January and Magdalena's Goat

The start of early January has been unusually mild, particularly enjoyable since it had been way below normal recently.  The last couple days I've worked in the yard blowing and raking leaves in preparation for the upcoming next rain.

Also drew a Magdalena Goat pattern (29 x 35) for yet another person; this gal is attending a workshop January 11th.  Now I'm wondering if the gal I drew the large one for in December is attending the same workshop.  

Here is Magdalena's original antique which measures 29 x 36.  I'm proud to say I found it while surfing my on-line auction houses and sent Evelyn Lawrence the link for her to confirm it was indeed a Magdalena rug.  

Magdalena's remaining family had confided to Evelyn when they were kids they remembered Goat rugs but none had been found at the time Evelyn was doing research for her book, shown below.  Which makes me wonder if there are more undiscovered Magdalena rugs out there.

The starting bid for the Goat rug was $100 and I watched it increase to the final selling price of $10,000.00.  So someone else knew it's value and the price skyrocketed.

Haven't made much headway on the 'forever floral' so no need to take a photo quite yet, nor have I chosen what to draw as my next project.   At this moment I'm thinking along the lines of a log cabin with a red fox in it somewhere.  

Since I feel like you're getting cheated with just one rug photo thought I'd show  you a couple log cabin rugs I've hooked but still think I'd like to hook another.  Would want the new one to be larger, hooked in #9 cut and  be a rug which is placed in front of my fireplace ~ which I switch out every couple months.

This first one was hooked in 2012 and is a design by Barb Carroll free to hook in one of her books.  I drew leaves instead of flags, redirected the smoke to make the design less tall.    It is hanging in my bedroom.

Rainbow Cabin is another Barb pattern which I purchased from her and was hooked 2016.

This last one was hooked 2014 and is an adaptation of a block from one of Harriet Powers Bible Quilts.  I gifted it to Evelyn Lawrence that year.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

My CAPE MAY HOOKED RUGS

Since I'm not attending Cape May this week or next week thought I'd show you rugs hooked in classes with various teachers at that venue.  Actually my very first rug camp was April 2003 in Ocean City, MD but this blog post is about rugs hooked at Rugs By The Sea.

In 2003 and my first year at Cape May was with teacher Patsy Becker when I hooked Eat Crow, a design by Anne Hallett.  My last name was different then thus the SS initials.

While at that camp and soaking up anything rug related noticed the class being taught by Bev Conway beside me.  In 2004 she was my teacher and hooked her design Pineapples and Flowers.

I'm drawing a blank on what rug was hooked 2005 at Cape May or which teacher I had.   So will show you rugs which bring no memory of teacher, only hooking at home.  Yet I know for a fact I was there.   Fluted Basket is a design by Karen Kahle and was a free pattern insert in a RHM.

Another Karen Kahle pattern hooked that year was Stop and Smell the Roses.

Tonya Robey was the designer of this whimsical lion hooked that year also.  It was a kit and came with Tonya's overdyed wool.

Anyway..... 2006 in a class with Bev Conway I hooked her Rufus the Lion.

In a Lucille Festa class 2007 my project was 1847 Turkey from the Needl'love booklet.  Notice just the initial "S" appears as the signage.  That is because I was in limbo, going thru a divorce and hadn't received court documents to take back the last name of my deceased husband.  OH, perhaps that is why I don't recall which rug or which teacher I had in 2005 ~ that was the year with lots of turmoil, health scare due to stress and life decisions to make.  So there was no room in my brain to store happy memories.

Cape May 2008  I asked permission from Brenda Gervais to hook her Herb Angel needle punch design.  She granted it so printed her email permission and took it with me to camp.

The following year (2009) it was yet another class with Bev Conway and  hooked her pattern Speckled Hens.  The original design had the chickens sitting on one huge egg but I wanted them sitting on straw.

Although a poor copy, below is what the original design was supposed to look like.  Naturally I had to change it.

2010 was my first class with Kris Miller and I drew this antique adaptation of a Stag.  If I were to do it over again (which I won't)  there would be less background and would draw the motifs a little closer together.

The following year in another class with Kris at Cape May I hooked Barb Carroll's July Cabin.  The pattern is in one of Barb's books and I drew leaves where the original design had small flags.  Also changed the direction of the smoke so the design wouldn't be as tall.

There are still a few years' rugs from Cape May to show but will save them for next time when there is the second week of classes at Rugs By the Sea camp.

In other news......see that black slithery thing on my front porch?  It was time to ride the bike and get the mail but I wanted to watch the black snake.   Sadly the camera was on the wrong setting and didn't realize it until just now so it doesn't show up well.

Anyway it slithered down to the ground at that point then went to the garage to get the bike.  The garage door went up so far and stopped so figured a leaf had blown in from outside.  Nope, it was the snake who was slithering in.  It saw me and quickly hid under the shelving.  When I returned with mail it wasn't where I'd seen it last and who knows where it is now.

