I Can't Get No Satisfaction

Remember that song by Mick Jagger?  Well I can't get no satisfaction with either of my on-going rug projects.  Thought I'd temporarily put Mary Comstock away and pull out Mother with Fishbowl.  But after looking and thinking about that idea decided to roll it up and put it back in the bag.

Hooking on Comstock has been  s  l  o  w  going with numerous pausing between loops because there's no passion on it either.  Don't think I've felt like this for any rug other than the hit and miss geometric and likewise the wool yarn Strawberry Patch rugs.  Eventually they were finished but put away for years at a time.

This is what Mary Comstock looks like now, and the wool at the top shows up more red and mild than in person.

What to do when you're not having fun?  Since there are two rugs already available there's no way I want to think about drawing out something else.  SO, perhaps my time would be better spent sewing labels on several of my last hooked rugs and finish binding the Monochromatic Floral.

Today's temperature on my outside thermostat reached 99*F so guess it is officially summer and tomorrow is halfway into the year beginning June 1st.  Sheesh but time does go by fast.  The humidity was high so only worked outside for a little in the morning and was inside by just after 11 a.m.

Enjoy your garden's rewards and will be envious of all those sweet red ripe tomatoes.  I used to grow them when living in different areas and the soil was better.

Happy hooking and hope I find mine again soon.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day, a day to celebrate those men and women who sacrificed their lives to protect America and its Constitution.

GOD Bless America.

Saundra
 

Vintage Rugs

A rug show is always my 'go to' when there's not much else to blog about.  I'll start with this primitive eye pleasing Star in Circle.  It measures 18 x 36.5 and said to be from a Maryland collection.  No date was provided.

Down on the farm....a Turkey, Rooster and Hen.  The dimensions are 19 x 36 and said to be hooked in the 1900s.

For you feline folks (or is it something else entirely), here's a white cat with a rick rack (a/k/a zig zag or sawtooth) border.  The rug measures 27 x 40.

Another white animal is this horse with red eyes.  The auction house said those designs in the corners were stylized lilies...or are they birds in flight or something else?  Wool and cotton hooked on burlap measures 20 x 37 and hooked 19th century.  

Rooster and Cats dated 1929 but no dimensions offered.

Two dogs facing with a diamond shaped border.  Interesting tho, if you click to enlarge the photo the note at the bottom named it  'facing goats'.  goats do not have a tail like that.  It appears the dimensions are 28 x 35.

Here is an antique rug named Nantucket Whaling Scene from the auction house Austin Miller antiques.  

Below is the adaptation hooked by Edyth O'Neill.  Well Edyth started hooking it but the weight of the rug and arthritis halted her progress.  It was finished up by Debbie, the gal in the photo helping hold the rug.

This hooked rug below isn't vintage but I've had it for a while and it is worthy of sharing.  A hooked rug of the  Olson House in Cushing, Maine.  If you want to know the history about the house and what it has to do with Andrew Wyeth click on the link above.

My yard work is never going to be reduced to just cutting grass in the spring and summer it is a never-ending task.   This is a photo of the size of that healthy tree which was blown over in a freak March 2018 storm and recently righted up.  Look, you can see the base extends beyond 3' across.

I've been trying to pull out those thorny vines by the roots but start with clipping off the length so my arms don't get ripped up too much and work continues on loosing the dirt around the base.   Am still trying to pull out that damn holly tree just to the left of those dwarfed day lilies

And of course there's more thorny vines on the left side but my dumpster is full.

Think I'll come in for the remaining part of the day and pull a few loops.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com 

Seesaw / Scale Color Showdown

Remember when you were a kid on a seesaw and one side might be heavier than the other?  Or like the scales of justice which side was most heavier on the win?  I'm finding myself in a predicament on where to go with the Comstock rug.  I started pulling colors based on the picture in the Kopp book with a blue and darker brown at the top and planned for a primitive black bottom.  If you scroll down to my previous blog post you can see what I mean.

