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

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

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

www.facebook.com/WoodlandjunctionPrimitiveRugs

MUNDANE CHIT CHAT

It's been 5 days  since my last post ~ hmm, almost reads like a confession doesn't it?  Usually the reason it would be that long between posts is if I was at a rug camp.  Not this time.  Truth is I wasn't inspired to do one since there wasn't anything interesting to share. 

However I have been busy.  Drew patterns for 2 different people, posted a huge pattern, no longer interested in, for sale on FB and stayed connected (too connected for my liking) watching for inquiring messages.  Baked a loaf of banana nut bread ~ oh, have I mentioned I hate my recently purchased flat top electric range??  More on the range later.

Here are the two antique rugs I drew, one going to Wisconsin and the other to Maine.  

2 Stags facing

Doves and Egg Nest

Now to the lemon of a Whirlpool electric range which was purchased September 2024.   I thought perhaps the flat top burner's slow to heat was just my adjusting to new-to-me technology.  But then I noticed baking items with the same temperatures as I was doing with my 27 year old electric range weren't getting done.  Again thought it was the nature  of the beast so allowed a little more time for my chicken or fish.

Today I baked tilapia for lunch, turned oven on 450 and it should have been done after 10 minutes.  Or at least in the past with the old dilapidated but cooked well oven.  Timer went off, pulled the fish out of the oven and it was still pink inside. FSP! (only 2 friends know what that means).

So I tapped the temp to increase above 455 from the initial 450 I'd set and tapped 'start'.  Well holy hell.  The temp said it was 410* when the read out told me 450.   So in 10 minutes the temp dropped 40*??????  I let the oven temp increase to 455 and set the timer for another 3 minutes.  No wonder my chicken breast wasn't done on Thanksgiving as that was set at 350 for 30 minutes and after 10 minutes of cooking the inside oven temp had dropped at least 40*.  Guess I would have been better off keeping the oldie range and just spent whatever it cost to have it repaired.

That's all I got here to chat about until the geo/floral is complete or on-line auction houses start offering more antique rugs for sale for me to share with you.  Meanwhile I'll just keep happily hooking.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHooked Rugs

www.woodlandjunction.weebly.com

GEOMETRIC FLORAL UPDATE

Never expected to enjoy hooking a log cabin style geometric, and thought I was totally over hooking florals.  So what a surprise it was for me to choose this design and have really enjoy hooking it...all of it.  Even enjoyed the narrow cut outlines of the flower and leaves.

Perhaps what truly drew me to do this design was the earthy colors and to again reduce my wool worms.  And have noticed a reduction of those worms after the hit and miss border of Hearts Hook-along and now this rug.  

I drew it measuring 20 x 36 and think it is just the right size for me.  Someone wanted to order a pattern of it and was honored.  While I do draw and sell patterns I declined the order and suggested she have someone else draw it for her.  Reason?  It was a beast for me to draw and was surprised that I just didn't just give up and choose something else to hook.

Below is the original 1920 antique.  When contemplating my rug's design I planned to remove those book-end dark hooked bars on the middle and ends of the left and right sides.  If you look closely in the middle at the ends, you will notice the blocks face each other.  Thought that would look odd so drew my design with all facing  in one direction.  

Turned out the blocks ended up being different sizes.  Well I was never a math wiz and just winged the drawing.  While I could adjust and redraw lines during my hooking process didn't want to sell a pattern to someone else who would have a problem with the design.  I'd rather miss a sale than sell something inferior.

So if anyone wants to enjoy hooking this design during the winter months, you have my blessing to draw it yourself or buy the pattern from your favorite person.

Am thinking, hoping, it will be all hooked and bound before the new year.  The Hearts rug binding is also completed.  Which means I'll have no unfinished projects and can start on a new design.  How's 'bout you Lauren?  Robin?   Others?  

Ya know, New Year's resolution time is coming up soon.  I've many resolutions I SHOULD make but finishing UFO's isn't one of them.  Happy  hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

ANOTHER FINISH

Of course that would be Lauren's finished Hearts Hook-along rug.  She drew hers 22.5 x 33 which was a tad larger than mine.  And she accomplished this task during a busy schedule.  But then there's that long standing theory that "if you want something done ask a busy person".  Here's Lauren's rug; nice crisp colors my friend.  

Here is a review of the other heart rugs which have been completed.  Nancy was the first one to complete her rug which she drew to fit on a bench her husband made.

Margaret was next to completely hook AND bind her rug.

And fourth to completely hook and bind was me.

That's one third of the people who chose to join in the hook-along.  Happy hooking to all the other hook along participants.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.con/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

EENIE, MEENIE, MINEY, MOE

Perhaps soon, or at least before the new year, I'll be needing wanting a new shiny pattern for the frame.  So I've started collecting potential volunteers.

GOD Bless America has been on my 'to do' list for several years.  Once it is hooked I'd at least get to enjoy it until my son and DIL confiscate it for their own use; with my blessing of course.

Another antique on that list recently resurfaced when I responded to someone on Facebook who saw the adaptation another person was hooking.

Lower down the list is this horse yarn sewn and hooked rug from 1850-60.  I'd draw it to have less background space to hook.  But right now the two rugs above are top choices.

The Hen House has also been on my list for a while and I've seen other folks who have done wonderful adaptations of it, making me envious.  So this one also remains.

And, there's something about this dog rug that got my attention when recently found.  IF, that is IF, I decide to hook it there would be less confusing hit and miss.  But sure do love that primitive naive style.

