My Rugs Continued

In 2014 I hooked several rugs and mats.  As some were small mats the list of hooked pieces was more extensive.  Yesterday's post included a couple of those done that year also.  Among others were the small size Folk Art Horse (Woolley Fox pattern).

Magdalena's Olde Ducks is what I hooked in a class with Betsy Reed and is presently on my harvest table.

I miss my girl Shadow and after having hooked my Rottweiler Memorial in #3 told Shadow 'she was a wide cut sorta girl'.  So hooked Shadow in #8 in a class with Diane Stoffel.  Shadow's Memorial is hanging on the wall to the left of me.

This was the year that Deb Burcin hosted a "chicken challenge" on the Woolrights Guild Blog.  Visit the site and you can view all the entries.  I bound the rug using Betsy Reed's primitive binding technique and think it adds to the old look.

For several years the Granny Geometric was a UFO....I mean SEVERAL years.  Finally found the determination to finish this.  You can even see how my hooking evolved and my finally learning how to make sharp corners.  You can see the difference in some of the blocks.  Another great way for me to use up those excess wool strips.

Magdalena's Farm was a rug hooked with Barb Carroll, another Magdalena design.

Even tho there are always numerous rug patterns in my stash I continually end up drawing an antique adaptation to hook.  Such was the case for this Antique Pot of Flowers.

In order to use up more of those pesky multiplying wool strips I challenged people to join me in a circle Mat.  Since circles was the theme thought I'd round the corners of the mat to compliment the look.

In 2014 my friend Evelyn told me she was teaching a class at Sauder on Harriet Powers Bible Quilts and Granny Donaldson's cow blanket applique.  So took that as a challenge for myself and told Evelyn my plan to design a small piece from a Harriet Powers' Bible quilt block.  If you would like to read the article I wrote about it on my blog in 2014, click HERE.

That wasn't the end of that story....... Evelyn asked if she could take it to Sauder with her to show the class as an example of adapting a quilt piece to a hooked piece.  Evelyn razzed me about people coming into her class to see the mat and how it was tilted on the wall, how with all the muss and fuss of having to deal with visitors the rug should go to her as payment.  

That is Evelyn's humor but at Cape May when she returned the mat to me for the show there, and upon picking up our rugs after that show, I presented Evelyn with the rug as a token of our friendship.

Lucky me, I was the winner of a give-away for the Duluth Pumpkin kit offered by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company.

Afterward decided to design my own pumpkins mat.  I've always wanted a collection of vintage paper mache' Jack-O-lanterns....well I'd be happy with just one frankly.  So decided to design a rug pattern called Mache' Jacks.  It measures 15 x 25 and costs $30.

That year I finally decided to hook an adaptation of the old Santa and Deer pattern.

Same year I fell in love with a small Snowman mat design by Maria Barton so had to order it.  That hooked up really quickly and is cute to display during the Christmas holiday.  Oops, sorry Lauren, I said that "C" word again.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Yeah, What She Said

As Lauren posted on her BLOG yesterday, that her Chicken Challenge rug was in the latest ATHA magazine... so is mine.  Sadly I haven't received my issue  yet but hopefully tomorrow it will arrive in my mailbox.  Here is what my rug looked like.  Since I love the blotchy background often seen in faded and worn antique rugs that is the look I tried to achieve.

The edge binding is done using a technique I learned from taking a class with Betsy Reed November 2013 and it suits this rug perfectly I think.  Gives the rug a worn and repaired look; again leaning toward the antique.

 

This is what the original antique Chicken rug looked like.  That is a photo which was used for the pencil sketch pattern.

Thanks to Deb Burcin, this pattern was offered for the challenge on the Woolrights Hooking Guild Blog.  The free line drawing is on the blog if you wish to participate also.  It may be too late to get into the ATHA magazine but you will have a free design to play with and make it unique.

I have just stolen Lauren's picture of the article which was written by Deb Burcin (thanks Lauren).

And this is the cover (also stolen from Lauren from the e-mail she sent me). 

Sure hope my issue arrives tomorrow.  If you would like to purchase an annual subscription, check out the ATHA web site.

Have a great evening.

Saundra

Rugs in Review 2014

My but how time flies and will soon have to remember to write 2015 on checks instead of 2014.  Another year older and hard to believe almost 8 years has passed since the divorce.

Something that I like to do now is look back at the rugs I've hooked over the last year.  A few years ago I started keeping a list of the rugs completed during the year as it is fun to reflect back on them and memories associated with the time hooking. 

The first one finished in 2014 was an adaptation of a Harriet Powers quilt block which I named 500 Mile Betts.  I gifted it to my dear friend Evelyn Lawrence since she admired it so much and knew it would have a good home with her.

Next was Magdalena's Lollipop Bouquet and must say this one was on top of the list as one of the most fun.  It was fun trying to replicate Magdalena's colors while using up a lot of my left overs and with some cut wool for consistency in the neutral background and base.

Then was the project which wins 'greatest accomplishment' of several years of hooking..... that would be the completion of the damn Granny Geometric which had been started about 10 years earlier.  I'd pull it out, hook one block and back in the tote it would go for another year or 5.  Happy to say it is done and bound ~ again using up a lot of left over strips.

The Chicken Challenge was offered by Woolwrights Hooking Guild  and I jumped on the chance to get a free antique adaptation pattern.  This too was fun to make mine different from the original and have blotchy background.

