MY RUG REVIEW of 2025

First I'd like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2026.  Now to my rug review which is inflated by one.  That is because the last loops of the rug below weren't hooked until 4 days into January 2025.  So felt guilty adding it to my 2024 count since it wasn't completely hooked in 2024.  The first rug finished January 4th was Magdalena's Animal Parade adaptation.

My next project was another big antique adaptation which I named Animals Great and Small.

The Deer Torsos adaptation was next on the frame.

Then decided to hook one third of a triptych patriotic antique rug, the Eagle section.

Again, another antique design was chosen to hook for my kitchen, the chicken pair with food bowl.  Robin had a lot of fun with my hooking of this one and I did a bit of reverse hooking.

Since Lauren was attending an event where she'd be doing some 'scrappy' hooking I decided to challenge myself too, at home.  Am not too pleased with my puny border design.  I believe the angled hooking directions altered the shape of what used to be a square piece of linen.

Appears that I was following the leader....Lauren, again.  She said her next project was going to be Ezra's Farm, a design by Cinnamon Creek.  So what does a follower do but follow. 😉  I did take some creative license and put a little patriotic flavor in mine.

A birdie told me that daughter-in-law love wished for a snowman rug for Christmas.  Since I'm selfish and only like hooking what I want, the Christmas gift was started in August, plenty of time for me to have it done by Christmas and have time to put it away when not in the mood.  This is my design and was made specifically for my girl Cathy.  The label on the back says just that.   Surprisingly it was finished way before Christmas and was fun to hook.

My next project was an antique adaptation commemorating a personal historical event.  A few of my paternal ancestors came to America (Baltimore in fact) on sailing ship The Ark.  There were originally two ships which sailed together known as The Ark and The Dove.  My family were on the Ark so I hooked that ship's image on the antique rug.  This is my adaptation which hangs on the wall.

Back to the animals ~ another antique adaptation which I named Farm Menagerie.

Then after posting one of my antique rug shows Lauren and I decided to do a hook along with a design I called 'Hearts and Squares' in the blog post.  What started out to be just the pair of us, Lauren thought  it would be more fun with more people.  Turned out 12 people joined and Hearts Hook-along was born.  This is my drab rendition but you can view what 10 of the 12 have accomplished HERE.  

The final hooked and bound rug of 2025 was the Geometric and Floral antique adaptation below.  When designing my adaptation from the original, a couple elements were removed, making it more eye appealing to me.  Someone wanted me to draw a pattern for them but I declined as it was a bear to draw my own.  But boy do I love the rug.

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, the dozen rugs is inflated due to  the first rug which needed 4 more days' hooking into 2025.  Lauren suggested that if the count bothered me that much perhaps I should say only 11.25 rugs were hooked in 2025.  That girl is always thinking.  

Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2026.  Remember that happiness must be grown in your own garden.  For me, hooking rugs is the seed.

Saundra

BOUND and LABELED

As you have probably noticed, I don't have a permanent style of binding my rugs.  Each seems to be different and show me what it wants.  Actually, the purpose of binding a rug was intended to protect the edge of the foundation from fraying.  Animals Great and Small appeared to need a whipped edge.  The wool yarn chosen was one by Ali Strebel which had all similar colors that appeared in the rug.  Ali will special dye wool for you if you send a photo of your rug or colors to be in your rug.

It is nice to display the rug in my living room where I can see it every day.  It will be on the floor as there is no more room on my walls in there right now unless something else comes down.  But it is nice to see it completed and visible every day.

As you can see I cannot get a straight photo, ever, and it is always the right side that droops.  Guess it drops when using the right hand to push the button.

Below is a photo of the label, which has a photo of the original antique rug.  You can also see the colors of the wool better in this photo.  Notice too, the back of the rug and spacing between rows.  In a previous post I mentioned hooking 4 holes away from the previous row.  Depending on other variables it could be 3 spaces.

Although the purpose of binding a rug is to protect the edge from fraying, some folks choose to add a cotton binding just above the whipped edge too.  Why?  Heck, I hate binding to begin with so why would I overkill the protection and the task?  Anyway, just my thoughts on that topic.

Happy hooking and back to the Deer rug I'm working on.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

WHAT I'M WORKING ON

Some of you may wonder which rug was chosen as my next project.  This choice may shock you, as it did two of my gal pals.  I decided to do something a little different than another horse rug, although they are my favorite animal to hook.  Deer Torsos was my pick ~ below is the antique and will show you my progress in a couple days.

Before drawing the deer pattern on linen I did start my 'plus one' since I couldn't decide what to hook.  It happens to be the same design Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) is working on.  And this is all that was accomplished on Ezra's Farm before making that decision on the deer ~ yup, a horse.

