STARS and WIND

Today I pulled the last loops on the STARS rug and it was so fun there was no need for a plus one to keep me entertained.  My bags of worms of various colors were beside me but the background wool was all freshly cut and showed that wool on a previous post HERE.

Now it needs steaming and binding but that can wait (I HATE binding).  I've already added the pattern to my web site, the link below my name at the bottom.

It was a horribly windy day today and a couple years ago one March I saw Cushing's pattern by that name "Windy Day" which I knew I MUST hook and put out each March.  You can find her pattern HERE.

With the wind today a dead tree fell but thankfully not doing any damage but will need my neighbor to cut the top off so I can cut grass eventually.  I tried to lift it out of the grass cutting area but just don't have the muscles any longer.

This morning there were even snow flurries for maybe an hour but that didn't last long, thankfully, and no accumulation.  But this area isn't out of the woods just yet.

Happy hooking and be safe out in those winds.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

What's Cooking in Rug Hooking

First of all, March winds have been very high, and when parking beside another car one must hold the door to ensure it doesn't hit and dent the next car.  Just hope others are as thoughtful when they park beside me.  So decided it was time to bring out the rug Windy Day, a pattern found on W.Cushing.

A Dancing Rabbit finish I've been waiting for is from Kitty with the polka dot rabbits.

More new wabbit wugs have come in and here is one hooked by Beth.  Actually she has a hooked version, which she says will go on top of an old picnic basket ... 

..and a needle punch version; you've been busy gal.

Naomi is hooking a whole family of rabbits.  Had to laugh at a comment she made when saying her brain goes right to the Grateful Dead dancing bears and this is her adaptation.   But despite that I think it would make an adorable rug for a child's room.

Nancy has been working on her background and creative border so it won't be long before she's completely done.  

Laurel finished hooking her rabbits and says she's thinking of doing a mix of colors for the background.  Can't wait to see what she does.

What great imaginations you rug hookers have.  Amazing to see how ordinary rabbits can take on a personality all their own.  Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

CAT'S PAW

The last loop was pulled on Cat's Paw and now needs binding... 

~ right after I finish tacking down the binding on Windy Day.

In case you're wondering, the dimensions of Cat''s Paw is 15.5 x 24 and drew it myself.  A lot of worms were used in #8 and #8.5.  I invited people to join me and it is never too late.  Here was that POST.

Windy Day was purchased from W.Cushing and the size I ordered was 12 x 22.  Lisanne does offer a larger size if you so desire. 

I've pulled wool for my next project but the old mess needs to be tidied up as I seem to make a rat's nest when I hook.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

CAT'S PAW UPDATE

This is an updated photo of my Cat's Paw mat which measures 15 x 23 1/2.  Not sure what will be on my frame next but better decide soon since I'm slightly more than half done with this.

Here is my initial sketch for the pattern but used up the length of my linen so drew some extra circles to fill it in.  Feel free to enlarge or use this for yourself if you wish.

Would love for you to share your photos with me.  

On another note, I receive W.Cushings flyer via email as many of you do.  Lisanne had asked me to send her a picture of the Windy Day when I was finished but was still surprised to see it at the top of her flyer this morning.  Surprised but very honored...thank you Lisanne, it was fun to hook.

Happy Hooking everyone and try to stay well.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

THIS and THAT

This could be a long post as I've a few this's and that's to mention.  So depending on the time of day or evening fill up your cup-o-tea, coffee or glass of wine before you continue....

Okay, this is what I've accomplished so far on Cat's Paw rug I drew and welcomed others to join me.  I spoke about it and my inspiration HERE on a previous post so check it out and feel free to participate at any time. 

If this would help, here is the line drawing which you can print out and enlarge to the size you want.  Happy hooking.

Also I did make a couple minor changes to Windy Day...this is now.  I hooked in a thin piece of brown in parts around the orange tabby cat to make it stand out more.

In a previous post I showed a wonderful salad with broccoli sprouts but yesterday had a salad with alfalfa sprouts I grew.  Honestly cannot say which tastes best but checked and learned broccoli sprouts DO have more vitamins, minerals and health benefits than alfalfa sprouts.  So when I've used all the alfalfa seeds will only purchase broccoli seeds.  This is last night's dinner and it was yummy.  You can see the remainder of sprouts in the jar.

This morning after breakfast I went out to pick up pine cones and limbs from the yard to cut grass.  After lunch I cut grass for an hour but still have another 25 minutes of cutting in Ben's back yard with a push mower yet to be done.  Didn't do that because we were under a severe thunderstorm warning.

From my seat on the sofa this is the sweet view of a bird house with mama and papa Black Cap Chickadees doing dual duty on the birthing/nesting.

As it was really windy day and severe storm warnings I went to secure the nest with another para cord. I stood on the front porch for several minutes to catch a pic of either of the birds coming or going but they wanted no part of that invasion.  As soon as I came in and sat down one of the birds left and the other flew in like a flash.

Nothing else got accomplished today but I've work waiting for me tomorrow ... have a line drawing for an antique adaptation order and still need to finish my new rug design.  Tomorrow before getting to those chores a trip to the  grocery store is required as I need a few things.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitive.weebly.com 

WINDY DAYS.....

....are continuing into April.  I always thought it was "March winds" and "April Showers".  But appears to be "March and April Winds plus Showers".  Some folks have even seen April snows; it has been cold here but thankfully no snow.

Windy Day, a design by W. Cushing, is finally hooked but not yet steamed and bound.  Will look at it a day or two to see if there are any strips I'd like to replace before steaming.

For those of you wondering what my background wool is, this is it  but can't remember the name of the wool nor where it was purchased.

Now is a huge clean-up from my mess and transition back to the Cat's Paw project.  However ~~~ I've already got a plan for designing my next rug.  Loving how it is planned in my head but nothing is on paper yet.  But being a fickle hooker who knows just what will be my next project.

Happy hooking, stay well, and keep yourself entertained.  Thank goodness for rug hooking.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com 

Windy Days

Winds don't just happen in March, they happen in April too.  The last two days walking the mile (total) to pick up my mail was fine when the wind was at my back.  But walking with the wind coming forward I felt like the Mime who used to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Anyone remember him and the show?

As for the pattern, as usual I've reverse hooked a lot and have been drawing on the linen making changes to suit me.  I enlarged the black cat and made a mess of the wind drawing at the top left.  Now not sure which lines to follow but will wing it as usual.  

This is all that has been accomplished and already see changes I want to make in the wind swirl between the house and tree....it needs to have more of a curl.  I struggled with the bottom left wind forever until it satisfied me.

And need to choose a color for the dog flying thru the air above the tree.  It can't be grey since the wind is grey, already have a black cat and black roof, the dog above the house is brown.  Oh, now see where I went wrong.  The tree should be pulled out and that wool used for a red/brown dog.  Then I can use a darker brown wool for the tree to spread the values and color around.

See ~ this why I don't get a lot accomplished.  Am always changing things as I hook first then think.

I made my son, DIL and grandson face masks but recently saw how easy it is to make a face mask even if you don't sew.  It can be done with any fabric or kerchief and hair or rubber bands:  DIY FACEMASK 

Hope you are feeling well, staying entertained and safe.  For me, I'm happy at home anyway, and sure all Doc Martin seasons will be viewed in a day or so.  

Since we're stuck at home and a newbie rug hooker has a question, please ask.  I'm no expert on anything but experienced working with primitives (my favorite), antique adaptations, geometrics, narrow cut, wide cut, etc.  If I don't know the answer I'll ask my expert friend/teachers.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

IT's NO Van Gogh

I've been spreading my time around with yard work, heat outage (yes again), lawn mower repair and grass cutting...in other words LIFE.  However, what little progress has been made on this adorable Windy Day still has me stymied.   Was hoping to produce something between Van Gogh's Starry Night and breath of the gusts of wind blowing the animals.  

Oh well.  Here's where I am at the moment.  Plan now is to enjoy the process and release myself from the pursuit of making this look like anything other than just a fun whimsical pattern.  No artsy fartsy take on a cute design but just enjoying the pattern I fell in love with.  So there... I'm released!!

