What We Hooked in Class

My pal Deb was working on a Woolley Fox design called 1920 Stags.  I have cropped off the bottom for a purpose which I won't go into detail about.  Those random strips of color are hooked in as the vein of leaves in the trees.  The tails will eventually be hooked in and you can't see them yet as that wasn't accomplished by the time of this photo.

Shari took a footstool design purchased from Kim Nixon several years prior.  The hooking world lost a talented young woman gone far too soon.

Sure do wish more of that burgundy background had been hooked in before I took this picture so you could see the impact on the colors. Looking great Shari!!!

Next is what friend Mary was hooking.

As you can see it is called "Yesterday's Spring" a design by Lin's Primitive.   Mary plans to make this into a big pillow.

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of Joanne's rug as she was busy at work.   Besides I wanted last day shots and Joanne left before I had a chance to take a photo of her rug.  Have asked my gal pals if they got one.  If so, will post it tomorrow.  

Joanne has said her friends like my blog so showed her on my iPad. Would you reading friends please inform her how to read email, connect to blogs, etc.  I'd have emailed  Joanne but she says she doesn't check it.  OMG, JOANNE!!!!!!!!  Luv ya girl.

So guess what ...... that means I'm holding out showing mine until tomorrow too.  I did take a current photo of progress today but tomorrow there will be more hooked and a better presentation. Besides, I want to talk a little about that woman Barb and will be the perfect time.

Sure hope this 'thang' Shari shared is over soon; even Barb is under the weather.  So folks, just remember to COVER YOUR MOUTH when you cough and sneeze.  Germs really do travel airborne over quite a distance.  

I just took disinfecting wipes to rub down my computer mouse, the phone, my TV remote, etc.

Hope you have a great Monday evening.  Now I'm going to go pull a few more loops.

Saundra

The Acadian Frame

Tomorrow will be December 1st.  Doesn't seem like it has been a year since last year's holiday season ~ yet right now it seems like light years away from rug camp with Barb Carroll next May 2016.  Time sure has a way of sneaking up on us tho.

Each December I treat myself to some nice special gift.  I am usually quite generous to myself since it includes my December birthday as well as Christmas.  One year it was an iPad, another year a Townsend Orbiter floor frame (for big rugs), another year a Garmin GPS, well you get the idea.  

This year I was contemplating purchasing the Acadian Rug Hooking Frame.  Must admit I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many frames I have but they each have their purpose.  

Last May while at Barb's camp someone was using her frame and Barb raved about how she loved it.  I had my own frame and didn't even think about trying it out then but did take a couple pictures of the Acadian Frame.  It is obvious in the photo there is a swivel ball so the frame tilts and rotates.  Not sure if it adjusts to height or not but in the picture below wonder if the inside dowel rotates, which would make for smooth rotating movement.

I love my Snapdragon frame top but have an issue with the two floor stands when traveling to camps.  My Snapdragon is nice working at home on my sofa which sits low while using the K's Creations Big Foot floor stand which you see below.  But with use over time the movement has cut grooves in the metal rod.   So when I take it to camp and adjust the height of the floor stand the frame drops down and settles into those same grooves cut into the rod at the position is it used at home. A very annoying and combative fight continues during the entire duration of the camp.

I also have an old Rughooking 101 floor stand which is higher but as you can see by the height of the Snapdragon frame, it sits higher on the other stand and a bit too high for a nice working position.  However, it is better than bending over to the low position on the other stand at camp.

I've emailed Cindy, who does not have a web site, and asked her the questions about adjustment.  Here is also some information posted on Cindy Gay's blog which even has a couple personal reviews on how it works.   

So what is a girl to do other than continue looking for the perfect frame. I'm hoping the Acadian Rug Frame will be the answer and hope that I don't weaken and buy it before next May when I try it out at Barbs.

Another option I guess would be to buy another K's Creations floor stand but at $179 that could be applied to another whole new frame.

Enjoy your last day of November as December rolls in after midnight tonight.

Saundra

Back From Woolley Fox

Oh but a fun time was had by all.  There were 6 of us; Sue, June and Eleanor stayed in the Guest House (closest to Barb's home); Deb, Char and I stayed in the Woolley Cottage which is a few steps further from the house.  Both are lovely and warm with beautiful antiques and hooked rugs for us each to enjoy. 

Not only are the cottages delightful but also the grounds are spectacular and eye candy as you walk to and from the classes.  To the left you can see a portion of Barb's home and the wall with the sheep and blue awning is the Guest House.

This is the door to the Guest House under the awning and you can see the Woolley Cottage in the distance on the right. 

