CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Leaf raking and other life's daily duties has slowed down my progress on the Giant Flower (Grande Fleur).  As you can see from the photo below I'm just one flower and a little background away from a finish.

Today I sold one of my hooked rugs and have so many that I'm hoping Christmas shoppers will find me to purchase others.  The antique adaptation of Early Farm Scene is on its way to its new owner.

Remember making cabbage rolls?  Tonight's dinner is going to be "Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls" which is a lot simpler than the way I used to do it.  Mine is still simmering on low since I wanted to do this blog post first.  But if interested in seeing the recipe you can find it HERE.  I used ground turkey instead of beef.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Did ya Miss Me????

Have wondered if I'd be missed if I stopped blogging as so many others have done.  Before leaving for Cape May though I'd not be able to post photos on my blog from camp did a pre-saved post and planned to hit send from camp.  Turned out I couldn't remember my password and Google wouldn't send.  Thus, no posts until now.  But this is what I'd saved............

If you are reading this blog I am already at Cape May but saved this post before leaving home.  Reason is most times Blogger will NOT let me or anyone post photos on iPad.  So Google, there's more than one way to skin the cat!!!!

On Wednesday there will be a rug show open to the public at the Chalfonte Hotel and these are the rugs I'm taking to show.

Star Geometric (above), an antique adaptation drawn by me, designer unknown.  

Lititz Hens, an antique adaptation drawn by me and the designer was Magdalena Briner Eby.

Above is Early Farm Scene an antique adaptation drawn by Frontier Homestead and designer unknown.

I thoroughly enjoyed every loop pulled on the Great Granddaughter's Rug above.  It was drawn by me and designed by Magdalena Briner Eby.  Below is a photo of the great granddaughter of Magdalena and the great granddaughter's son, who recently donated the prized possession.

Below is a rug drawn by me using the wording from the War Advertising Council of 1944 to conserve resources.  Always thought it was a phrase from struggling farmers and mostly used by quilters and rug hookers.  I'd be totally wrong when doing a search on the phrase.

An adorable winter piece from the design of Kelley Belfast and drawn by me is Welcome Snowman.

Also hooked in 2019 but not in the show is Cat Nap, which has already been presented to a friend.  It is also a design by Kelley Belfast and drawn by me.

OH!!!!!  Don't want to forget Patriotic Pumpkins but that piece is busy gracing my harvest table at the moment.

However,  I'd forgotten to take Horses and Hearts so it stayed home.  Guess I can take it for next year's show at Cape May.

Will do another blog post tomorrow.  I'm BAACK.
S

Which Color ~ Red or Purple?

You know I'm always finding something else to tweak and this rug has been no exception.  Getting down to the nitty gritty thought I'd take a serious look at my purple choice in the rug.  

Early on hooking this rug wanted to use my worms so pulled out the purple.  Then, as hooking progressed questioned my use of purple and thought it should be red.  

So which do you vote for ~ the already hooked Purple .....

....or replace with Red?

There's still the bottom right quadrant to hook yet until I finally decide.  But at least I've these two photos to ponder as I do that.

Saundra

Misc. Rug Hooking Chit Chat & Tornado

The last couple days hooking Early Farm Scene realized I was critically close to the end of Old Patina dyed wool.  Luckily there was more solution left so grabbed approximately one yard of cream, white and wheat wool to over-dye.  It is in the dryer now and only hope there will be something to use for the rest of the background.  Since weave and wool content varies it is always a surprise when dyeing.

This is what Early Farm Scene looks like now.  Looking closely you will see a color and slight value difference in background on the left between the tree and black sheep.  That was in the original antique so was able to use some of my olde patina wool from previous dye lots to get that look.

This is the original antique.

The linen I'm hooking on was purchased on ebay for a good price and is not drawn to scale.  Seemed like a great deal on linen (and it was) but now realize if I'm crazy about hooking an adaptation then I should draw it out myself.

Some things I want to change, which was not the fault of the purchased pattern, is pulling out the purple in the top motif (is that a sun or crop area?).  That purple needs to be red.  Also my Cross is unevenly hooked so that must be fixed.  The reset I can deal with.

Now to the tornado. Here in Delaware we get snow storms, hail, flooding, hurricanes, had a couple mild earthquakes and sometimes tornado warnings.  Of all those things it is tornadoes which scare me to death.  

