LAST POST OF 2025 (edited)

The Hearts Hook-along has been underway for 3 months.  After the idea of a Hearts Hook-along was born, the start date decided was October 1st.  And I didn't even cheat by starting earlier.

Kim made her first hook-along presentation just now and it is looking festively like Valentine's Day to me.  All she has to do now is the border.  You go girl!

Sue chose to take a different approach to her hook along design.  Hers is very close to the finish line now.  We've all watched her redesign and re-hook sections of the rug to reach this near finish.  Bet she will have this all hooked before 2026 rolls around in a few hours.

Jo chose to stay true to the original antique design.  She has all the outlines and some motif's complete.  Will be fun to see what colors Jo will choose to fill in those remaining areas.

Michelle also did a little redesign with the heart in hand.  What a perfect heartfelt image she has created from the original.  Michelle is caring for her mother so this will always signify an expression of love.  

In case you missed the previously posted finishes, here they are again.  Nancy finished her rug in the October, the month the hook-along began.  She drew it to fit the top of a bench her husband built. 

Margaret completed her rug, including binding, November 2nd.

The following day, November 3rd I'd finished hooking but the binding would be completed days later.   Now I regret using bland outline colors and wish I'd gone with a bold dark outline.  Oh well.

EDITED ~ Sheila did hook more and sent me this updated photo of her achievement.   She accomplished lots more and it is looking fantastic!!!

Elaine's first and last update in November shows me she's really looking forward to spring.  Guess she couldn't take those knitting needles out of her hands.

Lauren had her rug all hooked, bound and labeled in December.  Good for her to not have this as a UFO going into 2026.  And those bold outline  colors are what I wish my rug looked like.  

Well kiddos, 'tis New Years Eve.  Will soon be chopping up celery, onion, garlic and green pepper for my traditional black eye peas dinner.  This year I'm forgoing the greens and corn bread.  Won't be making any New Years resolutions either because I'd end up not keeping them anyway.

I will enjoy the evening at home alone hooking and will not stay up and watch the ball drop as I hope to be sound asleep at that time.  Well, that is until my first of a few pee calls, 😏.  May you enjoy the evening no matter how you wish to celebrate.

Saundra

ANTIQUE RUG SHOW

Luckily an auction house listed a couple rugs so have some new items to share.  This first one looks familiar so must not be its first time to be offered for sale.  The rug was hooked late 19th century and from the collection of Nancy and Gary Stass.  It measures 26.5 x 56.  There's too much 'in your face' bright red for me.  But do like the design.

A lion, one of my older saved photos with no info, not even dimensions.

Roosters dated late 19th to early 20th century (29 x 53.5) from the collection of Deb Fisher.

Shame this landscape below is so tattered; looks like a Canadian style.  A snow scene measuring 16 x 36.  No date was provided.

Next one caught my eye, listed as a white deer, circa 1900, measuring 26 x 34.5.  Deer are quite delicate looking but the lines on this one is unusually delicate.  If I didn't have something on my frame think I would draw it up to hook before changing my mind.  Love its quirkiness and blotchy spots.  

Saw this two deer rug at an antique show on FB and wish I knew more about it.

Black cats circa 1900 measures 26 x 46.

A chenille shirred floral circa 1830 (29.5 x 59).  Sure did maintain it's color and with just a little damage that I can see in the photo along the edge.

A dog hooked late 19th century measuring 31 x 45.

And lastly, a duck runner rug.  It is cute and reminds me of the shooting gallery at carnivals I remember as a kid and which we see in nostalgic movies.  Size is 24.5 x 81.5, circa 1910.

This evening before going to bed I'll put my dried black eye peas in soak overnight and prepare them for my New Year's eve dinner and even better the next day for New Years Day lunch.  It is a Southern tradition my mother did and one I continue~ not the hoppin' John recipe tho.  You  can read about the 'Good Luck' New Year's meal traditions of various cultures HERE.

Saundra

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Kaleidoscope Dahlia Update

Short name will be Dahlia, since that is a mouthful yet appropriate name.  Most of the major color players were easy to pick although I did not have a purplish wool like the antique.  Yet it seems I'm still color planning for the outline colors for the corner petal bursts.  This first photo is of the entire rug.

Hopefully you can see I've hooked 3 different colors in the corner.  The first two petals have a light, almost white outline.  On the third top line is hooked with a light yellow with under that being a darker greenish yellow, the last two petals hooked with the light again.

Next photo is of the original antique which shows a white outline, which is why I started with the light wool.

