WHAT'S UP ON WEDNESDAY

Was looking for a shoe I'd carelessly tossed in the closet and found a box in the back corner.  Holy moly, there were trophies in there I'd forgotten about and hadn't seen for years.  The one that caught my eye first was a Judo First Place trophy I'd earned while in my early 30's.  Can't recall how long I took Judo classes but I quit around 1975 when we moved out of that area.  

I didn't start running until my early 40's but was proud of my accomplishments.  Never ran a marathon and one must be a hardcore, dedicated runner to attempt that with lots of duration training.  The longest distance I ran was 10K (6.2 miles).  Here are the trophies for some of the races.

In a previous post I showed a news article with a photo taken at the finish line HERE.          

In rug hooking news ~ I went to my wool yarn stash to pick out a hank of wool yarn to whip the edges.  Was sure I had the perfect yarn left from previous Ali purchase but this was it.  So I sent Ali (Kindred Spirits) an email with this photo below and asked for a black and brown mix yarn.  She said she will dye some and ship by week's end. 

That means the rug won't be bound tomorrow during the boring doctor waiting room visit but at least I'll have a more perfect color for this rug.  I have plain black wool or could have done the cotton binding but wanted Ali's perfectly dyed wool for this rug.

Baby it's COLD outside.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 50's but today only in the 30's as a high.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

     

RUG HOOKING 102

If you are pulling loops and have a comfortable rhythm, you have already graduated from rug hooking 101.  Many of the seasoned hookers will know this already but for you newbies here are a couple things you may not realize.  

There are no real hard/fast rules in rug hooking but rather guidelines like, pull loops up as high as the width of your wool strip, it is okay to use different size strips in the same rug but if you use #8.5 for most of the rug and use #4 for inside the flower, you need to pull that #4 strip up as high as the #8.  Other than that it is follow your heart.

Someone asked me if I would be offended should someone make changes to one of my patterns.   My answer was an honest "no I wouldn't be offended" as I've made my own creative changes to others' patterns.  There is a caveat with that choice tho ~ you still cannot claim it is your design even after making the changes.

Case in point, 2007 I hooked Kindred Spirits' Crow Sampler, her design shown below.

After buying the pattern and ready for my frame, I felt it needed a border framing all the way around.  It took a little time but I moved the border over and re-drew the pennies all the way around.  This is my hooked version and I cannot claim it my design, it is still an Ali Strebel design.

Another example is Bev Conway's whimsical pattern Speckled Hens.

Although her design is cute with huge eggs laid by the hens, I envisioned the design for them to be sitting on a straw nest, thus my finished rug  ~ it is still Bev Conway's design.

Yet another rug I made changes to is by Bill Laraway named Gossip.  This is his original pattern with some of my early redrawing of the design to suit me. 

And here is the finished rug.  Am so proud of the feathers and my birds.  When I posted the finished rug photo on Facebook I gave credit to Bill, of course, for the design and mentioned I took creative license.  He saw that post and gave me a 'like'.

Although I drew a modern day image of clock, added a cabin and chicks in the mat below, I cannot lay claim it is my original design.  For it was inspired from the antique quilt of Harriet Powers, therefore, you guessed it, it is an antique adaptation.  You can read a little about it HERE and see what I'm referring to.

Evelyn gave me a Nola Heidbreder pattern named Golden in the Garden.  Naturally it beckoned me to change that Golden into a Rottweiler. 

Perhaps one day I will take the rug off the wall and change Ben's head and nose as it doesn't look proportionate to the body.

This is how my boy Ben looked and I hooked it in mostly #8 and #8.5.

There have been a few other patterns I've had to change but won't go into the lengthy detail of the purchased botched antique adaptation of the Mary Comstock rug but you can read a segment about that HERE.

More for you newbies to know...and something I notice often even with rug teachers and people to sell patterns which irks me.  There are those folks who put their web site 'watermark' on antique rugs as if it is their brand.  An antique rug in public domain and dated 1927 or older is free for anyone to draw and cannot be copywritten.  Sometimes people put that watermark on a rug to make people believe they own the rights to draw it and only them.  

Not true.  Perhaps it would be a friendly thing to do, but that would be a monopoly with a lack of healthy competition.  Another thing I've noticed is where a pattern seller will make changes to an antique adaptation (changing a deer to a sheep), (changing a Magdalena animal into something else) and calling it their design.  

