Where Were We??

Oh, now I remember...... 2008 I had my very first class with Barb Carroll.  Kinderhook Basket was the rug design chosen for the class.  Barb owns the original and patterns can be purchased from Woolley Fox.  I LOVE this rug and remember the class with Barb fondly.  After that class purple became my friend.

That year Karen Kahle's Small Flowerbox was on my 'must do' list and hooked it at home.

Was still doing dolls and small projects so for the fall show hooked Wytch Pulling Pumpkin design by Lori Brechlin.  It is a pattern in one of her booklets and  of course it sold quickly.

The rug below which I named "Olde Gals" was adapted from a quilt pattern and hooked it in a class with Bev Conway.  I wanted to  make the nylon hose look a little wrinkled and drooping at the ankles but didn't think I could pull off that look.  Figured it would look like a blob or women with fat ankles so just hooked the seam  up the back.

That year I hooked another Polly Minick design called Patriotic Sandpails.  Photo taken outside on my deck in the sunlight so is a little washed out.

At Cape May in another class with Bev I hooked Herb Angel, a design by Brenda Gervais.  Her hair is a red and orange yarn.  OMG I have YARDS of it left.  The huge spool was purchased around 1980 when working for Sunset Designs, a needlework company located on Crow Canyon Rd, San Ramon, CA.

Well kids, I've got work to do and want to get some hooking time in too so will continue with the next year's rug later.  Happy Hooking and where is spring????

Saundra

Yup, More of My Hooked Rugs

Below is a design by Woolley Fox and a FUN rug to hook. It is called Oh Deer and hooked it in class with Barb Carroll.  I'm sure you see the signature Barb purple in the piece.

That year I also hooked Big Dog Hollow offered by Kathy of Briarwood Folk Art.  She wanted my E.S. Frost Sheep pattern and asked if there was a pattern of hers I wanted as a trade.  So I chose this one which is an antique adaptation.

Another fun rug to hook was Lucille Festa's Long Island Farmhouse. That condor on top of the house just makes my day, it hangs in my living room where I see it daily while hooking other projects.

Hey, you notice a theme where every rug is a fun rug for me to hook?  It really does make me happy to pull loops each day.   And sometimes between projects I just need something small to do, particularly if it uses up wool worms/noodles.  So on one of Karen Kahle's blog posts noticed a spiral chair pad she was working on so drew one up....love it!

The Henny Penny pattern by Woolley Fox had been in my stash for quite a while and figured it was time to hook it.  That lighter background is Irish Eyes, a wool offered by Heavens To Betsy.  It is also the wool Being used for the background of Gossip.  If you like it contact Betsy to see if she has more left, it is a great wool and reversible values.

Fall will be soon coming even tho it is hot as hades in Delaware. So you may want to hook this handsome fella.  It is a design by Barb Carroll and was a free pattern in the September/October 1997 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.  Of course I put in the signature Barb purple where I could.  Am looking forward to putting this beauty out this fall.

Okay guys and gals, it's time for me to pull a few loops on Gossip and enjoy a glass of pinot noir.  Hope you are enjoying your Saturday.  

Saundra

Meet My Friend Shari

Shari always loved putting color together either with scrappy quilts she made in her 20's to her Santa and primitive doll business from her 40's to her 60's.  Her love of anything antique led her to discover hooked rugs. 

Shari continues....."I met Saundra at this time and coincidentally she was intrigued with hooking as well."  Like me, she struggled on her own at home teaching herself to hook.  Finally in 2003 we decided we could use the help and expertise of a teacher, to take just ONE class to get us on our way. Years later we are STILL taking classes and enjoying every moment." 

The above rug was Shari's first camp rug where we attended together. It is a pattern purchased from House of Price, neither she nor I can remember the name of the pattern but was either a Charco or a Primco design.  

Shari has been influenced by such people as Barb Carroll, Lucille Festa and Karen Kahle's rugs.  Shari likes the way Karen is able to pull soft colors together and her goal is to one day take a class with Karen. Meanwhile she will strive to perfect her color choices of soft old colors on her own.

