Friday, December 31, 2021

2021 in REVIEW

Don't worry, I won't write about the occupant of the White House, Covid restrictions for us while the open southern border allowed over 2  million unvaccinated illegals to enter the US, nor will I talk about other things political.  Instead I will show you a review of the hooked pieces I accomplished during 2021.  Would you believe there are 14 of them?  Some are small, some medium and none are huge as Jo, Jeanne or Tanya hook.  So here goes my review....

First rug finished in January 2021 was the antique adaptation White Horse and Scrolls.
Next was Tattered Tulip, an antique adaptation, the design I chose when a group of us participated in a Textile Challenge.   Tattered Tulip seemed to be the most popular design.  You can read more about that challenge HERE.
Plus, our group venture even made the August/September 2021 issue of ATHA; thanks to all of you who joined in. 
Patriotic Shield was the next project to go on my frame and is part of an antique triptych rug.
Continuing on my roll with small designs the next project was Black Tailed Jackrabbits, another antique adaptation.
Another small piece (now you see how I accomplished 14 pieces, lol) was Potted Plant, another adaptation.
Honoring the memory of fallen Police Officer Cpl. Keith Heacook of Delmar, DE I hooked the Thin Blue Line.  The Thin Blue Line flag is representative of the thin line police officers traverse daily between life and death as they go about their duty.  Thanks to all of you for your service to keep us and our communities safe.
Since my other departed pets had their memorial rug it was time for me to hook one of beloved Ben.  He was hooked with mostly #8 and #8.5 but slivers of wool were hooked in some places for detail.
I'd previously hooked a Patsy Becker design named Jewel Basket but that was early in my hooking experience so decided to buy another pattern from Wool and Goods and hook it again.  
Next I designed and hooked a pattern named Ox Farm and am quite pleased with it.  You can find this pattern and the antique adaptations HERE.
It was time for me to hook another Magdalena design as I still haven't hooked all her designs.  On the frame next was Rooster, Duck and Horse.
My design and another small one, I named Sunflower Duo.
For Cape May rug camp last September I purchased Stacked Birds, a design by Margaret Shaw.  You can contact her to request the design HERE.
The next rug on my frame was this Antique Horse Adaptation.
Another Magdalena design was calling my name so drew and hooked Bird Dog.  It is presently being whipped with wonderful variegated wool from Kindred Spirits.  This is a different dyed wool than was used to bind the horse rug above.

The yarn is nice and thick so doesn't need to be doubled.  You will have to request her variegated wool yarn as she only has photos of the solid colors on her web site.  If you send her a photo of your rug she will dye special for you the colors in your rug.
Since Winter Buddies won't be done by the end of tonight it will be listed among the 2022 rugs.  But don't fret as when it is completed there will be a photo finish on my blog.

I'll be sound asleep when 2022 rolls around and pray that 2022 will be a better year and if not I'll have my sights set on 2024.

Saundra

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Vintage Rugs

Always a fun post for me to do is showing you antique rugs.  This Southwestern design is interesting and demonstrates the naïve primitive style.  Notice the hunter is much larger than the person inside the teepee and also the person near the camp fire.  It is hooked on burlap and measures 19 x 38.5. 
Here is a view of one corner of the Southwestern designed rug.
Sweet Rabbits pictorial rug from John Hay House, Brewster, MA.
Cats and flowers round top rug measures 26 x 32.  Check out the very top and bottom ...I'm wondering if the blue means it was repaired or did she run out of the taupe color?   This photo was captured from an auction site during 2020 according to the data on my flash drive.
Funny, while perusing my flash drive I found another picture of the same rug and it shows up differently so thought I'd post it as well.  Guess I'm not the other person who gets different colors with my camera.  This photo was saved January 2021 so maybe it was being sold the second time and photo taken with a different camera?
The patriotic 1876 Centennial rug measuring 28 x 38 would be a nice rug to hook and display during patriotic holidays.
A small geometric mat dated 
1900 is a small 6.5 x 11.  Those loops look rather large so wonder how she pulled those big loops up without a Hartman, lol.
Another cat rug dated 1885-1900 is an ES Frost design from the Williamsburg Folk Art Museum.
Two Birds one Worm by Cecile Perrault.  When I first saw this rug it reminded me of the Disney movie where two dogs were sharing a plate of spaghetti and the same one piece when their noses met.   This is the front.
The back of the rug showing true unfaded colors.
Bess the horse is dated 2/12/1920 and measures 27 x 32.  I'll bet Barb Carroll would love this one since it has purple in it.  Sadly the colors have bled on the rug.
Goodness, tomorrow is New Year's eve and back in the day I'd already have my evening attire already picked out when going out to celebrate.  That activity stopped years ago and now I'm quite content to stay home.

