Two Rugs Sold...

....but there are still too many here.  Luckily someone wanted to buy two of my rugs and they shipped this morning.  Since I don't do artisan shows any longer there isn't much of a venue for me to sell them.  Yes, I've put some on eBay and etsy from time-to-time and was fortunate to sell a couple over the years.  Not doing shows but continuing to hook sure makes the quantity of rugs stored away staggering.

Numerous rugs hang on my walls, many on the floor and display some on table tops or harvest table periodically.  But many more are rolled up and never see the light of day.

I cannot part with the rugs I've hooked in a class as there are too many fond memories of fun shared with friends and teachers.  The two that sold were easy to let go of as they were hooked at home to have a sample to show potential buyers of a pattern for sale.  

Both of these were antique adaptations.  First was Red Bird of Pennsylvania  ~ the auction house named it Red Bird and was from Pennsylvania, thus the name.  Perhaps the original antique did have a red bird but faded over time.  

The other rug sold was Ducks and Eggs Nest.  Both rugs went to the same person.

Neither of these rugs have known the floor.  I probably put them on my harvest table after each was hooked to enjoy them.  But then rolled up and stored away.  

A successful day so guess I'll go back to making yet another rug, 😉

Saundra

Lions in the Woods (Detour)

As previously mentioned this rug was adapted from two similar antique rugs and I chose elements from each that I liked.  It is getting close to completion and it will be nice to have it finally done so another design can be put on my frame.  Sometimes I think it is the anticipation and excitement of starting a new design that is so intriguing; it is also fun to watch it develop but when it is about halfway done I'm ready to move on to something else.  Here is what is looks like right now.

I have tried numerous times ALL DAY to be allowed to 'browse' for pictures from my camera for the updated picture of the lions rug and Blogger won't let me.  The only thing I could do is choose a picture from my blog which has been previously posted.  So thought I'd give you all a treat and give you a look at the Ducks and Eggs Nest which is an antique adaptation from a rug which is in a museum in Montreal. 

The top left corner was just hooked and chose a brighter gold but it may end up coming out and my replacing it with a duller gold as are in the other corners.  And since I am unable to add a picture to this message (thanks to Blogger), by the time I can finally place the picture in the message, perhaps the corner will have been changed by then.

So when this rug is done I'll have two to bind.  I have had a request to post pictures of the binding process for this new wide binding tape and will show you step by step for those of you who have not bound a rug this way.  The Wee Folk will be bound differently and still unsure if I'll whip wool strips of blue all the way around or if I will cover cord with wool ~ I've previously bound rugs using both methods.

Since Blogger is still not allowing me to post a picture I'll save this as a draft and post a picture later if I can.  Well, I couldn't so as explained earlier, I looked thru pictures on previous posts and added that. 

Thanks for stopping by and sorry for the problems that exist which are beyond my control.

Saundra

Ducks and Egg Nest Finally Finished

Oh but it feels so good to have this rug finally finished so that now I can give attention to the Wee Folk rug.  Frankly I should be paying more attention to house cleaning but hey, it will be dusty tomorrow too.

The final measurements of the rug is 17" x 31.5".  When I drew it out decided that it should be a suitable size for a floor rug, small enough to fit on top of a chest or harvest table or even hang.  Besides, I've hooked my share of larger rugs thank you.

In the previous post I gave you the steps to the wool covered binding up to the point of hand sewing the corded edge to the last row of hooking.  This is what it looked like from the back after the hand stitching had taken place.  Oops, I forgot to crop the picture and my table mat is hanging over the end of my harvest table.

Then it required another steaming the foundation down, working with it, particularly the corners, so it would lay nicely.  Then another steaming the wool binding so that all layers were being covered.  I turned under the raw edge of the wool binding and hand stitched it down all the way around the perimeter of the rug as well as doing a mitered edge in each corner. This is the back of the finished rug.

This is the front of the finished Ducks and Egg Nest and I'm happy with it.  Yes, it looks handmade but that is a good thing in my way of thinking.  It is, after all, an antique adaptation and want it to look hand crafted and not machine produced.

AHHHH, so now I can work on Wee Folk until I have to get ready for my November rug camp..... uh, or clean house (dang it!).  I've also been doing some outside yard work to make it less trouble in the spring.  So I haven't been vegetating on the sofa hooking all this time I have also been spending time outside while the weather is still descent.  Yet my house is in need of cleaning.  But, Ben (my four-legged companion) doesn't seem to mind the rug dust as long as he gets in his play time, mommy time, meals, walks and love'ns.

Thanks for stopping by.

Saundra

Camp Rug and Ducks Rug

Honey's, I'm HOME!  

Got home late yesterday afternoon and Ben was waiting for me at the house/garage door since he could see me when I pulled into the driveway.  I gave him a huge long hug around the neck and lots of rubs and he licked me from head to toe (Ben loves to give kisses).  Camp was loads of fun, as usual, and I'll talk more about camp when I have more time. However, did want to post a couple pictures and say, "hi" to everyone. And, needless to say, I've not had time to read anyone else's blog so am sure I've missed out on a LOT of good pictures and information.

