Rugs Hooked in 2019

The year 2019 is coming to a close so thought I'd give you a rug show of the rugs I hooked this year.  First one of the year was Lititz Hens which is an adaptation of a Magdalena Briner Eby design.

Still having the antique adaptation bug hooked Early Farm Scene a Frontier Homestead pattern.

Finally a UFO which had been hidden for years, the Paisley Stair Riser was finally finished instead of being trash.  It was designed for a narrow cut and I was determined to hook it in nothing less than #8.

Next was an adorable pattern named Cat Nap designed by Kelley Belfast and too adorable to pass up.  So that was next on my frame.

Back to the antique designs of Magdalena....  When seeing the Great Granddaughter of Magdalena was donating the original hooked rug to the Historical Society of Perry County knew it had to be on my frame next.

Below is my attempt at an adaptation of that wonderful rug originally hooked by Magdalena. 

Have always heard and even repeated, these words:  "Use it Up, wear it out, make it do or do without".  That was the slogan from the War Advertising Council of 1944.  That was a time when most resources were being used for the war effort and conserving in the home was promoted.  

Then it was time for Cape May rug camp with teacher Miller who I always enjoy.  The pattern to be hooked was Oh Glorious Day, a design by Lori Brechlin and pattern sold by Spruce Ridge Studio.  

In November Kris Miller was my teacher again and took a design named Friendship Bells by Folk Art Landing.  There was a little creative license taken and this is the result.

Was looking for something small to hook until I could decide on my next project so picked one from my stash, a design by Tonya Robey called Winter Bloom.  It is all hooked but still have the remainder of the whipped edge to complete.

That next major project happened to be and antique adaptation I've named Mighty Whale.  And yup, it was all hooked AND bound before the new year.

Am anticipating completely getting the whipped edge finished on Winter Bloom before going to bed tonight and I'll have a clean slate for works hooked in 2019.

Saundra

CAT NAP FINI

With the eyes changed and potential customer approved it was time for binding.

I don't have a favorite binding style as each piece determines what is needed.  This one had a potential buyer who wanted to hang it on his wall so decided to do a wide double layer of cotton with the same color sleeve to insert a dowel.

As previously mentioned on other blog posts, this is a delightful design by Kelley Belfast.

Today, also printed a sheet of labels for a couple rugs recently hooked, for Cat Nap, the Magdalena I'm working on AND...... the next two rugs.  Those two  would be patterns to hook at Cape May and camp in November.  So guess I'm definitely committed to those two patterns for SURE!

Had to use up the whole sheet and it was the last sheet of printable fabric left.  Now must find a new resource because my local Walmart does NOT sell anything like that. 

IF you folks new to hooking or new to my blog you may want to visit HERE to see the other ways I've bound rugs.

Hope your next week is a happy one with good weather.

Saundra

Maybe, Just Maybe.....

.... Cat Nap could be done except for binding???  Just maybe?

If you scroll down to previous photos of my progress you'll notice a change in the cat's face.  First I removed the white mouth and hooked in a softer grey.  Then the face stripe (nose) was changed to grey.  Now I'm wondering if the eyes need a little tweaking.

Had so planned on starting the Magdalena today but that won't happen.  Tomorrow is wool mess clean up from around my hooking nest.  And in the morning is the HVAC guy to spring service my furnace/heat pump.  

Binding on Cat Nap is not on my schedule at the moment, neither are any tweaks.  This little guy will sit on the sidelines and take a little Cat Nap to wait.  Magdalena is calling me.

Saundra

Now and Next

I'm nearing the end of an adorable design by Kelley Belfast and happy with how it is turning out.  The top part of the 'sky' is hooked with the over-dyed wool previously posted.  While hooking that part wondered what to do about the bottom ~ ground/grass.

Went shopping in my wool room and found some different wool but with same value and colors, pictured below.  So think I'll use those strips plus incorporate a few darker value more greenish fronds of grass also.  Not sure if that plan will work but we will both find out soon.  

As for NEXT.......I'm yanking at the bit to start my next project.  Would love to expand on it but need to save something for another post.   

Those of you who follow me, know I get impatient when wanting to move to the next project.  Today is no exception.  I've sketched out and enlarged the paper pattern and started drawing it on linen already.  But think 'kitty' needs to be finished properly to enjoy her 'cat nap'.

Saundra

Cat Nap Update

I did it....I over-dyed that other half of the wool and it turned out similar to the other.  Was hoping it would be a little darker for variance but it is close in value and will do well.

Here is Cat Nap and you must agree there is a huge difference with the background now.

Am trying to decide what to do with the bottom portion of the design.  I don't want to do flowers but to introduce ground/grass might be nice.  Maybe during the night I'll 'sleep on it' and make my decision.

Saundra

A Pause to Dye

Thought since this pattern was small it would go fast ~ and it probably will once the wool gets right.  My plans for the background/sky just didn't make the cut.  It is way too light and bright.  You can barely see the hooked section above the cat.  Plus it would be too light in value compared the wool I've planned for the church birdhouse.

