IT'S POLICE OFFICER REMEMBRANCE DAY

When I was a kid I was taught to respect my parents, elders, and police officers.  And to generally treat others as I'd want to be treated.  It was my parents who taught me that plus the teachings in my church.   What has happened to our society?

This rug I hooked to honor and in Remembrance of Cpl. Keith Heacook of the Delmar, Delaware Police.  You can read his Officer Down Memorial Page HERE.

Thanks to all Police Officers who chose to walk that thin blue line between life and death each day to serve and protect us.  I am sure your loved one does not rest until they hear the Velcro rip when you remove your uniform after your shift.  God Bless you and keep you from harm.

Saundra

Rugs Hooked so far in 2021

These are the rugs hooked so far this year.  Well of course the first one would be the White Horse and Scrolls antique adaptation ~ sure do love horses.  If interested I'll draw this whatever size you want.

After finishing the horse I offered a textile challenge to anyone who wished to join me.  The Tattered Tulip was chosen as my project like most all the other participants.  If you are a new reader of the blog you can read more about our adventure HERE.  We were also featured in the August/September issue of ATHA Magazine.

Initially my  plans were to hook this Patriotic Shied using something other than wool.  But stopped in my tracks and chose the tulip instead as it was smaller and decided to hook the Shield with soft wool.

Next on the frame was another antique adaptation Black Tailed Jackrabbits.

Then another small project to put on the wall near my hooking spot ~ Potted Plant antique adaptation.  

Sadly many of our Police Officers have died in the line of duty but some have been killed just because they were law enforcement.  Yet those are the people that IF you were in fear for your life you would want to come to your aid.  I was saddened by each and every news report of such events.  But when Cpl. Keith Heacook from a neighboring town was murdered viciously, that is when I drew out The Thin Blue Line flag.

Something more uplifting was chosen next ~  a Ben profile memorial.  I hung it on the wall over his ashes as soon at it was bound.  He is  hooked mostly in #8.5 with some other sizes as needed.

Patsy Becker's Jewel Basket was the 8th pattern on my frame and the second time I hooked it.  First pattern was purchased the year I took a class from Patsy, but a couple years ago purchased another from Wool and Goods who carries her designs.  I did tweak just a smidge.

More recently I designed and hooked Ox Farm; it will go to Cape May with me.

And finally, all hooked and bound Magdalena's Rooster, Duck and Horse will travel with me to Cape May as well.

I've shown you all the rugs which have been hooked since September 2019 when I last attended Cape May so now need to cull the number down to a realistic number to take.  So far I've got the number to 13.  I believe there was a year when I took 10 rugs and they were all in the show but don't know if I'll be that lucky this year.  If not I'll need to make a cut before the show opens to the public.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on the small Sunflower Duo and Lisa's Grey Horse.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

I BACK THE BLUE

After the violent murder of Cpl. Keith Heacook of the Delmar, DE Police Dept. I had an overwhelming drive to hook this rug in his honor and other Officers who have lost their lives by evil individuals.  I didn't know Cpl. Heacook but when an Officer is murdered just miles from your home you feel like it happened to family.   Rest in Peace Cpl. Heacook, you are loved and respected by many.

Today I pulled the last few loops in the Canton area of the flag and it will soon be bound.   I'm sure there is someone out there whose name starts with R who is eyeing those stars and thinking she'd re-hook them.  Well dear R I'm not rehooking, and I'm okay with it 😘.

This afternoon when I walked to get my mail (a mile round trip) I was struggling as there wasn't a breeze even in the shady part of the walk.  It is going to be as hot, humid and with unsafe air again tomorrow so will not walk to get the mail.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Part-time Rug Hooker Part-time Lumberjane

Well I figure if you can't beat'm join'm ~ political correctness that is.  So instead of lumberjack I used lumberjane.   Last Sunday I purchased a 12" Kobalt portable, rechargeable battery operated chainsaw.  Previously I've used a big lopping tool but I don't have the upper strength to lop thru certain thicknesses.  Recently I used my new tool to cut up limbs from a larger tree a neighbor cut down for me.  And this morning cut off the thicker branches of a pine tree so I no longer have to duck under and can get closer to the trunk of the tree with the mower.  

The Thin Blue Line is moving to the sidelines for now since all the stars have been hooked so only background needs to be completed on it.  At least it is there for me to fall back on if I run into a snag with the new one on the frame.

