IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

Canadian loyal follower, reader and commenter Elaine sent me her "finally finished" (her words not mine) Lone Flower from a previous challenge.  Elaine has participated in a few of the challenges in the past and here is her Lone Flower, an antique adaptation.

Elaine says it is mostly yarn but I do see other fibers including maybe wool.  She knits a LOT so those are probably usable worms to her when there isn't more than two hanks/skeins or whatever quantity it takes to make a pair of socks, lol.

See, it's never too late to finish that hooking project and email it to me to share on the blog.  The caveat is that you would have taken advantage of the designs available at that time.  Thanks Elaine and wonder what is your next project....knitting or hooking?  Inquiring minds want to know.                        

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

FAR FROM FINISHED

Kimm (Sheep Under Feet) posted her wonderful finished Lady on Horseback today.  Which nudged me to post my far from finished endeavor.  As you all know by now we are doing an adaptation of Lucinda Ward's Reconciliation Quilt.  Here is a picture of that block.

Mine measures 18 x 18.5 and I'm using as many worms as possible, which range in size from #5 to #8.5.  All the tree wool is newly cut and the sky is as many worms as possible but also cutting thin  undesirable wool (normally) to fill for color variation.  Using the thin since it won't be on the floor.

I decided to hook fall leaves as there seemed to be an abundance of those colored worms available.  Will they stay?  Not sure as the green really does show up better doesn't it?  So who knows what reverse hooking may have occurred when you see it next.

For sure I need an outline around the woman's face and might use a dark piece of floss. Hard to believe I put this back on my frame 4 days ago and this is all I've accomplished.  The Forever Floral will be back on the frame this evening after I clean up the 4-day rats nest around my hooking spot.

Am missing our friend Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) but am sure she and son are having warm reunion since he couldn't get the flight to see  her at Christmas.  Am also sure she will have lots of stories of debauchery the excesses of the left coast and the city that never sleeps.  If you're reading this Lauren, have fun and safe travels home.

To the rest of my friends, happy hooking or for you Robin, happy stitching!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com         

                    

It's Still Winter?

I couldn't believe my eyes when going to check the propane tank level and saw daffodils with heads AND crocus in bloom noticed on my walk.  So I did a search of my blog to see the earliest date daffodils were in bloom like this, it was in February!  You can see the post HERE.

Here are the pictures I took but didn't search the whole yard.  Hope you can see them despite all the leaves.  So does this mean we will have an early spring?

The crocus I noticed on the start of my walk.  They are hard to see because of the leaves and they are next to the driveway.  I'm sure there were many other blooms in the yard but didn't look for them.

Unfortunately I didn't get an answer in my sleep from dear Barb on color planning the last two flowers.  She is probably too busy in heaven looking at the view and hooking with her friends Bobbi, Jayne and Emma Lou.  But there is always tonight where my brain might figure it out ~ you know that old saying..."sleep on it".

Meanwhile I've pulled a few loops on The Woman on Horseback.  Not sure if I'll show you an update tomorrow since I've a rug pattern to draw for a customer.  She sent me a photo of an antique rug I'd never seen before so will draw that out tomorrow.  Eventually I'll post that new rug photo in a future antique rug show.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

TWO FLOWERS LEFT

I've whittled the pattern down to just 2 flowers left to color plan.  There are changes I'd like to make....maybe.  At least there were those motifs noticed which I'd considered reverse hooking.  But my mindset was just keep on going on and get the dang rug close to the finish line.  Just what was I thinking when starting this charade anyway?

Confession time ~  I was so enamored by Theresa Rapstein's hooked rug that I decided to give it a try but not her particular huge antique adaptation.  Wanted mine small but to experiment with that style.  Here is Theresa's gorgeous rug.

For now the rug will sit on the sidelines while I look at it a few days and decide what colors to use for the 2 flowers left.  I know Barb would put some purple in there as she always said, '...purple was a neutral'.  Maybe Barb will speak to me in my dreams during the next couple days while I ponder the fate of the rug.

Am sure you've noticed various shades/values of greens for leaves and colors for flowers, that is because I've tried to use worms for all of them wherever possible.  

It's been raining cats and dogs here but thank goodness not the flooding and landsides, snow, or tornadoes going on elsewhere in America.  God Bless those in the flooding/landslide and tornado area.               