Thunderstorms came thru last night but is nice and sunny today.  Hot but not as humid.  And it's mail time again.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlanjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

NAMING and LABELING RUGS

When to use these words:  antique adaptation, inspired by or my design?  I'll give you a few examples.  The first photo of a small mat was inspired by the style of Magdalena Briner Eby and named it Crow Magdalena Style.

The following rug named "Gossip" was designed by Bill Laraway and my friend hooked the feathered friends as Bill designed it.

I wasn't so enthusiastic about hooking the feathered non-bird motifs (turkey, rooster, swan, owl) so I took creative license to draw my own birds.

I cannot claim this to be my design just because I changed and redrew a few things.  This is how my label reads; yeah hard to read but I included a photo of the original design by Bill Laraway.

Another good example is the design by Nola Heidbreder named Golden in the Garden and here is a photo of the original linen.

Again I didn't want to hook the Golden I wanted to hook a Rottweiler to represent my boy Ben.  Tho my drawn perspective and hooking of the head isn't a very good representation of my handsome boy, I know who it is.  

Okay, so you're thinking that because these patterns were drawn by someone else that's why I give credit to them?  So what if I draw a pattern on my own linen?  Dear departed Barb Carroll authored a book with several free to draw patterns.

In that book is a design named July Cabin and here is the original photo from the book.  You can see there are flags on the trees instead of leaves.

I drew my version with leaves, added more stars, lowered the smoke at a different angle to reduce the height of the rug and eliminated the cat on the roof.  Yet I still cannot call this my design ~ it is still Barb Carroll's July Cabin and labeled as such.

Ah, you're thinking because these are modern day designers that's why I can't take credit, right?  So what about antique rugs whether a purchased pattern or you draw it yourself?  When I draw an antique design I usually name it how the auction house described it.  Or if the designer is known, such as a Magdalena design, I give her credit on my label and on my blog.  My last two Magdalena rugs were Magdalena's Rooster, Duck and Horse....

..and Magdalena's Bird Dog.  Both of which I've given Magdalena credit for the design and say it is 'an antique adaptation'.  I'd show you the labels but the rugs are on the wall.

However I do have a photo of other labels I'd made so you can see what they say.  Notice on the Mighty Whale and Posies and Stars I indicate they are antique adaptations but designer unknown.

When I hook antique designs I am not trying to pass them off as antiques but rather an adaptation of an antique and indicate that on the label.  With Deer and Blue House rug if I were to remove the antlers of the buck I still cannot in good conscience say it was my design.  It was a design by someone else even if I don't know that person's name and even tho it was originally hooked 1920.  Therefore a label for this rug will indicate it is an antique adaptation and NOT designed by me.  I may have drawn it and offer as a pattern, but is not my design.

See how I snuck in an updated photo of my present project?  I almost changed the color of the antlers but decided to keep how it started.  Before moving to another motif I'd like to get one row of dark around the buck and the thin light outline completed.  Am going to change the blades of grass colors below him too.

Happily hooking inside today as it is another hot as hades day outside.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

My Other Rugs Hooked with Barb

Seemed only fitting for me to use purple text again when talking about Barb.  In the previous post you saw the first rug hooked with Barb, which was Kinderhook Basket.  The next rug hooked at camp with her was Woodland Deer, another Woolley Fox design under the category Keeping the Past Alive.  You can see the purple in numerous leaves spread about the trees.  

I actually used Barb's idea when hooking a design from one of Barb's books.  The pattern was called July Cabin and instead of flags on the trees I changed to be more like the trees above since I so loved how it turned out.  Here is that rug, the book is titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking and has 18 projects inside.  

You can see that I really got into the 'purple' stage by making a purple moon.

An E.S. Frost Sheep was a 'must have' for me and there were a couple versions but the one with scrolls is the one I knew Barb could help me with.  Even tho scrolls were very intimidating it seemed my home needed to have one.  So figured if anyone could hold my hand thru the job it would be Barb.  Doesn't this look rich and old with the worn spots?  It hangs over my fireplace.

Next rug hooked at a Barb class was Brave Hunter; yes, another Woolley Fox design.  Now here is another story you may find interesting.  There were two of us in class who just happened to be hooking that same design.  Each turned out way different due to our individual wool color choices taken.  Here is mine and I can see the purple even without tapping on the photo to enlarge it.

In that class was sweet Deb Burcin and based on the colors she took to class this is the prize that Deb hooked.  Deb says this is one of her favorites not only because it was hooked in Barb's class but because the deer/moose was hooked with purple and green and the antlers were from an orange plaid skirt.

The following year I hooked Lion in the Woods, a pattern gifted me by my friend Evelyn Lawrence.  It is an antique adaptation offered by Port Primitives.  WHAT??????  Could it be we missed putting purple in this rug?  I enlarged it and don't see any purple.  Maybe I'll have to pull that rug out and hook some in somewhere.  