Would you believe I finally accomplished my goal of designing a rug I'd thought about, started then stopped dead in my tracks?  Am proud that I stayed with it and didn't give up like before.  But now it is drawn on linen and who knows what the future holds for this pattern.  Guess you'll have to stay tuned to see what it is and how or if it develops into a rug....or not.

Oh gee, you can't see the design?  Shucks guess my camera was focused improperly 😚.  When there is something substantial to show you'll see what it is and maybe I'll have a name for it by then.

Yeah, in the background you can see the Potted Plant waiting to be bound.  Also  waiting for the remainder of binding is Jewel Basket.  Since I hate binding and hate waiting for anything, plans are to take them to work on the day my van service work is done.  That is 6/29 which will take about 3 hours ~ that's a long wait.   I'm sure they would bring me home like they did once before but am sure time will fly by when doing binding.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

FIRST is MAIN COURSE then comes DESSERT, right?

Well not in this case.  I'm taking care of the main course and leaving the Canton until last, definitely not what I'd call a sweet dessert or piece of cake (referring to HOOKING that is).  Yet the stripes needed to be hooked too and gives me something to do while I decide what to hook next.

Since there was nothing new to put on my frame thought I'd get as many loops pulled on the flag as possible and straight hooking goes faster than stars and filling in random space.  Until I decide what to hook next I can finish this rug, bind the now finished Jewel Basket (which I'll post about next time), and print out/sew on rug labels (am way behind doing that).

Today the temperature was 93 degrees and the pond dismantling has begun.  The fish have been removed and in a new home with two fish-loving owners.  So two guys came today to get the fish, will come back another day to get the rocks.  Someone else wants the sandbags and the big framing.  

After 10 years of taking care of the pond by myself ~ cleaning the filtering system daily, making sure water level was okay, skimming leaves and limbs from the top it had become too much for me.  I was concerned what it would cost to have a company come in to demolish the pond or another option was to fill it in with dirt and grow something????

WTH, I don't want more stuff to take care of.  I wanted the pond gone.  

Thankfully my son has an American Legion 'good ol boy' network who are the great guys helping.  

It used to be a pretty pond and one day soon after the pond was built and I was still married, I saw a Blue Heron having a fresh fish lunch  on the side of the pond.  I sobbed and my ex built that framing you see with sections which could be removed for skimming off leaves, etc.  But somehow that destroyed the beauty of the pond and it was never the same after.  Well that and mostly the divorce of over 10 years ago 😑.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

The Thin Blue Line Flag

Hooking the Canton part of the flag has been slow and tedious.  I started hooking the stars in #8.5 and then switched to #9 since I've had good luck hooking stars in the past with Kris Miller's technique.  I do like the #9 better but is still going slow and find myself watching more tv than pulling loops out of hesitancy.  Me thinks this will be my go to for need to hook between projects.  

The reason you see bits of white linen between the loops is because the wool is stiff.  I believe once it is pressed it will be just fine.  

For now I'll continue to work on and finish Jewel Basket and ponder what will go on my frame next. 

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

The "Plus One" Project

Finally the big reveal of the rug pattern on my frame.  Even if I'd shown you the unhooked photo of the pattern it would be obvious it was a flag.  You may have thought it was the US flag until you saw the black and white hooked part.  Then you would have known immediately it was a Thin Blue Line flag.  That is why it was given the temporarily name "Plus One" until I'd had a chance to show you more of the hooked area.  

With what seems like a war on our Police throughout the United States I've been saddened with each report of an attack and angered with a senseless death.  And the recently brutal beating of Cpl. Keith Heacook just 16 miles down the road from me hit too close to home.  I didn't know him but my heart hurt just as if he was family.  

All of a sudden there was this overwhelming need to hook a Thin Blue Line flag in honor of Cpl. Keith Heacook and other officers who lost their life serving to protect the people of their community.  There's still a way to go on the rug and the Canton part will need a little TLC working around the stars.

Cpl. Keith Heacook was a 22 year veteran of the Delmar State Police, he left behind a teenage son and wife.  He was admired, respected and loved by friends, neighbors, family and even those of us who never met him. 

Rest in Peace Officer Heacook, I'm sure you will do your best to watch over the rest of the BLUE from your place in heaven.  Looking at your gentle eyes makes me want to cry all over again.  God Bless You and God Bless all other Police Officers who serve to protect us.

Readers of this blog, look at his eyes again.  BTW, after his death a person who had been arrested by Officer Heacook years ago called the local radio station and said he had deserved to be arrested and that Officer Heacook was respectful and kind.  I believe he said more wonderful things about him but cannot recall exactly.

Saundra