A SMORGASBORD OF CHIT CHAT

This is my current project and the one which will entertain me until Lucille gets to me at camp next week.  As I've been busy taking care of yard work, little by little, and other tasks in preparation to leave for camp, this is all I've accomplished so far.  BUT, I'm pleased with how it is turning out.  The pattern I drew on linen is 20.5 x 35.  If you recall I'd printed out a larger size but nixed the idea of hooking the bigger size.

Below is the original antique and I won't show the comparison every time, thought I'd refresh your memory on how the original looked.  Actually my wool is a tad brighter in person (believe it or not) than it appears in the photo above.

Last week I forced myself to do another dye batch just to get the pots and stuff out of my kitchen.  On the left was the new batch to be dyed and on the right had already been posted.

Both shown together (below) and in my stash now.  They will be used for something, even that lower piece on the left.  At least it is better than having the stark white showing.

To all the readers who take the time to comment, I thank you.  Seems many of you don't have an email connected to your blog when you signed up or you chose to be anonymous as I'm unable to reply to your comments.   Here is a comment which to me was quite special.

AnonymousSeptember 7, 2024 at 9:23 AM

My husband and I did that trip from Falls Church VA to Laguna Beach CA in 1974 in a VW squareback pulling a small U-Haul. A shame I did not document it as you did but we were hell bent for leather. We still try to remember some of the places we ate. Funny. We are still here after a 3 year stint in Santa Barbara. Things have changed so much here and not for the better.
I'm sure you could probably care less but I loved your posts because they all took me back. Thanks again.

Whatever your name is, thank you.  I was so concerned that those posts would bore people out of their minds and yet it seems it struck a cord with someone who had a similar experience.  Just wish I was able to reply to you.  IF anyone would give me their email and name I could put you in my 'contacts' file so that if you type your name as anonymous I'd still be able to reply.

This time next Sunday I should be at the dinner table at Cape May rug camp.  Still haven't heard from my teacher about camp yet but she just returned from the ATHA event so she's taking a well deserved breath to catch up.  Just hope the weather remains as it is and without any ocean turbulence.  It is chilly at night now and sunny during the day so fall is in the air.  Will be sure to take clothing to fit summer and fall before I leave as I'm sure I'll be needing both.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

CALIFORNIA ARRIVAL FINALLY

Ventura, California greeted us at 7:50 a.m., January 6th 1979 (a Saturday).  What a sight it was to look at dedicated surfers in the Pacific Ocean at that time of morning.  

And further along the highway the Pacific is still to our left side but highway veers more inland to the right and between us and the ocean is farmland.  It looks so strange to my east coast eyes to see palm trees growing in the middle of a pasture with cows grazing.  When I think of palm trees I'm thinking lounge chair and a cocktail with an umbrella on the side.

Now 11:05 in Paso Robles we're all weary as we've been up since 5:30 a.m. and driving 4 1/2 hours.  Our trip that started out ahead of schedule had gone to  hell for one reason or another.  First it was the ice storm in Texas, then the flat tire in Texas, requiring time spent waiting to have new tires put on the Scout.  After that it was the traffic jam in LA, then closing of Route 5 to Bakersfield.  Through it all I feel we have maintained a constant level of sanity and humor.  With 4 1/2 hours left of our trip am glad the voyage is almost over and we can settle down to a fairly normal way of life.  How the hell did our forefathers manage this trip in covered wagons and fewer resources?

We filled up with gas at 2:10 p.m. in San Jose so we are in the home stretch.  Route 680 is the last road needed to get to Dublin, at the Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge.  From there it is only minutes to our new home in San Ramon.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that we left our old home in Bowie, MD the evening of 12/29/1978.  We had no idea the experiences we would encounter or tests we would be put through.  But we made it as a family, we felt like modern day pioneers and made it all happen together.  This is our own story of "How the West Was Won".

We arrived at Howard Johnsons at 3:08 p.m.  and looking forward to moving into our 'new to us' home.  These photos were taken before the previous owners moved out.  We wanted a typical 'eastern' style home not the hacienda or California trendy style.  That is an olive tree in the front yard.

