BED RUGS

In my previous blog post showing antique rugs, the last one was this beautiful Seabury Bed Rug.  There was some question as to it being a legit hooked rug with the early date 1819 and availability of all the same colors during that time period.

They must have forgotten the Mary Comstock Bed Rug was hooked 9 years earlier, in 1810.  

A view of the Comstock rug from another source.

And, from the Kopp book "Rugs Under Foot" so you can see the date, the photos above are provided for you to see the true colors.

Believe it or not there was even an earlier bed rug made with "a running stitch then clipped" which I'm assuming means hooked then loops clipped.  The bed rug below was made by Catherine Thorn for her sister Mary's wedding chest in 1724.

As to the availability of wool or other textiles, they would have been more accessible to affluent people of the time period.  Whereas country folk less wealthy hooked rugs out of necessity for the floor.  They wouldn't have the resources or access to such luxury and would have used rags.  Hope I've redeemed myself ladies, lol. 

Happy hooking.   Going to be a gorgeous day today and guess I'd better get myself outside to cut the grass and mulch leaves for the last time this year.

 

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

MISC. STUFF (EDITED)

Based on Judith's comment (who is a no-reply blogger so can't reply to her) I did a search on an alternative to feed burner.  It appears that IF I want to add one to my blog it will come at a price...as in $.  You can read about the research I did HERE.  

So I've come to the disheartening decision that if it is too much trouble for someone to read my blog they don't want to take the time to come find me, then perhaps my blog isn't that important to them.  Sorry for the inconvenience to all  my wonderful readers because I do try to keep you informed and entertained.  C'EST LA VIE 

I changed my mind on Double Eagles.  Previously I said the border would be done after the inside was completely hooked.  But couldn't wait to get started on that border.  I'm not quite happy with the green wool, which is what I have on hand.  I wanted a soft color, almost a grey green.  So may do some dyeing tomorrow and if I can't come up with an appropriate color might need to call on Loris at The Wool Farm.

Perhaps some of you readers my remember several months ago Blogger informed us bloggers they would discontinue their reader subscription program.  Obviously many of my followers contacted me saying they were no longer receiving my blog posts.   

If you look on the top left side of my blog you will see "subscribe to my blog".  That was the gadget available and have no idea how it works or if it works.  This is the icon which was the gadget I added:

I'm not a techie, but it appears one might have to choose a venue from which you'd receive the post?  I've no clue and since I can't go to my own blog to subscribe guess there's no way for me to find out.  Therefore I'd appreciate anyone who attempts subscribing to please let me know if and how it works so I may inform others what to do.

In other news....Mary Comstock is all done!!!   I whipped the edge with wool yarn, each rug I complete might be bound differently but Mary wanted wool yarn.  

Sorry my friends in upstate NY are enduring the rath of winter white stuff but would prefer you not share that with me.  Frankly I'm not pleased with the 10* below normal for us this time of year so am definitely not ready for snow.  

If you were a follower who stopped receiving my blog posts, check out that 'subscribe' spot at the top  left of my blog.  Happy hooking everyone.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

GRITTING MY TEETH

 It's baack...the Comstock rug was put on my frame for a brief period of time as that was all I could take.  Despite my previous statement of having a 'new attitude' I've been gritting my teeth the whole time working on it.  

For you new followers/readers, I have loved this antique design and wanted to hook it for years.  The issue is that the pattern wasn't drawn by me but someone else and when I purchased it off eBay for a very low price, I  neglected to compare the drawing to the antique.  Only after I started hooking it did the disparities become evident.    Thus that quote "you get what you pay for".    

This is the most recent look and notice there's a lot more red ink where shape was changed and future changes to make it look closer to the antique.    After this post it will go back in the bag with wool and be out of eye sight until I can brave another torturous couple days.

The original antique had 8 leaves on the left side (counting from the top brown one) and the purchased pattern only had 7 as the pattern was drawn with more bulbous shaped leaves taking up space.  On the right side the leaves needed to be dropped down and also the flower lowered.  Here is the original antique.

Trash was hauled off so will need to see how much more of the pond  liner can be cut up and disposed of for next week's trash pickup.  Meanwhile and with a smile on my face will fetch the Deer pattern and put it back on my frame.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com 

                 

SMALL DOSES

Finally the Mary Comstock rug was released from hibernation and is/was on my frame for another small dose of work.  There's only so much I can tolerate while working on this rug yet am determined to finish it before the end of the year.  Am afraid if completion gets dragged out beyond that it may never see the light of day, ever.  Here is what it looks like before succumbing to the depths of hibernation again.

If you'd like to see the previous post on the rug and compare progress, you can find it HERE.  Already I notice things I'll change next time IF I remember but I'm not putting it back on my frame now.  Instead will happily put Deer and Blue House on the frame and hook the evening away.

Happy weekend, heat and humidity is back and rain is supposed to happen the next two days, or so the weatherman says. 

Saundra                  

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Time To RANT !

At least I managed to get a few loops hooked in before pulling some out and high frustration level of needing to rant.  Will show comparisons so you can understand my frustration better.  Here is a photo of the original Mary Comstock rug which is featured in the Kopp book.   Look down the center of the design ~ at the top is a bloom with a grid, the next gold/beige motif is where that bloom and leaves go into.  Below that the right and left stems join into the center of the bottom motif with a grid.

I've already redrawn and hooked my revisions of some leaves.  So compare the antique to the drawing below. 