Then after carefully looking the photo of the original Mary Comstock photographs (also on that same blog post) started to doubt my colors.  Not only from a true blue to a teal but also from a dark brown top to a warm brown. Today I grabbed some wool to lay beside what I've hooked to see how the scale will move....dark brown & blue / warm brown and teal???????

All of a sudden I'm not having much fun hooking so have no idea what I'll do.  Tonight guess I can just veg out and see what's on TV other than news.  I do like the History and Discovery channels so maybe I'll venture there.  Otherwise given my leanings right now I'd probably be pulling out a lot of loops.

Hmmm, maybe I'll continue slowly binding my monochromatic floral.  At least I know what needs to be done there.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Just the Beginning

Can't say I've accomplished much since starting this 5 days ago and already thinking of removing that blue wool and go for something more teal.  It depends on which Mary Comstock photo I look at, and will show you what I mean further down.  The lettering had to be re-worked and will get into that in yet another blog post one of these days.  

You've probably seen the antique Mary Comstock rug in the Kopp book and for convenience here it is again.  I used the Kopp book to pull my blue wool from the worm bag but second guessing those colors now.  Won't worry about the blue issue yet as there's more script to hook at the top first.

Then there are photos of the original Comstock Bed Rug and colors which appear more teal.  We all know cameras, printers and computer monitors alter what we each see in person.  For the life of me cannot recall where I acquired these wonderful photos below of the original antique but have savored each one.  

So now I've changed the text color to more teal which I find more pleasing to my eye...me thinks 😕

The brown shows up more warm and rich than the photo in the Kopp book.

And here is a shot of the entire gorgeous Mary Comstock rug and I guess the ladies who made this photo shot happen.  Thanks gals!

Who the heck knows what color I'll finally choose.  But I'd be  interested in your opinion.  If Kris Miller still reads my blog I think her vote would be for teal.

Enjoy your evening; it is a chilly once again today and seems mother nature can't make up her mind if it is winter, spring, summer or fall.  So will just wear long sleeves and change mid-day, cover at night with a quilt or not ~ crazy weather and it is almost June.  No matter the weather happy hooking (stitching, quilting, knitting).

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ONCE in a BLUE MOON....

Today I experienced that blue moon moment.  Rarely have I ever had a person or business go above and beyond what the estimate was.  As a homeowner I've had plumbers, electricians, tree services, driveway blacktop work, deck wash and seal and numerous other services done.  Some may have met their commitment and some not.

The initial meeting John and I walked around my yard and showed him my two main concerns ~ two large trees close to the house which had hollowed out (dead) areas at the bottom.  Admitting there was lots that should be done (if I had an unlimited budget) asked him to tell me what was threatening the house and should be dealt with.  One double tree on the left side of the house had a single leaning trunk, and some low lying limbs on the oak tree in the very front of the house were his comments.

I asked if he could push over that humongous tree stump...remember this old photo?  The bottom root section was well over 8' tall at top and was from a freak March 2018 storm previously posted on my blog.  John said he had something which could push it over.  

Yet the estimate via email that stump was not listed.  The estimate for the other items mentioned above was $2,025.  Okay, I've lived with that eye sore four years so no biggie ~ it's become part of the landscape.  

BUT today he did flip it over!!  Look at the size of that trunk (over to the right) even after termites ate it since 2018 and still BIG.

John had his men cut down the trunk and now it's more pleasing to my eye and hell of a lot easier for me to cut grass around.  Oh, notice they also took those logs which would have been to the right of the stump and the tree.

Here are the stumps of the hollowed out trees which were a safety concern.  Notice both of the weakened hollow sides are toward me, therefore my home.

This small locally owned company also trimmed overhanging limbs on other trees from around my property  ~ not on the estimate, plus other logs.

