LOOKING BACK

Decided to take a stroll back in time and show you what I hooked in 2022.  The first piece finished that year was the delightful pattern Winter Buddies designed by Cindy Lundgren and sold by Cushing.

Was getting antsy for another challenge/hook-along so a few of us hooked our favorite Granny Donaldson cow blanket designs and this is the one I chose (18.5 x 22).

After admiring an antique rug for many months it had to go on my frame and make it mine.  I named it Blue Bowl of Flowers and drew it 30 x 41.  During the hooking process I considered extending the flower stems.  But this is how the antique rug was so that is the way I hooked it.

Then there was that Dancing Rabbit hook-along.  Perhaps one day I'll hook the really old version in my files and enjoy it more.

In a class with Cindy Irwin at Ocean City, MD I was finally able to hook Mother and Fishbowl.  Because of Covid one year the class was cancelled and I just held out hope she'd get hooked.  I'm still not happy with mother's eye, her ski nose or lips ~ that was not the fault of Cindy, it is my loops.  Perhaps one day I'll work on it again before a next camp.

Cottage and Apple Tree is also an antique Adaptation drawn 22 x 30.  And it made for a great blog post on using UGLY WOOL.                      

Just like Blue Bowl of Flowers some antique rugs just haunt me until I hook them.  That was the case with Deer and Blue House, another antique adaptation which I drew measuring 21 x 30.

And who could forget what I personally refer to as the bastardized drawing of an otherwise wonderful antique Mary Comstock bed rug.  While I had to redraw many of the elements was not ready to toss in the towel.  It finally did get hooked and bound.  I should  have drawn it myself.

Then yet another challenge piece with Li'l Lamb chair pad, an antique adaptation using various textiles.  This time I didn't use woven cotton and it was much more fun.  I used nylon hose, tea stained cheese cloth, cotton knit, seam binding and wool.

And the last loops pulled on a rug last year was Double Eagles, another antique adaptation I drew.

Hope you had a fun trip back in time with me and hope you enjoy hooking forward with me in 2023.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

DAY 10 OF HOLIDAY THEMED RUGS

Well Julia I managed to pull something else out of my hat.  Took one more stroll through my flash drive and found these that I overlooked.  Winter Buddies was purchased from W.Cushing and I loved every second hooking it.  I see black capped chickadees at my bird feeders (among other species) daily.  It has been a while since I've seen deer in my backyard but now that the next door neighbors with 3 constantly barking dogs have moved perhaps the deer will return.

This cute snowman with the tweed hat is a design by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company.

Tonight's dinner is going to be rotisserie chicken cooked in my old George Foreman rotisserie.  It makes the most delicious chicken and the whole house smell good.  Merry Christmas eve.  

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Misc. Chit Chat

Good grief!  July 1st today and halfway through the year.  It will be Independence Day on Monday ~ hard to believe this year has gone by so fast.  I keep a list by year on what rugs are hooked and the first one finished in 2022 was Winter Buddies designed by Cindy Lindgren and sold by W.Cushing.  

So far this year I've completed 4 rugs/mats and presently working on 2 alternately.  Am always thinking ahead on what will be my next project but am not panicked yet since I've two in progress.

Have received the new ATHA magazine and it is full of great rug photos ~ patriotic rugs and designs by ATHA's advertisers hooked by others.

A true confession...I no longer get my roots dyed.  Decided I've earned the right to my grey hair and letting it grow out.  Well, partly that but also with stock market volatility, food costs and gas prices figured it was a waste of money which could be better used for necessities and not frivolous vanity.  Also don't drive to the store to pick up just one item I want now, instead wait until there is a descent list of needful things.

A neighbor dropped by the other day around noon and when she came in the house she said..."don't you believe in lights?"  Because I didn't have a light on in the two rooms she could see (living room and kitchen).  I could see just fine and when I hook there is an OTT light overhead, which was turned off.  It wasn't as if it was midnight and needed lights to navigate in the room.  I told her it wasn't necessary and it was to keep my electric bill down.  Must admit even before this inflation situation I would shut off the lights when walking out of a room.  Out of curiosity have you made any changes to your lifestyle?

Am still happily hooking on Cottage and Apple Tree and reluctantly working of Mary Comstock.  Happy hooking, stitching, or knitting to others out there keeping their sense of calm with their hobbies.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

MISC. CHIT CHAT

And it is related to rug hooking.  Was disappointed my ATHA magazine hasn't arrived yet because a friend told me a couple of my rugs are in the latest issue.   Thankfully Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) sent me a couple photos as she has received her magazine.  

Oh Glorious Day was hooked in a class with Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.  To say it was a fun class is an understatement.  But then all of her classes are fun and I always come away with a rug with great memories and color planning. 

Last March was so windy I needed to purchase W.Cushings Windy Day pattern to display each March and it is on my sofa table now.  As deer roam the woods around my house who wouldn't love to hook Winter Buddies, another pattern offered by Cushing.   Both of those were hooked at home without a teacher.

Finally after too many months of Covid lockdowns, masking, etc.  In a November 2020 class under the guidance of Bev Conway I hooked New Year's Eve, a pattern offered by The Wool Farm.  I needed to welcome in a new year 2021.  Well we know how that year went too don't we.  

