Ooh, think I like that name for this rug instead of what I've been using. I've dubbed it 'Cat, Birds and Blooms' but that is quite a mouthful. Besides I'm really enjoying hooking the design so think it IS "The Cat's Meow".
Things are working out well as I get to the count down to Woolley Fox camp. This rug is the only one on the frame and all but one has been bound. The Granny Geometric is left and will be bound on the 4 hour road trip to Woolley Fox as my pal Deb drives. That way it will keep my mind busy as we climb the elevation in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
Hope everyone had a great weekend and for you moms out there, hope it was extra special. Hugs to all and please be kind to one another.
This one isn't on my web site yet but I did post a picture of my Santa and Deer rug there today. As soon as this one is done I'll post it on my web site too.
Speaking of web sites... mine really needs a day shifting things around. Oh well, one day I'll get around to it. So all I can recommend is you just scroll thru all the old stuff and maybe you'll find a block which has something new in it. Yup, sounds like a rainy day activity for sure. But not this week as I'm leaving for Woolley Fox at the end of the week and lots to do before I leave.
OH!!!!! The rug name......I'd love to hear some suggestions for the name of this rug. So far I've called it these: Cat, Birds and Blooms ~ The Cat's Meow. But I am open for suggestions and would love to hear them. Normally I don't sell patterns of a design until after I've hooked it to have a picture for people to see of what I did. But this time 4 were sold immediately.
Saundra
Oh but I was hoping to have all the background done on the right middle around the kitten and bird but didn't get it done. So I hooked in the colors for the areas I've planned. Must say here that the dye job I did in anticipation of this rug has been delightful to use. If you want to see what I did click HERE.
Okay, so my plans are to finish the right side middle of this rug and then save it until the circle/penny mat is hooked. Therefore I'll be flipping between the two rugs again so I can save some hooking on this rug for the evening arriving at Woolley Fox plus give me something to work on until Barb gets to me for color planning my rug. I'll debut the rug planned for Barbs in a future post. So hang tight and check back.
Have a great Sunday evening everyone.
Saundra
I'd really hoped to have more hooked by now so apologize if you were looking for more progress.
This will be a short post since I'm making soup late due to 'life' getting in the way. But for you newbies please remember to:
~ hook inside the lines to keep the motif a good size and not grow
~ do an outline row around the motif to keep it contained
~ and I like to hook the outside perimeter line and you can see it going up the far right side from bottom up.
Have a great evening everyone and try to stay dry.
Saundra
First here's a glimpse of the newest rug on my frame. In a previous post I showed what I was using for the outline and the cat. The star is hooked with red wool from my worm basket as is the light area surrounding the star, I should have filled in those extra spots around the star before taking a picture since it looks like little holes.
The darker background around the cat was among the wool I dyed in anticipation of hooking this rug. It is the second from the left in this photo and it works well I think.
Just recently someone wrote me about a pattern situation and thought it was a topic worth discussing (NO, not with my pattern but one from someone else). Here is what you, as the buyer, should expect when purchasing a pattern from someone. I'm referring to those people in the business of drawing and selling patterns, me included, not someone downsizing their collection of unhooked purchased patterns.
You should expect the pattern:
- ~ drawn on straight of grain
- ~ no less than 3" margin beyond design
- ~ foundation edges secure to prevent raveling (I prefer serged edges)
Never buy a 'stamped' pattern as you can be sure it is not on the straight of grain; you want to buy a 'hand drawn' pattern. Although I draw a lot of my own patterns I also buy from other people and always take a pencil and run the pencil down the ditch at the edge to be sure it is drawn on the straight of grain before starting to hook. I know it is easy for the pen to cross lines. Of course the motifs inside may be curved, whimsical crooked houses, etc., but the outside edge should always be drawn on the straight of grain.
Must admit that accidents do happen. A bolt of linen is folded and when on a bolt there are also wrinkles. So when drawing a line down the ditch across that section is very easy to slip into the next ditch. Since I try to draw slowly, I correct myself and get back into the right ditch.
What should you do if you buy a pattern from someone and it is off one strand or two along the perimeter? If it were me and the design wasn't a game board style so the inside wasn't affected, I'd just draw the line straight and keep it. Actually, that did happen to me and I do respect that person still to this day and will buy more patterns. As I said, it is easy to be just one thread (ditch) over. But, if it was way off kilter, I'd contact the designer/drawer and request a replacement or my money back.
Anyone who has purchased a pattern from me knows that I contact them, ask if they received the pattern and if are they are pleased. And should someone buy one from me and they had an issue I would gladly give them a refund or replacement, but I'd want that pattern back they first bought. I want to keep my customers happy and would like my name thought of kindly so will try to do my best.
I'd planned to discuss hooking circles and humps they can make but think this post is long enough so will hold that for another time. It's going be chilly again tonight folks so bundle up. Was shocking to wake up to white frosty crystals of snow on my yard this morning after all the warm weather earlier in the week.
Have a great evening.
Saundra
This was a rug on my list 'to do' but hadn't intended to start it so soon. It is a delightful rug photo found (I think) on Pinterest but it had no identifying information as to age, hooker, owner, etc.
When I posted interest on my blog there was immediate response from people wanting to buy the pattern. Normally I hook the pattern first and then post a picture on my web site so they can see it hooked by me. This time I sold two patterns before it was even hooked and posted on my blog. Well, guess it is about time I hook it.
Let me tell you it was troublesome to draw a pattern from the picture above and give credence to the original hooker since it is hard to detect images. On the right and left in red I finally decided were birds. But there are ghost images beside them and you can see red eyes ~ they are ever so faint since the picture is so distant and not very clear. At one point I thought it may have been an owl on one side. But, it was up to me to decide how to design the rug as I had two orders and hadn't even drawn for myself.
Later a comment came from Newburyarts saying he/she knew the previous owners, but I was unable to correspond as the comment was from a NO-REPLY Blogger. Therefore unable to ask for better pictures for accuracy or to obtain permission.
Thank you Lori of NotForgottenFarm for reminding me that I hadn't mentioned measurements. This pattern measures 30 x 30. BTW, Lauren will be proud of you for keeping me on my toes about dimensions since she was away at camp.
Onto the rug design.....many antique rug motifs were hooked using red. I don't know the answer as to why as I'd rather hook than research. But if you look at enough antique rugs you will also see a variety of styles as there are also lots of antique rugs which are not outlined but blend in with the background.
Here is the reveal of my start. Why oh why does the picture do this with the zebra stripes with linen photos? Anyway, as you can see I've done the Pre-Binding stitching 1" all around since it is easier now than when the rug is hooked. The outline of the cat was done with the red in #8 cut and think it was from Rebecca of The Wool Studio but not totally sure.
The cat is hooked in #8, #8.5 and #9 using the center wool which is Mashed Potato from Heavens to Betsy (below). I used different cuts because that is what I had in my worm basket. Okay, so it was the #9 I cut later when the others ran out.
Also used a few wool strips left over in near color which adds to the vintage look. The wool to the right of that is also Mashed Potato which I used in that dye recipe a post or so ago. It will also go in the rug and that was my plan.
I named the pattern "Cat, Birds and Blooms" which is a description....but sure wish I could come up with something more creative than my literal name. Any ideas out there? How's about you two gals who just purchased the pattern from me? Any suggestions? Write me personally at saundra125@comcast.net.
Hope you all have a great evening as our early summer weather is about ready to come to an end.
Saundra