On the pattern there is the top bloom but no middle motif drawn, only bulbous leaves.  So I drew and started to hook a middle motif.  Then realized if I did would have to eliminate two leaves, one on each side on the stems.  

The drawing with black Sharpie from the person who redesigned a good rug also didn't draw the right and left stems going into the middle of the bottom motif.  So in red Sharpie I redirected it.  That's when I knew this had to go back in the bag.  Perhaps the pattern and wool will have a longer wait out of my sight than the last pause.  

Yes the pattern is smaller.  I've reduced the size of patterns for myself before but still follow the original lines of the design.  Okay, time for me to get happier and work on my new project...drawn by me!!!!!!!!  And drawn smaller but like the antique not my vision of how I believe it should be.  Why change a perfect design?

Okay, happy hooking...that's about to happen for me as soon as I walk away from the computer.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

FORGING AHEAD

As much as it pained me to take Cottage and Apple Tree off my frame I forced  myself to pull a few more loops on the Mary Comstock rug.  Therefore I totally empathize with Robin (Cranky Crow) and her Welcome Cats angst.  Said it before and will say again....wish I'd drawn this out myself.  Yet I'm determined to finish the pattern so guess it will remain my plus one even when I'm hooking the next rug after Cottage and maybe even the next rug after that.  

You can see the red lines where I've changed some of the elements to be more like the shape of the original.  Then got frustrated and decided to put the sweet Cottage back on the frame and became a happy hooker again.  

Surely there are tasks outside which could/should be accomplished, but it is hot and humid and I'm not feeling it today.  Didn't sleep well last night as my brain wouldn't shut off.  Now time to pull a few loops.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Yup, that means the Mary Comstock pattern is/was back on my frame for a few more loops.  Don't get me wrong, I adore the bed rug Mary Comstock designed and hooked.  When finding this already drawn pattern posted on eBay for a descent price I went for it.  BUT, I didn't compare it to the original before clicking BUY.

When I draw an antique adaptation for myself it is usually always smaller than the original but is drawn to scale.  This pattern had bulbous leaves when they were elongated on the original.  Plus other abnormalities from the original.

This is a lesson for me to draw my own pattern if I want to do an antique adaptation.  I've hooked it this far so will eventually be finished if I live long enough.  Obviously I need to take a deep breath, look at what is drawn and just hook it.  Saundra, don't compare it to the original just hook the damn thing!

In other news.....remember this stump?  This is the one which was blown over a few years ago with 80 mph straight wind during a storm.  It blew this tree over which hit another tree which fell into a third tree.  This tree stump remained on its side for a few years and I couldn't reach the thorny vines until the tree guys pushed it over.

As of the photo above I'd already removed a huge holly tree stump and a massive thorny vine section.  Today with the last day of low humidity so went back out and yanked out more root systems to the other thorny vines.  But not all of them.  Here is what was pulled out ~ it may not look like much but believe me the root system was deep and took all I had plus the shovel and claw rake, plus hands to pull it out.  Uh, there's more left but it will be too hot and humid tomorrow so will take a break.

Hooking is so much more fun!!!!!!!  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

PATTERN on the FRAME & Other News

Upon reading Robin's blog post my comment to her was that I empathized with her issues.   You can read about that on her blog: Cranky Crow.  

Although it's been many months, years maybe, while perusing a selling site I saw an antique adaptation at a price which was fantastic.  I wouldn't have to sketch the original antique, do the line drawing, enlarge and draw on linen.  It was there for the taking.

This is a photo from the Kopp book of said lovely original Mary Comstock Bed Rug from which the pattern purchased was adapted...loosely adapted.  

It is true I draw most of my personal antique adaption rugs smaller than the original BUT I draw them exactly like the original antique.  Guess you could call me a purist in that respect vs. taking my own spin on what was already a perfect specimen of a rug.  

Here's the drawn design.

I'm going to try and make the most of it and re-draw some elements as close to the original as possible.  But this is definitely a wake up call for me to always do my own antique adaptations.   And for those of you who want a true adaptation of an antique rug I'm your 'go to' gal.

In other news, you regular followers/readers know I've posted a number of Barbara E. Merry rugs on my blog.  She was a prolific hooker and her works were among the people I admire.  This morning I was notified that Barbara passed away early spring this year.  You can read her obituary HERE.

If I could find and afford to buy one of her rugs, this would be the one.  Barbara holding a horse rug she hooked.

Rest in Peace Barbara, and know that many of us rug hookers have admired your work and story for years.  Happy hooking in heaven and perhaps we'll meet up one day.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Confronted with a Decision

That happens a lot when the rug on my frame is almost all hooked.  Remember the beautiful antique I named Red Bud?  When push came to shove I nixed the idea of hooking it...for the time being.  All that white hooking began to feel boring and I hadn't even started  it.

Then thought of finally drawing a geometric to use some of these selvage edges of wool ~ a thought which comes to mind each time I'm in limbo.

Then I looked thru my pattern stash on linen, as opposed to the many paper patterns I've accumulated, and found a couple which interested  me.  One is a smaller version of Mary Comstock's Bed Rug.

Another on linen is Winter Buddies which I purchased last year from Cushing.

Once Bird Dog is fully hooked I'll draw out my Granny Donaldson choice and fight the urge to start it.  This is the design I've decided on except I will replace the camel with a horse.  Am sure some of you are thinking it is an Alpaca or Lama, but even tho they are related to the camel neither of them have a hump.

Hopefully I'll choose something to hook and start it before giving in to that urge.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com