When perusing Pinterest I found a wonderful rug hanging on the wall in a cabin.  I knew it appeared to have the age of a copywrite free rug but didn't know who owned it.  And some of the images were hard to decipher so guessed they were birds on the sides.  Once I learned who  owned the rug I wrote for permission to hook it, sell the patterns and received permission.  I named the pattern The Cat's Meow because as I had over dyed wool to give an aged look and as the rug came to be it was THE Cat's meow.

Next was Magdalena's Farm; building up quite number of Magdalena's rugs.  Soon I'll have as many as Evelyn Lawrence who did all the research and who has hooked all her rugs.

Then I wanted to have another antique adaptation pattern to offer for sale so hooked Pot of Flowers.  A picture with a flash and one without.  Makes a huge difference in the way they appear on the monitor.

After that I had two commission pieces to do which were rather large.  I listed them as something I hooked but they weren't mine to keep and received payment for my work.  The names of the patterns and client will remain anonomoyous.

Lucky to win a Duluth Pumpkin kit from generous Maria Barton of Star Rug company I hooked this next; thank you very much Maria.  Love those button eyes that came with.

Okay, so then wishing I owned some of those antique Jack-O-Lanterns I knew growing up, decided I needed to design my own Fall/Halloween pattern and came up with "Mache' Jack-O-Lanterns"

Always needing something else to have on my frame chose to hook Magdalena's Folk Art horse next.  Yup, those Magdalena rugs are mounting up here Evelyn.

OOPS, while going thru my photos realized I hadn't put Ali Katz on my 2014 list (it's there now tho).  Guess that is because still some defining lines need to put in around parts of some of the cats.  But it was hooked and bound in this year.  I have already sold one pattern and can't wait to see she chose to hook it and hope to get a picture.  I understand it won't be worked on until next spring/summer but am still looking forward to it.

Last year just before Christmas I saw what Maria was working on and that little Jolly drove me crazy.  Just had to have him so purchased it from Star Rug Company.  Yeah, did a change or two to make him my boy Jolly.  I love him Maria and he is sitting on my sofa table right now.

And recently last loops were pulled on Magdalena's Olde Ducks.  Even tho it hasn't been bound yet still consider it hooked in 2014.  Perhaps during the start up of 2015 and during the slow time of this remaining holiday the binding will get done.

EEK, I forgot to mention my 'detour' project of hooking arm chair covers for my computer chair.  It wasn't a big project but was hooking nonetheless.

Now all that remains of my hooking in 2014 is Cherries and Candy Stripe which I will show you tomorrow with a bit more of an update.

Have a great evening everyone and may all your loops be perfect.

Saundra

Rug Camp in Ocean City, MD

This was the view from our room.  All the rooms at the Dunes Hotel are ocean view rooms.   It is very calming to hear the waves and will put one to sleep.  The deck is the first place Deb heads toward after she drops her bags.

Just look at the sunset last Sunday about 5:15 p.m.  Should have taken a picture a tad earlier and it would have been awesome.

When going to this camp it is like old home week of a sorority as some of the same gals attend each year.  And then you get to meet new gals which is always a good thing because the sorority grows.  This was Heather's first rug.  She purchased and started the kit a few months ago and managed to get it all hooked at this camp.  Great job Heather!

I just met Heather this year and think she will be back again, that is her to the left.  In the middle is sweet Grace and on the right is another sweetie, Renia.  

Grace fell in love with my Chicken Challenge piece so I sent her the paper pattern via snail mail since she doesn't have a computer. 

The Chicken Challenge was offered on the Woolwrights blog.  

There is Betsy in the cream colored sweater hand stitching a snowman waiting to be stuffed. 

My roomie Deb is speeding away on one of the two patterns she took to hook.  See the delicious plaid wool in the foreground ~ it is called Jemstone and after seeing it in person I had to have some too.  Yes, that is a Betsy wool.

 

Isn't this Mountain Retreat design cute? 

Sue was hooking this sheep design.

And in September at Cape May someone else was hooking the same rug.  It is such fun to see how others hook the same design in their color preferences.

The sheep below is being hooked by Renia.  The lights she chose for the sheep really work well as they don't compete, only a subtle difference and I like the look.  I purchased a Crow pattern with a patchwork background and like the colors Renia has started with and hope my patchwork background will be as nice.

This is Peg's colorful geometric and she's made great headway.

Again, my roomie Deb's Trick or Treat Smell my Feet rugs.  They are offered by Spruce Ridge and are adapted from Lori Brechlin designs.  These pictures were taken Wednesday evening so the picture on yesterday's blog shows more progress.  I wanted to post these pictures so you can see the different technique Deb is using.  These were some of the techniques we learned in Ali Strebel's class in Cape May.

My table-mate Patty is hooking 'Bottoms Up'.  An example of hooker camaraderie is when Susan gave Patty a piece of wool.  Patty asked how much she wanted for it and Susan said, "just pay it forward".  So the next day Patty came in, reminded us of what had transpired the day before and handed each of us a scratch off lottery ticket.  How cool was that!  Sorry to say I'm still not a millionaire.   

Diana, to the left, hooked the bear that Susan is holding up.  Betsy is explaining something but can't remember what it was. 

Pam finished a snowman (the one Betsy was sewing a back on for stuffing) so she started this pumpkin rug. 

Ahh, there is our newbie hooker Heather with her finished sheep.  Great job Heather and guess we will see you again next year......I hope.  Just love Sue's electric blue top. 

 A revisit to Renia's sheep.

 This is the Magdalena Olde Ducks pattern I am working on. 

Tomorrow I'll post a few of the rugs which were on display for the impromptu rug show.  This mini camp doesn't do a big rug show so there's not the participation you see at other rug camps. 

 

Have a great Saturday afternoon and evening.

 

Saundra