Back to My Rugs

'Twas the year 2013 and another delightful rug camp with Barb Carroll on the now sold Ligonier estate.  The rug I hooked in her class was a Woolly Fox design named Oh Deer.

While at Barb's I fell in love with a newly hooked rug by Barb named Westmoreland Ponies.  Well of course I had to buy some of the wool she used in hers and then later hooked it at home.  The pattern is offered by Woolley Fox but it is also a free pattern in an older issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

While perusing active blogs noticed Karen Kahle providing a tutorial on hooking a spiral chair pad.  Thought it a way to use up some worms so drew one up and hooked it.

Another rug hooked that year was Big Dog Hollow by Briarwood Folk Art.  Kathy wanted to hook my E.S. Frost sheep so we traded patterns.

Below is Long Island Farmhouse, a design by Lucille Festa.  Still  in my stash is another of her designs named Moon Over Vermont that I need/want to hook. 

Drawing for Polly Minick I was given permission to hook any of her designs at will.  Since I was drawing Two Chickens patterns for her upcoming class decided to hook one for myself.

With chickens still on my  mind and in the mood to design a small mat drew up this "Mother Hen" original, and sold it.

From my pattern stash it was time for me to hook Henny Penny, a Woolley Fox design... ya see a theme here, lol.  

Since I save pictures of antique rugs decided to replicate a design the auction house called Red Bird and the rug was found in Pennsylvania ~ thus the name Red Bird of PA.  Naturally that red bird had faded.

And a year can't go by with hooking a Magdalena rug....Lollipop Bouquet is among one of my most fun to hook even tho I was somewhat skeptical since it had 66 circles.  Yup, I counted them before starting to hook.  But was fun because those colors came out of my worm baggies.

Before Halloween I wanted to hook a sweet mat designed by Barb Carroll called Jack.  It is in an old issue of Rug Hooking magazine.

Hope you have enjoyed seeing more of my old hooked pieces as it has been fun for me to reminisce on the enjoyable hours of hooking.

Saundra

Long Island Farmhouse on the Frame

I stand corrected on my previous post about what was on my frame.  Seems to me I erroneiously named it Vermont Farmhouse when in fact it is Long Island Farmhouse.  This is a design by Lucille Festa and measures 24 x 25.

Since I was having so much fun hooking on it hated taking it off the frame long enough to take this picture and update my blog.  Well, and the fact I've been busy the last couple days drawing patterns, mulching leaves and cutting the tops off the weeds in the yard preparing for winter before it gets too cold out, so it felt really good to sit and hook for a bit. 

Tomorrow I'm hoping to work a little on my girl Shadow and attempt to get over the hurdle of her jaw and neckline.  It would be so easy to roll it up with the wool and tuck it away but I'm so close and she was such a good girl that she deserves the best attention from me now that she had then. 

Sure wish someone had known who hooked the Domestic Zoo rug that was in the show at Cape May week two.  I really liked it and would love to label the photo with the person's name.  It is copyright free since it was hooked in 1881 so it isn't a copyright issue, I'd just love to have the name and comment to the person that the 'creative license' was cool.  Just loved that arrow pointing at the snake at the top of the rug. 

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

My Boy Ben and What's on the Frame Now

So there will be something related to rug hooking showing up in the blog's photo I'll post my newly started (but not by much) project.  I've been busy with  my boy Ben's vet visits so haven't hooked much.

Yes, it is a design by Lucille Festa that was previously mentioned as being on my list 'to do'.  Well, I'm about TO DO it.  It is called Long Island Farmhouse and as you can see the size is 24 x 25.

Now to my dear sweet Rottweiler Ben.  Last Wednesday was his annual wellness visit.  Ben was 3 years 7 mos. when I adopted him and we just had our 2 year anniversary.  The vet checked his teeth, ears, heart, and was feeling around the belly and he said that Ben's spleen was enlarged. 

That gave him (and me) concern because the blood filters thru that and while it can enlarge overnight if it is fighting a bug, it can also reduce in size overnight.  Ben's was 3 times it's size and was of great concern.  The vet brought in the portable sonogram machine and while he didn't see any tumors and Ben had not been showing any physical signs of illness, he was going to take precaution.

The vet prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic for him to take for a week and then a return visit.  We went back today and the spleen had reduced in size but still enlarged.  So the vet wanted to get better views on the sonogram and take a sample from the spleen.  He didn't do a biopsy, just drew fluid from the spleen which will be sent to the lab for testing.  Since that required that Ben be completely still with the insertion of a needle, he needed to be sedated.

So, good news is that there was no evidence of cancer that he sonogram picked up and his other organs look good.  The fluid will give a report of what may be brewing or what caused the swelling as one spot was excised and sent to the lab. 

My active boy has been very lethargic today and I've not left his side until doing the blog. I even hand fed him morsels of food since he couldn't eat this morning before the test.  Here's my sleepy head.

After feeding him by hand think he had good intentions of going out back in his yard but instead plopped down on the back porch in his favorite spot.  So here he is still at 5:30 p.m. and I brought him home just before noon.

Have a good evening everyone.  Right now Life is Good since it appears my boy Ben will be with me for a little longer.  Still have to wait for the pathology report for the final say but the vet gave me good vibes that Ben is okay.

Saundra