As an afterthought, decided to photo the group of the colors which I'm using for the outline.  There weren't specially cut, as I inherited a huge bag of fine cut strips which have come in handy occasionally.

Looking at the last photo it appears the greenish yellow seems to fit in better.  Am I being influenced by the power of suggestion because of the original antique?  Oh, and is there enough of that greenish yellow in the bag to do all four corners if I decide on that color?  Not sure, so before I rip out anything guess I'd better run back to the bag and give it another look.

Meanwhile, there's lots more hooking I could do before making that decision.  Hope all your life's problems are as simple as choosing the right color.  Peace be with you all and happy hooking.

Saundra

DAY AFTER and CHRISTMASES PAST

This year's Snowman rug was a big hit as you can tell by the smile on my DIL's face that she is happy with her main Christmas gift.

A past Christmas gift of love was made for my son Greg.  Can't believe it has been 10 years ago, but 2015 my son had his man cave built to play pool, watch football and place to entertain.  So his gift was this rug which hangs behind the bar.

The following year, Christmas 2016, I presented grandson Zach a rug depicting his favorite sports teams ~ NASCAR, Redskins and Orioles. 

Zach loved playing soccer and I was unaware of his favorite soccer team so it wasn't on the gift before.  Since his favorite player was on the Barcelona team that was his Christmas gift 2017.

P.S.  They keep their thermostat up high enough to wear short sleeves in the winter.  Me?  I'm quite content wearing turtlenecks and sweats or sweater to avoid spending money on elevated heating costs.

Hope all my friends had a peaceful and merry Christmas celebration.

Saundra

Merry Christmas

 

Saundra

WINDOW SCAPE

Janice, Prims by the Water, has her cupboard scapes so will show my window scape.  I hook beside a window so at night sitting under an OTT light I'm very noticeable and don't want to be.  Previously I've been hanging a dark cloth to cover the window.  But today I purchased curtain clips and will hang various rugs in that space to hide my visibility and to enjoy another rug when it is changed out.  You can see it is dusk thru the top part of the window.  

I hooked this rug in September 2022 and cannot believe it has been that long ago.  Sure do love a blotchy background.

It's slim pickings finding antique rugs during the Christmas season.  Guess I won't be able to find any until January.  Even then perhaps many would be sold.  So next old rug show will probably be the leftovers which  didn't make the first cut for the team or second pick.  But do have more on my flash drive, just not the A listers.

Happy hooking, happy shopping, gift wrapping or whatever is keeping you busy as Christmas approaches.

Saundra

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ON MY FRAME

You may not be surprised this is my new rug project from comments I'd made in a previous blog post.  

As I just finished hooking a rug named Geometric Floral couldn't give the same name to this rug, although the name definitely fits its description.  So, I reached out to my wordsmith friend Robin Cranky Crow) for a suitable name.

Robin didn't disappoint.  She said when first looking at the old rug it reminded her of a Kaleidoscope with petals of a Dahlia in the center and in the corners with its flower burst petals.  So the name of this design will be Kaleidoscope Dahlia but will most often refer to it as Dahlia.  

After cleaning up around my hooking area it was time to pull wool from my stash.  Objective, to try and find something to sorta correspond to the color combination which attracted me to this design.  Here's what I've pulled so far.  This first photo is somewhat darker than in person.

Here's another photo of the same wool but is a little brighter than in person.  So somewhere in between are the true colors.

Then tested the waters wool to see if it was close.  In the photos it is not but in person the colors look better ~ not exact, not perfect but acceptable.  

Of course the colors won't be exactly like the original but I'm using what I have and happy to be using some wool which I didn't think I'd ever use.  Happy  Hooking

Saundra

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ALL HOOKED

The last loops have been pulled on the geo/floral but not completely bound.  But I'm confident that task will be completed before the new year rings in, unlike the last rug of 2024 going into 2025.  You can read about that HERE.

Lauren, Rugs and Pugs, won't have that problem as her Hearts rug is fully finished ~ hooked and bound.  Nicely done my friend.

Now I've got to get busy on a new project which you'll have a chance to meet in a day or two.  Meanwhile, I'll be binding during The Five each week day.  Anyone want to join me?  Robin, do you have another in queue?

Saundra

 

THIS and THAT

Although the temp was still below freezing yesterday afternoon, the sun was shining enough to melt the snow and even my driveway looked non-slippery.  So after lunch I ventured to the grocery store to pick up a few items.  Obviously everyone else in Seaford had the same idea as the place was packed.  Well, it is only 9 days until Christmas, another reason for the activity.