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ANTIQUE RUG SHOW and RUG SALE PRICES REVEALED

Here is a Bowl of Flowers measuring 16 x 26 and hooked late 19th century.  Had I seen this rug previously perhaps I should have drawn these flower shapes on my pattern.

A scheming cat is sitting and waiting for its meal to land.  No dimensions provided.

Put on your sunglasses, this is one colorful horse rug dated 1897.  However I'm thinking it is a more recently hooked rug with a fictitious date attributed.   A couple reasons for that is back then those colors would not be popular, plus there wouldn't be that much background color to hook that size rug as they would have used it for a quilt or more necessary things.  Me thinks it's an imposter antique, what say you?  It measures 38 x 40.

Isn't this dog with flowers sweet?  Is he on his way to woo his puppy love?  Size is 28 x 37 but no date provided.

A newly found rug is this Farmer with Pitchfork and hooked by Nancy Gertrude Scott.  In case you're not familiar with the name, she is the daughter of Barbara E. Merry.  No date or size of the rug was provided.   I have a couple other Nancy Gertrude Scott rugs but will save them for another time.  

In other news I have sold prices on a couple antique rugs which Barb Carroll owned, Ligonier Duo sold for $2,400 and measures 27 x 39. 

Kinderhook Basket also previously owned by Barb sold for $1,400.

One I've been interested in replicating is the two men on horseback which sold for $80.  Think the rug is a hoot with the riders sitting on the rump.

There were other rugs sold owned by Barb but think these were the most well known, well except for the last one which I liked.

I have a pattern order and don't have enough linen left on the bolt to accommodate the 72" length.  I placed an order with Dorr but they had no bolts left.  Yesterday I called to see if they had yardage, at least enough to draw the pattern but they didn't.  So if anyone is in need of linen soon I'd suggest you get on their 'backorder' list.

Happy rainy evening from Delaware, and thankfully it is rain and not snow.  Yet I'll probably have my lake back after tomorrow thru Wednesday's rain.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

FOREVER FLORAL UPDATE

Several years ago I recall a hooker (can't remember who) would speak of "the never ending rug".  I did a quick google search and nothing came up in the search.  Perhaps it was based on the same sentiment I have for this one which will always be known to me as 'the forever floral'.  

Am sure you have noticed my continual changes of size or shape of flowers and leaves but am still struggling with colors.  Have tried to pull most colors from the worm bags yet am cutting background colors with the occasional darker spots of worms worked into the background.

Something that continues to bug me are those "floating leaves" which dear friend and respected hooker critic Julia mentioned in an earlier post.  Julia, you are right and that's why it still bugs me.  But at this point I want to move forward rather than making backward steps.  Okay, so ya ready?  Here's the new photo.  OH!!!! plus I'm not pleased with the flower under the blue one on the left.  

Yeah, I know....you're wondering just what the heck did I accomplish, lol.  Well here is the previous view of the rug, so there was a tad more hooked like it or not, lol. 

Tomorrow is going to be a rainy day here so not sure if I'll continue to work on this or switch to the Woman on Horseback.  It really is a pain to switch over to other wool colors, but more than that is losing the mind's momentum on a rug.  Stay tuned to see what I decide and would love to see what each of your are working on.

Sorry many of my friends are having several inches of snow or rain/landslides.  Tomorrow there will be more rain here but thank goodness won't have worry about the landslides or earthquakes I experienced when living in northern California.  

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

LOOKING BACK

Decided to take a stroll back in time and show you what I hooked in 2022.  The first piece finished that year was the delightful pattern Winter Buddies designed by Cindy Lundgren and sold by Cushing.

Was getting antsy for another challenge/hook-along so a few of us hooked our favorite Granny Donaldson cow blanket designs and this is the one I chose (18.5 x 22).

After admiring an antique rug for many months it had to go on my frame and make it mine.  I named it Blue Bowl of Flowers and drew it 30 x 41.  During the hooking process I considered extending the flower stems.  But this is how the antique rug was so that is the way I hooked it.

Then there was that Dancing Rabbit hook-along.  Perhaps one day I'll hook the really old version in my files and enjoy it more.

In a class with Cindy Irwin at Ocean City, MD I was finally able to hook Mother and Fishbowl.  Because of Covid one year the class was cancelled and I just held out hope she'd get hooked.  I'm still not happy with mother's eye, her ski nose or lips ~ that was not the fault of Cindy, it is my loops.  Perhaps one day I'll work on it again before a next camp.

Cottage and Apple Tree is also an antique Adaptation drawn 22 x 30.  And it made for a great blog post on using UGLY WOOL.                      

Just like Blue Bowl of Flowers some antique rugs just haunt me until I hook them.  That was the case with Deer and Blue House, another antique adaptation which I drew measuring 21 x 30.

And who could forget what I personally refer to as the bastardized drawing of an otherwise wonderful antique Mary Comstock bed rug.  While I had to redraw many of the elements was not ready to toss in the towel.  It finally did get hooked and bound.  I should  have drawn it myself.

Then yet another challenge piece with Li'l Lamb chair pad, an antique adaptation using various textiles.  This time I didn't use woven cotton and it was much more fun.  I used nylon hose, tea stained cheese cloth, cotton knit, seam binding and wool.

And the last loops pulled on a rug last year was Double Eagles, another antique adaptation I drew.

Hope you had a fun trip back in time with me and hope you enjoy hooking forward with me in 2023.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

UPDATE on Woman on Horseback

I wanted to do a post on Saturday but the tree wasn't all hooked.  Then got thinking I should forget that and work on the horse.  But felt I couldn't post it this morning since the horse wasn't all hooked.  Now I've got no excuse and can't delay any longer as it has been 3 days since my last posting.  So here she is.

I drew this pattern measuring 18 x 18.5 and using a variety of cuts.  Have been using left over narrow cuts from my mother's profile for the lady's face, worms for the the cat in #8 and #8.5.  The lady's dress started with #8 worms but didn't have enough so cut extra wool #8.5 to fill in the skirt from another wool but it worked.

The woman's bodice buttons are a thread pulled from a white linen foundation edge ~ a little trick Bev Conway taught us in a class years ago.

The background has been the challenge and cannot believe it looks as well in the photo because in person it looks like...uh.. poop, lol.  I'm using some nice leftover worms from wool no longer in my stash, cutting wool from an extremely well worn Pendleton wool shirt (foreground) and other undesirable wool I wouldn't use in a rug for the floor.  But hey, it isn't going on the floor.  Here's a photo of some wool which is being used.

So my next hurdle, when I get there, will be choosing the leaf and ground colors.  Not only that but there is quite a good chance I'll run out of my 'make do' sky wool which will upset the applecart, so to speak.  But as the old staying goes...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

There were other folks who said they'd join in but as hopeful as I was to have more participants in this hook-along it seems to be just a duo ~ me and Kimm and she said she'll post a photo of hers tomorrow on her blog.  So it might be a cold day when I host another and will wait to see if someone else wants to carry the torch.  Hmm, I'm laughing here because it IS COLD outside but I'm NOT hosting another.

This evening I may or may not hook more on this.  But tomorrow it will be nice to revisit the 'forever floral'.  This was a nice break tho.

OH!!!!  Has anyone watched The Traitors on Peacock?  OMG, I binge watched it while hooking this and perhaps that's why it took me so long to accomplish anything.  It  was a very intriguing reality game show which had me on the edge of my seat.  Hope there is a next season of the show.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Antique Rug Show

The most favorite postings of mine and which receives the most visits are ones with antique rugs.  First up is a rug with black chickens and diamond border.  Dimensions are 30 x 47, hooked 1900 and still offered for sale at the moment.

This floral is lovely but too much boring background for me.  No date or size was provided.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner so here are folky hearts measuring 19 x 34 from Manheim, PA (no  date).

Here is a view of the back which shows relatively little fading on the front. 

A rug with tulip border and a blank canvas in the center which could say WELCOME, or last name of the people who live there, etc.  It measures 24 x 36 and hooked early 20th century.

This quirky bird made me chuckle when I found it.  The bird known as a roadrunner was hooked with yarn and measures 11.5 square.  Said to be hooked between 1920-30, you can learn more about the Roadrunner HERE.  Am guessing those plants are cacti; I like this guy!

I have probably shown this Barbara Merry rug before but it is now offered for sale again.  Was hooked early 20th century and measures 27.5 x 46.5.

This is a close up of the roof and it is amazing that each of us probably have all of these wools in our possession and what a perfect roof.

Rug of a brown dog in oval, 24 x 37 and hooked late 19th century.  It is from Sussman's Collection.