When living in California was terrified of the earthquakes because they had more magnitude than encountered in Maryland and Delaware.  

During the wee hours this morning there was an EF2 tornado touched down between my town of Seaford and neighboring town of Laurel.  On the news it was reported to be about 50 yards wide and the wake of damage traveled 6.2 miles, you can see some pictures by clicking HERE. 

After enduring the two trees blown down with just straight winds last March 2, 2018 this would have been very scary if I'd had my iPad in the bedroom when the warning was announced.

My new Olde Patina dyed wool is in the dryer and hope there is something which will work for the remainder of the background.  But, if not, I'll do what was done before....use what I have.

Saundra

HAVING FUN (Updated)

While I didn't draw this antique adaptation I'm having fun hooking it albeit making design changes as I hook.  If you scroll down you will see some Sharpie line changes made on the pattern purchased from eBay.  

Please, I'm NOT bad mouthing the person who drew it as this was her interpretation of the antique.  Plus, the pattern was a great deal on good linen so purchased it.  As I love antique adaptations so much now realize I should draw out all future patterns for myself.  

Anyway I'm HAVING FUN!!!!  This is what the Early Farm Rug looks like now.  You can see the top area hooked is close to the original design (BELOW) but not as drawn on this pattern.

I've a way to go on this smallish rug but know it will be a very happy piece when I'm done.  

Happy Friday to all of you and have a great weekend.

Saundra         

P.S.  Lauren asked how 'smallish' IS smallish.  Answer is 20 x 28 and notice that I'd cropped the linen photo too short so all the size didn't show.  

She also wanted to know what size cuts I'm using ~ the dark lines in the top center between colors is #6 I cut.  Otherwise it is #8.5 or whatever smaller size comes from my worm baggies. 
  

On My Frame

Couldn't wait to put another linen on my rug frame after pulling the last loop on the paisley design.   Knew it would be an antique adaptation called Early Farm Scene and a pattern purchased on eBay for a good price.  

After starting to hook realized it was the drawer's version of the antique design.  Guess I should have drawn it myself to get a more accurate placement of all the elements.  See all the red lines?  Those are changes I'm making to the design as the flowers were way too low , the tree is not drawn like the original and neither is the dog so will hook that differently as well.

Here is a picture of the original antique which would actually be longer than the 28" of the design above if it were drawn to scale.  But I'm okay with a smaller rug and will work with what I have and know in the end I'll still be quite happy.  

IF I know there won't be added border or extension to a rug design I like preparing the edges of my foundation before it is hooked.  You can see the pre-binding stitches have been made 1 1/4" away from the last row because I won't be making a border or making the design bigger.  After a rug is hooked it is bulky to manipulate on a sewing machine stitching two rows of straight stitch 1/4" apart and then a third row of zig zag to connect the two other rows.

I know some people prefer to not stitch the edge of the rug but I want to ensure the edges of my rug won't unravel and fall apart after years of use.

Saundra

DECEMBER 5th AGAIN??

Yup, comes around once every year like clock work.   Uh, that would be my birthday; won't say how old I am after reading Lauren's (Rugs and Pugs) latest blog post 😀.

So today decided to treat myself to my favorite lunch at a not so local Chinese buffet where I dined on baked salmon, baked tilapia, calamari, broccoli and mushrooms, asparagus, string beans and two kinds of rice.  Yup, all of that went into my belly and I cleaned the plate.  Needless to say tonight's dinner will be salad.  Most would think I'd have nothing.

And, while out and about I picked up a little something to celebrate even more ~ it is that mustard colored wire basket to display more of my rugs.  Am determined to surround myself with the rugs I've created and which give me joy.  Besides, if they are visible I'll be more likely to recycle them on tables and chests more often.

Truth is I started treating myself early in the week buying rug patterns.  What's better is I've gotten all three at a very good price on ebay.  The first is a rug which has been on my 'to do' list for a long time and now won't have to draw it myself.  It is an antique adaptation called Early Farm Scene by Frontier Homestead.

Another design I liked is by Folk Art Landing and was also a bargain.

The other I haven't received yet but is this design by Lori Brechlin and sold by Spruce Ridge Studios.  I see a class with Kris Miller in my future and this is what will be on my frame when that happens.

Having a glass of Cab as I sign off.

Saundra