Saundra

Monday, December 27, 2021

Winter Buddies

I resisted the desire to draw out my Granny design because most of you gave a thumbs up for the deer pattern.  So Winter Buddies, a design by Cindy Lundgren is on my frame now.  These next two photos are hooked by other people and thought them worthy of posting before showing you my start.  Both are a great inspiration for color and I've enjoyed looking at them.

As you might expect I've my own interpretation and am still working by the seat of my pants.  I've already rehooked that poor bird 3 times and afraid to go for 4 times for fear of weakening the linen.  So here's mine so far.
Really wanted to have more hooked but I also was working on binding Bird Dog.  If only I had a helper like Santa has, lol.  Of course I'd give the binding part to the helper.  
If you would like to hook your own Winter Buddies pattern you can find the pattern HERE.

Do you have your ingredients for your New Years Lucky dinner?  I've already purchased my bag of black eye peas as that is what I'll have for dinner New Years Day as that is the tradition I grew up with on the east coast.  I know many do the sauerkraut and pork and or greens for dinner.  Frankly I LOVE sauerkraut but don't eat pork or beef any longer.  And this year I just might splurge on not to eat list and have some corn bread with my black eyed peas this year.  It's been a long time coming so should celebrate this milestone year with corn bread. 

Happy hooking.

Saundra

Saturday, December 25, 2021

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The real reason for this holiday season, the birth of Jesus.
Wishing all of you a very merry Christmas.

Saundra

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Confronted with a Decision

That happens a lot when the rug on my frame is almost all hooked.  Remember the beautiful antique I named Red Bud?  When push came to shove I nixed the idea of hooking it...for the time being.  All that white hooking began to feel boring and I hadn't even started  it.

Then thought of finally drawing a geometric to use some of these selvage edges of wool ~ a thought which comes to mind each time I'm in limbo.
Then I looked thru my pattern stash on linen, as opposed to the many paper patterns I've accumulated, and found a couple which interested  me.  One is a smaller version of Mary Comstock's Bed Rug.
Another on linen is Winter Buddies which I purchased last year from Cushing.
Once Bird Dog is fully hooked I'll draw out my Granny Donaldson choice and fight the urge to start it.  This is the design I've decided on except I will replace the camel with a horse.  Am sure some of you are thinking it is an Alpaca or Lama, but even tho they are related to the camel neither of them have a hump.
Hopefully I'll choose something to hook and start it before giving in to that urge.

Saundra

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Magdalena's Works

Geez, have I been in a coma?  I'm even further behind and should have made a blog post yesterday to keep up with the every-other-day plan.  Oh well I'm here now and will show you the latest on Magdalena's Bird Dog.  
Good that it will be done in 2021, or at least the hooking will be; who knows when the final whipped edge will be done.  In case you've forgotten below is a photo of the original Bird Dog rug but remember it is a poor photo which I copied from the booklet.
Something else you might be interested to know is that one of Magdalena's ORIGINAL rugs was recently resold on November 19, 2021.  The Dog and Crows rug brought in a huge sum of $20,315.  YUP!   And here is that valuable rug.  The original measured 36 x 48.5.
I hooked it also but mine has no value, lol.  Heck it is hard to get $85 per sq. ft. for primitive rugs ~ or at least for me in slower lower Delaware.  I took some creative license with the dog's ear as Magdalena made the dog look like he had a dent in the head.  To her credit I'm sure she was trying to illustrate it was an ear.
Soon I'll be able to draw out something new to hook.  It still isn't AFTER the new year so I just might need to draw something to keep me occupied until my pals and welcomed guests are ready to work on a Granny Donaldson design of choice.  

