RUGS HOOKED IN 2023

To my followers I wish all of you have a happy and healthy New Year.  For America I pray for a safer way of life for all of us on our streets, towns and cities.  

I will welcome the new year in as usual, behind closed eyes.

As much as I hate for this "forever floral" to be the first rug shown it was the first rug hooked in 2023 so must start with it.  It was given that name because it seemed to take forever to finish the damn thing.

Since I'd always wanted to hook a block from Lucinda Ward's Reconciliation Quilt the one chosen was, of course, the Woman on  Horseback. 

Janice of Prims by the Water joined me in the project and you can see hers develop HERE.

Also on my frame was an antique star rug which was fun and will be something to display during patriotic holidays.  It started as my 'plus one' and something to hook while deciding on what to do next.  Must say it was a LOT of fun.

Oh my, be still my heart.  Around March/April I fell in love with an antique 1911 Horse.  At the moment it is being displayed in front of my fireplace for my enjoyment pleasure.

Scalloped Flowers was next and hooking those repetitive squiggly lines did get rather boring.  What was fun was hooking the directional blotchy background.  It will be a nice rug to display in the spring when I'm looking for buds to develop anywhere in the yard.  

Geometric Garden, an antique adaptation, followed soon after.

Another of my 'plus one' or impromptu quick hook on the side, was an adaptation I dubbed "Going in Circles".  What a great way to pull strips from those baggies of color already cut.  And do love the blotchy background.

At rug camp with Caroline I started Lollipop Flowers, an antique adaptation.  I love it, sure turned out wonderful!

Next was my 1776 Eagle which I'm still in love with.  The original antique took quite a remake to get to this stage.

Sadly my sheep who lost its way won't be finished this year.  She will be the first one finished in 2024 tho.  It was started in November and most all wool in the sheep was removed and rehooked as well as what was hooked of the purple border.  This photo is the first time I've looked at it on my pc in weeks.  

Lauren, I miss quoted the dimensions, it is 26 x 40.  Not sure what I'll do with that snake looking area below but in the original antique it is a very light color and I don't want that.                           

For me and those who can't remember what the antique looked like, here it is for comparison.  The outer border in the antique is light and I made mine dark and added it to the already dark  ~ that's why my black border is so large.

What's next you're wondering?  Not quite sure since I don't have a plus one on the side right now.  But do have an antique in mind for 2024, UH, unless I change my mind.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

                                                                                                                                                                            

WHIPPING and LABELING

Thankfully there is only one rug to bind on the pile as Woman on Horseback was just whipped and label attached.  There is a downside to my label making madness as I don't do individual labels.  I wait until there are 6 rugs to label so they can be printed on normal paper size fabric covered sheets.  

When I do an antique adaptation I always put a photo of the original antique on the label.  For the Woman on Horseback I copied an image of Lucinda Ward's quilt block on the label.  Here is a photo of the labels made for the last 6 rugs hooked.  You can read about how to do that HERE.

This evening I'll try to make up hooking time on the "Stars" rug.  Stupidly I hooked a big star with the wrong color and ripped the sucker out only to hook it again in the right color.  This reverse hooking seems to happen a lot to me.  But forward or reverse rug hooking is still my comfortable place.

Weatherman says this area of Delaware just might, beat the average high for this time of year tomorrow.  Could be high 70's almost 80.  BUT then will plummet to low temperatures.  So plans are to do laundry for whites and hang them out tomorrow morning the make some soup for the colder temps.  Like I've said before.... "weather in Delaware is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get".

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Woman on Horseback Update

Nope, still not done but is great to have something to work on away from the floral ~ a nice break.  As previously mentioned I opted for fall leaves.  I did take a brown thread ~ actually pulled a thread from a strip of wool and wedged in between the face and sky of the woman.  Sadly moving the piece around the frame the gripper pulled some of the threads out.  So after it is completely hooked will do that again to show definition to her face.

Kimm, finished hers in January and if you'd like to see her version click HERE.  Kimm drew her pattern a few inches smaller than me at 14 x 14.5 and think she hooked in #6 but you can read about that on her blog at that link.  I drew mine 18 x 18.5.  Therefore was able to use some #8.5 but more narrow in small leaves, bridle, reins, and elsewhere where required. 

Also decided to do two strips of wool for the base of the trees instead of the narrow drawing from the original quilt block.  But we are all entitled to our own creative endeavors aren't we?

Today I ordered another fill of propane which will be delivered tomorrow.  I asked the cost today and it was 10 cents cheaper per gallon than when ordered in October.  Think it was just the luck of the draw but still am happy with that savings.      

Happy hooking.             

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

UPDATE on Woman on Horseback

I wanted to do a post on Saturday but the tree wasn't all hooked.  Then got thinking I should forget that and work on the horse.  But felt I couldn't post it this morning since the horse wasn't all hooked.  Now I've got no excuse and can't delay any longer as it has been 3 days since my last posting.  So here she is.

I drew this pattern measuring 18 x 18.5 and using a variety of cuts.  Have been using left over narrow cuts from my mother's profile for the lady's face, worms for the the cat in #8 and #8.5.  The lady's dress started with #8 worms but didn't have enough so cut extra wool #8.5 to fill in the skirt from another wool but it worked.

The woman's bodice buttons are a thread pulled from a white linen foundation edge ~ a little trick Bev Conway taught us in a class years ago.

The background has been the challenge and cannot believe it looks as well in the photo because in person it looks like...uh.. poop, lol.  I'm using some nice leftover worms from wool no longer in my stash, cutting wool from an extremely well worn Pendleton wool shirt (foreground) and other undesirable wool I wouldn't use in a rug for the floor.  But hey, it isn't going on the floor.  Here's a photo of some wool which is being used.

So my next hurdle, when I get there, will be choosing the leaf and ground colors.  Not only that but there is quite a good chance I'll run out of my 'make do' sky wool which will upset the applecart, so to speak.  But as the old staying goes...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

There were other folks who said they'd join in but as hopeful as I was to have more participants in this hook-along it seems to be just a duo ~ me and Kimm and she said she'll post a photo of hers tomorrow on her blog.  So it might be a cold day when I host another and will wait to see if someone else wants to carry the torch.  Hmm, I'm laughing here because it IS COLD outside but I'm NOT hosting another.

This evening I may or may not hook more on this.  But tomorrow it will be nice to revisit the 'forever floral'.  This was a nice break tho.

OH!!!!  Has anyone watched The Traitors on Peacock?  OMG, I binge watched it while hooking this and perhaps that's why it took me so long to accomplish anything.  It  was a very intriguing reality game show which had me on the edge of my seat.  Hope there is a next season of the show.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com