This Time Last Week.....

....there was to be April MD Shores Rug Camp except it was cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid.  So thought I'd reminisce, share parts of it with you and dream of the one for 2022.  I registered for Norma Batastini in 2018 but due to her health Eric Sandberg filled in for her.

I've had Eric before, he is a great teacher, very prepared and hands-on with students.  Eric LOVES color and I've always remembered his quote "light, bright, dark, dull" for what makes a good rug; although I don't always adhere to his advice.

The rug pattern I took for class was one for which I had no color plans but took wool colors I like and which go with my home interior.  Of course I'm always open to buy wool to make the rug better or wool that is just yummy for the future.  The design is called Flower Power.  Remember, I'm a primitive hooker and love antique rugs with dirty colors 😊.   In full disclosure the April camp is a McGowan camp therefore destiny might be determined.

This is the finished rug, it is pretty and definitely has Eric's signature all over, just not my signature.  Plus I've never displayed it in my house as it looks out of place.  Anyone want to buy a rug?

Yet I have been known to hook rugs with color, not all of mine have been drab or dull rugs.  Here is an antique adaptation I did called Stars and Diamonds ~ quite colorful I'd say.

Eric used me as a model for his color planning lesson on what wool doesn't work in color planning a rug.  I snapped the photo just as he was  gesturing in my direction, you can see the other gals chuckling as was I.  He said my colors were bland and basically all the same boring value.  Did I care?  Nope, ran off me like water on a duck's back.

Here are a few rugs from the show.  The one below was hooked by Capri and had a price tag on it of $6,862.  It was a big beautiful rug.

The one below is named Cape May.

In the rugs below I see a Bev Conway design with a girl and horse so there was at least one other primitive hooker in attendance.

Dorset Flowers below and I love that background with the soft large blocks of plaid.

Gettysburg, a Quail Hill design, is the rug below.

Love Margaret Shaw's designs and here is a rabbit design by her in progress.  Yes, at the McGowan rug camp but obviously not in my class.

Be still my heart...sure do love this Poppies piece below!!!!!  See, I do like color after all.

This is something I learned from this geometric hooker and another friend who does this.  When working on a big rug at rug camp pull loops where color is established to maximize time with the teacher for color planning then take it home with the story already planned out.  Easy peasy.  

One last photo I'd like to share is this fantastic pin hooked by Tish Murphy of Pierre Keller, Eric's grandfather.  It was unbelievably realistic and must have been hooked with colored dental floss size strips.  WOW!!!!  Do you believe what you are seeing right now??

Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Checking Off the List

Can finally cross binding Stars and Diamonds off the 'to do' list.  

Have even sewn on the label which has a photo of the original antique displayed on it.

This next finished task will probably make you chuckle.  Anyone who knows me and who has shared a table with me at meal time knows I'm a slob.  There must be a hole in the bottom of my lip because it never fails that a drop of salad dressing will miss my mouth and go directly on my top.  Usually it is a nice linen top ~ it wouldn't happen if I was wearing a jeans jacket.  

I know that I'm not the only one who suffers from this problem but it bothers me and decided to do something about it this year.  Someone recently gave me some cotton fabric which seemed perfect for the task.  Cotton with rug hooks on it and now it is in form of an adult bib.

I made an easy closure with a Velcro tab in the back.  Am sure I'll get lots of stares at Cape May but that's okay, my tops will remain cleaner this year.  And perhaps it will start a trend.  But some rug hookers wear aprons while hooking so they are already prepared.

Of course I'm assuming, planning and praying there will still be rug camp on September 16 thru 21 with the pending hurricanes brewing in the Atlantic and headed toward the east coast.  I would be taking that one-hour ferry ride from Lewes, DE to Cape May, NJ so am hoping for calm seas.  Oh, and the Victorian hotel where the classes are held is just 2 blocks from the beach.

Happy Saturday everyone.

Saundra

Stars and Diamonds antique adaptation

Yippee, it is all hooked and steamed....not bound yet tho. 

Now it is clean up the wool mess time before binding.  Since I hate binding will work on it a little at a time but for sure it will be completely bound in time for Cape May rug show.

My wool room is in total chaos again ~ it usually is after finishing a rug.  And I can't even begin to get wool ready for camp or the next primitive project until that room has become a little more orderly.  And my living room sofa and floor looks like a sheep has been sheared in there 😉

So I've resigned myself to the fact work comes first and then I can play again. 

OH!!!!!  Christmas is coming early to me this year.  This afternoon my new iPad with Pencil arrives and I won't leave for wine tasting until it is delivered.

My present iPad2 was acting up ~ a web site would start to load and then the screen would go blank.  It happened even when fully charged and happened on every website and FB.  I had to tap the home button several times for the beginning screen to show again so it could be swiped away.

