That Textile Challenge (Updated)

Original plan was to post completed photos of all the challenge pieces today.  But you can just scroll thru previous posts so I'll just show the latest finishes. 

Elizabeth sent me a photo of her Tulip this afternoon, great job gal, and love the colors of the wool used to whip the edge!

While perusing other blogs I stumbled upon Donna's Tulip so swiped a photo from her blog.

Karen was so excited to start her journey with this challenge just after having a cast removed from her arm and before PT.  Unfortunately she had to stop hooking due to the pain from an injury.  Don't worry Karen, take time to heal that valuable rug hooking hand/arm and send me a photo when it is finished, whenever that is.  This was all she was able to accomplish before the pain became unbearable at the beginning.

After Jane took a picture of her Scrappy Cat she realized it needed a a couple tweaks.  She added a border at the edge and gave it a face lift.  Here is "Walter's Scrappy Cat" redux.  Thanks for the update Jane.

Thanks to all of you who participated in this Textile Challenge.  Think it helped fill in time during this lockdown and provide not only entertainment for each of us but a connection to others albeit long distance.  I appreciate your continued viewership.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

The Beat Goes On

Am truly surprised and honored by the response of people wanting to participate in this Textile Challenge.  Some even enjoyed it so much they wanted a second serving, but me thinks my friend Lauren won't be one of them 😁.  You did a fantastic job on this beauty despite what you think Lauren.

The finished dimensions of her piece is 12 3/4 X 15 1/2; she  used Sari ribbon, woven cotton, paisley, 1 strip of velvet, 2 different wool yarns and an old t-shirt.  So you can see the great wool yarn edge better, here is a close up.  Also note a random color hooked in at the bottom left.  That is exactly what our foremothers would have done when they ran out of the textile they were using for the background.  That gives it character and I love it!

Denise finished her Scrappy Cat and asked to do Magdalena's Pup next.  Some of the cottons she used in this piece she previouslyl cut to do a quilt; but said she's enjoying it much more in this piece than the quilt that almost was.  Sweet looking feline you have there Denise.

Kimm also finished her Hearts in Circles antique adaptation.  She stained hers with coffee and said coffee stains darker and faster than tea.  But Kimm I think it looks lovely.  Maybe you'll try it again in different colors or using tea. 

Rhonda completed her challenge piece and while she complained about not being a good photographer it seems none of us ever get the true colors when photographing our work ~ that's a constant complaint of mine.  Looks good and primitive just how I like it.

Donna started hers yesterday and is making good headway.  She is using quilting cotton, sari ribbon, some yarn and stretch jersey, which, she says Deanne calls 'sexy jersey'.

Pamm finished her velvety tulip today and it is a stunner.  She said the pink and green (which is showing up as a gold/green on my monitor) is hand dyed but the purple velvet has white on the backside and that is what is causing those little threads.   She also said doing this challenge makes her appreciate how easy it is to hook with wool.    Pamm, couldn't agree with you more about the wool ~ and, FYI, all of us who participated had those dang threads with the cotton we used too, not to worry.    

I've been asked how people are finishing their pieces.  I just folded back the linen and tacked down, then did the Betsy Reed style of primitive edge.  

To do that I cut 3" strips of like cotton background and twisted it into a ball to wrinkle it until ready to do the edge.  I had a ball of vintage pink and ecru thread to do the whipped edge.  Not fancy but adds to the primitive nature of the challenge.

This morning I began my normal ritual of searching for Covid vaccine in my area then shocked finding availability at my local Walgreens.   Was able to secure an appointment for tomorrow with the 2nd dose in 28 days.  A couple hours later received a phone call from Walgreens saying they had 3 pharmacists on duty and did I want to go in today.  Heck yeah!  So I had my first Pfizer shot today around 1:44 p.m. and will have the second on March 31st.

Happy Hooking and stay safe.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ELEVEN DAYS INTO THE CHALLENGE (Updated info)

This is day 11 of the alternative textile challenge with 6 people having  completed their Tulip and both people completing Magdalena's Pup.  

