What...You want to See My Camp Rug???

Here it is and boy do I have lots of things to talk about.  First, it is a fun rug to hook and size is great too measuring approx. 20 x 35.  The majority of wool used in the rug was taken by me but generous Barb gave me a few small strips to cut and use here and there. 

In all honesty, as I told Barb, I'd never have chosen those colors to hook the dog but I like the way he looks...sorta like a brindle colored dog.  Frankly, I'm over the moon happy with what she chose.

Now, if you think my hooked Chum with fork type toes looks weird....then take a look at the original antique hooked rug below.

Before camp, when drawing the design out on linen did ponder how I'd hook the feet.  Should I stay true to the folk art look of the original antique with fork feet or draw and hook normal paws?  I thought perhaps when the pattern is ready for sale that people might prefer regular paws, so below is what I drew.

But when Barb saw the original antique picture,  she easily made a case for me to stay true to the original antique.  Hey, it's folk art.  So when the pattern becomes available for sale I will offer both options; fork feet or paws.

Oh, and something else....notice on the original antique that star, or starfish or whatever?  I drew a regular star at the base of the feet.  And again dear Barb pleaded her case about making it more closely to the original antique.  

Which prompted me to ask Barb what the heck she thought that motif was.  Her reply was "it's a Whats'its).  (gotta LOVE that cool beans woman!).  So friends, it isn't a star, it isn't a starfish.....it's a whats'its.

All of you may know Barb has sold the rights of her pattern business to Katie of A Nimble Thimble but Barb will still continue to teach.  Katie is in the process of revamping the Woolley Fox web site but you can still order Woolley Fox patterns.  Once you decide which patterns, write Katie at woolleyfox@animblethimble.com.

If you would like the experience of taking a class with Barb you can write Barb HERE.  Maybe you will get lucky and fill in an empty spot or if there are 5 or 6 of you to make a group, perhaps you will have your own 4 days of 'bliss with Barb'. 

Have a great week.  OH.... my mail server is again putting all the blog comments in my spam folder.  Since I don't keep my PC on all the time don't see the comments right away. 

Beautiful Woolley Fox Rug Camp

Everything was luscious with velvety green grass, beautiful gardens, pond filled with entertaining koi, and delightful yard decorations.  This is a picture of the boat in the pond facing toward Barb's wonderful home.

Another view of the boat with the huge trees in the background. 

This is a metal and bead sculpture on the bow of the boat but difficult to see in the pictures above.

Here is the Guest House back porch which is great to sit and hook with a glass of wine, enjoy the scenery and the sounds of birds singing.

This was our view of the pond and entertaining koi from the porch.  Once Deb and I heard a loud splash obviously made by a big daddy koi and sounded like a marlin had broken water.

This was our 'home away from home' for 4 days.  You can see a gas log fireplace to keep us warm if necessary.  To the left is the window next to the porch.

There were two ceiling fans in this room which circulated air for us the first couple days when it was hot and humid.  Just beyond those blue shutter doors to the right is our bedroom with two twin beds and wall A/C unit.  There is a fully stocked book case for your reading pleasure if your hook gets too hot from hooking so much.

Oh, and hooked rugs, some antique and some hooked by Barb hang on the wall throughout both this Guest House as well as the Woolley Cottage.

The mohair cat in the cage got Deb's attention and I just had to take a picture of it to post.  Notice the kitten on the outside looking in.

As this is a Bed and Breakfast there are dishes, microwave, sink, toaster, coffee and tea, condiments, egg steamer, coffee maker as well as breakfast food provided.  That antique stove is non-functional but it sure is lovely.

From our Guest House porch this is a view of the Woolley Cottage which Deb and I have also stayed in.  That is where the other 3 gals stayed who were in our class.  You'll have a chance to meet them and their rugs in a future post.

All of you may know that Barb has sold the rights of her pattern business to Katie of A Nimble Thimble but Barb will still continue to teach.  Katie is in the process of revamping the Woolley Fox web site but you can still order Woolley Fox patterns.  Once you decide which patterns, write Katie at woolleyfox@animblethimble.com.

