CROWS

Yes, it's true that I love crows.  The story behind that is my sweet departed Rottweiler Panzer, the son of Shumba.  We bred Shumba once, she had 8 pups which all lived, strange for a first litter.  We sold 7 and kept Panzer.  

Panzer was the sweetest most gentle goofy boy dog ever.  I used to tell my ex he was a jokster.  He'd run thru the field grab a wild flower and run at his mother hoping she'd chase him down for it.  I'm getting off track here.

Anyway, Panzer also thought he could fly because when a crow would caw and fly nearby he'd run and leap as tho he would sprout wings and catch it.  Then the attraction to crows began.

1 Crow Bad News

2 Crows Mirth

3 Crows a wedding

4 Crows a Birth

5 Crows riches

6 Crows a thief
7 Crows a journey

8 Crows a grief
9 Crows a secret

10 crows sorrow

11 Crows love ~~ uh, I'd like to know where that love is??? 

12 Crows a good tomorrow.  But the poem doesn't have a 13th crow so maybe that is where my love went, lol.

Yes, I hooked all of those and actually have another couple Magdalena rugs which also had a crow in them but didn't post.  

Have a great evening.

Saundra

Betsy's Crow Pillow Assembly

Here the finished pillow rests in it's present place on honor, in the living room where I can see it when I hook or watch TV. 

In a previous post I told you about the money saving idea Betsy shared with us in class.  The regular Walmart pillow at the top cost me $2.37; it is a standard bed pillow.  The craft store pillow below that cost $5.49 at least 10 years ago and yes..... I've kept it all that time sure that I'd make a pillow.  I'm sure it would cost more today. Problem was both crow designs were larger than the Mountain Mist pillow form.

With the hooked front and wool fabric back sewn together right sides together, then turned right side out it is time to stuff the pillow.  I cut a hole in the side of the bed pillow to remove some of the stuffing. 

Next is like trying to stuff an elephant in a gunny sack. I do this gently working on one side and then the other and sliding my hands to guide the pillow to the bottom and corners.

 Some of that pulled out stuffing is directed to those far bottom corners.



I have some great stuffing tools which I used when making dolls and they come in handy now to do this job.  Hemostats are magnificent tools and they come in all sizes; this one is large and has a curved point which is really nice to direct the stuffing in the corners.



 

With the elephant stuffed in it is time to close the pillow.  A little of stuffing had to be removed from the pillow again and think some of that went right back in the corners.



Then using large safety pins to contain the beast within I am able to whip stitch the closure by grabbing a section of wool back and thru the hooked row and thru the linen backing.  I'm using my thighs to help contain the beast.  Remember, I've already done the machine stitching all round the linen close to the last hooked row so it is secure.

After the pillow is sewn shut it is time to do the wonderful primitive binding which was shared by Betsy Reed in her class.  I have used this technique on a previous pillow as well as the Chicken Challenge rug. 

In a previous post I showed you how to make this cotton binding and if you are just checking out my blog or if you forgot google it in my blogger search, top left of page.

 

I started whip stitching the 2 1/2" cotton binding at the bottom edge using vintage crochet threat which I'd soaked in tea to make it aged.  The bottom seemed the logical place to start in case the pillow ever needed to be opened for some reason both the closure of the pillow and the ends of the cotton binding are at the bottom.

Should you choose to do this technique it is wise to do an outside edge row of hooking using undesirable wool or not your favorite colors which blend because you will be whipping through and under that last row of hooking as well as into the wool back. 

Now, go back to the top and check out that pretty pillow.  Mama's happy with it and will let the Magdalena crow piece rest until I can decide what I want to do with it.

Having more snow here and sleet...when is this #!&*$%! going to end??  Hopefully my new but newly repaired furnace will continue to provide me heat thru these frigid temps.  Hope you are all safe and warm.

Now to go find something to hook and keep me entertained.

Saundra

Revisit to Betsy's Crow

Baby it's COLD outside!!!!  Ben loves outside but doesn't like these temps any more than I do yet he has more endurance to the cold than his mom.  Since he is an indoor dog he wants in when his 'toe toes' get too cold.

This is Betsy's Crow pattern I purchased last November when attending her class.  Looking at this piece think I'll pull out the orange above the head of the crow.....uh, but would replace it with what color?  Maybe dulled gold.

Was hoping to use more dull colors on this side with the patchwork hooked background and use a combination on the other side for that crow using whatever Magdalena would have used.

Okay, am showing you the mess I make just around the area where I hook.  In front of that pillow is where the hooking takes place.  To my right (your left) at that space is some mess and mingled wool.