Here's the backyard which backed up to a golf course.  On the other side of the house there was a lemon tree.

I know you are wondering if I would recommend to people they fly instead of drive out west?  I'd say hell no if life was like back then.  But with today's violence and illegals coming across the border I'd say don't take the chance so fly.  Take the safest and fastest way to your destination.  Can't imagine what may have happened to us when we were stranded on a desolate stretch of highway along the border towns  today.

Well, that's the story written in my journal and I'd forgotten a few things so it was fun for me to read again to refresh my memory.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

JUST ANOTHER RUG SHOW

Found some newly listed rugs but several of them didn't seem interesting enough to take up flash drive space so didn't save all.  Here goes and these were some which did merit space on my drive yet you may not find them worthy.  

Three geometric rugs from the collection of Robert L. Pfannebecker early 20th century.

Another two from the collection of the same person and a smidgen more interesting than the three above.  There were a few more of his collection for sale which I didn't save.

This next one I do like and isn't from his collection, nor are the rest of the rugs I'm going to post.

I thought this dog with big stick was cute.  No idea on date as it must have sold at some point and no info could be found.

Black horse with two-toned leaf border or are they primitive scrolls?  No other information available.

Not a rug but rather a 1700's stitched pocketbook.  Lovely fall colors and would  make a fantastic rug project.  Shame it is in such ad shape, but it is old afterall.

Below is a chair pad that friend April Leas took a photo of at an antique show.

Another lovely floral dated approximately 1899 and with dimensions of 42 x 59.

That's it for today folks.  Trying to do a little inside and outside chores before rug camp.  It might not all get done by camp time tho 😞

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

RUG HOOKING CHIT CHAT

First of all, cannot believe it is September 1st and tomorrow is Labor Day known to all as the official end of summer.  I'll certainly welcome the cooler evenings and warm days of October for sure.

Yesterday I was quite busy cleaning up my rats nest around where I hook in the living room, over dyed some wool that had been soaking for 2 days and enlarged a pattern for my next project.  After all I WILL need something to work on when at rug camp in just 2 weeks.  TWO WEEKS!!!!!  Good grief but time has whizzed by.

Here are 2 quarter yards of wool that had soaked and then grabbed another piece which soaked for an hour or so but didn't get a photo of the before.  Actually, it was soaking when I took a photo of these wet pieces.  

I like having dark options to mix in the background for that delightful blotchy look one sees in antique rugs.  Here is the result of all three pieces of wool.   Since these aren't for my next project I just might pop them back in the pot with another tablespoon or two of the same recipe.  While I don't want a pitch black dark think I'd like it a tad darker than it turned out.  And of course the wool always looks darker when it is wet.

Bird on a Tree Stump is all hooked and am prepping it for wool yarn whipping.  I love, love Ali Strebel's wool yarn and a previous purchase is just perfect for this rug too.  She will variegate dye wool specifically for your rug if you ask.  It might be a couple dollars more than the solid colors but well worth the difference I think.

Now I can't recall which rug I ordered the yarn for but purchased two hanks to have some left for future rugs.

My camp pattern had been drawn months ago so was prepared for that.  But as many of you know I'd not made a decision on a pattern for when the Bird was done.  Yesterday feeling pressure to make a decision I decided to replicate this antique.  Do you think that is a giant vase with flowers or a giant flower with baby blossoms????

Anyway, I enlarged and printed out 12 pieces of paper, trimmed the edges and taped them together (22.5 x 37.5).  I did want a larger pattern but after taping it together it appeared too big and while tracing over the lines to make them darker scratched the whole idea.  So there I was pattern-less still.

Today, again feeling the pressure of needing a pattern fix I spent a couple hours searching thru my flash drives and even pattern books for something to catch my attention, to no avail.  So let it be known I'm a gluten for punishment!!   I enlarged the same line drawing AGAIN to a somewhat smaller size of 20.5 x 35.  Guess I gotta go with it since it seems to be the only design of interest.  Now to put it on linen. 

This evening I'll work on whipping the Bird rug as I want it ready for the rug show at Cape May.  Happy hooking, stitching, reading, knitting (Elaine) or whatever strikes your fancy this holiday weekend.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com