Today I'll resume my slow binding of AG&S during The Five news show. I took the weekend off from binding, hey, don't want to overdo it 😁.   Friend Robin (Cranky Crow) and I have shared long distance bind-a-longs at that time and as you can see I've still quite a lot more to do.  Perhaps if Lauren gets Ezra's Farm completely hooked today she will join us.

Happy hooking ~ or happy binding.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ANIMALS GREAT and SMALL UPDATE

I'll be sad to see this one finished as it has been a constant source of fun, even after reverse hooking that big cat.  I was tempted to not show it today and hook the heart first, but it has been a few days since giving you an update.  

Today wasn't all playing with wool.  After breakfast I went outside to continue cleaning up after the horrific winds.  Decided to start with picking up pine cones so I wouldn't trip while trying to maneuver around  the yard work.  Hmm, below is a photo taken of some pine cones but they aren't showing up well. 

I was outside maybe 20 minutes before my hands hurt from the cold ~ it was 29* outside and I have Raynaud's.  And of course don't want to take a chance on getting frostbite so went back in the house.  I did manage to pick up 100 pinecones tho.

After lunch went back outside, picked up another 81 pinecones, trimmed some of the Wisteria vine and picked up more limbs until my hands began to hurt again.  Here is another photo of the felled tree and vines are from the invasive Wisteria which needs to be eradicated.  I wasn't too smart thinking that would be a great idea to plant.  And doubt I'll have much success in getting rid of all the vine as there is plenty rooted underground I'm sure.  

Sadly another winter snow storm will be here tomorrow into Thursday.  I've heard 6-10", then it was 3-6" so at this point guess it will be a 'wait and see'.  Guess you know what I'll be doing ... yup, hooking.  Hope you have something to keep you occupied as that white devil arrives.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

CAT REDUX and SNOW

How many more times must I re-hook that poor cat until I'm satisfied?  The cat seemed too light compared to the rest of the rug.  Here is the before.

Here is the redux.

Soon the rug will be hooked so that will be the final visual test.  I've hooked the deer on the far left side but want to keep that for the next showing.  This rug has been such fun to hook I'm almost sad it is close to done.

According to the local news Seaford had a total of 7.5" of snow.  Here are a two photos from this morning.  These are of the back yard.  

The snow will melt with rain coming in and might bring back Woodland lake again.  But must say I'm totally sick of the white stuff tho.  Come on Spring.

Joanna T., thanks for you advice.  I didn't see an email attached to your profile so couldn't reply to you personally.  I'll replace this PC with a DELL which will also save me money.  I think this most recent memory card was corrupted by my usb port.  Might have to purchase a new PC before October dang it.  I hate it when things don't work.  And yet I know it will be a struggle and learning curve with a new one.

Happy Hooking. 

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

UPDATE ON CURRENT RUG (edited)

Still not bored and enjoying each loop pulled.  Even when I've chosen to reverse hook an area.  

Thanks to pal Lauren realized I didn't explain myself properly so will try again.  I replaced the wool in the big grey cat in the central part of the rug.   The wool in the cat between the legs and tail under the cat was reverse hooked and this newer version doesn't appear to be any better.

For comparison, below is a previous photo of the cat with a somewhat lighter wool between the legs and tail.  Perhaps I need to pull out the wool just hooked and replace it with white.  

The original antique had white separating the legs and tail but at the time thought that was too bright.  However, since white shows up now in the borders perhaps it will look okay.  If you want to see a picture of the original antique you can see it HERE.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ANIMALS GREAT AND SMALL

Here's an update on the present rug on my frame which was aptly named "Animals Great and Small".  At first I couldn't figure out what that top right red image was.  But just now realized it resembles the shape of a  horse's hoof with frog in the middle.  Since it is an antique, the designer not around, I'll never know for sure what it is.

Today I finally steamed Magdalena's Animal Parade and will begin binding it for an hour or so at a time beginning Monday during The Five TV show.  Thought I'd better get that one started before adding this one to the pile.

In other news, I drew an 11 Star Flag adaptation for a customer and it will ship Monday.  Here is a photo of one hooked by another customer who ordered it.

Also, registration forms for Cape May rug camp (held each September) have been mailed out and I've decided to not attend for the first time in 22 years.  Since the leadership change over, the camp is no longer worth my money nor my time.  The staff at the Chalfonte Hotel are great, food was good, loved my teacher Lucille Festa.  But the organizers leave a lot to be desired with their lack of preparation and only one primitive teacher.  I tried two camps under the new leadership hoping the second year would be better than the first.  But it wasn't and not going this year!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com