HOOKED RUGS OF 2011

First on my list for the year was Home Tweet Home, a design by Karen Kahle which I sold at the Lewes Historical society show.  It does look sorta cute with the bird I made and tiny houses I didn't make.

This Hit and Miss Star chair pad I still have.  Decided to keep it.

That same Yahoo rug hooking group who hosted the "Elf Challenge" offered up another challenge and this one was more fun and satisfying.  The challenge was to design and hook our own version of a Jane Stickle quilt.  Requirement was to purchase the Dear Jane booklet which had the pattern pieces in it.  The author Brenda kept a journal of her journey while making her version of a Jane's quilt and published it.  I found Brenda's candor and humor a very entertaining read.

Below is my version.  And, by the way, all of our challenge pieces were published in the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

As there was an upcoming visit and class with Barb Carroll, I designed and hooked this Rubber Ducky chair Pad for her.  That was the year a group of us gals got together and purchased a case of yellow rubber ducks for her Koi pond.  Was surprised and honored that when Barb sold her Ligonier property she took it with her and hung it on the wall of her new townhouse.

And so it was off to a class with Barb.  I drew an E S Frost Sheep design with scrolls.  Who better to to teach me about scrolls than Barb Carroll.  I'm no longer afraid of scrolls and she taught about several ways there were hooked back in the day.  But for this rug she liked the idea of spreading the colors around as a type of border.  The rug has a prime real estate location in my living room above the fireplace.  I cherish the rug and especially the memories.

This patriotic pattern is designed by Polly Minick and of course had to hook it.  Had an opportunity to sell it so I did.  Have regretted many times that I sold it, yet thought I could always hook another.  But I haven't and probably won't.  The photo below shows the red, white and blue tape with ruler numbers used to bind the rug.  Thought that gave it a childhood look on the back too.

Cat in a Shoe is another Lori Brechlin design I thought was cute as the dickens and hooked it that year also.  An adorable fall design.

Hooked this candle mat and gifted it to a new neighbor as a 'welcome to the neighborhood'.  

That's it for the year 2011 according to my discombobulated records.  The hooking continues making more rugs and my records are much better now.  Happy Hooking everyone.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/woodlandjunctionhookedrugs

JUST ANOTHER RUG SHOW

But first, my today ... the temperature reached 81 degrees and I got hot working on the leaves which still aren't cleaned up.  We are in a drastic drought situation with burn bans throughout the state of Delaware and Maryland.  Yet I hear of a sliver of a chance of rain in some areas in the news.  As much complaining as I did with the rainwater in my back woods and yard a/k/a the Lake, sure could use some rain now.  Anyway, on with the show ~ ~

A central rose with scrolls dated early 1900's and measures 30 x 57.  Too fancy and elegant for me tho.

Listed as Canadian Love Birds and dated the 1900's, this is more my style although I'd probably hook a border and eliminate the tongues.

A dog and rabbit rug no date was provided but it is cute.

An old gray mare hooked early 20th century dimensions of 27.5 x 39.  Guess that pretty much describes me too, perhaps this should be my next project since I'm also an old grey mare.

Tho not a hooked rug, I found this England 1540 heraldic pouch and story very interesting.  The pouch was used during the marriage ceremony as perfumed herbs were stored inside and both men and women wore it on their hips during their wedding ceremony.

A very tattered geometric rug below, no date was provided by the auction house.  But it reminded me of a rug I hooked in 2011 for a Yahoo Rughookers challenge.  

You quilters might enjoy this part of my post.  The challenge was to hook a rug based on blocks from an antique quilt made by Jane Stickle in 1863.  The quilt, story and quilt blocks are in a booklet called Dear Jane.  If you want to know about the antique quilt and book you can read about it HERE.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another warm day outside so will try to accomplish more yard work.  The leaves aren't gone but there is so much work still to be done everywhere.  After the winds of the last couple days I see limbs have fallen which need to be cleaned up.  OY VEY, or as Lauren would say, "the joys of homeownership". 

Thankfully I've a hobby/passion/entertainment to keep my mind and hands busy inside.  Cannot wait until this floral is finished and think I'm sick of flowers after this is done.  Hope you have a hobby you enjoy as well.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Skeleton's in My Closet

I think everyone has them and thought that I only had one but found two.  I'm talking first about UFOs (Un-Finished Objects) but the other was a gaggle of more woollie worms.  And just when I thought my woollie worm explosion had been reduced to color.

