One Done Two To Go

The wonderful Deer and Blue house is finally bound and gracing my harvest table.  It was fun to hook, love the colors and blotchy background.

Now I'm binding Li'l Lamb and want to show you newbie hookers something you may not know.  Heck I didn't know it until I had been hooking over a decade.  The lamb piece has a curved top.  Since I don't want to whip the edges to add more color and width to the pieace I've decided to use cotton rug binding.

Did you know there is one edge of cotton binding which can be gathered?  Yup!  That would be the more rigid edge.  It may take a little patience to find the proper thread as this did for me and I tried both ends to see which worked best.  You can see that thread to the far right.  

The mat isn't quite bound but thought I'd show you what it looks like during the process.  The inside gather can be manipulated as you work and while you do see gathers it isn't the big puckers you would have if you didn't gather.  Then once the final steaming is done it smooths out nicely.

I did start a new project and ~ no surprise here ~ have reverse hooked even before the first photo.  But hope to have something promising to show in a day or so.

Weather here has been a few degrees above normal so I've tried to take advantage of it as much as my back, hip and knees allow.   There are unruly patches of periwinkle (vinca minor) which are taking over the yard.  When we first built here I didn't think it would even catch as a 'pretty' ground cover.  But OMG do I regret planting it!!!  Made some headway today around the back deck and before the mild temps leave will need to take inventory of the rest of the yard to see what is most important next.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Having Fun Hooking Here....

I'm having so much fun playing with this mat.   So far I've used cotton knit, yarn, cheese cloth, cotton flannel, green nylon hose, vintage seam binding and wool.  Am enjoying this much more than when I hooked the Tattered Tulip using mostly woven cotton.

My lamb's features loses something because the threads of the cheese cloth cover the thin pieces of wool.  And although I continually reshape them in place the features get distorted.  But....it is an antique adaptation, right?

In case you want to see the original antique Li'l Lamb it is below.

Hmmm, this actually  helps me realize some changes that I need to make.  Naturally I don't have all the exact colors that are in the antique as I'm trying to use what is available.  But I do have more appropriate green color for the ground and will make some changes there.

The antique lamb looks like it is smiling and mine looks sad so that has to change too!!!!  Makes the challenge even more fun even tho it is some reverse hooking.  Is anyone out there playing along?  If not that's okay you can enjoy thru my adventure.

Gonna get cold with the arctic weather moving in overnight.  So perhaps tomorrow evening the heat will be turned on.  Also heard we may have a frost in a day or so.  Where the heck did the spring and summer go?  Ya mean 6 months just flew by in a flash?     

Happy hooking and what's that other quote..."don't worry, be happy".                    

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com