It may look organized to you but to MY left these were the worm baggies from which my loops are pulled and they are getting mingled together fast.  However...... I AM using up a lot of worms on this pillow and enjoying every loop pulled.   

On the far right in the photo above is the reverse side of the 'to be pillow' with Betsy's Crow on one side and the Magdalena style crow for the other. 

Hope to have some progress to show you next time I post.  If not it may be another rug show.

Hugs to all, try and stay warm.  In addition to the frigid temps and wind we are to endure snow now.  At this point I think those challenges can be okay with me as long as there is heat in the house. 

Please bring your pets inside.  If you know anyone or has seen anyone who keeps their pet outside for hours on end in these frigid temperatures, PLEASE call the authorities.  No animal should be allowed to be left outside by it's owner for lengths of time. 

Hope you all are warm and safe.

Saundra

Deja vu

Remember when I shared my experience without heat four days in January?  Which required a brand new furnace?  Remember that?  Well yesterday I had no heat...AGAIN.  The NEW furnace was making a different sound and the room next to the furnace room smelled funny.  So I called the service man who dropped by after his work day ,(yesterday).

He said the motor on the new furnace had overheated and could get one this morning and install it.  Yes, I'm under warranty but I wanted heat!  It got quite cold in the house and I slept under an electric blanket. 

This morning he arrived with a new motor for the 3 week old furnace.  When he turned on the unit, the furnace kicked in.  So he said he'd keep the new motor here just in case it did need replacement in the near future.  Service man left and in 15 minutes I called to tell him it was making that same unusual noise and he returned.  Yup, motor too hot to touch in just 15 minutes so it needed replace in the real close future.

The motor was installed and all looked good he said, the cover on the unit was replaced and he left.  He said he'd call in an hour to see how things were going.  I didn't wait the hour because there was nothing but cold air coming thru the heat registers.  At 4:30 he stopped by again to see what happened.  When he put the door back on the unit he accidently knocked a 'safety' wire off which prevents the flame to heat up.  Now FINALLY, all is working and the house temperature is going back up.  Let's hope it stays that way.

Okay, finally to hooking related....previously I told you that Betsy's Crow pattern was going to be made into a pillow.  Here's the wee bit of hooking managed during the cold two days, which isn't much.

But a few days ago I started the prep for the pillow edge ~ that primitive edge which was used on another pillow I made as well as my Chicken Challenge rug.  First thing I did was rip plain cotton fabric crosswise in 2 1/2" strips.

Next I sewed them together end to end.  Normally for clothing or wool binding I'd miter the ends and sew them that way, but this is going to be bunched up together on the edge and the more primitive and naïve the better.  Oh, that light but coffee dyed thread is embroidery thread which is part of the edging on the pillow.

Next it was a wash cycle to remove the sizing, then in the dryer where the got good and tangled.  Yup, a mess to separate with all the loose threads but makes it nice and wrinkled too.  Then rolled in a ball awaiting for it's task when the pillow is ready.

Hopefully it will be an uneventful evening and I'll still have heat in the morning.  Just checked the thermostat and it has risen from 54 degrees in the house to 59 degrees and furnace still working in stage 2 (propane).  The next few days will become even more cold so hope this new motor lasts.  I was extremely stressed out yesterday and last night, and frankly today also. 

Hope everyone has a great evening and will be warm.

Saundra

Using Up Some Left Overs

I'm working on Betsy's Crow pattern which will be one side of a pillow.  The crow has been hooked and now am hooking the patchwork background.  But first I need to address a topic my gal pal (you know who you are Lauren) asked and which I think many newbies might want to know.  Lauren is not a newbie she just keeps me on my toes.  She wanted to know if I used left over strips for my crow.  The answer is YES.

Above is a close up of the crow where I cut only a few black/dark strips to go with the left overs.  I knew there were dark strips which had purple, green, red, black and some or combination of colors in the same strip.  All wonderful iridescent crow or raven colors when hooked. 

So now it is on to the background.  Oh my, the easy hit and miss patchwork background, right?  WELL.... the hit and miss sure looks like it is easy and when it is all done it looks great and everyone thinks it is a piece of cake.  

The patchwork background I'm trying to do is using neutrals and I'm having a hard time trying to choose what is next to one another so there is a difference in value. 

You see all those lines in the linen and obviously you can see I've taken liberty with the exterior design for MY pillow dimensions. 

Stay tuned, who knows what this rouge hooker will do next.  Hope you all wake up to a good morning tomorrow.  This morning for me it was a sheet of ice on my steps, the tree limbs were encrusted with ice and even the blades of grass looked like crystal.    Drive safely.

Saundra