Update:  Chris posted a very interesting question to all you participants.  She wondered if you plan to steam your piece.  She's worried since both ribbon and pantyhose are in her piece they may melt or singe.  Chris, I can only speak for myself and I don't have either of those textiles in my piece.  I don't plan to steam, but since it is supposed to look old anyway, mine is on the floor in my kitchen between the sink and where I prepare food.  It will get pressed when standing on it and if anything spills on it oh well.

Cathy of Acorn Hollow has completed her Tattered Tulip and her sentiments were like  mine....happy to have it finished.   She used ribbon, old curtains, skirt lining, vintage bark cloth and vintage lace.  She enlarged hers 10 x 10 and said it was much harder than she thought.

Lauren has accomplished a lot since her last posting.  But me thinks she can't wait for this to be done so she can go back to her wonderful warm wool.  Your colors work well together ~ I especially like that olive green in the background.  Oh, and great colors.

Chris couldn't wait to cut up her old pantyhose and put them in her Tulip rebelling against having to once wear them.  She said the nylons hooked  "as smooth as buttah".

Kimm also accomplished more on her Hearts in Circles design.  She said the pink and tan appeared too bright so she coffee stained it.

Jane sent an update on her Scrappy Cat, said she had just enough of the stripe brown and tan jersey to put some in the head.  A remnant of a rayon paisley skirt was used to outline the cat.  The background is a variety of knits. 

Here is a picture of some of the fabrics Jane spoke of. 

Pam sent me this photo  a day or so ago and I emailed her saying the photo was distracting and to take another.  Explained that with the sun and the shadow of her hand it destroyed the beauty of her work.  But since I've not received another photo thought I'd post it anyway since her hooking and the velvet is wonderful.  

Breaking News, this just in.......

This afternoon Maria Barton asked to join our group and has chosen Magdalena's Pup as her challenge.  She said once while hooking a Horse and Scroll she added some cotton but she'd never hooked an entire piece with alternative textiles and can't wait to do the challenge.  She has, or had, an active BLOG and welcome her to the group.  

Donna, who also has a BLOG  has joined us as well and has chosen the Tattered Tulip.  And, would you believe that Margaret, who has already finished her Magdalena Pup wants to do the Tulip challenge also???  

Wow, am quite surprised by the second wind this challenge has taken.  I'm having a glass of wine so don't hold me to what I'm about to say 😊 but maybe, just maybe I'll do another challenge along with the rest of you and choose my textiles more realistically and more hand friendly.

Tomorrow I'll post something else other than challenge updates to give everyone a break.  But will post something for sure.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Scrappy Cat and Tattered Tulip

Want to thank all those who decided to take on this alternative textile challenge and honestly was happily surprised at the number who participated.  

For those who may not have a big selection of cottons there are other fibers you can use for this challenge: socks with holes in the toe or heel, worn t-shirts, silk ties your partner doesn't wear, out of style blouses or items you planned for the thrift shop.  OR, go to the local thrift shop and purchase what you need at a very low price.  That would be more in keeping with the challenge rather than depending on wonderful warm wool.  A little bit in a piece is understandable I used a couple strips in the center of my leaves, and those odd colors in the background, but that's it.

Look at Denise's wonderful Scrappy Cat.  She said she's using all homespun.  Looks that hooks better and with less threads than my woven cotton.  You've a pretty feline there Denise, looks like a pure bred to me 😉.

Chris just made her debut showing today with her Tattered Tulip.

She is using hand torn quilting cotton, ribbon, yarn  and really wants to cut up an old pair of pantyhose because she hated them.     Chris confessed that color planning was always a challenge for her but with this challenge the gathering of different textiles mattered more than the right color.  Said it was freeing to give into the randomness of color choices.  Well said Chris!!!!   And here is a peek at what she's using in her piece.