Above is a design by Karen Kahle called Small Flowerbox which Shari hooked.  She likes to hook florals most of all so will choose soft old colors for them.  Shari likes old teal, mustards, yellow green, and soft purples can be found in many of her rugs.

Shari will often change the design to suit herself; an example of that is her rug below where she is using teal in the triangle border.

It is an adaptation of a rug (Old Chatham) she purchased from Hook Nook who carried Lib Callaway designs.

Now Lib Callaway designs are offered by New Earth Designs.  Above is the original pattern and the banana shapped basket Shari changed.

Shari said her biggest hurdle was trying to keep her business going, responsibilites of husband/home life and finding time to hook. Then since retiring from her business she can enjoy her great love of rughooking freely! 

Sadly, while keeping the business going Shari had to sell some of her precious rugs but is thankful to have had a venue to sell them to make ends meet at the time.  The General George Washington is a rug which was commissioned.

Another cherished rug she sold was an adaptation of an E.S. Frost rug. That design is offered by Woodland Junction.

Now Shari can spend her day playing in the wool to her heart's content.

Above is a foot stool she hooked last year in a Barb Carroll class.  

Last September at Cape May Shari designed and hooked the design above.  You can see the inspiration she is channeling from Karen Kahle in it's design.  

Shari's light bulb moment came when she realized an 8 and 8.5 cut enabled her to keep to the primitive style yet small enough to give the slight detail she likes her rugs to have. 

Want to thank Shari for the idea of this segment and for sharing.  If any of you wish to participate and share your rug hooking journey, you can get the questions on a previous post HERE.

Saundra

Let's Drop By Cathy's for Coffee......

Another familiar name is Cathy Greschner of Orange Sink.  Cathy's journey began when she and her friend Irene were both selling antiques.  Irene was a rug hooker and Cathy fell in love with her rugs. Having just moved to Rice Lake Irene announced she was going to teach a beginning hooking class. Cathy took the class and had a couple years hooking together until Irene moved back to Minnesota ~ that was 2006.

On a humorous note, Cathy confided at the first class... she asked Irene, "how in the world is that big piece of wool going to fit through that tiny little hole?"  To which Irene chuckled and said, "it just does".  Cathy said that shows just how very little she understood the concept of rug hooking.

After learning the basics of hooking rugs Cathy knew she wanted to design her own.  Above was her first own designed rug.


Her choice of pattern design depends on a spot in the house and if she plans to keep the rug.  Her favorite colors are reds, golds, mustards, muted blue.  Lately she has been eyeing and appreciating the softer faded colors and neutrals.  She says it is rather tricky hooking with neutrals and feels she needs more practice to perfect that style.

Cathy has admired several rug hookers: Deanne Fitzpatrick, Lori Brechlin, Polly Minick, Barb Carroll, Karen Kahle and Maggie Bonanomi. She admits to have hooked about 4 designs of Maggie already.

When first hooking Cathy said the biggest hurdle was finding wool colors she wanted.  She purchased every piece of wool clothing in thrift stores within a hundred mile radius but they were all the same colors and textures.  That is when she decided to try her hand at dyeing wool. Cathy hopes to have a designated 'dye kitchen' in her future.

The rug above is called "Tree Birds" and is a rework or her original first design previously shown.  If you would like to purchase a "Tree Birds" pattern visit her shop on ETSY.

Cathy hooks in her studio most of the time listening to XM talk radio and will switch to music sometimes. But when she has a deadline will listen to old rock and roll from the 60s' and 70's as well as hard rock. Yup Cathy, that will get the adrenalin and hands moving quicker to meet a deadline. When doing wool applique' she will spend time with hubby and the dogs watching TV rather than in the studio.

Thanks, Cathy, for joining in on the fun of this 'getting to know us'.  It is a warm fuzzy feeling to realize that most of us have traveled the same road to this wooly goodness we love.

Saundra

Friday Finish

Yippee, one down and one to go.  Finished binding Simple Gifts, a design by Karen Kahle which was hooked with Barb Carroll in May.  I love the direction Barb took me in the hooking.  