Okay, perhaps he will have it all turned into mulch to use or sell it.  That is peachy keen.  Fact still remains he went out of his way to make this customer happy and I feel as tho I received everything and more than I paid for.  He is an honest American who believes in good customer service and if you had to put a label on him guess you could call him a capitalist.  Not something so positive can be said about our ?!$@#&% government ~ who is heavily leaning toward socialism.

Think I'll sleep well tonight since some of my yard issues have been resolved today and sending good vibes to John and his company.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

RUGS, RUGS, and MORE RUGS

Yup, its that time again....time for some oldies and goodies.  Dated 1913 the rug below must have been a lucky or favorite horse with its profile in a horseshoe.

A nice Lion rug measuring 17 x 31,  such a shame it has  a badly worn area on the edge.

Cat with flowers in corners measures 23.5 x 34.5 and was dated 1900's.

Sorry the photo is so poor of the Cabin and Gazebo.  Dimensions are 21 x 67 and no date provided.

I may have shown this rug previously but just saw it and thought it worthy of showing again.  I call it Bowls of Lollipop Flowers, it is Canadian measures 20.5 x 41 and from the Don Pero collection.

A monochromatic 'Feeding Lambs' from the estate of Laura Fisher.  No dimensions were provided.

Listed as a Folk Art horse from Ephrata, PA,  it was hooked using a salvaged uniform  and mixed fabrics on burlap.  It measures  20 x 35.

And lastly is a chuckle from a hooked rug....Gotta Make Calls measures 35.5 x 58.5 and another rug from the estate of Laura Fisher.

There's your Sunday serving of old rugs.  Seems summer is really here now with temperature to reach over 90 degrees.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

PATTERN on the FRAME & Other News

Upon reading Robin's blog post my comment to her was that I empathized with her issues.   You can read about that on her blog: Cranky Crow.  

Although it's been many months, years maybe, while perusing a selling site I saw an antique adaptation at a price which was fantastic.  I wouldn't have to sketch the original antique, do the line drawing, enlarge and draw on linen.  It was there for the taking.

This is a photo from the Kopp book of said lovely original Mary Comstock Bed Rug from which the pattern purchased was adapted...loosely adapted.  

It is true I draw most of my personal antique adaption rugs smaller than the original BUT I draw them exactly like the original antique.  Guess you could call me a purist in that respect vs. taking my own spin on what was already a perfect specimen of a rug.  

Here's the drawn design.

I'm going to try and make the most of it and re-draw some elements as close to the original as possible.  But this is definitely a wake up call for me to always do my own antique adaptations.   And for those of you who want a true adaptation of an antique rug I'm your 'go to' gal.

In other news, you regular followers/readers know I've posted a number of Barbara E. Merry rugs on my blog.  She was a prolific hooker and her works were among the people I admire.  This morning I was notified that Barbara passed away early spring this year.  You can read her obituary HERE.

If I could find and afford to buy one of her rugs, this would be the one.  Barbara holding a horse rug she hooked.

Rest in Peace Barbara, and know that many of us rug hookers have admired your work and story for years.  Happy hooking in heaven and perhaps we'll meet up one day.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

BACK in the BAG

Mother with Fishbowl is going back in the bag and sit on the sidelines again.  This time probably longer than before.  At least I mustered up courage to re-hook the bulbous nose which bothered me.  And think I know what that issue was.  Here is the AFTER photo.

When starting the pattern in class I was determined to hook in #6 cut.  But with Cindy Irwin's guidance realized that was too large and reduced to #5 and lower where needed.  Some of the #6 was replaced but not all ~ not that section of the nose.  

Here is the BEFORE.  If you look carefully you may notice the difference.  Also I'd also tweaked the nostril which looked unnatural.

Now I'm out of steam, out of confidence on what to do with the fishbowl and curtain/background colors.   Hooking on this right now isn't fun so unless and until I feel a wool will work for those areas this will sit on the sidelines.   It's time to move on and put this aside until a future rug camp where Cindy or another teacher might be able to help me. 