Had hoped to post a photo of others which were close to ready but they hadn't arrived in my mail box by 6:40 p.m. so decided to post what I had.  Pam sent me a photo of her tulip, which is gorgeous and being hooked with velvet, but the photo had blotches of sunlight and shadows of her hand which distracted from the beauty of her work.  Am awaiting for another photo but she just might be finished if I receive it tomorrow.  

Happy  hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

A New Showing and New Finishes

Jane's Scrappy Cat has an interesting story... their neighbor's cat always visits and has a lot to say when they mow their lawn.  The cat's front legs are slightly bowed so she changed the pattern to show that.  

Jane used a Marino wool sweater, acrylic knit woman's top, synthetic blouse and yarn to hook the cat.  She said the fibers all hooked up like butter and much better than using a #8 wool strip.   She is hooking the cat on dyed burlap.  

Nancy has finished her Tattered Tulip and it's ready for binding.  Looks nice with the blue background Nancy!

I asked Nancy what she was going to do next and she said finish this design which was started in the fall.  It is a design by Woolen Memories.

An update on Sondra's Tulip has the leaves finished now and am looking forward to see what she does with the rest of the background.

Well of course Margaret finished her Magdalena Pup.

Margaret said she didn't use any wool and liked working with the knits and think she will do more hooking with tee shirts in the future.  Also shared that ultra and micro suedes hook up nice and the wide corduroy worked good after washing.  She's not a fan of using thick cotton flannels even with a Hartman.  So you gals out there who are still working on this challenge take note.   She plans to hook this design again in wool...wonderful wool.  

And guess what!  I finally pulled the last loop on my Tulip piece, that's why my blog post is late tonight.

For me this was a great challenge to try and think I kept going because my hooking, blog sisters where in there with me.  Believe me there is a whole new respect for those rug hooking trailblazers before me and they only used chiseled nails imbedded in carved wood as their hook ~ I have some which were found in antique stores.  Even tried pulling loops with it but gave up after numerous tries before pulling out my Hartman hook.

There are still a few participants who I haven't heard a peep from and am wondering if you need advice from us who have started and/or finished.  Are you still gathering textiles?? BUT I DO KNOW one person just joined and another just received her linen.  

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Let's Get this Party Started!

Am pleased there are 10 15 participants so far, me being 16th.  Just added one more as Denise B figured out what her problem was with the No-Reply Blogger.  But Linda, unfortunately you are a NO-Reply Blogger so I cannot send you an email or photos.

Someone with forethought asked me what the RULES were for this challenge.... time limit, colors, size, etc.

RULES ~  there aren't any rules except this "challenge" was intended to try and walk in the shoes of Magdalena and other 1800s rug hookers who used what they had.  Heck, if you look at the priceless rugs they produced, survived against all odds and brought big bucks at auction, I'd say they did a great job using what they had.

RULES ~ there is no time limit, just hook at your leisure and send me a photo when you have something to show and share.  Heck, you know me, I might put mine aside and start something else in between.  But bet readers will be interested in seeing how this is going.

RULES ~ You don't have to use the same colors as the original antique.  Use the colors you prefer.  

OH, and there isn't a prize, lol.  This is to be a personal challenge.

In the past, they used red long johns, cotton stockings, calicos, denim, silk if they had it and whatever was left over and not quite worn out.  Probably the only wool used back then would have been from civil war uniforms.

As soon as I chose my design thought these would be what was needed for the mat.

These are cottons....where are those rotary cutters I used to have??  😞  Did have them but guess when I got all fancy and purchased an expensive cutter those were put in a box for the thrift shop.  Well hell, so out came the scissors.  That reddish stripe was a thready piece which would have been nothing but threads had I ripped it.  Thankfully there were lines which I could follow to hand cut.  Those were cut in 1" strips and hooked just fine.  But...

..it seemed too pink to my eye.  The theady stuff is hooked and the brighter red is cotton flannel which rips perfectly.  At first I ripped the flannel at 3/4" and hooked fine but thick.  So eventually ripped in 1/2" strips.   So depending on the textile you're using it will be experiment as you go.