Grabbed that hot chocolate I wanted the day it snowed.  Since I put the word out in the universe, numerous folks were coming and reaching near me to pick up their favorite brand of hot chocolate too.  Wow, who knew there would be a run on hot chocolate with an inch or two of snow.

Brought out a couple hooked pieces to enjoy during the snow day.  This lovely snow covered sled pattern was a lucky win for me with Cathy's (Acorn Hollow) pattern giveaway she held a few years ago.  I loved the one she hooked and since she was gifted with an extra pattern she decided to give the second away.  Thanks again Cathy, I loved yours and appreciate the gift.  It is a pattern offered on Lisanne's website at Cushing.

Another pattern Cushing has is Winter Buddies which I hooked previously too.

I've already purchased a package of black eye peas in anticipation of the new year's meal.  It is a southern tradition my mother always followed and so it continues. 

One year I was late in buying them so day before when shopping there were NO package of dried peas, NO can of prepared black eye peas to be found in any grocery store in Seaford.  And I went to them all.  Then, just by luck I walked from a grocery store to Roses discount store and they were just then restocking the shelf.  So purchased a can ~ not as good as home cooked but was hoping to find a lucky pea or two in there somewhere.

Just a little more hooking left to do on the geo/floral rug and it will be done in 2025.  The last project of 2024 ran over into 2025 by 4 days despite trying to finish the hooking part before the new year.  Which means I'd better get busy pulling some loops on this one.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

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IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK....

 .. a lot like Christmas 🎜🎝.  The Christmas Cactus is getting it's decorative flowers and looking mighty festive.

That white stuff is falling from the sky and does look pretty from inside the house.  A view from the front of the house looking toward the central meadow of the development.  My long driveway needs repaving which will be rather costly at some point.

Here are the tracks of a squirrel who visited my porch, probably to chew on some of my furniture.

And a backyard view toward the woods.

Wish I had some hot chocolate, that would be great to enjoy while hooking this afternoon looking out at the snow.  Will pick some up next trip.  Happy handiwork everyone.

Saundra

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A LITTLE NIP TUCK

That title...in this case known as reverse hooking and fixing.  Notice anything different from what you recall from the last update?  If nothing sticks out right away take a look at the top left corner then compare to the photo below.

Now does anything stick out like a sore thumb (more on that 'sore thumb' thing further down).  

My initial line drawing from the antique was done with what I saw and the lines didn't match up at either end.  Below is the original antique

At first I decided to not bother changing anything but by the time I reached the other corners I made changes to ensure the proper block lineups.  Of course every time I looked at the top left side of the rug with the awkward lines the more it drove me cray cray.   The top left was off and I had fix it.

Now to the sore thumb ~  It normally happens in the winter and used to get them often when making dolls.  But has been years since having a dry cracked thumb, until now.  Thankfully I had some "Crack Cream" handy and have been babying my thumb for 3 days.  It's on the mend but still sorta tender.  

Snow coming my way Saturday night into Sunday.  As of this writing the prediction for my area is 1-3".  Higher amounts further north of me.  Hope that is all I get.

Have a great weekend and remember happiness grows in ones own garden.  

Saundra

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RUG SHOW TYME

I'm still working on the geo/floral so there's nothing new on my frame.  Haven't made any wonderful purchases to share so I'm still scrolling thru antique rug photos looking for the next one for 2026.  The rug below I saw August this year and sadly no information was provided about it.  Appears to be a dog on top of the 2nd structure from the left.

Gagetown buck and deer at Farm pond in winter.  No date was provided but it measures 38 x 40.  

Definitely not my cup of tea, is this rug of moon shapes and stars.  Description says it is a yarn sewn rug circa 1900.  Hey, only reporting what the auction house said.

This next one is kinda cute and cozy.  Would be an easy draw and hook for winter.  Again no info.

Love this rug and may have even posted it before, but saw it and decided to put it in show.  Just look at that blotchy background, oh my!

Here's something for you chicken loving folks.  The red roosters rug below also had no info provided but it sure does look old to me.  

And another for you folks, a white rooster.  Again no date or dimensions.

And this one below just might make the cut for my next shiny bauble.  Does anyone know anything about this rug?  I'm thinking it is a legit design to hook and just might do it.  But you know how fickle I am and just might change my mind once the geo floral is done and before this one is drawn.  

Happy hooking everyone.

Saundra

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