If you would like the experience of taking a class with Barb you can write Barb HERE.  Sometimes a person(s) will drop out due to various personal circumstances and sometimes spaces need to be filled.....just what happened to us when 3 of our friends moved or had personal responsibilities.  So call and put your name in or if there is more than one of you let Barb know and maybe you'll get lucky.

Have a great Memorial holiday everyone.  Tomorrow's post will be about a friend of mine who just published his first book.  He has been working on this manuscript for a couple years and is also working on another.  I swear that thing is as big as War and Peace.  The book is full of intrigue, and the setting is on another continent.  Drop by to see what that's all about tomorrow. 

As you can see I'm teasing you again by making you wait to see the rugs and the other gals in class.  But I figure since so many will be occupied with family and friend celebrations this weekend that the delay will be better anyway.

Saundra

Home from Woolley Fox Rug Camp

Oh boy what a horrible travel day it was from Ligonier to Maryland/Delaware yesterday.  In the mountains with the hair pin sharp curved roads of PA it was rainy and foggy.  Sometimes you could hardly see at all.  But happily we arrived safely to Deb's house in Maryland after a little over 4 hours and then it was to be another 1 1/2 hours for me from her house to mine in Delaware.

Uh, problem is..... I have to cross the Bay Bridge along with everyone else who took off a day early from work to have a long holiday weekend at one of the Delaware or Ocean City, MD beaches.   And the rain continued.  I finally got home close to 5 pm exhausted and with a sore butt from sitting in a car seat.

This was our home away from home for a few wonderful days of good food, good friends and lots of hooking.  Deb and I stayed on the top level of this Guest House.  You couldn't ask for a more beautiful setting! 

I love this sign and the display and think Barb said Larry Ault made the sign for her.

I've lots more photos to show you and rugs of course.  But thought I'd tease you with this until my act gets together.  My suitcase still isn't totally emptied and have chores.  Besides, it is Memorial weekend and doubt too many people will be looking at blog posts so will save some goodies to show you in a day or two.

Have a great Friday.

Saundra

Stewing Wool

Yesterday I noticed Heavens to Betsy had a new post on her blog about stewing wool.  Heck, she used some wool that I purchased from her and thought I'd pull out  some wool and my pot again.

Below is the before photo and you can see that I also have Little Miss Sunshine (yellow).  I had a bright red from a pair of slacks which was always too bright to use but hopefully will be better to use now.  I didn't have Ligonier Purple wool but grabbed this plaid which I've also not used either because of it brightness.

After stewing the wool using the same process Betsy wrote about on her blog, this is the after photo.  It appears the blue plaid is toned down as is the red seems to have changed color.  And ooh I like the mottled Little Miss Sunshine a lot!

There are 3 more panels from those red slacks left to use as a bleeder.  Once I return from Woolley Fox rug camp think I might stew a little bit more using the red but choose 3 other wools. 

Have a great evening.

Saundra

 

Binding Barb Style

There are several different styles of binding techniques which have been posted about here in the past.  Since I'm binding Magdalena's Farm rug thought it was about time to do another tutorial of sorts. 

I've been very fortunate to have had many camps with Barb at Woolley Fox and when we were treated to a home tour took the opportunity to check out the bottom of her rugs to see how they were bound.  Oh yes I did girlfriend (as I swirl my head around like a teenager)!  Bold of me, right?  Well a girl just needs to see first hand how the master does it.

Barb has a booklet which gives all the information about hooking, cutting wool, hooks, etc., a very good beginner book.  It also shows how she binds her rugs.  Hopefully it is still in print since I'm posting about it here.  By the way, there is a free pattern insert inside too.

In the book Barb demonstrates how she uses wool yarn to whip on the underside of the rug by catching the foundation and the cotton binding. Must admit that Mz. Barb is more liberal with her wool yarn than me but mine does the job ~ hers is more lush.  Neither her way nor my way is seen from above and does not detract from the wool rug above.  That is the beauty of this style.

My yarn has variegated colors which are also in the rug itself.  But again, it isn't seen from the top of the rug but makes a nice statement when you flip it over.

Now, the hidden secret I learned while snooping under Barb's rug is that extra step.  One which I've known about since looking at her binding but haven't tried until now.  If you look closely at the picture above as well as the one above that, you will see a gentle running stitch down the middle of the cotton binding.  Now why didn't I ever think about doing that? 