Nine more days and a wake up before I leave for rug camp in Ocean City, MD.  This year I'm staying at the Dunes Suites next door instead of the hotel.  And guess this will be the only camp I attend this year as I'm not going to Cape May this September after attending every year since 2003.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Motivated To Finish

I've become very motivated to hurry and finish binding Bird Dog and complete hooking Winter Buddies as there's a new rug in my horizon.  Only the short side remains to be whipped and another steaming to complete Bird Dog.

Am close to pulling the last loops on Winter Buddies then will be just this one to bind when starting the next project.  

The timing is working well with just 8 days away before the next project to begin on the 15th (you ready Lauren? 😁)  You all know the project is a Granny Donaldson cow blanket design I've chosen for myself.  So you've got time to decide if you'd like to join us.  In case there are new visitors or if you've forgotten you can read about it HERE and choose a design to replicate.

As always......happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com
 

Winter Buddies Update

Despite those of you who think I'm a fast hooker there's plenty more background and a few snowflakes to go on this small piece.  I've learned that when a motif is hooked to do at least one row of background around it to not only control the size of the motif but also reduces the background hooking boredom.  Okay, I know some folks enjoy that part of the rug and consider it relaxing.  To me it is rather boring but necessary, just like binding 😏.

Really wanted to keep hooking around the antler but then this post would end up being made tomorrow instead of tonight.  Reminds me back in the day when I was a knitter ~  I'd say to myself, 'one more row around..or one more cable stitch' and would end up staying up for hours more knitting.  Of course there weren't blogs back then, computers or cell phones.  Oh my how progress and the computer age has changed us.

I made black eyed peas and corn bread for good luck for 2022, the peas were delicious but understand why it has been so long since making corn bread..it's very dry even with a little butter.  But it still seemed like a frivolous treat for me.

Mild temperatures again today reached 65 degrees F. but tonight we are expecting low temps and snow thru the night into tomorrow.  High tomorrow will be 35.  I met a neighbor during my walk today and she said snowfall is predicted between 1" to 12" and we laughed because it is so true depending on which part of the state you live.  But since the ground is warm I'm hoping to still make a 1 pm appointment tomorrow. 

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Winter Buddies

I resisted the desire to draw out my Granny design because most of you gave a thumbs up for the deer pattern.  So Winter Buddies, a design by Cindy Lundgren is on my frame now.  These next two photos are hooked by other people and thought them worthy of posting before showing you my start.  Both are a great inspiration for color and I've enjoyed looking at them.

As you might expect I've my own interpretation and am still working by the seat of my pants.  I've already rehooked that poor bird 3 times and afraid to go for 4 times for fear of weakening the linen.  So here's mine so far.

Really wanted to have more hooked but I also was working on binding Bird Dog.  If only I had a helper like Santa has, lol.  Of course I'd give the binding part to the helper.  If you would like to hook your own Winter Buddies pattern you can find the pattern HERE.

Do you have your ingredients for your New Years Lucky dinner?  I've already purchased my bag of black eye peas as that is what I'll have for dinner New Years Day as that is the tradition I grew up with on the east coast.  I know many do the sauerkraut and pork and or greens for dinner.  Frankly I LOVE sauerkraut but don't eat pork or beef any longer.  And this year I just might splurge on not to eat list and have some corn bread with my black eyed peas this year.  It's been a long time coming so should celebrate this milestone year with corn bread. 

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Confronted with a Decision

That happens a lot when the rug on my frame is almost all hooked.  Remember the beautiful antique I named Red Bud?  When push came to shove I nixed the idea of hooking it...for the time being.  All that white hooking began to feel boring and I hadn't even started  it.

Then thought of finally drawing a geometric to use some of these selvage edges of wool ~ a thought which comes to mind each time I'm in limbo.

Then I looked thru my pattern stash on linen, as opposed to the many paper patterns I've accumulated, and found a couple which interested  me.  One is a smaller version of Mary Comstock's Bed Rug.

Another on linen is Winter Buddies which I purchased last year from Cushing.

Once Bird Dog is fully hooked I'll draw out my Granny Donaldson choice and fight the urge to start it.  This is the design I've decided on except I will replace the camel with a horse.  Am sure some of you are thinking it is an Alpaca or Lama, but even tho they are related to the camel neither of them have a hump.

Hopefully I'll choose something to hook and start it before giving in to that urge.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

MAIL, as in USPS

July 26, 1775 Benjamin Franklin became the first Post Master General even tho there wasn't much mail being transmitted between people at that that time.  

The Postman was a movie Kevin Costner starred in where I think there was a line like...'thru wind, rain, sleet and snow your mail will be delivered'.  Or something to that effect.  Well what the hell has happened despite the exorbitant rising costs of shipping?

On December 6, 2020 I ordered a pattern from Cushing and just received it yesterday January 12, 2021 ~ it took 37 days to get here from Wells, Maine.  FYI I do NOT blame Cushing as I've always received my orders from them in a timely fashion.  Anyhoo......

Here is my late birthday/early Christmas present to myself arriving after the new year 😂.

Not sure I'll hook either of these this winter because I've still a rug on the frame and want to hook a heart or so next. But who knows what this fickle hooker will choose to do.  For sure will need to watch Lisanne's tutorial on hooking a plaid for the ice skates piece.  Thanks Lisanne!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

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