My readers already know what main rug I'm working on along with Karen (Red Bird), but thought I'd retrieve the last of my UFOs and work on that an hour or so now and then.  You notice how non-committal I am about JUST how much time I'll spend on it.  Last time it was pulled out think I hooked just one strip of wool and put it back.  Here is the last of the UFOs (at this time in my life).

This is a very old geometric style rug design and originally thought it would be a fantastic way to use up my worms.  It is a geometric that could be hooked to look like the grandma's afghan in the process.   I'm not sure why I lose interest; maybe I'm just not fond of hooking geometrics.  Just love them when looking at geometrics at rug shows but personally find them boring to hook.  That one exception was the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug.  Now THAT was FUN.  But then each square was different; you can see mine below.  

For those of you just tuning in, the story about how the challenge came about from an antique quilt done by Jane Stickle from the 1800s is in Rug Hooking Magazine, the Nov/Dec 2012 issue.  There are also pictures of the rugs each of us hooked displayed in the magazine.

And now for that other skeleton...... that one would be this huge tote full of woolie worms which was what I saw under the UFO.    OY!!!!

Guilt has me wanting to finish the UFO rug AND reduce this rat's nest of worms in the process.  Have a wonderful Sunday evening and hope the next week is perfect for you in every way.

Saundra

SINCERELY JANE RUGS PUBLISHED

In a previous blog I wrote about the challenge which Jo-Anne Harris generously organized for the Yahoo Rug Hookers Group.  It was a challenge for anyone who desired, to design their own rug using the quilt patterns from the Dear Jane book written by Brenda Papadakis.  We were given a full year to accomplish the rug, and it could be any size, color, cut, etc. that each participant decided.  Often I would post updates of my rug as I progressed, and this is my finished rug.

Well now all those Sincerely Jane Challenge Rugs are in the latest issue of Rug Hooking Magazine with a great article by Jo-Anne, and comments about each rug written by the person who hooked their rug.  It is a very nice article and must admit the challenge was a lot of fun with plenty of time to complete the project.

For those of you who may not subscribe or do subscribe but haven't received your issue yet, this is the cover of the November/December 2012 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

And if you wish to read the teaser on the Sincerely Jane Challenge click on this RHM  link.  There is also a real cute free pattern insert of a Santa by Lucille Festa.  So if you don't subscribe, go out and pick up your copy or order it on-line thru the link provided above.

Thanks for dropping by. 

Saundra

Summer Seasonal Swap Mat

Today I received my swap mat from my partner Debra Henkle and I love it.   Not only do I adore watching my birds at the feeder but have numerous bird houses hanging throughout my wooded lot for them to nest in.  So Debra's choice of hooking me this piece was right on target for me.

I'm hoping that Debra isn't reading my blog because I'm not sure if she has received mine in the mail yet or not and don't want to ruin her surprise...... but am taking a chance to post a picture of the piece I hooked for her.  


Since I forgot to take a picture of the mat I sent Debra just went to Rughookers and see she took a picture and posted it.  So...... this is the mat that I sent her.

Normally I don't do the swaps or challenges but this year it was really different and was interested because of the gift Jo-Anne Harris has on pulling people in.  And must admit it was fun.  So I'll end up with 4 seasonal pieces which measure 8" x 8" and can use them individually or I can sew them together 2 x 2 or all four in a row.  But for now think that I'll use them individually and pull them out each season.  And this was a very easy challenge not only because of the small size but it didn't need to be bound perfectly.  All we needed to do was tack it back with no whipping, no cotton binding in the event someone wanted to join them all together ~ and, if not the final owner could bind them how she or he wished.


If you are not a member of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rughookers/ you may want to stop by to see about other upcoming challenges or swaps.  There is still the fall swap coming up but Jo-Anne has talked about extending the swaps in the event there were late joiners so they could get all the seasons.  And Jo-Anne has talked about different kinds of swaps coming up so you may want to join Rughookers and read to see what events are going to happen.


