JUST HANG'N AROUND

Months after hooking and binding these two rugs I've finally hung them on the wall.  Normally I'd be holding these until the rug show at Cape May but since that camp is not part of my September plans decided to put them on the wall.  Top rug is Magdalena's Bird Dog, below that is an antique adaptation I named Lisa's Horse since Lisa was the one who first requested I draw it for her.

My home is beginning to look like a hooked rug museum ~ that's fine with me so my work can be enjoyed every day instead of being rolled up and tucked away.  Uh, but there are still quite a few of those around here too.  

The rugs are to the right of where I sit and hook, notice the OTT light in the foreground.  In case you are wondering, I've posted how I hang rugs previously and you can read about it HERE.

Yeah, I know, I said this post would be an update on Cottage and Apple Tree but I just want to keep hooking on it.  Mary (the Comstock rug) keeps calling my name but am pretending not to hear her.

Happy hot as hades Monday and happy hooking.

   

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

Point of No Return

That is what I said to myself at this point.  However did read on Facebook where someone had pulled every loop from a hooked rug because her choice of colors had changed over the years.    

But I decided I had gone beyond the point of no return and would keep hooking and then see what minor changes to make.  The photo above and this photo below were taken with one camera.

And the photo below was taken with another camera and is closer to the colors I see in person.

When I first started hooking the pattern wasn't sure if I wanted a grey, black or brown horse but did want to show the value differences as in the antique rug.  

Not wanting to rip out the whole dang horse it looks like if I concentrate on the too dark head it might make it more similar to the original.  Albeit different color choices.  But remember Saundra, this is just an antique adaptation AND the person who hooked the original used what she had anyway; so don't sweat the small stuff.😞   So just reverse hooked and replaced a couple strips of wool on the horse's head.  Not perfect maybe but will now work on the background and border.  Will reevaluate the situation later.

The original antique rug is below.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

A Reprieve From my Hooked Rugs

There were more rugs and smaller mats hooked during this year and all have been bound.  But thought I'd give you a break to show the other pattern I drew.  You saw the small Sunflower Mat and want to finish it so will concentrate on it the next couple days.  

Finally decided to hook a design I named Lisa's Horse since she is the one who asked me to draw it for her.  As previously stated, at first I was gung-ho to hook it too but after struggling to draw a straight pattern from a photo taken at an angle just wasn't ready.

This will be the pattern I work on before Bev gets to me at camp so am taking a critical look to see if I want to change values anywhere.  After all, the antique is rather faded so the key will be value change.

Not so sure I like the background between the hind leg and tail.  Or perhaps a very thin dark line behind the back leg to separate would do the job.

How about that...a short, sweet and to the point blog post 😁.  

Today was an abnormally hot and humid day and will be the same tomorrow.  Thank goodness got the grass cut and can concentrate on getting ready for camp.  Just 5 days and a wake up before I head to Cape May.  Won't start packing the suitcase until Thursday or Friday after checking a 10-day weather report for Cape May.

Happy hooking and hope all of you at Cape May this week are having a terrific time.  Hope someone will post photos of Wednesday's rug show on Facebook or send them to me.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

My Next Project Drawn Plus a Question

I have finally drawn my next Magdalena project Rooster, Duck and Horse.  Must say it was really a struggle for me and almost gave up.  Problem was more with the angle of the photo at the top than the distortion at the bottom.  

Had a similar problem when drawing out Lisa's Horse pattern from the photo below, tho the angle wasn't as bad as the one above.

I enlarge my own patterns with the Paint program included with the Microsoft Windows program and don't see any way to enlarge incrementally the size of a photo at one end to meet the dimensions at the other.  So now the question: is there anyone out there who is way more computer or software savvy than me who can help or inform me how to do it?   Or what software is required?

On another topic, since being on antibiotics my stomach has felt queasy most every day.  As the swelling and pain are gone from the hand and have been on meds for a week I declare myself finished with them.

Am a little excited to start the Magdalena but will wait until tomorrow.  Don't plan on seeing much of anything for a few days on either of the pieces I'm working on tho ~ errands and vacuuming tomorrow, Tuesday have my car at the shop for 2-3 hours where I'll spend time binding a rug.  Can't think of a better time to do binding than waiting for a car repair.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com