If you think about it, that would make the cotton binding more stable when doing the inside stitching step.  It would also prevent the cotton binding from wrinking and fraying more easily.  Yes, it is yet another step for a task none of us like (binding a rug), but it does have its good points.  This is the first time I've gone that "extra step" yet wanted to let you all know about it.

For sure this last binding project will be done in time for Cape May.  Today I even made rug labels for several of the last rugs I've hooked this year.  While they may not all be attached to the back in time for Cape May show I do have something special to show you about making rug labels.

Hey, you ain't seen nutten yet.  Wait til I post about my rug labels tomorrow.  Okay, okay, some of you gals are far more computer and label savvy than me so you may know more, but today I got better than I was yesterday. 

Have a great evening everyone and be ready for the cool down tomorrow.  Personaly, I can't wait.

Saundra

A Magdalena's Farm Update

Yeah, I'm sure you are all wanting to see my progress (or lack of) on Magdalena's Farm rug which was started at Woolley Fox camp a couple weeks ago.  In my defense, upon coming home from camp felt it necessary to finish The Cat's Meow rug first since it was so close to being done and was started before attending camp.  That is why there's not more accomplished on this fun rug.

Well, as usual my inclinations were to continue having fun and hooking without posting an update.  But since it was time to move the rug on the frame decided to take a picture.  It appears to be ALMOST half hooked.  Geez, this may be a record since this wasn't started until May 19th.

Have a great evening everyone, we in the east will soon experience the storms the center of the U.S. will experience tonight.  May we all be safe and ... GOD  BLESS  AMERICA.   GOD knows we need his help.

Saundra

Magdalena's Farm Rug in Progress

I was tempted to keep on hooking and take a picture later and update my blog this evening.  But that is exactly what happened yesterday ~ ...oh Saundra, just hook in that small empty space.  Okay, so now let's hook around the horse.  Oh, but I want to hook that space under the goat's belly.  So then it became almost bed time and too tired to mess with the blog. 

The rug is spread out on my back deck and photographed in natural light, no flash.  I can see it has ripples so should have taken more care to spread it out better.

Magdalena's Farm is the perfect size for me and measures 24 x 38.  My gal pals Deb and Mary were hooking much bigger rugs which you can see in a previous post from Barb's camp.  The longest rug I ever hooked was Domestic Zoo and that will maintain as the record if I have anything to do with it.

As I'm looking at what I've hooked am trying to decide whether to finish the area to the far left and fill in the background or finish the bird motif.  Think I'll finish the left side so that I can call that part done.

If you're interested in ordering Magdalena's Farm pattern just e-mail or call Woolley Fox I'm sure they can fix ya up.  I've attached a link to the Magdalena page for your convenience.  You can see how others have hooked this design and see other Magdalena patterns while you're there.

Have a great evening and please be kind to one another. 

Saundra

WOO HOO! Last Loop Pulled

Yup, the last loop was pulled on The Cat's Meow rug but it still needs to be bound and that's not my favorite pastime.  Yet it is a necessity unless you have the financial resources to have someone else do it for you ~~ uh, I don't.  Once it is bound I'll have a good pic to post on my web site for patterns.  Here is what it looks like after the last loop was pulled and the picture was taken with a flash so it is more bright here than in person.

A picture without a flash which is a tad blurry.

Here are a couple photos taken while at camp last week.  This picture is taken by my gal pal who used a lense which distorts the picture, you can notice it particularly by the curvature of the corner cupboards ...sorry.

To the far left in this picture is Barb's daughter Robin having lunch with us; then there is me, Shari and Deb. Missing is Mary, who is taking the photo and Barb who is relaxing upstairs during lunch.

And, a person who was sorely missed this camp was our wonderful gal pal Char who has become a Snowbird.  This past year she became almost an extinct being since we've not seen her.  We read messages from her but not the same thing as having up close and personal contact.  So here is a picture from a previous camp at Woolley Fox with our gal pal Char. 

In the picture above is Shari, me, Deb and Char.  We sure are busy hooking and having fun.

With the time left tonight it will be fun hooking on Magdalena's Farm rug started at Barb's.

Saundra

Honey's, I'm Home!

