Frame Frustration

The other day I mentioned my frustration with my hooking frame.  I own several frames and each has it's special purpose ~ I've 3 different size sit-upons which I use, a Townsend Orbiter floor frame which is fantastic with big rugs, and my Snapdragon.  Now, I must say here that my Snapdragon is my favorite.  The Snapdragon keeps the foundation tight as a drum and when the paddles are released you just lift the pattern off the frame and there is no pulling out of wool strips during the process.

Yet, it was a frustration with the Snapdragon on my floor frame which was giving me fits.  Okay, for history, I chose a ball swivel type Snapdragon and purchased the K's Creation Big Foot floor frame as I'd seen other hookers use it at camps and liked it. 

Yes, it takes a while to adapt switching frames and stands and eventually found that if I didn't tighten the yoke on the ball tight enough then my frame would flop down.  And if I did tighten it enough began to notice it was chewing up the yoke on the frame.  Plus, noticed the inner rod was beginning to get deep grooves from the rotation.

So then what was happening is that the inner rod would plummet down lower than the height it was set for.  This actually had been going on since September when I was at Cape May but endured with the big rug until I came home and put the Wee Folk on my Townsend Frame.  So all was good with Wee Folk on the Townsend.

Then, switch over to Big Dog Hollow and I put it on the Snapdragon and Big Foot.   However, as Big Dog Hollow weight started to increase the dropping of the inner rod became more frequent. 

Then I went to my Rughooking101 floor stand (it is their sit-upon I'm using right now) and put the Snapdragon on it but since that floor stand isn't adjustable it was too high at the location in my home where I hook. 

Finally, getting so frustrated decided to pull out my larger Rughooking101 sit-upon and use that.  Then figured it was time to contact both Sue of Snapdragon and Brett of K's Creations and tell them of my dilemma. 

Okay folks, I want to tell you these people have integrity and are customer service oriented people.  My correspondence to them was more of a need of help rather than complaint and they were more than willing to offer assistance.

Sue wrote saying she has developed a yoke to help.  So if you are having a similar problem contact her as the cost of this is only $18 plus shipping.  Here is a picture of it with the Snapdragon. 

And Brett has contacted me saying that I need a new inner rod replacement. 

So the frame frustration problem is going to end happily ever after. 

Thanks for visiting and remember to be kind to one another.

Saundra

One Day and a Wake-up.....

.... before I leave for Cape May.  But before I ramble on about that, I know how all of you look forward to looking at rugs so thought I'd post a wide cut hooked rug of my departed Rottweilers Shumba and Panzer.  The other day I posted a picture of them hooked in #3 cut and as soon as that was hung on the wall I immediately started hooking a wide cut, primitive rug of them.  Just had to get it out of my system and prove to everyone that you can get some detail with #8 strips.  

Shumba measures 13" tall and Panzer is about 14 1/2" tall, both hooked in #8 cuts.  Yes, I've very proud of that narrow cut piece and even incorporated some of their own hair which I saved in a bag when I would groom them during happy days.  Then I had a friend spin the hair on a narrow core of wool.  That wool/hair combination can be seen at the neck where the color changes.  Hard to see in the picture (from the other day's blog) but very easy to see in person.  Frankly, I think this rug shows the essense of who these great dogs were.  So here is the wide cut:

You can see my Townsend Orbiter on the floor, two small totes with wool for my rug, but already in the van is a container which holds those rings with samples of all the wool I'm taking.  So the totes of wool will stay in the van and I'll only pull out larger pieces of what is selected for the rug...saves time unloading and loading back up .

Also the OTT light is patiently waiting in the back of the chair, there are some items I'm taking to 'hopefully' sell at the camp store ~ flower pins in the long vintage sewing machine drawer, some pouches for snippets or hooks with a magnet on top to hold scissors.  Then, inside that patriotic sack are 10 rugs and mats that I am taking for the show display.  Good grief, that is the most I've ever taken in one year.

Suitcase still has to be packed because I'm watching the weather to see what kind of wardrobe will be needed, my Townsend cutter is still upstairs and being used before I go so HOPE I don't forget to take it.

Now, I'm going to talk about Blogger.  Yes, they are generous to give us free blogging capabilities, but sometimes it drives me NUTS!!!  Nuts I tell you!!!!  Somehow my blog spot disappeared between yesterday and sometime this morning.  Even I couldn't find it.  I did notice yesterday that I was given a box to put my telephone number in and I refused.  So here is what I surmise......

