FORGING AHEAD

As much as it pained me to take Cottage and Apple Tree off my frame I forced  myself to pull a few more loops on the Mary Comstock rug.  Therefore I totally empathize with Robin (Cranky Crow) and her Welcome Cats angst.  Said it before and will say again....wish I'd drawn this out myself.  Yet I'm determined to finish the pattern so guess it will remain my plus one even when I'm hooking the next rug after Cottage and maybe even the next rug after that.  

You can see the red lines where I've changed some of the elements to be more like the shape of the original.  Then got frustrated and decided to put the sweet Cottage back on the frame and became a happy hooker again.  

Surely there are tasks outside which could/should be accomplished, but it is hot and humid and I'm not feeling it today.  Didn't sleep well last night as my brain wouldn't shut off.  Now time to pull a few loops.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

A Couple Updates and Confession

Just before noon today (Sunday) Kim sent me an update on her rug as she was going to be busy the rest of the day on the house remodel.  Am sure it was hard to walk away from the Granny project but the reward of a newly remodeled home far outweighs the tug of pulling loops.  This is Simple Gifts a design by Primitive Spirit which I'm sure was Karen's Granny adaptation.  

Then later in the day Sheila sent me an update on her mat.  She said purple wasn't her favorite color but her mother loved it.  Sheila also mentioned that she might change some colors, and I know all about pulling out loops as I've done that myself many times.  So perhaps when Sheila's mat update appears again it might look a tad different.

Before hooking on mine I grabbed several worm baggies (some call them noodles) I refer to them as worms since worms seem to multiply whereas noodles don't, lol.   

Okay, now to the elephant in the room.....I have a confession.  If I don't say it Robin (Cranky Crow) or her 'joined at the hip' sista Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) will blab all over the comment section and even post it on their own blogs that I'm a cheater.  So here goes:  I couldn't wait until Saturday to start this project because if you've read my blog you saw I'd wanted to hook it for weeks.  But I patiently waited until early Friday evening to start and this is how far I got.  Not that much, right?

Wasn't sure I wanted to use that wool for the tree but before bed decided to wait until morning to pull out the loops to see how I felt.  I'd used that same wool for other tree trunks and it was introduced to me by Barb Carroll for a rug and I've used it many times since.  But still was unsure.

Saturday morning with new eyes and new attitude decided to continue with that wool and this is how the rug looks now.  Am not crazy about that orange leaf to the right but will wait until more loops are pulled to decide if it needs a replacement.

The bird on top was hooked only with worms and had a vision for the tail with the directional weave and think my vision turned out well.  Below is a photo with the red wool which was purchased years ago from The Wool Studio and the tree trunk wool came from Heavens To Betsy and is called "Turkey Feathers".  Don't think either of them have carried the wool for several years and thankfully I've more left of each.  

When the other gals send me a photo of their work I'll share a photo of theirs.  And remember, don't believe a word that Lauren says about me...I've told the truth the whole truth and nutt'n but the truth.  And it was Robin who started that whole mess 😁.

Happy Sunday and happy hooking.  Can't wait to get back to Granny....TA TA.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

This, That and The Other Thing (edited)

THIS is what I'm working on now, have had this Primitive Spirit pdf pattern for years and finally decided to hook it.  As I often do, took the liberty to change something in the design.  The original has Santa holding a sack from which the small sheep is showing out of the top.  I felt that unnecessary and distracting to my eye so changed the mitten somewhat and hooked Santa in his clothing only, no sack.  

Figure the black mittens make the eye think there are legs folded under.  But I think the eyes and mouth needs a little work to make him look more happy.

Am editing the post to show you a view of the original design.  Should have done that upon doing the post yesterday.  

I'm hooking it in 8.5 and the sheep are hooked with varying sizes from #8 thru #9.  Below is the wool I'm using for the sheep and something purchased from Gail Dufresne several years ago at camp knowing it was a perfect sheep or Santa beard wool.

Santa's beard, however, is hooked with a very fuzzy white wool my pal Deb shared with me a few years ago.  I didn't take a photo of the beard wool as the fluff didn't show up, but here is a picture of the wool purchased from Gail.  

This wool is rather thick and I did hand cut a lot of it but when my hand tired of pulling wide strips of the thick wool I ran it thru my Townsend in #8.5.  It was a slow processing guiding that wool thru but made it more manageable to hook as I wasn't able to get uniform strips with hand cutting.  

THAT would be providing something Halloween for Cranky Crow's ravenous appetite.  In my sewing room I have two Halloween items hanging all year, one is yet another of Tonya Robey's handmade items.  Just love this wool Halloween stocking with the words BOO stitched near the toe.

I keep the Vintage Halloween Cat as a reminder to make a rug pattern from it.  The hanging ornament is a little worse for wear, has some bent pieces, areas taped and toes missing; but he is the only vintage Halloween item I own.

Took a photo of the back and you can see years ago when sold it was 10 cents, when I purchased it from the thrift store a few years ago I paid $1.

THE OTHER THING is taking a lead from Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) and make a "Project List" to monitor my accomplishments or lack of.  

    Wooly Santa ~ pattern to linen - hook - bind - label

    Old Tom ~ Hook - bind - label  😞  Sadly that task hasn't been done since the rug was hooked in September.  These are not the true colors of Tom as he isn't neon gold in person.

Okay, over and out for the day, gonna go pull more loops on my Santa this rainy day in Delaware.  Yesterday the temperature rose to 80* which is well over 10* higher than normal for this time of year and today will have a high of 56*.   Delaware is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com