THIS and THAT

Are you wondering how my new rug hooking tactic is going?  Ya know, the one where I bring down one bag of woolie worms at a time, return it  and grab another?  Don't think it's going to work like I'd hoped.

The first bag of green worked well and that was returned to it's storage spot after hooking all the green I desired.  Then it was time to do the barn and wanted a red barn and dark grey roof.  So brought down 2 bags.  I will need red again for the rooster and since I wanted a grey horse brought the black bag of worms to the hooking party ~  the black for the mane and tail of the horse ~ then there were three.  

So the pile is growing.  And I'll need other colors for other motifs...like yellow, white, brown, you know where I'm going with this, right?  Appears it will still be a rat's nest by the end of this project, seems there's no tidy way to hook a rug, or at least for me. 

Remember I and a few other bloggers mentioned the skyrocket increase of visitors?  I've taken screenshots of the top referrers and number of hits from each.  This is one from today which seems to show corporate interest.

Here is a snapshot from about 2 weeks ago which appears as tho it may be research done by educational and financial institutions.  

Are they researching bloggers to see if we are using AI in some way?  Or are they looking to see what they can use from us to assist them in their use of AI?

I've noticed while perusing Facebook it is obvious you can't believe what you see or read.  Heck one can't even watch or listen to the news and believe what you just heard.  And if it is true, sometimes I just want to shut off all news and watch movies or something entertaining, not world politics and other negative events.

Today I also sewed on more rug labels and finally hung The Ark on the wall in my living room.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.Facebook/woodlandjunctionhookedrugs.com

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ON THE FRAME

Finally something is on my hooking frame.  This was the design I enlarged then changed my mind about hooking it because I lost interest even before drawing it on linen.   And as Lauren told me ... "if you get bored enough binding you'll find something to hook".  Yup, she was right.  

So I did get bored enough, grabbed the enlarged pattern and drew it out.  I'm trying a different tactic hooking this one.  Normally I look thru my worm baggies to grab colors I'm interested in before yanking wool off the shelves to cut.  

Plus I usually start at the center then work outward and around the perimeter.  This time I'm hooking by colors ~ instead of nesting myself with several bags of color choices all at once, I'm taking one at a time and working on everything which would be that color choice.  Then return that baggie of wool and bring another color to work with.  And if more of that color is needed will cut only a little at a time. 

Will see how this works out.  Am hoping it reduces the piles of wild wooly strips piling up around me.  Would be an easier and quicker clean up at the end.

This morning I drew a pattern for someone this morning and it has shipped.  Also printed out a sheet of labels, so will stitch on labels today, hang The Ark and a whole new label list will begin again.  Which means more happy hooking in my future.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

OLD FASHIONED RUG SHOW

It's time for another one I'd say.  And I found several Shaker rugs in my latest search.  Perhaps you've seen them somewhere but several were new to me.  But before showing those lovely Shaker rugs here is something screaming fall.  A geometric dated 1905 and measures 36 x71.

Here's another I briefly considered hooking but as fast as it was considered, it exited as fast.  A geometric with horses.  Sadly no other information was available.

This rug below is rather colorful for a Shaker rug me thinks.  No dates on any of these.

Cotton and wool sewn to a woven rag rug with corduroy back.  Now that's a mouthful but was exactly how the rug was described.  Looks like a braided edge of this one also.

Shirred and stitched onto a 'sandwich' backing of lace weave, burlap and woven rag rug.  Wish I could see the layers in person so it all makes sense.  The end result is wonderful tho.

I saw the following rug photo years ago and often wondered what it looked like.  Think it is the rug just above.

This next one was described as having a Maltese cross design, shirred strips and braided edge as all the others.

Description for this next rug said the center was  to resemble an eye.  Appears the braided edge is in need of repair.

This lovely Shaker rug below is need of repair also.

Must admit I find all of them lovely and would find it hard to decide which one to own.  But to make one?  Oh my, seems like a lot of hard work is involved with all those layers.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

THE ARK and THE DOVE

My adaptation of an antique design is all hooked and almost completely bound.   I replaced the ship of the antique design with an image of The Ark which brought my ancestors from England to America late 1633 early 1634.  That voyage was hired by Cecil Calvert to bring colonists to Maryland, one of the original Thirteen Colonies of British North America.

The Ark was accompanied by a smaller ship, The Dove. 

Below are the major ancestors travelling on the ship and who began our Green family in America.

~ Sir Thomas Green 

    Born: circa 1570, Bobbing, Kent, England 

    Wife: Lady Margaret Webb

    They produced 4 sons: Robert, Thomas, John and Jeremiah.

    

    Sir Thomas was Knighted Bachelor of the Relm, 9/5/1622 by King James, I at Windsor Castle.

