A few more loops have been pulled on this antique adaptation but still plenty more to do as you can see. There is a lot more border than background too.
The antique had several values of light and believe it or not I didn't use the brightest white in my stash. When the rug is all hooked I'll spray plain water on the front, the back then the front again (spray twice on the front and once in the back). Since wool naturally repels water you want to be sure it is soaked so it will absorb the walnut mixture better. I mean that makes sense since we need to pre-soak our wool before putting it in the dye pot for that very reason...to absorb the dye.
Here is a small bottle of Distress It which I purchased a couple years ago from Hooked on Rugs. Perhaps there is another company who offers a similar product. Also think you can purchase walnut crystals if you don't have black walnut trees in your area.
Walnuts usually drop in October and easy to pick up off the ground. From an earlier blog post during walnut season you can read how I made walnut stain HERE. Be careful as your hands will also become dyed. And in other blog posts showed samples of the before and after wool dyed in it, HERE.
OMG, yesterday afternoon the thunderstorm rolled in at lunch time and the temps dropped to the low 50's. Later the sun did shine which brought the outside temps up to higher 50's. I've been cold all day as I've refused to turn on the heat and my house was 66* today so had to wear long sleeves inside. Supposed to be a better weekend tho and after the rain guess there will be a growth spurt and I'll be cutting grass.
Happy Friday and happy hooking.
Saundra
Saundra, your rug is looking fantastic. I have a few questions. Do you add a bit of soap in the water when you spray your rug before you brush on the distress formula and also I want to know if the antique black is the wool that you dyed the other day? This is going to look even nicer with the red a bit darker, me think.
ReplyDeleteI've been planting for the last two days at the farm. It's so wet in the gardens at the farm, the mud was sticking on my boots especially in one area while we were planting tomatoes. Today we planted Butternut squash. I also planted stuff in my little raised beds at my house. Tomorrow if it doesn't rain, we'll plant the cucumbers. More stuff to plant still.
Enjoy your weekend.
Hugs,
Julia
Oh, luck you to have gotten some rain. It has cooled down here, but still not a drop of rain. Lawns are burning up and the farmers have begun to worry. Today I saw a large dirt devil on the way home. Not good. Rug is looking great and a light distressing will be awesome. Looks like a fun rug to hook. ~Robin~
ReplyDeleteWish we would get some rain. Would love for you to show your rug completed and then show the stained version in the same post. Looking good and of course I love the muted colors. Maybe thats why I like the majority of the antique rugs. Janice
ReplyDeleteGreat looking mat!
ReplyDeleteGood u got rain,,,
We need it bad,,,
So dry here,,,
Take care,
Elaine
I bet that’s a fun one to hook. Lots of movement. Will be fun to see it with the walnut. I would be scared to death I’d ruin it somehow 🥴
ReplyDeleteLadyLocust
The grass is already looking like it is August, not early June. We have a 60% - 80% chance of rain today, but mother nature might just be messing with us. Since I am so close to Lake Erie, oftentimes the rain goes just south of me. Praying it really does rain.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love every rug you hook ;-)
Good tip for using walnut to tone down bright colors ! Thanks !!!
ReplyDelete