Nope, again not true, it is still an antique adaptation.  It would behoove them to change the wording to something like: inspired by Magdalena Briner Eby, or antique adaptation of Magdalena Briner Eby or if the designer is unknown, that word would do too ~ but it is still an antique adaptation.

Sorry if this was a boring blogpost or seems redundant, but I wanted to write about something and this subject popped in my head.  Happy weekend and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

P.S.  Colleen, I cannot respond to you since you are a no-reply blogger.  Please introduce yourself thru the E MAIL ME section of my blog so I can add you to my contacts.

                                    

DAY 5 of CHRISTMAS THEMED RUGS I'VE HOOKED (edited)

This is a design by Ali Strebel which included both hooking and applique.  Sadly I gave my first ever hooked mitten to someone ~ we were suppose to exchange first hooked pieces.  Well she got mine but I didn't get hers, lol.  But I hooked more of them , gave as gifts or sold.

The edit:  At 4 a.m.  when I woke to go to the bathroom remembered that I have hooked another as did Nancy Kilrain.  Here is mine, which I still own but had a lapse of memory, lol.  I liked hers better and borrowed stole her idea for a braided hanger.  

Julia asked if I hooked the back....no I didn't  hook a back for the pocket, I used a piece of the same off white wool used for hooking the pocket.

And here is Nancy's; I love the direction she hooked the cuff which gives it the impression of a knitted mitten.  And, by the way, Nancy has ressurected/redirected the content of her blog to be more her hooking since her husband seem to be making bird houses.  Drop by for a visit with NANCY.

Here is the booklet from which I got the design; you can see a picture of it on the cover.  Not sure if the booklet is out of print or not since I didn't see it listed on her web site.    Perhaps you might get luck with one listed on eBay.

The temperature has been colder than normal for us here in Delaware but at least (so far) no snow.  Isn't the same for  you in the midwestern states or Canada tho.  You're all welcome to keep all of it.

I've been watching the George and Tammy TV series about the life of George Jones and Tammy Wynette.  I had no idea of the turbulent life they led probably because there was no social media back then and I didn't go to their shows or keep up with the music gossip.  Show is interesting and good music to entertain me while hooking.  Also would like to add that I'm happy I'm not famous with an image to keep.  

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

DAY 4 CHRISTMAS THEMED RUGS I'VE HOOKED

This is a Karen Kahle design by Kindred Spirits named Woolly Santa which was hooked during 2020.  I decided to veer away from the normal design and eliminate the bag in which Santa was carrying the lamb.  I wanted the whole red suit for Santa.

Others chose to hook it the intended way; here are a couple examples.

Right or wrong, good or bad I'm not reverse hooking it now, lol.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

THIS and THAT

I know this is going to be a shock to your system, but I finally finished binding the horse rug.  Guess it's about time since the last loop on it was pulled November 30th.  Plus I misjudged the amount of yarn I'd need to bind it and had that roll of yarn left over.  But I'm still glad I ordered two more skeins as I will use it to bind Magdalena's Bird Dog too.

Why can I not get rugs centered in a photo????  I took 5 shots and this was the most straight of all of them.  But in my defense there is a delay between pushing the button and the shutter and don't know how to fix that ~ maybe it is a default setting.

Here ya go Sheila, now to that vintage rug which made my heart skip a beat.  It isn't what you'd think I'd fall in love with as it isn't a dirty, naïve  primitive.  I've named it Red Bud and Scrolls.  I'd like to hook it but it might take me a while as the all white/light background could become boring.  So it could be one which is worked on all thru the winter when I need something else.

Was said to be hooked around 1910 with dimensions of  36 x 39.  This is another one that if it was at Sauder or a textile museum I'd stand in front of it and study the hell out of it.  See how the lights change into yellows, grey, bright or dull white and even a dirty green gold.  And in the center is a beautiful red bud blooming out of the abyss.  Awesome.

Yesterday the temperature reached 66 and the day before that was even warmer. Today's high will be about 59 and then the cold comes back.  And do you believe it is just one week from Christmas?  OMG this year has come and gone so fast.