This is the view from the back deck at the Woolley Cottage but totally forgot to get a front view or side view of our accommodations, sorry.  Just know that we have had a great time hooking and having cocktails and snacks on the back deck.

This is the view we would see as we walk to classes ~ this is at the other end of the Guest House and you can see the back deck which was a nice place to sit in the morning with coffee or hook.

Sometimes we would walk to Barb's on the left and down the steps, and sometimes we'd take the walk to the right (picture above) and take the more scenic route.  When we walked by the fishpond talking the koi would come to the surface hoping for a hand out of koi food and while we had none to share, it was fun to watch the frenzy in the water.

I took numerous pictures of the grounds but will move on to people and rugs.  This is a picture of (l to r) Sue, Barb, June and Eleanor.

This is Sue watching and listening intently as Barb color plans her rug.

June and Eleanor busily hooking here.

And my pal Deb pulling loops like a maniac to my right.  Can't believe how much she accomplished in just 3 days.

Sue was hooking Herb Angel a Lori Brechlin design sold by Spruce Ridge.

June hooked Halloween Hooligans by Star Rug Company.

Eleanor was working on a Warren Kimble design offered by Woolley Fox.

Deb hooked Monticello a Karen Kahle design.  I dearly love the more primitive hooking and it is way different than Karen's pastel palate.  This picture was taken Tuesday night before Wednesday's class where even more hooking was accomplished. 

My dear pal Char, sly girl, managed to avoid all photos of her as well as her hooking.  She was hooking a delightful design called Craig's Whale.  It was drawn by her son as a child who is now 32.  I was so hoping to get a picture of it and her but her Irish is mighty force when trying to capture her in pictures.

I know, you're wondering where my rug is, right?   HA!  You'll just have to wait for an update on my blog tomorrow.

Please be kind to one another.

Saundra

My Magdalena Dog Rug

Okay guys and gals, I lived with the dog rug for a few days and did end up making a change in that top right corner.  I knew if I didn't do it now I'd wish I had because it would be difficult to make the change once the rug is bound. , Yeah, I'm getting ready to bind it now but just had to take a picture with the edges turned under.

I'm quite happy with the way it turned out  And, my girlfriend Shari said this is her favorite of all  the rugs I've hooked and even complimented me on my color planning.  Must admit tho, this is not what I had intended it just sorta happened and the dog barked the colors it wanted in the rug.


And for those of you who like seeing the close up colors with a bright flash here is what it looks like up close and personal in the bright 'hollywood' lights.  The rug does not look this light and bright in person.  it looks more like the picture above.  But I know you like to look at the colors to see what wools you have in your stash which might be similar to what I've used in this rug.

And, if you look at the rug my intentions were to have the blue line trailing under the penny circle at the top left and lead to what would eventually be a blue/green bottom.  Likewise I ran a row of blue up the right side and used it on the outside curve on the right corner so it would provide the same introduction of color.  And, perhaps I didn't make a wise decision but in the bottom right corner I put some brown in an attempt to balance a brown at the bottom portion of the rug. If you double click the picture you can see that the brown doesn't show as dark as it appears.


This was a fun rug to hook and it could easily have been done before now but I spent 2 or 3 days cleaning up my wool room so lost valuable hooking time.  I've been asked by several people if I sell this pattern and I don't.  You can purchase it from Barb Carroll at http://www.woolleyfox.com/.  However, since the design is in public domain and is of the age from the 1800's, it was acceptable for me to draw it out on my own.  However I'd never sell this pattern since Barb offers it on her web site.  

Log Cabin Rug Back on the Frame

It seems like a decade since I worked on this rug, but it has only been a couple months.  Meanwhile there were quite a few projects I got completed while it was resting.   I'd completed a couple swap mats, hooked a snowman gift for a Christmas gift, also the E.S. Frost Sheep rug with birds and flowers, hooked and assembled the eyeglass cases and most recently was the completion of the Jane Stickle quilt rug more commonly known on Rughookers Yahoo as the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug.  (whew, gasp for breath).

When working on the log cabin rug previously I'd mentioned it was a pattern offered in a book by Barbara Carroll titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking. 

The pattern design is July Cabin but I took some creative license and tweaked it to suit me.  I changed the direction of the smoke, made my trees a little differently and made big folky leaves instead of flags and think I added more stars in different locations. 

So I'm a little anxious to finish this one up but there is something else lingering in the wings that remains unfinished, so it isn't as though I'm completely caught up.  But it sure is a good feeling to get this close.

However, the  madness will begin again starting May when I go to the wonderful Barb Carroll at Woolley Fox, then in September it will be back to beautiful Cape May, NJ, then in November will sign up for Lucille Festa once again in Ocean City, MD.