If you're new to my blog you can read about Granny HERE.

Saundra

Saturday, December 18, 2021

THIS and THAT

I know this is going to be a shock to your system, but I finally finished binding the horse rug.  Guess it's about time since the last loop on it was pulled November 30th.  Plus I misjudged the amount of yarn I'd need to bind it and had that roll of yarn left over.  But I'm still glad I ordered two more skeins as I will use it to bind Magdalena's Bird Dog too.
Why can I not get rugs centered in a photo????  I took 5 shots and this was the most straight of all of them.  But in my defense there is a delay between pushing the button and the shutter and don't know how to fix that ~ maybe it is a default setting.

Here ya go Sheila, now to that vintage rug which made my heart skip a beat.  It isn't what you'd think I'd fall in love with as it isn't a dirty, naïve  primitive.  I've named it Red Bud and Scrolls.  I'd like to hook it but it might take me a while as the all white/light background could become boring.  So it could be one which is worked on all thru the winter when I need something else.
Was said to be hooked around 1910 with dimensions of  36 x 39.  This is another one that if it was at Sauder or a textile museum I'd stand in front of it and study the hell out of it.  See how the lights change into yellows, grey, bright or dull white and even a dirty green gold.  And in the center is a beautiful red bud blooming out of the abyss.  Awesome.

Yesterday the temperature reached 66 and the day before that was even warmer. Today's high will be about 59 and then the cold comes back.  And do you believe it is just one week from Christmas?  OMG this year has come and gone so fast.

Today is Lauren's Christmas celebration with several friends/neighbors so she will have a week to recover before the next round of being hostess.  Here's to you Lauren 🍷.

Saundra

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Rug Eye Candy

I try to do a blog post every other day but yesterday I forgot and am off schedule...again.  Well you know what that means...a rug show.  Doubt anyone is upset about that tho. 

There is something about red, black and gold together which make an outstanding rug.  And so does this one with red flowers and leaves in corner.  It measures 32 x 43.
This Horse and Roosters rug I've liked and had this photo for a while.  Said to be hooked in 1902 but don't have dimensions.  Sorry for the blurry look but the copy I have saved doesn't have high pixel count.  Wish I did have a better photo of it.  So if anyone has a better picture could you send it to me please.
Landscape from the1900s was hooked on burlap with old fabrics.  It measures a huge 72 x 84.
A close up of some fabrics.
Close up of house, sky, trees and birdhouse.
The back of the rug showing repairs.
For some reason I always think of deer rugs as being a winter rug, tho I've Woodland Deer hanging on the living room wall all year long.  Below is a 
deer with flowers and wool tongue border.
An interesting hooked rug of another deer and dog rug which measures 47.5 x 54.  Sorry but have no date when it was hooked.
From the shape and size I'm guessing this was a chair pad.  The black cat was hooked 1920 and measures 14 x 14.5.
The following rug depicting farmers harvesting potatoes has all the signs of it being a Barbara Merry rug but the listing didn't mention her name.  It measures 29.5 x 34 and said to be hooked 20th century.
A well worn pot of dainty flowers hooked early 20th century which measures 36 x 45.
I recently found another antique rug which made my heart skip a beat when I saw it but decided not to show it this time as I'm considering hooking it between Bird Dog and a Granny Donaldson cow blanket design I've chosen.  

Here is the one I'm planning to draw (at this time) ~ but you know me, I'm fickle and might change my mind on which design by the time Lauren, Sheila and Nancy are ready to join me.
If you would like to join in on the fun of hooking the simplicity of a Granny Donaldson design you can check out the designs HERE.  You can draw it any size and if you don't draw your own patterns you can check out Woolley Fox for one she offers named Granny Donaldson's Family.  Or if you prefer I would be happy to draw which ever design you choose and just let me know the size.  This should be a fun and rather easy peasy project because none of the people or animals need any detail.

Saundra