Today is Lauren's Christmas celebration with several friends/neighbors so she will have a week to recover before the next round of being hostess.  Here's to you Lauren 🍷.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Binding in Progress

I've made it no secret that I HATE binding rugs.  Blogger friend Robin (Cranky Crow) once said "no wonder you hate binding because you do double the work".  That is because previously I'd roll the foundation forward and secure the roll with heavy cotton thread first then do the final whipping with yarn.  Here is an example.

Well I decided to show her that you can teach old dogs new tricks 😊. (why doesn't the emoji show up in yellow color?)  So this time I'm whipping the edge and moving those clips as I go.  Perhaps I'm not doing double the work but find moving the clips slows down the whipping process and loosens up the edge a tad.

Here is a closer look at the Kindred Spirits wool yarn I'm using and how well it goes with the rug.  As previously mentioned the name of this one is Brown Variegated and it doesn't appear on Ali's web site, only the plain colors do.  So you would need to ask for it and she will even do one-of-a-kind dye works for you.  

Happy Saturday to you all and happy hooking (stitching, quilting, etc.).

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Last Loop Pulled

Yippee, the horse rug is all hooked and steamed.  And just before pulling those last loops I knew how it was going to be bound....with Ali Strebel's dyed wool yarn.  Not knowing if I had enough of the yarn left I measured it to see if there was (that length at the bottom of the rug).  Want to know the formula?  Click HERE to see a previous post on how to determine amount of yarn required.

Well dang, not quite enough left of that color to whip the edge of the horse rug.  I have two other skeins of different colored dyed wool from Ali but the brown variegated is what I thought would match best.  So I ordered two skeins and they arrived yesterday.

If you would like to purchase some wool yarn, patterns, etc., visit Kindred Spirits.   The variegated wool yarn is not shown on her web site, only the solid is so you would need to ask for it.  And it is $20 per skein whereas the solid is $17.  Here are the three colors I have.

Here they are again opened up so you can see the colors better.  Again on the left is the "brown variegated", the middle is "dark multi-variegated"  and on the right is "dark variegated".  I love them all and really want to use up the middle one as the colors would be fun to see develop as I whip.

Ali does custom dyeing and one-of-a-kind dyeing; so if there is something special you need, she's the gal to contact.

I've started working on my new project and will show you my progress in a couple days.  Do you believe tomorrow will be December???  Oh my but life is zooming by in a flash and too fast for me.  It is cloudy, cold and dreary outside so think I'll stay in and play with wool strips.  Perhaps I'll start preparing the horse rug for binding later today.  You all  know how I hate to bind but with interesting wool it makes it a little more fun to see the colors develop.  Perhaps that's the key to turn my feelings about binding around 😁.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com 

 

And Then.....

.... after hooking for a couple years had feelings of inadequacy as to my hooking.  There was an atmosphere that wide cut primitive hookers weren't 'real' hookers and hooked only what they were capable of.  

That year I signed up for a class with Jon Ciemiewicz ~ I know you have seen his magnificent works of art in Rug Hooking Magazine and shows.  That was the class I started work on my Rottweiler Memorial.

The dogs were hooked in #3 but got so frustrated with narrow cut that the background was hooked in #5.  The background was a mixture of that same High Meadow Green dye recipe, a staple of mine.  The wool in the dogs were dip dyed by me using repurposed brown wool dip dyed in black.  

And some of you may know, at the nape of the neck between the color change some of their hair is hooked in.  I'd saved each of their hair during grooming when they were alive.  Friend Leslie, now departed, spun their hair on a narrow core of wool yarn.  In person you can see the hair, which makes this a very special piece for me.

Okay then.... I got my confidence back!  I now know my capabilities of handling a narrow cut, could paint well with wool but CHOSE to hook wide cut and primitive.  So what did I do next, you ask?

Pulled out a piece of linen and drew a primitive rug and hooked it in #8.

One year at Cape May someone was working on Bev Conway's pattern Rufus the Lion and it was love at first sight.  So purchased the pattern and hooked that in a class with Bev.

Those shades of fuscia and purple aren't really me but since his adorable mane had those colors they needed to be spread around the rug.  The rug is in my wool room.

Meanwhile during the year I hooked several more purses for shows and small mats until it was time to go to another rug camp.