This isolation thing hasn't really upset me since I live alone and have lived alone for years.  So just hearing the words or having someone tell me that I must stay apart from others isn't going to pull me off the edge.  Yet I think that has had that effect on some people/friends.  

During this time and happy that Comcast has offered "FREE" TV and movies until April 8th.  So I'm binge watching Doc Martin.  I used to watch it when it was free on MPT but then it was sold to Acorn.  Since my Comcast bill is large enough I refuse to pay more for things I used to get as part of my subscription.  Therefore I'm binging for as long as possible to catch up.

Happy Sunday evening.
Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

HEALTH & RUG HOOKING

Will post the rug hooking segment first since my blog is dedicated to we rug hookers.  I've reverse hooked loops and re-hooked some on Windy Day.  Tonight I'll not hook as I want to 'sleep on it' and decide how to handle the "windy" part of the rug.  Just the slant of the house and tree isn't enough for me ~ I want to SEE the wind. 

Instead I'll work on the dreaded UN-finished binding of TWO rugs.

Last Monday before going to pick up what little was available at the grocery store (which wasn't much) I made myself a face mask.  It worked fine and nobody looked at me like I was an alien.  No, I don't have Coronavirus (at least not symptoms) but want to protect myself from anyone else who may be coughing even if just allergy related.

Here is a link to a DIY Mask video for a couple versions of the mask.

 

My thanks and my heart go out to all those BRAVE Nurses, Doctors, Police and other first responders who put their own health on the line during this critical health time.  But it isn't just their health, it is the family they love and go home to each day or night.

Saundra

Oh My.... What About That SKY?

Okay, here's the pattern on my frame ~ it is called Windy Day by W.Cushing.  Before getting to the sky issue, want to confess that I increased the black cat at the bottom another 15%.  At least it would be closer in size to the yellow cat on the left and a tad easier to hook.  Still couldn't get those damn ears to look right but they have been ripped out and re-hooked so many times that I just don't care now.  

Now I'm wondering what to do with the sky to make it look like wind.  So pulled somewhat darker sky colors for the swirls and took a photo to see if it looked okay.

Hmm, not so much.  Then found Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night.  Now I see the curls should be lighter than the regular sky to make it appear as wind.  Okay.... tomorrow I'll try and tackle that.  So had it all planned out wrong in my cranium.

Hope all of you are staying healthy.  Sure as heck hope I stay that way too.  Enjoyed my salad tonight with more broccoli sprouts.

Saundra

Pattern on my Frame and Day 5

This pattern called to me at first sight and despite there were a few narrow cut motifs decided to buy it anyway.  That pattern would be Windy Day from W. Cushing.  Don't have a lot of progress but did decide to tackle the one cat using the narrow strips from the bag.  

On second thought wonder if using #7 or #8 could have done the job faster and if it would look more tidy since there are a lot of wool threads sticking up.  Have often heard narrow cut hookers say..."narrow cuts are so more forgiving than wide cut".  But to me the narrow cuts are unruly and hard to control.  Anyway, I will endure because once I get those 4 small motifs hooked it is fun time.

Now to DAY 5 of my broccoli sprouts.  Look how filled that jar is now.  And that was just with one tablespoon of broccoli seeds in a REGULAR canning jar, not the wide mouth jar spoken about on most web sites.

Since soup and salad is my dinner tonight I'll put some of that broccoli sprout delicacy on top of the salad, add cherry tomatoes and dressing of choice.

IF you are interested in growing your own broccoli, alfalfa or mung sprouts also, click HERE.

Hope everyone is healthy and staying happy in your own personal cocoon.  

Today I took the time to organize my WEB SITE.  After starting the web site weebly then upgraded and pages looked different.  Now they are all alike and on one page.  If you want to see the entire rug pattern you tap on the photo and it will enlarge.  Don't think all the patterns I offer are listed on it and will eventually get to that.  But at least it is easier to navigate there.

Happy Friday.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com