Oh Deer was the rug I chose to hook in class with Barb.  I'd seen Barb's version while at her camp and got bitten by the bug.  That happens to me a LOT.  Case in point is that while at Barb's I purchased wool to hook Olde Hearts, another Woolley Fox design.

The following year it was Magdalena's Farm on my frame with Barb.  I love Barb and all of Magdalena Briner Eby's designs.

During the year I designed an antique adaptation called Chum, which I offer as a pattern.  It is my feeling the same person who hooked Ned is the person who originally hooked Chum.  So it was Chum which was hooked with Barb the following year.

And this year I'm working on Simple Gifts which is still in progress and will keep you updated.  My only regret is that I didn't attend a Barb Carroll class earlier.  IF you are interested in having a class with Barb you can contact her HERE.  Don't know her schedule but if you contact her I'm sure you will hear back.  

Have a great evening everyone and happy hooking.  BTW, I hook summer as well, for my hooking isn't just a winter project.  With summertime chores it does curtail the amount of time spent with a hook in my hand but enjoy the journey anyway.

Saundra

Oops, Another Sheep Rug

Totally forgot to include this rug in yesterdays 'sheep show'.  It is a design by Woolley Fox called "July Cabin" which I hooked in 2012.

Below is a photo of the free design in a booklet entitled "American Folk Art Rug Hooking" by Barb Carroll.  If you compare the graphics below to what I hooked you can see there was some creative license taken. Harhar, some might question my 'creative' part.

This is a picture of the front of the cover and there are some other great free Barb Carroll designs in there for you to enlarge as you wish.

Yesterday's weather and today was great.  Tomorrow will be a smidgen cooler but good in the lower 60's.  And then... and then...don't think I want to talk about the weekend.

Saundra

A Question from a Follower

Just love it when people ask questions as it gives me something to talk about.  Not that I know all the answers to everything, but most likely I've tried whatever the subject matter is about.  And if I don't know figure I need to know so do a search to learn.

Glenda inquired about how to hook with wool roving ~ does one hook like normal hooking or do a proddy?  I have only hooked this rug using wool roving on the two sheep.  It is a Woolley Fox design called "July Cabin" and a free pattern in a book by Barb Carroll titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking.  I tool some creative license by making leaves on the trees instead of flags and changed the direction of the smoke to make the rug smaller.  Sorry the flash really washed out the colors in the photo below.

A closer view. 

And  a close up of one of the sheep.  I did regular hooking with a hank of the three ply wool yarn and cut off another length if I needed more.

This is the Icelandic Lopi I used to hook the sheep which is a roving that had been carded but not thru the final twisted spin to make it a hank of knittable wool.  I purchased this years ago direct from my Icelandic friend Sofia Katla Leifsdottier.

I was in Kris Miller's class when one of her students used Kris' curly locks to use as a Santa beard.  In looking thru old Cape May photos I believe it was this Santa (a Polly Minick Design) that was the pattern Kris helped Jeri with in her class.  Click on the photo to see a close up of that fantastic beard using Kris' curly locks.

Kris Miller has a great blog post about the subject which covers more than I just posted.  http://spruceridgestudios.blogspot.com/p/hooking-101.html  and if you are interested in purchasing some of her curly locks, purchasing a pattern or taking a class you can contact her from her web site HERE.

Hope your weekend is marvelous.

Saundra

 

Just When is a Rug Done?

Usually a rug is considered finished after all the loops have been pulled, steamed and bound in whichever manner we choose.  But then sometimes we decide it isn't quite done yet. 

This rug below I hooked in 2011 and it has been rolled up until yesterday when I hung it on my bedroom wall.  As I'm looking at it wonder if it would look better to have a narrow needle felted line along the top of the roof.  Hmm, you can tell the difference between the sky and roof .....

........but let's see what it looks like with a quick lopi needle felting around the top.  It is only temporarily there just for me to see if I like it or not.  Guess it really isn't needed.

The design is called "July Cabin" by Barb Carroll.  It was a free pattern (to be enlarged) in this book.

This is what the design was intended to look like but as you can see I took liberties to make the design for me.  For easier comparison I've posted my version just below this picture.

I changed the flags on the trees to various colors of fall type leaves, changed the direction of the smoke since I wanted my rug smaller.  Instead of having the trees in pots made mine look like they were in the ground, removed the cat on the roof and added more stars.

The sheep were hooked using Icelandic Lopi and that is what I needle felted along the top of the roof.  Think I'll live with the lopi across the roof for today but maybe the rug really was done when I first thought it was done.

Am still pondering what will go on my frame next.  Looking thru Barb's book gave me more to choose from as it had been a while since opening the book.  BUT, there are already lots of Woolley Fox designs, a Karen Kahle pattern, Maggie Bonanomi design and more than I can remember that are in drawers here.

Have a great weekend, stay warm and be kind to one another.

Saundra