Cold weather is here, December is here and you can be sure I'll be happily hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/woodlandjunctionhookedrugs

CHANGING OF THE RUG

Every so often after vacuuming the living room ~ where I 'live and hook' daily, I'll swap out the rug that resides in front of the fireplace.  So this is what replaced the recumbent sheep ~ the 1911 running horse.

                       

While I only hook rugs which I'm passionate about, once hooked some of them no longer retain my adoration.  This one, has never lost my interest and have found myself staring at it often today, loving every loop and every odd color hooked in it.  That rug will always be a favorite of mine.

Below is the original antique.

Am confident the rug hooker of the antique ran out of dark wool for her border so she improvised with whatever available color of whatever textile she had on hand.

Hope everyone had a pleasant Thanksgiving meal with family, friends or perhaps even alone like me, and a distant on-line friend.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ANOTHER GREAT RUG HOW

This promises to be another great rug show.  This morning I checked to see if there were any new ones listed and noticed a all these were either sold or removed from the web site.

There's something about this dog rug that has captured my attention.  It measures 32 x 57.5 and said to be hooked late 19th to early 20th century.

This kitten and dog rug would make the sweetest child's bedroom rug.  Hooked early 20th century measuring 10.5 x 15.5.

An old floral and have no other info on it.

A geometric dated between 1880-90.

Floral with a hit and miss inside border and scalloped border beyond that.  Dated 19th century with dimensions of 25 x 37.

Cats playing with yarn, no other info.

Another cat but this one is braided and attached together measuring 22 x 38.  It also was gone, so guess it sold or was removed.

Hooked chicken rug from the collection of Deb Fisher (28 x 39).

Blocks with hooked animals.

Found this dog and don't know anything about it but I like it.

And the last one, early to bed hooked ...early 20th century.

It's almost rug binding time during The Five and, my treat during that task, a glass of cabernet.  Happy hooking and binding.

 

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

WASN'T ON MY RADAR

But it's on my frame.  You already know I'm a fickle hooker, but this pattern choice shocked even me.  And I'm having fun using up more wool worms.  This is what it looks like now.

The only wool I've cut so far are the wools shown below purchased from Rebecca Erb.  One of plaid is off the bolt color and the other was overdyed.  Oh, and have cut various primitive black wool as I go thru that like crazy for most rugs.  Will never have a problem with black wool worms building up, that's for sure.  

In case you want to see the 1920 original antique from which I drew my adaptation, it is below.

You will notice I did not include the dark stripes on each end of the rug.  Thought it was distracting and wondered why the original hooker included them in the first place.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day and finds something to smile about.  Afterall, happiness must be grown in one's own garden.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

IT'S ABOUT TIME

Yes, it's about time for Farm Menagerie to be FINISHED.  It was set aside a couple times while working on the Hearts hook along rug, again when I introduced my plus one floral/geo.  And again when the chippy wood look wool didn't work for the house.  So yanked that out and went with this greenish grey and I'm calling it done.  

Thankfully it is now hooked, steamed and needs binding.  Today the drudgery of binding will begin while watching The Five.

In case you want to see the original again, here it is below.

Am surprised I'm having so much fun hooking the floral/geo as a log cabin geometric wasn't on my radar.  Plus hated having to set it aside to finish the Menagerie, but it was time.  Won't give away my progress on the floral/geo just yet as I'll need something to write about next time.  Soon I'll be looking for the next shiny bauble to draw for my hooking frame.  

Happy Hooking everyone.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs

NEW HEART SUBMISSION

This heart was just submitted by my Canadian neighbor Elaine Allerton.  Am surprised she decided to put down those knitting needles and replace them with a hook.  She must have all her Christmas gifts finished and needed a little diverse entertainment for herself.

Yesterday I finished binding mine but it now needs a label.  If you scroll down to the previous post you will see the other hearts which were recently posted.  Happy hooking everyone.

Saundra

WE GOT HEARTS

Maybe not miles and miles of them (remember that old song?), but a significant amount at least.  For those of you just reading about this hook-along, when looking at the drawn lines and hooking, just know the template provided was a line drawing of the original antique as it was hooked originally.  The hooker could choose to hook it with all it's quirks and wavy lines or make them straight.  Same with the hearts which weren't perfect in the original either.

This first update of the hook-along is by Jo Smith who will soon be working on background or border.

Next is by Sheila, who is almost done with her background and will begin  her border.

Lauren's is almost done but she hasn't decided how to finish that right heart yet.  I know she will have it figured out tout de suite.

Sue went a totally different direction since she had hooked hearts prior to this hook-along.  She chose to hook chickens, which do have hearts, but I see small drawn hearts between the chickens.

Well, kiddos, that's a 'wrap' for this post.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHooked Rugs

MISC. CHIT CHAT

Well, the chipped paint idea didn't turn out as I'd hoped.  So stopped mid-paint job, so to speak, and have put it aside to ponder what color to hook it next.

To keep my hook and hooking hand warmed up will continue work on the floral/geo.

Tomato, Tomahto ~ With night temps steadily dropping I covered my volunteer plant several evenings to extend their life.  Then removed the protection in the morning.

Then when the weatherman said temps would drop to 32* at night I brought in all of the unripe ones.  The bag weighed 1.4 pounds.  Below you can see the yellow which matured and all the green ones.  I have already savored many yellow in salads so there were more of them than you see in the slender container on the left.

Day time I place the green ones in front of a sun filled window and at night like a good mom 😁 cover them with newspaper in their cardboard box bed with 2 bananas.  Did the bananas again because when the bananas get ripe I will freeze them for banana nut bread.

Happy weekend and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs