eve but wanted to save it for the post today since I'm showing the projects hooked during 2020.  Believe it or not I hooked 15 projects during the hibernation ~ quarantine ~ shut-down ~ or whatever name you wish to give it.

The first rug hooked in the beginning of 2020 Was Winter Sled, a Cushing design which was kindly given away to me by Cathy of Acorn Hollow.

In preparation for February's Valentines Day my next project was Heart Butter Mold by Primitive Heartstrings. 

I had Lori Brechlin's Lancaster Barnyard pattern for a couple years and finally it moved to the top of my list.

Posies and Stars is an antique adaptation I hooked and offer in pattern form and still love it.  Was attracted to this antique because of the blotchy background as well as the neutral hit and miss border.  It still makes my heart skip a beat.

After a few days of harsh winds the rug on my frame next was  a pattern I saw on Cushing's web site and purchased it immediately.  It is aptly called Windy Day and will be my March display again this year.

By this time I wanted something which didn't need much concentration and decided to use up some neutral but various value wool and drew Cat's Paw.  

With spring near it was time to hook Lori Brechlin's Early bird, a pattern offered by Spruce Ridge Studios.  Confession is that I did do a little change by making the border all the way around instead of the top and bottom.

Was time for me to get back to my love of antique adaptations so chose one I named Bespectacled Lion.  Again it is the blotchy background but also the quirky naïve appearance of the lion.  Would love to know about the person who drew and hooked this many years ago.

Was comfortable to be working on antique adaptations again and what luck to find an antique patriotic themed rug, right up my alley.  The original was hooked around 1830 and I named it Pride, Honor, Freedom.

Saw Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) hooking this adorable pattern called Jack's Crow and had to have one for myself. It's a design by Terri Leamer of Winter Cottage Studio.  I couldn't wait to hook those pants with the left over wool strips from a Polly Minick pattern and think one day I'll hook it again with different colors since it was a PDF pattern.

The months are moving right along with me in the cocoon and time to finally hook Old Tom, a Lori Brechlin design.

Good heavens, my fingers are getting tired and getting vertigo from flipping from PC to flash drive, finding the pictures, yada yada.  But am almost..uh, almost done.  

Then on Facebook Lori posts a photo of a design called Merrie October 31st and a couple of us went nuts.  Kris accommodated us with a smaller version to our liking and this is what mine looks like.

Another PDF pattern I'd had for years was a Karen Kahle pattern named Woolly Santa.  Each year I'd tell myself to hook it but years flew by and decided it was time!!!!!  Again I made a change to the design to suit me and didn't hook the top sheep sticking out of Santa's sack.  Instead chose to hook Santa's mittens black to fool the eyes to see the sheep's legs.  I'm happy with my decision.

In chronological order New Years Eve would have been next but I placed it first since it is New Years Day.  But after that was Over the Moon, a pattern offered by Spruce Ridge Studio.  As you can see it still isn't' completely bound.  If I were one to make 'new years resolutions' it would be to be faster at binding my rugs; but then I DON'T make new years resolutions.

If you are interested in purchasing a pattern offered by me, you can look for them in the link below.  Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year.   My black eyed peas and salad are waiting for me as cooking them and doing this blog has taken longer than planned.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com