The Sincerely Jane challenge was one great geometric piece I worked on which was based on a quilt make by Jane Stickle in 1863; again this was hosted by Jo-Anne.    This is the finished piece I did which was not the original size of Jane Stickle's quilt but blocks I chose to hook using a #8 strip.  Other participants could choose which quilt designs to hook and do their own color planning and border.

  

It will be wonderful to see all our efforts in an upcoming issue of Rug Hooking magazine and must admit it was fun chatting with others about this challenge during the process.  

My Hooking Year in Review

I was just thinking back on what rugs I had hooked this year ~ the year from last May to this upcoming May.  Last May I drew up this Frost Sheep with scrolls and took it to a class in May with Barb Carroll, so it was finished within the year.

Meanwhile, I finished up this Karen Kahle Tea Cozy, as that is what I was working on the first evening at Barb's (for something to do) and also worked on in class until it was my turn with her.

Sometime during the year I started working on the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug and completed it in time for the deadline and hopefully you'll see several other challenge participants' rugs in an upcoming issue of Rug Hooking magazine.

I also joined in the Sensational Seasonal swap on Yahoo Rughookers and hooked 2 of these snowman mats (one for my swap partner and one for my dear daughter-in-love) because she collects snowmen.  Next was a Spring Swap and did this for my partner.  And I've completed my summer mat for my new partner but can't show you that since it isn't time to send it yet and it is supposed to be a secret until it arrives.

Next was the Log Cabin and Sheep rug which is an adaptation of July Cabin which is a design offered by Barb Carroll in one of her books.  I changed the trees, changed the direction of the smoke to make it smaller and generally made it into what I wanted to hook and see.  Oh dang, the flash really washed out this picture.

Then in November I drew out and started the other Frost Sheep design with flowers and Birds; this too has been completed but remains to be bound (workin' on it tho).

After that was finished being hooked think it was then Magdalena's Dog which went on my frame.  This guy is on my kitchen antique harvest table and makes me smile each day.

Whew, didn't realize I'd hooked so many things during the year.  The 2 chicken Daleview Farm, a pattern by Polly Minick but with 3 chickens originally, this was also hooked and bound.

Also hooked this Candle Mat for my soon-to-be neighbors as a housewarming gift but they haven't moved in yet so it is still here but done.

OH!  I almost forgot the cute elephant design by Robin, and that is the one I just most recently finished..... how could I almost forget that?

Oh goodness, I'm now editing my post because I saw a picture of a rug which was started last August and had it finished to take to my October show last year....so add at least one more rug to the count for the year between May 2011 and May 2012 (coming up).  

Plus, In reading back to my May 10, 2011 post I had just finished this Home Tweet Home design by Karen Kahle. Goodness but I was one busy girl last year.

And if that wasn't enough, I hooked and lined a couple eye glass cases for a hooking well-known as examples for her upcoming classes as well as making 40 flower pins for me to take to my shows.  Uh, I think that might be all I hooked, but if I remember something else I'll be sure to post it. 


And yesterday I posted the UFO that I'm presently working on.  I'm hoping to have it done before leaving for Barb's in May because I want to start the bumblebee chair pad to give me something to hook the evening before class starts and until it is my turn with Barb.  

Log Cabin Rug Back on the Frame

It seems like a decade since I worked on this rug, but it has only been a couple months.  Meanwhile there were quite a few projects I got completed while it was resting.   I'd completed a couple swap mats, hooked a snowman gift for a Christmas gift, also the E.S. Frost Sheep rug with birds and flowers, hooked and assembled the eyeglass cases and most recently was the completion of the Jane Stickle quilt rug more commonly known on Rughookers Yahoo as the Sincerely Jane Challenge rug.  (whew, gasp for breath).

When working on the log cabin rug previously I'd mentioned it was a pattern offered in a book by Barbara Carroll titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking. 

The pattern design is July Cabin but I took some creative license and tweaked it to suit me.  I changed the direction of the smoke, made my trees a little differently and made big folky leaves instead of flags and think I added more stars in different locations. 

So I'm a little anxious to finish this one up but there is something else lingering in the wings that remains unfinished, so it isn't as though I'm completely caught up.  But it sure is a good feeling to get this close.

However, the  madness will begin again starting May when I go to the wonderful Barb Carroll at Woolley Fox, then in September it will be back to beautiful Cape May, NJ, then in November will sign up for Lucille Festa once again in Ocean City, MD.