Chicken Challenge Start Up

I'm not making much of a great showing at the start up on the Chicken Challenge rug.  My friend "Little Miss Smarty Pants" Lauren of Rugs and Pugs is WAY ahead of me.  She says I'M a fast hooker yet she is the one working overtime at her day job while I'm retired and have accomplished less. Good for you gal, glad you had a great time at the hook in.  So here is my minor contribution to the CC (Chicken Challenge) endeavor.

Tomorrow I'll show a more accomplished update (I hope) and will explain why mine is going in the direction I've chosen.  But of course gal pal Lauren might have hers done by then.

And Rose of Three Sheep Studio asked the dimensions of my geometric rug.  Uh, Lauren, I cannot believe YOU didn't ask.  This is how the UFO GEO was left and IF it is hooked as it is drawn the dimensions will be 21 x 35.  For sure it will be 21" wide.  How long will it be?  Even I don't know yet.

Have a great weekend everyone. 

Saundra

 

Switching Projects

Oh my but I do make one mess when hooking a rug.  Since I'll be switching projects thought I'd move the UFO geometric to the love seat where it will be visible and ever ready when I feel the desire to pull a loop. 

This is how the work area on my sofa usually gets to look like.  It was in the colorful tote which held the geo over these last months and years, with wool strips all mixed together.  When I decided to work on it again I then pulled wool strips which I spent hours separating into colors to use also.  If you look in this picture you can see wool strips on the back of the sofa, strips on the sofa arm, there are also strips on the coffee table to the left of the sofa.  Oh, I love leaning back on my hooked pillow.

Another view of the wool mess from a different angle.

So when I started cleaning up discovered still more random lost wool worms hidden under the baskets.

Well, now everything needs to be separated by color once again.  But it will probably have to wait until after the geo has been put to bed again ~ not done ~ just to rest for a while longer.  For now it is resting on the love seat in the living room while I await the commission piece I'm to hook.  Meanwhile, I'm hoping it doesn't arrive today because I'd like to start working on my Chicken Challenge rug.  It is beckoning me and feel as tho I've hooked enough blocks on the geo to reward myself.

As soon as I have something ready to show on the Chicken rug I'll post a picture.  And, I'd also love to see updates on rugs from those of you who are doing the Chicken Challenge rug too.  If you don't know what I'm referring to or have just decided to join in, click HERE. 

Have a great day everyone.

Saundra

In Limbo.... Sorta

As I'm waiting for the commission rug to arrive have decided to start pulling wool for my Chicken Challenge Rug.  At least it will give me a nice warm woolie feeling in preparing to hook it.  This is what my first thoughts are right now but still have a few other colors to pull.  Hmm, different seeing the wool in a photo with a flash vs. in person.

Although I've been busy drawing out 20 small patterns today I did manage to pull a few loops on the UFO GEO.

Now this is a lesson that personally hit home ~ so you newbies might want to take note.  I started this geometric rug several years ago when I was still learning techniques of rug hooking.  Not that there is a right or wrong, but where you pull the loops does make a difference.

If you look carefully at the rug above you will see some sharp corners and some blocks which end up being rounded or at least squiggly.  That is because I didn't know how to make a good SQUARE corner.  Instead I was hooking and turning and the corners became more rounded.  Honestly, I'm not sure which I like best.  Some of those early blocks seem more endearing to me than the sharp squared off corners. 

So to make a NICE SQUARE corner, for instance at the very perimeter corners of your rug, you want to hook one loop further down the line, turn and then go one linen thread inside toward the rug design and hook the length of the rug.  Ditto at the next corner.  That will give you a very nice sharp corner.

I'd really be interested in hearing your favorite on my geometric as to the squared or squiggly .  But at least now you know how and can choose to make a difference just by moving your loop over one row.

Have a great night everyone.

Saundra

Betwixt and Between

I've two rugs which still need binding but those can wait.  I'm anxious to start something new but promised myself to pull some loops on the UFO geo before moving on.  Tonight I'll continue hooking on it but tomorrow will start drawing out my next project.  This is what I've managed to accomplish so far and have filled in some empty spots.

And this is what it looked like before so I'm rather proud of myself for hanging in there and pulling more loops on it than I thought my patience would handle.

So now I've got to get serious about my plans for the Chicken Challenge Rug.  Tomorrow morning I'll be busy since it needs to be enlarged and drawn on linen backing.  Not to mention the fact I'd like to make this challenge rug mine as I have a spot in my kitchen waiting for it.

Have a grand evening everyone.  It is presently snowing here but thankfully don't think it will be bad.  Hope the rest of you get a light snowfall or rain as well.

Saundra