Welcome 2021

Happy New Year, at least I hope it is a happier year than 2020 was. This rug is called New Years Eve but wanted to save it for the post today since I'm showing the projects hooked during 2020.  Believe it or not I hooked 15 projects during the hibernation ~ quarantine ~ shut-down ~ or whatever name you wish to give it.

The first rug hooked in the beginning of 2020 Was Winter Sled, a Cushing design which was kindly given away to me by Cathy of Acorn Hollow.

In preparation for February's Valentines Day my next project was Heart Butter Mold by Primitive Heartstrings. 

I had Lori Brechlin's Lancaster Barnyard pattern for a couple years and finally it moved to the top of my list.

Posies and Stars is an antique adaptation I hooked and offer in pattern form and still love it.  Was attracted to this antique because of the blotchy background as well as the neutral hit and miss border.  It still makes my heart skip a beat.

After a few days of harsh winds the rug on my frame next was  a pattern I saw on Cushing's web site and purchased it immediately.  It is aptly called Windy Day and will be my March display again this year.

By this time I wanted something which didn't need much concentration and decided to use up some neutral but various value wool and drew Cat's Paw.  

With spring near it was time to hook Lori Brechlin's Early bird, a pattern offered by Spruce Ridge Studios.  Confession is that I did do a little change by making the border all the way around instead of the top and bottom.

Was time for me to get back to my love of antique adaptations so chose one I named Bespectacled Lion.  Again it is the blotchy background but also the quirky naïve appearance of the lion.  Would love to know about the person who drew and hooked this many years ago.

Was comfortable to be working on antique adaptations again and what luck to find an antique patriotic themed rug, right up my alley.  The original was hooked around 1830 and I named it Pride, Honor, Freedom.

Saw Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) hooking this adorable pattern called Jack's Crow and had to have one for myself. It's a design by Terri Leamer of Winter Cottage Studio.  I couldn't wait to hook those pants with the left over wool strips from a Polly Minick pattern and think one day I'll hook it again with different colors since it was a PDF pattern.

The months are moving right along with me in the cocoon and time to finally hook Old Tom, a Lori Brechlin design.

Good heavens, my fingers are getting tired and getting vertigo from flipping from PC to flash drive, finding the pictures, yada yada.  But am almost..uh, almost done.  

Then on Facebook Lori posts a photo of a design called Merrie October 31st and a couple of us went nuts.  Kris accommodated us with a smaller version to our liking and this is what mine looks like.

Another PDF pattern I'd had for years was a Karen Kahle pattern named Woolly Santa.  Each year I'd tell myself to hook it but years flew by and decided it was time!!!!!  Again I made a change to the design to suit me and didn't hook the top sheep sticking out of Santa's sack.  Instead chose to hook Santa's mittens black to fool the eyes to see the sheep's legs.  I'm happy with my decision.

In chronological order New Years Eve would have been next but I placed it first since it is New Years Day.  But after that was Over the Moon, a pattern offered by Spruce Ridge Studio.  As you can see it still isn't' completely bound.  If I were one to make 'new years resolutions' it would be to be faster at binding my rugs; but then I DON'T make new years resolutions.

If you are interested in purchasing a pattern offered by me, you can look for them in the link below.  Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year.   My black eyed peas and salad are waiting for me as cooking them and doing this blog has taken longer than planned.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com 

New Years Eve all done

Oh what fun it was to hook this rug.  It was started November 9th at rug camp with Bev Conway as my teacher.   

I'd like to point out a couple things about hooking the rug which you may find enlightening.  In an earlier post I mentioned how the directional hooking of the floor which gives the illusion of distance from the bear to the book case.  But there are a couple other things you may find interesting.

The alarm clock on that bookcase is a button from my stash from when I made dolls.  Works well, dont'cha think?  

And, one day when walking thru Walmart before rug camp was wondering how the heck to hook the wine glass.  All of a sudden I saw a huge palate of boxes with shrink wrap.  AH HA!!!!  A lightbulb went off so ripped off a piece, stuck it in my pocket and packed it with my wool for camp.  Wasn't sure how it would work and had to be careful to not place the iron on that part when steaming the rug.  But it sure gives it a shine like a wine glass.

There's more...see the bear's scarf?  Notice the end has a tassel look to it?  Something so simple yet it took my teacher to show me how to make it.  She said when I got to the end of the scarf to leave at least 1" of end sticking up.  Then Bev came over with a T-pin and plucked out the weft section of the strips to leave just the warp.  Ingenious yet so simple.  Thanks Bev.

This design was fun to hook on so many levels ~ first it is looking forward to the new year, get thoughts of Covid 19 out of my head, and hopefully looking forward to a happier and more peaceful new year.  If you would like to hook this design too visit The Wool Farm and purchase yours today.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Getting Closer on New Years Eve

For my friends who said I'd be done hooking New Years Eve pattern by this weekend....it didn't happen; but it's close.  

For you newbies here is a little lesson to tuck into your grey matter.  First I must say I'm not fond of directional hooking as I personally find it boring.  BUT, if you notice the up and down direction of hooking and color change gives it the appearance of the inside of a tree trunk with bear paw clawing to make it his home.  Uh, my interpretation.

Also notice the slanted directional hooking of the floor to give the appearance of distance from the lantern which would be smaller than the bookcase on the far right.  It's to give the illusion of distance.