~ Gov. Thomas Green (son of above)

    Born: circa 1600, Kent England

    Wife Ann Gerard Cox bore 2 sons before her death: Thomas & Leonard

    2nd Wife Winifred Seyborne bore 2 sons: Robert and Francis

Won't bore you with the other lineage.  But must admit the research my father did has some interesting stories which includes General Jesse Green (born 6/12/1766) as being a friend to General George Washington.

Am so thankful to Susan for asking me to draw the ship Rebecca for her, as I couldn't get that design out of my mind after drawing it.   So her desire to hook Rebecca to commemorate her family immigrating to America from Germany inspired me.  Below was my inspiration.

And am thankful to my father who did the research of our genealogy and even provided a healthy Bibliography to back up his information.  Yes, daddy, this thanks is long overdue.

Now to finish binding The Ark and feel an urgency to find the next project for my frame before going bonkers!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs.com

MUCH BETTER

Yes, it's much better with the color change of letters at the bottom but won't be completely ready for Christmas until it gets a label.  In the beginning thought the tree green letters at the top and bottom would work.  And sorta thought hoped the bottom green letters could stay.  But as I started binding the rug and looking at it more closely realized it had to be the sky colors.  So glad I replaced them with the sky wool as it is softer and blends in better.

Below is the before.  Not a lot of difference but enough to make a difference me thinks.  

Okay, now to other news and how it has affected me.  The last couple days I've been in a sad place with the assassination of Charlie Kirk.  That plus the remembrance of September 11th.

Charlie Kirk had Christian values, loved his country and family.  He tried to inspire youth to think for themselves vs. negative indoctrination by teachers, radical politicians, media and the internet.  Many young people loved him and of course some did not.  He would offer to the audience of students... those who disagreed with him to step to the front of the line so they could talk together.

Since his death I've watched some of his interactions on the internet.  What an incredible young man he was.  I pray for his wife and 2 children as I know Charlie is safe in the Lord's house.

I'm disgusted by the refusal of Congress to have a prayer for Charlie after his assassination.  How despicable and soul-less is that?  I'm saddened how some people even celebrated his death.  How sick is that?  I did not like the 8 years of Obama nor the 4 years of Biden but I sure as hell would not celebrate their deaths.  

Am hoping I get out of this dark funk and perhaps by expressing my thoughts here I'll be on my way out of it.  Pray for Erika Kirk and children and as always I'll say a prayer for the safety of President Trump because the democrats continue to call him Hitler which incites violence.  Oh, and I will continue to say a prayer for America.

Saundra

BINDING the SNOWMAN

It's been a few weeks since picking up the snowman rug to continue binding it, and longer since hooking it.  Looking at it more critically decided I should re-hook the bottom letters with the sky wool.  So moseyed upstairs to relocate what was leftover from the wool skirt rescued years ago to see if there was enough to do the job.

Do you see that one lone strip of wool just under the wording at the bottom of the rug?  That is the only strip left from hooking the sky.  Just under that one strip are 5 wider strips of the same length.   

The sky was a mix of the darker stripe and the lighter stripes.  What I'd need to hook the letters is only that darker inside section of those 5 wider strips.  Not knowing if there was enough to re-hook the letters months ago and frankly not really caring at the time, decided not to bother replacing the wool letters and keep the green.  Also brought down another piece of wool which could be substituted if I rug out of the dark center for the letters.

But now, since this is a Christmas gift, guilt is building up and feel it would be a shoddy job if the wool in the bottom letters didn't  match the sky.  Or, lol... sorta like if the curtains don't match the carpet ~ sorry, just couldn't resist that comparison.

So this time decided to measure the one strip of wool against the dark section of the other 5 to see if there would be enough.  And think it will, or at least it will be really close.  But if it isn't I'll fudge it somehow, as I think it needs to be sky color and not the dark green.

Today that will be my task, rehooking the letters and finish the binding.  Or at least hope the binding gets completed today.  I've got a friend who  will bind with me long distance today while we both watch The Five.  Hope to show you the finished job real soon.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs.com

ANTIQUE HOOKED RUGS

There are a few Hutchinson and folk art rugs listed for sale this week.  Will start with the Hutchinson designs ~ Home from the Picnic measures 24 x 48. 

The Circus, Oh Good is 32 x 32.

Not my ship, but a Hutchinson design named California or Bust 35 x 58.

The next one may not be a Hutchinson design but was among the group in the auction.  Nero was probably the name of the horse and dimensions are 34 x 47.

I scoured the following folk art rugs to see if they were hooked by Nancy Gertrude Scott but they don't appear to be.   A black cat chasing kids measures 19 x 38 and from the estate of Larry and Jean Dubord.

Another rug from the estate of the Dubord's is the horse and buggy.  It was hooked early 20th century and measures 32 x 39.

This pot of flowers and bird rug was found in June but just now posting it. Was hoping to locate it again and learn more about it but didn't so showing it now.  Wish they had posted a photo of the back to see what the true colors were.