It was a collaboration between us ~ I told her my choice of light background, darker border and left the rest to her.  Damn but we made a good team!!!!  And of course you know with Barb there is always some purple.

Even stitched a label to the back which has a picture of the rug shown on Primitive Spirit's web site.  

Now to the weather here.  If you're a follower of my blog you know about the 10 plus inches of rain here recently.  Yesterday there were more downpours and more rain coming thru Tuesday next week.

This is what my backyard and Ben's backyard looks like now....again.

Mosquitoes will be in heaven once again; but me and Ben not so much. And YES, I give Ben the flea/tick ointment to protect him.

Obviously the grass can't be cut with all this water so it will continue to grow or rot until wind or sun has diminished it.  Sure wish I could send some of you in drought and fire zones some of my water.  My only saving grace is that I'm thinking / hoping that maybe this means there won't be as much snow here this winter since there was so much rain this summer.

Have a great weekend and hope you are able to stay dry and cool.

Saundra

UFO's She Asked

Jennie (Over the Hill and Running) asked if I had any UFOs since it appears that I'm diligent in finishing projects.   The answer is yes. Last winter decided to use a small piece of linen to draw a 12" square. Plans were to use worms and make a hit and miss chair or table mat.   

Didn't like what I'd hooked, got bored and it has been hanging around since.  One day between rugs I'll pull it out and probably pull out strips and do something else.

That is the only UFO here UNLESS you consider Simple Gifts by Karen Kahle still needs to be bound completely.  I worked on it a little yesterday in the doctor's office waiting room and on Monday in the dentist waiting room.    Like Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) since binding is not fun, it is a perfect time to seize the opportunity.

And, still have some of Ned's border to finish and then bind.  But then feel my grandson's rug and Ned (Woolley Fox) were being hooked in tandem so don't think they classify as a UFO.

However....... in the past I had two rugs which stand out as long term UFOs but now finished.  

As a relatively new hooker saw a cute design by Claire Murray named Strawberry Patch on eBay. Price was good and thought it a good idea to try hooking with yarn. Learned quickly that yarn was a beast to hook with (for me) .  Not only that but the too clean, too bright colors didn't fit in my house since I have antiques.  It would look adoreable in a child's room or a chipped white cottage room.  Uh....I'll definitely sell it if anyone is interested.  Anyway, after hooking the bunnies and a couple flowers put the rug away for a couple years.  

The next to go on a very long hiatus was this geometric rug design I drew up.  Well of course my thought was to use up all those worms which seem to multiply like rabbits but soon got bored.  Think this was tucked away for like 5 years until getting motivated to use up more worms.

So my plan of action was to hook one block per day then hook something fun.  Soon a lot of the rug was hooked and was motivated to finish it.  My friend Evelyn had told me she thinks this one is a keeper and to not sell it.

If you look closely at the 'granny geo' you will see this was an early hooked rug of mine too.  At the time of starting it didn't know how to make sharp corners and many of those designs take on a shape of their own and are rounded.  I enjoy that rug now but it isn't on the floor....yet.  

Have a good evening everyone.  Am HOPING to post a finished (hooking that is) of Zach's Sports Rug tomorrow.  That is, of course, if I get off this dang computer.  Stay cool.

Saundra

Simple Gifts

Am finally going to post an update of Simple Gifts (a design by Karen Kahle) started at Barb Carroll's on May 16th.

Naturally there is purple in the rug because it was hooked with Barb. The purple cat is easy to identify but you'll have to tap on the picture to see the purple hit and miss in the border since it is the same value as the border color.

I love what Barb did with the pig.  It was just a cookie cutter outline and she drew two lines to make it more like a Wessex Saddleback pig. Now that's special!  She even shared some pig racing stories and how she obtained the collection of pig memorabilia in her cottages.

When hooking the left side border and saw that yellow stripe pop had my doubts.  But now that I've continued hooking am remembering what Barb said about filling in those hit and miss lines.  It goes something like this....'the color corners are on the outside looking in at the party inside; and the border wants to be part of that party..'  So I was to take the colors of the animals and let the border join the party.  