The pattern Birds and Pomegranates by Edyth O'Neill was in a book so drew that out for the class with Eric Sandberg; and sold that one.

Was time to put another rug on my frame so chose 1880 Running Horse.  This one I hooked on my own using the picture of the antique as a guideline ~ sold this one too.

Going into 2007 Polly Minick was offering Patriotic kits with portion of the proceeds to benefit the Semper Fi Fund, which helps wounded warriors and their family.   I recently donated this to the American Legion so they could sell chances  ~ all proceeds went to their cause.

That was also the year  Polly and I developed a great working relationship which lasted 10 years until her recent retirement.  

In a class with Lucille Festa I hooked 1847 Turkey, a pattern in a Needl'love publication named Falloween.

Next on my frame was Crow Sampler, a design by Kindred Spirits.  I changed it up a bit with the border.

And here is the original on the web site.

Tonya (Mad Hen) invited me to hook a design to be included in an upcoming booklet.  There were a few of us rug hookers who were included in that publication.  It was quite an honor for me; heck, she provided the pattern as well as the wool.  The only stipulation was that the black was to be for the sky (a/k/a/ background).

There ya have it for another blog post rug show.  After breakfast I will go back outside and work my aching bones to clean up the small limbs.  But at least the trees are being whittled down and the mess will eventually be gone.

 Although you can't see it in theese two photos, the trees are still in a very precarious and dangerous position as the weight of the top tree is teetering on the tip of my clothes line post.  

Here are close-ups.  The weight of the top and heaviest tree is sitting on that tilted clothes line post.

The men will be back this morning to begin work again.  Would you believe there is another storm with rain/snow and wind developing for Tuesday and Wednesday?

Saundra

Rugs Hooked 2004

While at Rug camp in Cape May I purchased a pattern designed by Patsy Becker called Bowl of Flowers.  This was my first attempt color planning a rug (small tho it was) by myself.  This dear mat is on the landing of the steps going upstairs to the wool room.  I smile at my lack of knowledge and lack of wool stash for my choices.

At camp I learned how to whip the edges so used that technique on the mat.  The bowl is hooked with two re-purposed wools from the thrift shop.  Background is Dorr #44 which was the hot primitive dark choice, leaves were hooked with left over wool from 'Heritage' which was color planned by my teacher 2003.  At least the wool 'stash' of good stuff was just starting.

Can tell you now that pink is NOT my favorite color but there it is, lol.  That and the yellow were also repurposed clothing from the thrift shop.  So you see why I smile every time I go upstairs.  This mat humbles me and reminds me of my beginnings.

Speaking of 'Humble Beginnings', that was the name of a rug hooked in a class with Charlotte Price, and is a Charco design.  This rug was color planned by my first teacher Mary Lou Bleakley the same time as the previous rug Heritage.  The border on Humble Beginnings below is using the same Dorr #44.  

Was still doing shows to pick up a few bucks to afford my appetite for for rug camps and hooking so made dolls and hooked smalls to sell at shows.  Circle Whimsy below.

Oh, when I made purses I'd use the linings of skirts purchased from the thrift store.  Below is a penny rug design.

But when I made a purse with a cat it wouldn't stay in my  booth very long.

That year I also hooked this antique adaptation below and it sold quickly.  Sorry the photo is so washed out, photo was taken on my deck.  At that time was under the impression photos should be taken in natural light but now know it washes out the color as does a flash.

Pineapples and Flowers is a design by and hooked in a class with Bev Conway. The background was dyed by me and a recipe I continue to use.

Oh, something else I hooked that year was from a Kindred Spirits booklet and a pattern called Hearts and Flowers Oval.  The border and some of the blocks were hooked using an 'as is' burgundy and blue plaid which I had no idea what to do with.  Remember, I had NO stash except for what was acquired from the thrift shop after dismantling and washing the wool.  Frankly m'dear I think it turned out marvy.

Okay you newbies.  So you see how we all got our beginnings.  Take advantage of the thrift shop for wool now before they put out spring items.  It may even be too late.

BUT.... do not take the wool in your house until it is ready to go into the washing machine.  Dismantle the items in the garage or outside before bringing in the house.  Then wash the wool on warm and rinse on warm.  Either hang to dry outside or put in the dryer with fluffy towels on a low setting.

Saundra