Mother Hen a new design

I enjoy having more than one rug on the frame and think I'd mentioned that in an earlier post.  So perhaps when I return to Big Dog Hollow I'll know what direction to take for the stars and sky.  So thought I'd design a small mat to offer as a pattern and drew this Mother Hen.

There were a few ideas about border or no border in my head ~ to have a few randomly placed swags, a straight border like frame, curved border or no border.  And, wasn't sure if having 5 peeps was a good idea or have just 4.  Robin of Bird in Hand suggested having 5 and making that 5th one a different color ~ excellent idea Robin, thanks for the suggestion.  Even now I'm wondering if I should have a beauty line between the red and primitive black background...... hmm, maybe the orange.  

I'd even thought of having that bottom left (the 5th) have it's tail just into the red border to give the impression that little peep had been out investigating and was just returning to it's mother; and still might do that.  I have reduced the size of the mat a smidgen as you can see from the lines on the linen.

Funny how I finally see things better when the picture is reduced and on the screen.  I need to make Mother Hen's dress a little longer on the right side bottom.  Yup, will take care of that.

Thanks for dropping by.

Saundra

My Hooking Year in Review

I was just thinking back on what rugs I had hooked this year ~ the year from last May to this upcoming May.  Last May I drew up this Frost Sheep with scrolls and took it to a class in May with Barb Carroll, so it was finished within the year.

Meanwhile, I finished up this Karen Kahle Tea Cozy, as that is what I was working on the first evening at Barb's (for something to do) and also worked on in class until it was my turn with her.

Sometime during the year I started working on the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug and completed it in time for the deadline and hopefully you'll see several other challenge participants' rugs in an upcoming issue of Rug Hooking magazine.

I also joined in the Sensational Seasonal swap on Yahoo Rughookers and hooked 2 of these snowman mats (one for my swap partner and one for my dear daughter-in-love) because she collects snowmen.  Next was a Spring Swap and did this for my partner.  And I've completed my summer mat for my new partner but can't show you that since it isn't time to send it yet and it is supposed to be a secret until it arrives.

Next was the Log Cabin and Sheep rug which is an adaptation of July Cabin which is a design offered by Barb Carroll in one of her books.  I changed the trees, changed the direction of the smoke to make it smaller and generally made it into what I wanted to hook and see.  Oh dang, the flash really washed out this picture.

Then in November I drew out and started the other Frost Sheep design with flowers and Birds; this too has been completed but remains to be bound (workin' on it tho).

After that was finished being hooked think it was then Magdalena's Dog which went on my frame.  This guy is on my kitchen antique harvest table and makes me smile each day.

Whew, didn't realize I'd hooked so many things during the year.  The 2 chicken Daleview Farm, a pattern by Polly Minick but with 3 chickens originally, this was also hooked and bound.

Also hooked this Candle Mat for my soon-to-be neighbors as a housewarming gift but they haven't moved in yet so it is still here but done.

OH!  I almost forgot the cute elephant design by Robin, and that is the one I just most recently finished..... how could I almost forget that?

Oh goodness, I'm now editing my post because I saw a picture of a rug which was started last August and had it finished to take to my October show last year....so add at least one more rug to the count for the year between May 2011 and May 2012 (coming up).  

Plus, In reading back to my May 10, 2011 post I had just finished this Home Tweet Home design by Karen Kahle. Goodness but I was one busy girl last year.

And if that wasn't enough, I hooked and lined a couple eye glass cases for a hooking well-known as examples for her upcoming classes as well as making 40 flower pins for me to take to my shows.  Uh, I think that might be all I hooked, but if I remember something else I'll be sure to post it. 


And yesterday I posted the UFO that I'm presently working on.  I'm hoping to have it done before leaving for Barb's in May because I want to start the bumblebee chair pad to give me something to hook the evening before class starts and until it is my turn with Barb.  

Progress

I've made some progress not only on the cute design by Robin of Bird in Hand Primitives  but also a doll to take to my show in July.  It is like pulling teeth for me to work on dolls anymore, as I'd really rather be hooking.


This doll is 37" tall, her skirt is made using vintage fabric and her jacket is made from a portion of a vintage reversible wool blanket.  I just hate that I cannot rotate this picture on Blogger.  It is standing upright in my photo file and when I transfer it here there is no way to right it that I'm aware.  Now, when I took the picture I did turn my camera so perhaps that is the reason.  Yet, I did rotate the picture upright with the Paint program and was able to list her on my web site just fine.

And here is the finished design from Robin but it still needs to be bound, at least I've trimmed the backing and pressed it so it just needs the binding tape sewn on.  OR, I was even thinking of using a pillow ticking like Polly does on some of her rugs.  

And you wonder what I'm working on now?  I am working on my Summer Swap Mat for my partner.  It doesn't have to be mailed until the middle of May but want to be sure mine is done and not waiting until the last minute to finish it.  Can't show you a picture of it because Debra is my swap partner and we each check out blogs. 


And then when that is done think I'll pull out a piece I started that is a Polly Minick design.  This is also something needed to be completed before my July show but it has been tucked away with little desire to work on it because it needs to have some undesirable wool pulled out and rehooked.  At first I thought that blue wool would blend in nicely but as I continued hooking with it realized it was distracting and didn't look good at all.  So I'll have to bite the bullet and pull out wool....sigh.