Taking a class with Barb is always special and when I look at each of the rugs hooked in her classes remember special conversations we had. AND, didn't realize that Barb also remembers her people.  When at her color planning table this year she brought up a story about a rug with a scroll she color planned for someone else.  Then she referenced the E.S. Frost Sheep with Scrolls she color planned for me.  Goodness, my rug was hooked back in 2011 and she still remembers mine and a whole conversation started with yet another hooking insight on scrolls.  

Barb loves teaching and truly enjoys the connection with her students. She has integrity, a gift for color and just wish some of her intuition and color sense would rub off on me.  Try tho I may have not been able to obtain that instinct thru osmosis so far.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you and God Bless the men and women who have served our nation and to their families.

Saundra

We Five Gals at Camp

With all the equipment handy, Barb was able to send me photos she had taken of us 5 gals before we left Ligonier.

Above, left is Deb who was hooking 1920 Stags, a Woolley Fox pattern and Shari who is hooking a foot stool cover.

In this photo above is me hooking a Karen Kahle design named Simple Gifts; Joanne who is hooking a design of which I'd forgotten the name, and Mary who is hooking a design named Yesterday's Spring. Both Joanne's and Mary's patterns were done by Lin of I Love Rughooking, tho I didn't see a visual of either pattern on the web site. 

If any of Joanne's friends are reading my blog please let Joanne know that I've sent her an email and prod her to check on her emails at least once every two weeks.  At camp she was complaining that when she did check she'd have lots of stuff to delete.  But if she would check her emails more often the emails wouldn't mount up that much.

On another note....finally Spruce Ridge Studios web site is up again. And if you click on that link provided, scroll down to the middle of row 13 and you will see my hooked version of Nantucket Broom Ride.  Wow, what an honor for my version to be chosen as the poster child for that pattern.  Thanks Kris for choosing mine, and thanks Barb for the 'care package get well card' when I was hooking it.

God Bless America, God Bless all those who served and their families. Have a safe and happy holiday.

Saundra

Welcome May Day One

Hard to believe it is May already.  There have been so many days of rain in a row that I can see my grass grow while standing at the window. Definitely the farmers here need it as the fields were dry a week ago.

Any whoooo, I've been asked by Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) what I'll be hooking at camp with Barb Carroll in just two weeks.  It is a Karen Kahle design called Simple Gifts.  

This is Karen's version of the design.  Don't think I'll make my background hit and miss like that.  I'm envisioning a primitive dark border with similar hit and miss lines ~ but with related dark colors and a light background.  

Now, could be I'll do the Magdalena style curved corners with color, dunno.  I'm taking all the colors of wool in my vision, but who knows what the final rug will look like.

It is such fun to watch Barb's face while her brain works with wool color.  And must say that every rug I've hooked in her class has been a winner.

Am struggling with hooking the checkered flag in my grandson's rug and think once that hurdle has been crossed I'll be home free.

Happy May everyone.

Saundra

Happy Easter

As kids Easter was all about the Easter baskets and candy.  As we matured we realized what celebrating the religious holiday was really about.

Since this is a hooking blog I will show you rabbit items I've hooked.

A rug designed by Sally Kallin named "Harry".

A painted cloth bunny holding a hooked egg and basket with hooked egg.

Mr. Cottontail, a design by Brenda Gervais.

Both the rabbit and crow purses sold years ago at a show.

The velveteen rabbit on a tuffet may have sold......or maybe it is still in one of my totes.  Perhaps I should check that out.

 The rug above is a design by Karen Kahle named "Stop and Smell the Roses".

Above is the first and last wool yarn hooked rug.  It is a cute design by Claire Murray and named Strawberry Patch.  I hate hooking with yarn. No it wasn't done with an Oxford needle, but rather a Hartman hook. Don't think I'd have liked using the Oxford needle either.  To me, the rugs hooked with yarn look rather machine made or like they came from China.  Just my humble opinion and personal preference.

Hope all of you have a great Easter Sunday.

Saundra