Looking at the photo above that thready porous fabric doesn't look all that pink to me now.  Oh well, I'll still use it in the hit and miss border so it will be used.

Guess by now you know what I've chosen to hook.  I enlarged the Patriotic Shield 250% to the dimensions of 19.5 x 21.  After the piece is hooked plans are to do a black walnut spray to tone it down and age it.

And you will notice the stripes are wonky.  Yup, that is the way the antique looked  after it was well worn and that is the way I'm going to hook it.  

For a recount of our group here is the list I have.  Let me know if I've left anyone out or have your design wrong.

Hearts in Circles

Sheep Under Feet

Tattered Tulip

Lauren

Elaine

Cathy of Acorn Hollow

NMK

Jo Wick

Joan Montgomery

Elizabeth Rice

Pamala Gunn

Patricia Cramer

Magdalena's Pup

Margaret Zenk

Tammy (Babypelk)

4Hearts and Flowers

Sue Swank 

Scrappy Cat

KMKosmider

Denise B

Patriotic Shield

Saundra

Okay gals, if you have any other questions or suggestions please let me know.  Hope we all have fun and experience a little of the people who inspired our love of hooking rugs.

Love to all.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

A New Challenge for Me (Us?) UPDATED

Looking thru my antique rug pictures here are a few ideas to throw out for those who may want to take the plunge and delve back in time to the way our foremothers hooked ~ using what they had.  Sorta like 'pot luck hooking', not pot luck cooking, lol.

I've probably given away hundreds of yards of fabric to a church group who makes quilts for the needy.  Recently gave a lot to the local thrift shop along with some patterns but had this idea to challenge myself with cottons, worn flannel, also have some silk clothing I'd previously dismantled for hooking, but never went there.  Add to that a bunch of vintage seam binding I used for dolls and crafts and an idea was born.

This Tattered Tulip has lived a good life and would be easy and let you off the hook quickly.....pun intended 😁.

In keeping with Valentines Day here are Four Hearts and Flowers.

And yet another heart themed mat from the 19th century which would be easy.

One of a few Magdalena Briner Eby rugs I've not yet hooked is this simple Pup design.  It might make a good subject for cottons and other textiles.

For those who prefer felines to canines, here is a scrappy cat rug which is a rather basic design.

There is a rather large American Patriotic design which I could crop and make the subject of a challenge just the Shield part as shown below.

I've provided 6 ideas and that would be way plenty for me to do line drawings for if any of these ideas interest you.  If anyone has an idea they'd like to introduce please send me a picture.  OR, if anyone wants to take on this challenge and work on something entirely different that's great too.  We aren't challenging each other, it is a personal challenge for me to finally hook using alternative textiles.

UPDATE:

So far I've done line drawings of Tattered Tulip, Hearts in Circles and one  unnamed for me which I'll disclose later.  Would love to have more join in on the fun and will do line drawings for those other designs if anyone would be interested.  

I've seen and have posted pictures (when available) of close up views of textiles used, here are just a few.....

Cannot identify which pattern this close up is from as I only identified it as Magdalena's close up.  You can see there is cotton, maybe rayon or silk, and what appears to be cotton knit.  

This is the underside edge of Cora and Bentley, the antique rug previously shown HERE.

And this is the edge of an antique rug which I haven't shown before so its identity will remain anonymous for now.  But you can see the textiles used to hook it quite clearly.   

Okay, this will give you food for thought and think I know which I'll choose already.  Let me know your thoughts of what you'd like to play with.  If there is a design which no one is interested in then I won't do a line drawing of that or those.

Also, feel free to welcome your friends to join in and you'd have a buddy to hook with but then you've got this buddy at a distance when you want me.

'Tis a dreary Saturday here and the rain is freezing on the tree limbs.  The pond has risen once again and will get higher as there will be another week of it to come.

Right now gonna pull the last loops on the Wonky Heart and anticipate my next project.  Hope I didn't get rid of some of the fabric I'm thinking about putting in the mat.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com