Ahhh, now to horses....This rug doesn't quite meet the 'in public domain' date requirement since it was said to be hooked 1935.  But I love it and had to share.  It measures 25 x 45 and has butterflies, birds, rabbit, etc.

Hmm, guess we need a cat rug for our feline lovers...let me see what I can find. Here is an exquisite looking cat with flowers and rather large at 57 x 76.  It sold for $1,650 (date of sale unknown) but was hooked between 1900-1925.  Whoever hooked this gave this cat a lavish lifestyle for sure and the cat knew it was special.  Well, at least that's what I'm interpreting from the hooked rug.

Okay kids, gonna go back to the Woman on Horseback for another dose, lol.  Then will probably be looking forward to the 'forever floral'.  I truly do like having another small on the side to work on as a change.  But whatever floats your boat you just keep on going on.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

WOMAN ON HORSEBACK

Didn't accomplish nearly as much on this as I'd hoped and won't accomplish more on it tonight or tomorrow; will explain further down.  Since Kimm (Sheep Underfeet) drew her pattern out before me she has probably gone gangbusters on hers.  I'll let her post accomplishments on her blog first and then will borrow steal her photo and post it on mine as well.  But Kimm gets first dibs on her progress.

As previously mentioned I drew mine out 18 x 18.5.  I used narrow cut worms for the face and #8 plus #8.5 for the blouse, cat and tree.  Decided to keep those color filled baggies of worms right where they were because they've been handy using for this piece.

This evening I want to start binding of Double Eagle rug since my DIL has an endoscopy tomorrow and will want something to keep me occupied.  It's a win win because I hate waiting and hate binding.  

As all my readers/followers know, I draw rug patterns and will draw whatever size you choose on which ever block floats your boat.  

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

The Forever Floral Preview

While you folks ponder which block you'd like to hook thought I'd take a photo of the forever floral to show you.  I wanted to see if the colors are okay before completing that pink and red flower or if it is too pink.  Did I mention I'm not fond of pink; yet here I am with pink in the rug.  I still have some pink/tan mottled wool I could use, which is in the flower to the right of the unfinished flower. 

Also wonder if the addition of earthy colored flowers upsets the flower cart, so to speak.  But no way I could handle just a pink and blue rug.

And if the montage of colors is okay then what the heck do I do with the remaining flowers??  I'll hook the penny flowers the same as the others but it's the other two big ones I'm worried about.  Where is my rug teacher when I need one, LOL.

Hmmm, with that in mind I don't think dearly departed Barb would have those pinkie and bluey flowers at all, but not sure what she would choose.

My Woman on Horseback pattern has been drawn and on my frame.  So far I've only hooked her hat, hair and am on her face with a narrow cut.  Yup, that's all I've accomplished. I recall in a class at camp my teacher told us to "hook what's on top first".  So that's what I did.  As soon as the hat, face and hair are done I'll hook around that with something to contain the shape.  Will do that in blue until I decide if the background will be anything other than sky color.  Nope, sorry, not enough hooked to show you.

Happy hooking, stitching or whatever.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Lucinda Ward's Reconciliation Quilt Hook-Along Post #2

During my homework pre hook-along for this subject I searched lots of on-line places hoping to find some hooked representation of the historic quilt.  Of course there is the pattern which is offered by Woolley Fox titled Lucinda's Quilt.  This one below was hooked by Joyce Rickenbach

Also found these individual blocks hooked by her as well.

Also discovered this creative adaptation which has an added image from someone's creative mind.  Have no idea who hooked it so if anyone reading my blog knows please let me know and I'll give credit.

Today I also luckily found better section photos of the quilt which might make copying easier.

My pattern has been enlarged...uh, twice, lol.  The first one was enlarged 225% which gave me a 16 x 16.5.  After looking at it overnight decided to enlarge it 250% which gives me an 18 x 18.5 pattern. 

Here is part of the rats nest I spoke of which unfortunately didn't get cleaned up today but I did get the pattern drawn on linen.  So tonight  I'll pull a few more loops and show you where I am on the 'forever floral' tomorrow.  BTW, you couldn't see the pile of loose worms on the sofa arm to the left nor the worms on the tv tray to the left but here is rather a contained rats nest.

      

Gee, it's a little past wine o'clock!!!!!  Happy hooking everyone.  🍷

 

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com