As much as I hated spending the money definitely didn't want to attend camp limping along with a poorly functioning iPad.  So now I'll have time to learn how it operates and perhaps even 'pencil' color plan my camp rug in different colors and save in the photo file.

Happy Friday.

Saundra

Stars and Diamonds Update

Getting closer to the end but getting excited about starting something new so am getting antsy.

Below is the original antique which was hooked early 19th century.

I'd like to have this one bound before Cape May and a project started to work on while waiting for the teacher.  It will be something smaller than this rug which measures 201/2 x 43.

Saundra

Antique Adaptation Update

One star and a few diamonds to go but getting closer to the end.  

In case you've forgotten what the original antique looked like, C is below.  Comparing the two it looks like mine is more intense in color than the original.  But not planning on pulling out a whole bunch of loops ~ it will just have to do.

Guess it wouldn't surprise you to say I've already begun thinking about what is next on my frame.  But before getting to that will have to finish this one and bind it, finish hooking the Anniversary Sheep, and put labels on 6 rugs.

Grass was cut yesterday and now the rains will be back again tomorrow.  BTW, the lake is back in the very back part of the yard and into the woods so can't cut the almost knee high grass growing at the edge of the water.

Saundra

It's About Time

Good grief, I haven't made a blog post since Wednesday so it definitely about time.  Since it was also time to move the rug on my frame figured I'd show you progress on the Stars and Diamonds antique adaptation.

And before I pull another loop on anything, this rats nest of tangled up wool strips must be organized one-more-time!

On the arm to the left is a mixture of all the wool colors which started out in bags and containers.  Even tho (at first) they were kept tidy somehow I lost control so now have to pay the piper.  

Happy Saturday, raining here and it was needed for the farmers' fields and believe it or not, also my yard.  Although, when the grass is crispy it doesn't need to be cut as often 😁.

Saundra

Little by Little

It is being hooked slowly, little by little, and will be done before rug camp in September.  

I took this rug to wine tasting this evening in hopes of getting a photo of the 'gathering of friends' as usually there is a huge crowd.  Since the weather was so fine with mild temps and low humidity guess people were staying home, gardening, beaching or whatever.  So will take a photo of the group another time and share.

Also pulled a few loops on the Cape May Sheep piece this week too even tho I'm not sure what direction I want to go.  Will show you that progress or lack of in a day or two.  Am hoping I'll find my way and have a plan to share.  

If any newbie hookers or seasoned hookers have a subject you'd like for me to share, please post a comment in the comment section, email me personally OR if a No-REPLY blogger you can submit your comment or question on the right side of my blog in the E-MAIL ME spot.  It is only that way I'm able to personally reply to those NO-REPLY bloggers.

Happy weekend.

Saundra

Stars and Diamonds Adaptation revisited

This has been the longest I've been absent from posting unless I was at a rug camp and couldn't post from iPad.  My usual excuse from lack of hooking is due to yard work.  This time it is a combination part yard work, 3 different doctor appointments, a day caring for a neighbor's dog, laundry and misc. administrative crap.

I thought after retiring my administrative duties were over.  Ha!  After retirement it becomes administrative duties for accruing doctors, making appointments, visiting those appointments, scheduling misc. home-ownership work to be done and balancing my check book again.  Anyway.....

Here is what Stars and Diamonds looks like now.  I drew mine to 21 x 43.  The yellow between the diamonds really isn't that orange.  And that white 'blip' below the second diamond is a loose end which hasn't been clipped yet.

My hooker and blogger friend Pam Gunn has hooked this design too.  Will eventually share her masterpiece with you.  I sometimes view her rug and check to see how she hooked a certain area.  Then remind myself I'm trying to replicate the antique using what I have.....not what she had.  

That said..... that sweet woman shared a piece of wool with me she used in her rug.  How very generous and unselflesh can a hooker be?

Here on the eastern shore "the heat is on".  It is in the upper 90's with high humidity making the 'feels like' over 100.  

Happy Monday, Saundra

Stars and Diamonds Antique Adaptation

Thought it about time to show an update to my rug since hooking the center motif.  Not sure where my hook will take me next, perhaps the left star.

In case you don't recall which antique rug I'm working on, it is this one below.  It is an early 19th century heart rug, original size was 35 x 85 but didn't draw mine that large.

I will be offering this pattern on linen if anyone is interested.  However, since it is an antique it is copyright free so if you have the knowledge and resources you can draw your own.

OH, I have a question and hope someone knows the answer.  I received a pleasant and informative comment from Jan on the previous post about acupuncture and essential oil for the feet (thanks Jan).  

I clicked on her name to reply and was sent to a Google spot with primary colors and white background with only a box to click "follow".  There were no previous comments, no dialogue and of course was 
leary to click on the box for fear of a virus.  Does anyone know what that's about?  Jan, maybe you can help me understand?

Happy Saturday and happy hooking everyone.

Saundra