I still have to face hooking the Coleman lantern but want to finish the right side of the rug first.  BUT...if you recall, there is a clock on top of the book case, right?  Teehee, wait until you see how I handle that.

Love keeping my readers waiting on the edge of their seats.  Or, maybe there aren't any readers waiting, lol.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Reverse Hooking

Seems I do a lot of reverse hooking as you (my regular readers) already know.  Truth be told I've reverse hooked and a couple times put back the wool I'd pulled out.  This is what New Years Eve looks like now.

And this is the previous photo.  It will be fun for me to compare them too and who knows, maybe I'll put back some of the wool I pulled out.

You probably already noticed the reverse hooking was mostly in the window/port hole and the book case to the far right.  For sure I like the darker colors of the bookcase much better as it looks like a companion piece to the bed and even stands out rather than sinking into the background.  

And of course I hooked more of the wall background.  But Buster's eye needs a little tweaking, still need to decide how to hook the Coleman lantern and undecided about the wine glass and if that sparkle line needs to be pulled out.  Yeah Mz Robin I know you want it gone, lol.  But how did I do with the other tweaks?

Still having fun with this fella, have Over the Moon on the side lines, Woolly Santa needs the binding finished and then will need to choose something else to  hook.  I want to hook an antique adaptation again!!!!!!  I miss my antique rug adaptations.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

New Years Eve

No, I haven't time travelled to the future, it is the name of the rug on my frame which was my camp project with Bev Conway.  It was love at first sight because it gave me hope for 'the new year'.  

The pattern reminded me of me in my cave for over 9 months and this bear has been in his tree cave for probably as long.  This design would be a happy covid rug as a reminder of good things going forward because I did not want to hook a mask or a colorful covid germ.  To me those are not happy motifs to hook.  But this one, oh man, does it speak volumes to me on the future.  Plus, my 'Buster the Bear' has a glass of cab in his hands to celebrate'.  Yep, that's my boy's name....Buster.  If you would like to purchase this pattern in either pdf or drawn on foundation you can find it HERE.

Am thinking that window is a big chipped out hole from woodpeckers, large retired Owl nest or a huge rotted out knot hole but it still serves as a window for Buster.  There's snow on the ground there but hopefully not here any time soon.

A story about the wine glass ~ which, by the way I think the glass shine should be removed between the thumb and the rest of the paw behind the glass, think the lighter color provides the idea of glass distortion.  What say you Lynne?  

To be continued on the glass... I know I've seen wonderful hooked pieces in narrow cut with a fishbowl and other reflective items and what 'to do' was running thru my mind one day while shopping at Walmart.  All of a sudden I see a palate of boxes shrink-wrapped and when I saw that glistening shrink-wrap immediately though "wine glass".  So pulled off a section of it and put it in my handbag.  

Those snowflakes are salvaged white linen threads ~ you pull up a loop in a hole, pull up two ends in the next hole and pull into the loop to make a knot and snip off the top.  Voila, easy peasy snowflakes.

I've still the Coleman lantern to figure out but have lots of background to hook as I ponder that part.  Lindsay, Loris and Bev....if you read this, I'm having a BLAST hooking this fun design.  Thank you.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Just 8 days away from rug camp and I'm not thoroughly convinced it really will occur.  Am thinking more students will drop out or the two remaining teachers of four original teachers drop out as well.  Guess I've been used to disappointments or cancellations most of this year.  But if it really does happen I'll enjoy getting away from my cave for a couple days.   

I've drawn the New Years Eve pattern on linen and have started pulling wool.  As mentioned before it is from the art work of Lindsay Bowles and sold on etsy by The Wool Farm.

At my own snail pace am binding Old Tom without any more reverse hooking and almost done with hooking Woolly Santa but haven't tackled the eyes of him yet.  Friend Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) asked what I'd put on my frame next since that one would be done before camp.  

Hmmmm, I've got to work that out real soon.  I have several patterns on linen in my stash including Over the Moon with wool ready. 

I would like to hook a profile of my boy Ben as my other departed fur babies have been hooked.  Just haven't drawn up a pattern of Ben yet.  Let  me explain the tether....I was working outside and he was a runner/car chaser.  This was photo was taken before the back yard was fenced in for him to be loose.

And, it has been a long time since I've hooked an antique adaptation so that's also a possibility.  OH, just thought that I could take bag of selvages and start my hit and miss geometric.  Heck, that would be something quick to gather and easy to draw.  

When I return from rug camp will put rugs and patterns on ebay or etsy and thought I'd post something here first.  At one time I was heavily into stitchery and quilting.  One thing I know for sure....never again will I do stitcheries and/or quilts using stitcheries.  

There are 12 unused like new designs, one for each month which originally cost $5 each.  I will sell them for $4 = $48 plus shipping to the lower 48 states only.  Am selling them together, not individually.  Even if you don't make a quilt with them, they are individually cute small rug hooking designs.  

First one gets it, if you are a No-Reply blogger I'll not be able to contact you so would go the the first person I can reach.

I can see a Thanksgiving and Santa design on someone's frame soon and there would be other designs for the remainder of the year.

Happy Saturday and so glad the rain has stopped.  The remnants of Zeta left me with a lake over the entire back and sides of my house.  Not sure the total rainfall for my area but it was predicted to have up to 5".

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com