This is the rug I started at camp; it is called Wee Folk and is a design of Vermont Folk Art Rugs.  This rug will stay this way for a while because I want to finish the Ducks and Egg Nest rug, need to finish up the sheep rug someone wants me to hook for them, and have over 100 patterns (smallish ones tho) to draw up for someone who needs to kit them up and ship before the end of October, so I'll be quite busy.

And this is just about finished.  I haven't checked for vacations on the back yet plus I'm rethinking the nest colors.  My plans were to take some creative license with the nest because it had a lot of black in the nest in the original antique, which I didn't want.  When I put it on the floor to look at it again was thinking that maybe the ducks and nest would flow better if I pulled out the most yellow of the wool in the nest and replaced it with the duck color.  So if you have an opinion I would love to hear your thoughts.

Took lots of pictures and have lots to tell you, but tomorrow I MUST cut my grass so not sure if I'll have time to spend that much time on my blog, however I might post a few pictures.

Thanks for stopping by and will post more later.

Saundra

Lion, Ducks, Dog and Air

Yes I totally understand the order of words used in the title but FIRST...let me get to the AIR part.  Thank goodness I am enjoying the luxury of air conditioning and just in the nick of time.  The last couple days has only been in the upper 80's but today exceeded the 90 degree point with elevated humidity so this expensive endeavor feels worth it. Okay, okay......

To the LION.  Since I wanted to take the Lion rug to Cape May for the rug show and departure time is getting close finally HAD to work on the binding.  So here is my beauty.  I never seem to be able to pull the corners just right or stand just right to get the perfect picture.  Oh well... here's the king of the jungle.

Now to the DUCKS.  Perhaps many rug hookers fall in love with their new project and I'm no different.  But there is something about this rug from the very beginning that beckoned me.  As I hooked the last few leaves my initial response was to pull out the loops and hook another color.  But decided to just keep it like it is, wait and decide later.  So this will remain unfinished for a bit longer.  Here is a picture with a flash.

And here is a picture in natural light.

There are a few reasons I'm putting this aside.  One is that I need something to hook while awaiting Bev to come to me for color planning my camp rug so will hook in the background and the other foot of the duck on the right hand side.  The other reason is that I've been commissioned to hook a small rug/mat for someone.  I'd really like to start that here where I can concentrate and have my wool available for color planning.   But won't take it to Cape May.

Okay, NOW to the DOG part.  Now what dog do you THINK I'd be talking about????? That would be my Benny Ben.  My wonderful adopted Rottweiler.  The A/C workers here were not threatened by the big boy but he WAS a menace since he wanted to be their best buddie.  So Mom had to intervene and take him for walks and put him on the back porch from time to time.

But here is my big boy living the good life in a climate controlled home.

I love this boy dog.  He is such a gentle giant; loves people and will run past adults to greet the kids.  This was a very wonderful adoption and I've had him about 11 months now.

Tomorrow is September 1st, which means there are only 8 days and a wake up before I leave for camp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YAAAAA HOOOOOO.  And, I will go to bed tonight also in a climate controled home..... aaah, Life is Good!!!

OH, I need to buy another LIFE IS GOOD tee shirt when I go to Cape May.  I LOVE the Life is Good tee shirts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Saundra

Cape May Rug Camp and Ducks and Eggs Rug

In just 20 days and a wake-up I'll be on my way to wonderful Cape May, NJ for rug camp.  The last two years I was in Kris Miller's class and she is a great teacher with lots of techniques to share, loads of fun and interesting stories.  This year I'll be having another class with Bev Conway who is also a wonderful teacher and with two years absence decided I needed another Bev 'fix'.

The camp is held at the Victorian hotel The Chalfonte, the food is delicious, the atmosphere delightful, and the organizers of the camp (Norma and Linda) are very engaging and organized.  

My roomie Deb and I have a room just off  the top balcony which we refer to as "OUR veranda".  We can open the window of our room and listen to music playing as we sit just outside and have a glass of wine and chat after class and before dinner.  And that portion would be to top left portion of the hotel, second floor, just above the awnings.

And while the class may start in the regular class room to get started, many hookers make their way onto the long and shady porch to hook away until lunch time and then again after.    

My wool room is a mess already from previous projects, a stack of wool on top of the ice cream parlor table holds the wool I over dyed for the background and also a possible for the border my We Folk pattern at Cape May.

And then there is the stack of wool near my cutter which is the wool being used for the Ducks and Eggs Nest rug that I'm working on.  It would be wonderful if I could have this rug all hooked before Cape May so that it could be added to the other 7 rugs I have to take for the show (and YES, I'll be sure to take lots of pictures to share).  But don't think it is possible for me to have the rug all completed by then.  But here is a sneak peek of what it looks like now.

Since there was more positive response for the use of the honeycomb wool in the ducks' wings that is what went with.  So eventually I'll pull out the wool in the left duck and replace with the honeycomb ~ thanks to all of you who participated in the poll.

And now this is what it is looking like as of now.  It is fun hooking the leaves, actually I've had fun hooking everything so far and like how it looks.

Thanks for stopping by.

Saundra