So, into a pot of Warm Sky (Beautiful Wool) dye recipe it went.  There was about half a yard of wool and I used 1 TBS + 1 tsp. of dye.  This is how it turned out.  The left are the results and the right is the other part of the yard I purchased.  Have no idea why I purchased it but with the dyeing it will do fine.  Matter of fact tomorrow think I'll do the remainder in a little darker pot so there will be a variance.

Stay tuned to see Cat Nap.  Can't wait until it is done because I'm hot to trot for my next antique adaptation.  Think it will be another Magdalena rug ~ or at least that is my plan now.  But you know how hot and cold I run with what's on the frame.

Happy Tuesday, happy hooking and hope you are all in a 'good place' since there is so much chaos in the world.  When news gets to me I change the channel or turn it off.  After all, why would I expose  myself to such negativity?  I choose to surround myself with happiness.

Saundra

Various Topics & New Project

After breakfast and with a decent day ahead (no rain!) it was grass cutting time.  With the push mower I cut Ben's back yard.  Yes, I still call it that since my ex put up the fence for sweet boy Ben.  Unlike the other dogs who lived here, Ben liked to wander and look for cars to chase.  

By the time the back yard was cut it was time for lunch.  I made this very delicious salad ~ has a scoop of tuna salad, romaine lettuce, radicchio, strawberries, gourmet medley tomatoes and sliced avocado.  Didn't have any raspberry vinaigrette dressing so used balsamic vinaigrette.  It was as delicious as it looks.

After lunch I started the riding mower and cut the remainder of the lawn AFTER walking around a couple acres picking up pine cones and limbs from yesterday's wind frenzy.  Finally just after 2 p.m. the yard was done, I got cleaned up and could sit to pull a few loops.

You seasoned rug hookers already know this information, so am trying to help the newbies.  Yet it is always fun to read a blog about rug hooking no matter how long one has been hooking.... I get it.

I'm a primitive hooker and one of the basics is to "outline and fill".  That process can be done two ways.  The purpose of that is to keep the motif within the drawn lines.  If you color (hook) outside the lines of the motif it gets bigger and will ruin the intended shape.

Here is the new pattern on my frame.  It is a design by Kelley Belfast called Cat Nap.  I drew mine smaller than the recent order; mine measures 13 x 20.

I outlined the cat inside the drawn lines and will fill.  Later I will put a row of background around the cat to contain those loops.

But there is yet another way of outlining a motif and that is to hook the background around the motif first.  That is exactly what hooker friend Pam Gunn did when she hooked Antique Floral Theorem.  She wanted to be sure there was a good edge to hook the urns against.  Also she would hide her ends rather than having them butt up against the background outline.  

That might be a lesson for another day on how to hide the ends as there are also a couple ways to do that.

In case you are thinking the vases aren't equal in size or shape....you would be right.  The original antique wasn't either.  So when Pam ordered the pattern from me I brought this to her attention as well as the scallops at the top of the urn being wonky.  Pam said to draw it like the antique with all its quirkiness as that is what makes an antique adaptation.

Pam, thanks for your permission to use your rug as an example, and thank you Kelley for allowing me to draw patterns on your behalf.

Oh but my back is killing me ~ with the combination of age, arthritis, degenerative disc disease and scoliosis I'm feeling a little rough.  Think this glass of Cab will help that a little.  Since I don't take pain meds the wine IS my medication 😄.  Now back to pulling a few loops and sipping.

Enjoy your Sunday.  Can't believe it is May 1st in just a couple days.  

Saundra

This and That

Let's start off with a Kelley Belfast design.  Rug hooker Kathy wrote asking for a rug pattern she'd seen on Debbie's blog several months ago.  Here is what she saw ~ Debbie did this adorable needle punch glass case.

I wrote to Kathy saying that was Debbie's rendition of Kelley's original design and I'd need to ask permission from Debbie to use her idea.  Debbie graciously permitted me to draw a rug pattern for Kathy and I love it so much I'm thinking of hooking one myself.  Thank you Debbie for giving permission.

Kathy took a little creative license with grass and flowers, what a delightful rug it is.  She is gifting this to a friend who has a cat named Monkey ~ you can see the cat's name hooked into the rug under the bench.

On another note, I had an 'unknown' ask a question about Townsend Cutter sizes.  Since that person is a NO-REPLY blogger I'm unable to correspond to her.  The only way I could reply is if that question had been sent via the "EMAIL ME" section on the right side of my blog.  

But my advice to her would be to buy the second size you think you'd use most.  When I first started hooking my 'go to' size was #8 cut.  Now my favorite is #8.5.  However, I have #6 thru #10 and use all of them but use my #8.5 most often.

Seems more bad weather is predicted beginning this evening.  I've already received 'flash flood' warnings on my Apple product.  

Happy Good Friday everyone.  

Saundra