Sadly I know nothing about this rooster and floral rug either.  It looks a little too new, me thinks, to be considered an antique.

There's something endearing about the landscape rug below.   Again there's no information provided, not even size.

Well that's it for today on this rainy day.  Yesterday it got so hot the A/C kicked in.  Today is 180 degree different and will probably have to put on sweats.  But, will be a good day for me to hook more on The Ark.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs 

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

Jaime emailed me inquiring about this rug she purchased and wondered what the value would be.  I explained that sometimes antique rugs hooked on delicate/brittle burlap brings more money than wool hooked rugs on sturdy linen.

She said it had a date of 2003, which indicated it was not an antique.  I then tried to give her a monetary value based on time spent, amount of wool, and price I'd be lucky to get for an 18 x 36 hooked rug.

Tho it really wasn't any of my business, I asked how much she paid for it.  Would you believe she paid $2??  Yes, just two dollars.  Wow, what a lucky lady!  Couldn't believe no one had an inkling as to it's value.  Jaime did say she purchased it at the Humane Society Thrift Shop, so they are clueless as to the value of hooked rugs, particularly this well hooked and well kept beauty.  

She said it was purchased in central PA, Lebanon County.  She also wanted find out who hooked it and why it was donated to the thrift store.  So if anyone knows who hooked the rug and why it was disposed of she'd like for me to inform her.

The back is as nice as the front and even came equipped with hanging tabs.

While I'm quite lucky to own a 1909 Horse rug also, I had to hook mine.  And, it cost a lot more than $2 to make it, lol.  Congratulations Jaime, you found the bargain of the year.  Guess you'll be visiting that shop more often now.  Good luck with future great deals.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

SHIPBUILDING

Yup, now that the border is hooked it's time to build a ship and make the sails.

It will get real dicey when hooking the flags at the top as they look like colored floss is the only thing that would work.  Believe it or not I've not gotten bored with this rug yet.  Perhaps because it has historical meaning with ancestors taking this ship from England to America.  In fact, to Baltimore, MD.

As I progress will bore you with the ancestral tree which begins with those sea bearing English immigrants.  Will also refresh your memory on the original antique rug which inspired my work.

The Snowman rug isn't completely bound and still don't have my next hooking project chosen yet as there are a couple in the running. Plus, as you all know, and have proclaimed, I'm a very fickle hooker and can change my mind in a heartbeat.

Happy Hooking.

Saundra
www:woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com/

LABOR DAY HOLIDAYS PAST

Everything has a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and I'm in the calm season.  But back a few decades ago my husband Gary, son Greg and I would trek from our home in Bowie, MD to Assateague Island every weekend and holiday beginning in April.  We lived in a very nice home in Bowie but purchased a used house trailer which we kept in a seasonal trailer park on Route 611 just a few minutes drive to Assateague Island.

We would make that couple hour drive in the International Scout with 4-wheel drive so we could drive on and fish from the beach on an isolated part of Assateague.  As you can see there are fishing poles located at the front of the Scout.

During the day we'd fish on the beach with friends or just by ourselves.  Hopefully we'd have a good fishing day and feast on our catch.  And boy what a joy it was to feel that tug on the fishing line.  In case you're wondering, yes, I baited my own hook and was great at casting my own line.  So guess I was a 'hooker' even back then tho I didn't own a Hartman.

We had friends who camped and lived all summer in a tent on Assateague Campground.  One such person was someone we met our first year in the area who was known even by locals as "Assateague Charlie".   Believe it or not Charlie was a Special Education teacher in the Baltimore area, but to look at him in the photo below he does look somewhat like a homeless person.

The Assateague ponies were always around.  They are used to seeing humans and as much as I love horses knew they are 'wild' and would never advance to pet.  After all, they are still not domesticated.

Labor Day holiday there was usually a canoe race in the ocean on Assateague, sign done by Gary.  You can see Charlie's canoe in a photo posted above.

In the evening everyone usually congregated at Trader Lee's, listening to the band "Picnic", having a few drinks and meeting up with friends.  That is Charlie behind my husband Gary, and Charlie's girlfriend.

The picture below was off season in November when son Greg and I went to say 'goodbye' to Assateague, for we were going to move to California the following month.

Lots of fond memories of that season but couldn't handle that now in this season of my life.  

So what have I been doing this holiday weekend?  Picking up over 200 pinecones just from the very front of the property.  There's more so will need to go out and pick those up today.  Oh, and I'll be hooking of course.

If you are in a different season of your life, enjoy it as you will gradually enter into other seasons in time.  Once I loved the big gatherings, noise, marathon shopping, travelling, all excitement and activity.  Now the calm is what I find most pleasant.  Happy Labor Day.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/WoodlandJunctionHookedRugs