Meanwhile I'm binding this beauty.  This is a one-of-a-kind design hooked by me on the fly (re-designing as I hooked) inspired by the beautiful over-dyed wool purchased from Cindy at rug camp.  Am so glad that wool tantalized me those days at camp because it is a beautiful color.

Tomorrow will be a new day for sure.  OH!!!!!  Unless it rains Monday the tree man will be here.  I've already sent them the photo of the last remaining logs and said I'd like to have that added to the job.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

MULTI-TASKING

The last loop was pulled on this one-of-a-kind Monochromatic Floral last evening and steamed this morning.  This is the first rug I've ever hooked with the intentions of selling it.  The rug was fun to hook and it was designed as I hooked.   The inspiration was the color of Cindy's overdyed wool at camp ~ it kept nagging at me and just had to buy that wool and tackle that challenge.    

After steaming the rug I went outside to move a few more logs.  Remember this photo?  This photo was taken March 28th soon after my brother made a visit to saw down the toppled trees from the heavy snow storm.

If you are a regular reader you've seen the transformation in slow time.  But today after making a couple more trips dragging a log in each hand this is what the pile looks like.  The logs remaining are longer than 5' 5" and too heavy for me to carry alone.  So these will wait for the tree people or extra muscle.

Yesterday afternoon I went outside and noticed my male turtle was still in the area 24 hours later.  Although it does appear he had moved a little to the left, you can see the divot in the leaves just to the right where he'd been previously.  

However, a storm came thru with some areas near here getting golf ball and baseball size hail stones.  No hail stones here thankfully so after the storm passed (about 7 p.m.) I went out again and Mr. Turtle had left that area.  Don't know where he is but am sure he's about somewhere so will, as always, be cautious when cutting grass.

Finally today I cut linen and started drawing a pattern for someone but just had to take a break from it.  When an antique rug is photographed at an angle the dimensions are not equal.  It requires a lot of concentration to transfer it properly onto linen.  Tomorrow I'll continue to work on it but needed a break.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com  

LOOKING for the NEXT ONE

I spend a lot of time looking for antique rugs then again looking for something for me to hook between rug projects.  I'm on the search again and one is from my stash so wouldn't have to draw anything as it is ready to go ~ that would be the Mary Comstock rug.  The pattern I have is smaller measuring 20 x 26 so it would be an easy quick hook, me thinks.

The recently posted Deer interests me and you know how I love blotchy backgrounds and despite my hooking numerous deer over the years will always love hooking deer and horse rugs. 

Also this Stag and Doe antique rug is teasing me.  Love that little bit of color in the house and flower.

While perusing etsy for rug patterns I fell in love with Sheep's Cabin, a design by Terri Leamer of Winter Cottage Studio.  So those are in my vision of what to hook next.

OH, plus I've a log cabin design floating around my cranium which hasn't been put to paper yet.  However, I'm not ready to draw anything yet since I've two rugs to finish. 

On other news... today (Sunday) I went outside and saw this beautiful  turtle and wondered if it was a male looking for a mate or a female wanting to find a spot to lay her eggs.  

I've read turtles return to their original location every year.  Am happy some have survived to make it this size and return each year; I look for them.  While the turtle may not have been happy with me, I gently turned it over to find out its gender ~ it had a concave bottom which meant it was a male.  A few hours later I went to the back yard again he was close to the area where I found him.  So perhaps he has a date with a female and more turtles will return.

Okay, enough of the sex life of turtles.  I went outside to move some logs this morning about 10 a.m.   Here is a picture of my first trip to the back woods.

My second trip.  

By that time I was getting shaky and figured it must be close to lunch time so came into the house.  After water and rest had lunch and went back outside to make two more trips.  That's when I saw Mr. Turtle again in a slightly different spot and figured he had an eye out for a local gal.

There's still more logs to move and tomorrow is supposed to be thunderstorms.  But at least I got those few loads back in the area where the water normally builds up.  

Where is my TREE MAN?????  Whenever they get here I'll have the remaining logs ~ which are bigger and heavier removed by them.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com