Look'n Good

I am really liking how this beauty is looking.  Tho I must admit that I've hooked and ripped out and replaced at least one color in each of the swags.  I'd really wanted to use either the grey and white herringbone which spells "Liberty", or wanted to use the cream which is in the stripes in the blanket, they both seemed to pop too much so replaced them.  I'm posting a picture with a flash so you can see a more detailed view, however this is not how bright it looks in person.

Perhaps I could have, should have chosen a different yellow for the stars, either a darker or brighter color, I'm not going to pull those babies out again even tho they are close in value to the background.  And, while I did take out some loops in the swag on the right side it still wants to bulge a little.  Hopefully when I steam the rug I can manipulate it to make it more straight.  For some reason the swags on top didn't  do that.


This is a really fun project Robin, thank you.

Work in Progress

This is what my project looks like now.  As previously mentioned, it is an Americana Thyme design by Robin of Bird in hand Primitives.  This is a shot without a flash.

This is a picture using the flash.    I'm really liking how it is turning out, but see that I need to release some pressure inside the swag on the right side because it  is bulging out too much.  And, now that I'm looking at the pictures better, think that I'll remove the white in the swag and replace it with more blue.  I think that would look better.  Maybe I'll do that now and then update my blog a little later today.

I think the background is working better than I'd originally thought ~ or at least it does in person..... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

New Design on my Frame

Ah, it was good to complete another rug and I have actually starting binding it ~ I'm referring to the 2 chicken Daleview Farm design.  Uh, but I still have two rugs which need binding.  


Here is my cutie pie design that I am working on now.  

If it looks familiar to you, it should it is from that sweetie Robin.  As soon as I saw it just knew it had to be mine!  I love all the designs in that booklet but this one had to be first on my frame.  Frankly, she has several pattern booklets I want to own so go check out her blog to see all the goodies she has to offer.


Anyway, I'm having a dilemma in choosing the right background wool for this rug based on the wools I wanted for the elephant and star.  I wanted a light background and the first one I chose was too light.  Then I tried this textured wool and figured it was not only too light also, but too close in value to the star colors.  Back to the wool shelf found another textured wool but it was even closer in value to the stars.  


So back to the wool room to cut thin strips to wedge between the background and star.  BUT, in looking at this picture taken with a flash it appears the background and stars are just fine.  So now I plan to remove that narrow strip cornrowed between the backing and star and leave it alone.  Otherwise I think it will draw attention to just the stars and the eye won't move around the rug.  Yet, ye hookers know these hooked loops might be history in a day or two.  A hooker has to do what they have to do to make it satisfactory to OUR eye.


This cutie pie small piece I only enlarged to something like 11 x 14 so was hoping it would go fast.  HA!  Such is not the case.  Today I got an order for another Edward Tulane rabbit doll (thankfully I'd started the process and have some done already) PLUS an order for a rug hooking kit which was one I didn't have already prepared.  So now I'm working on the kit and will work on the ET a little each day as well.


For those of you who might not have seen my last project of Daleview Farm, here is my adaptation with 2 chickens which is on Polly Minick's pattern.  Polly does sell the two chicken kit as well.  

Again, visit Robin's blog and check out her goodies; Thank you Robin!!!!!!

Robin of Bird in the Hand Primitives made a comment on my blog the other day when I asked the readers if there was anything they wanted me to talk about.  I'm really glad a couple of you took me up on the question because now I can try to give you want you want to read.


 Robin said she had recently purchased two dye books on e-bay ....."in the hopes of learning dyeing methods and creating just the right colors I want for certain designs...however, color planning is a challenge for me because of so many hues and textures...I would love if you posted some thoughts and tried and true tips for color planning ...Is that something that came natural or was it learned ? ........"


I have had some success stories where the wool came out exactly like I'd hoped  (dumb luck for sure) and then have tried to achieve a certain color for a rug and it didn't turn out as I'd hoped.  Yet the wool goes in my stash and usually is perfect for another project.  The wonderful Bev Conway generously shared some dye recipes she uses on the wool colors which I always purchased.  While the colors turned out nicely, my gold didn't turn out like the rich old gold she dyes.  


There are a lot of variables which influence the color and water is a very important factor.  Bev lives in Vermont where the water must be magnificent and I live in Delaware using well water.  That also makes a difference in the dye results because well water and city water with chemicals will influence the project.  And, Bev has even said that she can tell a difference in her dye results between drought season or good water level season.  Some people even suggest that using a stainless steel pot vs. an enamel coated pot makes a difference.  So there is a very good likely hood that the colors we see in a book of samples may not quite turn out exactly as we see it on wool samples, pictures in a book or on the computer screen.


I have a teacher/friend who can add color (dye by eye) to make the wool exactly what she wants (Lynne, if you're reading this, yes, I'm talking about you) and I don't have the skill to do that.  Obviously I lack the true understanding of color manipulation and am always afraid of adding a little more of the wrong color.


These are the wool pieces I plan to experiment with and there is about half a yard total there. 

 Robin indicated she can never find the right grey green,  sage, or dark celery.  So I have taken a picture of some wool I dyed to see if that is what she is looking for.   Meanwhile this wool is soaking until we can determine what color wool strikes her fancy and then I'll do the experiment.  


So check in tomorrow to see the next installment.