First must tell you all that I HATE the word verification thing.  A lot of times the letters are so squished together that you can't tell an 'a' from an 'e', or an 'f' from an 'r'.  Sometimes the numbers are so blurry they are hard to detect too.  So I do know that on some blogs where I tried to post a comment I didn't get the letters right so it prompted me to another series of  letter/number combinations.  Maybe that is what happened and Blogger wanted to verify it really was me and not some stupid robot trying to decipher the numbers.

Anyway, this morning I did put in my phone number and had an automated return call giving me a code to type in a box which gave me my blog back.  So people, let me say that from this day forward I will not make any comment to any one's blog who has that stupid and hard to read word identification.  There, nuf said and glad I got it off my chest.

Thanks for this visit and this girl has to get of'n this machine and work more toward getting ready for camp.  TA TA.

Saundra

Rug Hooking Frames

I get asked a lot, and see the same inquiry posted on rug hooking groups about what the best rug hooking frame is. Since each person's finances are not the same, their needs are not the same either.  So I will share my personal experience and opinion on what works best for me.  Please, if you sell any of these frames and are not happy with what I've said, just remember this my humble opinion so don't crucify me.

When I first started I began with a humble embroidery hoop.  But since I needed to guide the strip of wool with one hand and pull the loop with the other, it was rather awkward with the loop rested against my belly and against a table top.  But I stayed with using it to see if this was something I wanted to continue and buy better tools.  Yup, loved it and figured the proper tools were needed.

Sixteen years ago there were not the multitude of rug hooking businesses available so the the 'Cadillac' of rug hooking frames was said to be the Puritan.  I bought one, hated it both as a lap frame and on the stand and sold it for a song.

Then, when the exchange rate was better between Canada and the US I purchased a sit upon  from Quilter's Workshop in Canada.  I loved, loved that frame and after getting it wished that I'd ordered the larger one.  I still have this frame, still love it and use it for smaller pieces.

After using this size for a while and had a few extra pennies to rub together went on the hunt for another frame but the exchange rate in Canada was not as good so hunted in the US for something larger.  Voila, by then Rughooking101 had a frame so purchased it.  I still have it and still use it.  This one does give my rotator cuff a work out because it is solid oak.  Also the paddle is larger and not as sleek as the one above, and really, it is the thigh which secures the frame and you don't really put your spine on the paddle.

Then decided that a floor stand was needed so that when I went to rug camps I would have the floor stand for the class.  Luckily I was able to purchase a used rughooking101 floor stand for the frame and had the smaller Quilter's Workshop sit-upon to hook in the sleeping room at night.

More time passes and at rug camps there are women who have just gotten the Snapdragon frame.  Oh my be still  my heart.  It keeps the linen drum top tight and easily snap the underside paddles to release the pattern so that no wool strips get pulled or teased out.  Well don't you know that I had to find a way to 'get me one of those' beauties.  So I have the Snapdragon with the Big foot floor stand.  Frankly, I used the Snapdragon on my Rughooking101 floor stand for a while but decided to get this floor stand too.

And, after much deliberation and on an impulse purchased the Townsend Orbiter.  Actually, before that I had the red lap top portable and just do not care for any lap top frame so sold that one.

I purchased this during the past winter in anticipation of taking it to rug camp so I can roll it in and set it up in a flash.  It is for larger and more heavy rugs and wish I'd had it when I was hooking Domestic Zoo.  This is a very expensive piece of equipment.

So now you ask, which do I recommend.  That depends on your finances.  If you have the financial resources I would recommend the Snapdragon hands down.  It is less expensive than the Townsend Orbiter but more expensive that the sit-upon frames.

If you don't have that kind of money to put into a frame, then the sit-upon is a good way to go. However, if you have an opportunity to go to a local hook-in or meet up with some hookers that would be a good way to 'test drive' hooks and frames and most of us are very happy to let other hookers try them out.  That way you would know what is best for you.  

And then if neither option seems financially feasible at this time, there are people who have constructed their own box frame and used heavy duty thumb tacks to secure their pattern to it and moved around and re-tacked the pattern when time to hook another area.  Or you could purchase the    artists frame sections, join them and tack your pattern onto that.  

Hope this has helped, but if you have further questions, please feel free to ask.  Happy Hooking.

Saundra