I arrived home Thursday around 5 p.m. and about 2 hours left to my drive home the car radio was interrupted with tornado and extreme thunder storm weather warnings moving all around me. My eyes kept a watchful eye in the rear view mirror and couldn't get home fast enough.  Since all ended well I guess it was a fitting big BANG to the class at Woolley Fox.

Did I have fun you ask?  Uh, yeah, and I always do.  My friend Evelyn wrote me asking if I was happy with the rug I hooked there.  Seems a silly question since Evelyn hooks at the camp so knows the answer herself.  My response to Evelyn was, "Yes, I like every rug that comes out of Barb's class".  Mine is no exception. 

Here are some pictures of my pals rugs and the pictures were taken 2 1/2 days into the class.  This is a picture of my friend Mary with her rug and the picture is taken on the deck of the Guest House on the Woolley Fox premises.

This is my friend Shari who is working on Barb's pattern called Rags.  She is hooking the dog in the color of her dog.

My gal pal Deb is hooking Magdalena's Animal Parade which is a humongous rug measuring 33 x 79.  She is hooking it in #9 strips.  You should see that duck up close and personal....awesome.

And finally mine, which is Magdalena's Farm and measures 24 x 38.  All those markings on the rug translate to instructions from Barb.  She has a great teaching technique which makes it easy to remember.  Since these are small classes Barb brings each student to the planning area individually and concentrates on THAT rug only.  Once that student is ready for the next stage then Barb calls up the next student.

I love everything about my rug ~ everything!  What's funny is that I'd become accustomed to putting some sort of purple in the rug since my first class with Barb.  She had already color planned everything except the background and the corner swag.  I was beginning to wonder if this would be my first rug from a Barb class without purple....how could that be?  FINALLY, there was that bit of purple I'd come to expect and enjoy in a rug from Barb's class. 

I'd intended to come home and finish up the Cat's Meow rug which is very close to being done.  But, I just wanted to continue the ambiance I'd enjoyed at Ligonier with Barb and my gal pals so have kept this on the frame.  Tonight I'll continue hooking on this rug and tomorrow think I'll finish up the Cat's Meow and be done with that one since it is so close to being done.

Gals, if you ever get the opportunity to take a class with Barb please treat yourself.  It is an experience watching Barb's brain work on the color planning process.  Sure wish the talent would rub off on me but no matter how many classes I've taken with her I still don't feel my magic happening with the color planning.

If you are interested in taking a class with Barb at Woolley Fox, click HERE to see the information.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

My Bags are Packed and Ready to Go

Anyone my age would remember John Denver's song which was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary ~ "...my bags are packed and I'm ready to go....".  But I won't be Leaving on a Jet Plane.  I'll be going to Ligonier, PA for a class with the wonderful Barb Carroll at Woolley Fox.

I was lucky enough to purchase Magdalena's Farm from Barb when it was half price so that is what I'll be hooking in her class.  Here are two photos which I pulled from Barb's web site so you can see how two different people hooked the same design.  The top one was hooked by Elaine Cathcart and the one below was hooked by Kathy Wadlington.  I just love that frolicking rabbit-eared looking Deer.

 I'm undecided on whether I will do a dark background or a lighter background but I'm going prepared for both ways.

The plastic containers hold the wool I'm taking to Barbs for my rug; one has colors in it, another lights, and the other darks.  Yup, a lota wool.

This is what is stashed inside the yellow collapsible tote.... small samples of wool for Barb to select from which also happen to have larger pieces in the tote.  So really, I could keep the totes in my car and only pull the wool from there that Barb selects for my rug.  That beautifully hooked Woolley Fox rug you see on the left was gifted to me by my departed friend Lesley Coveney. 

Sitting on top of that tote is a plastic bag filled with the over dyed wool for the background on Cats Meow rug (below).  I doubt much more will be hooked on it today as my frame will need to be packed.  I'm heading out in the morning to stay overnight with my pal Deb and Sunday morning we will both head to Ligonier, PA.

I'll have my iPad handy but will only have access to Barb's wifi when close to her house as there's no signal to the Woolley Cottage which is where we will stay.  So until I return, please be kind to one another and 'hook on'.

Saundra

The Chaos begins

But before I show chaos pictures I'd like to welcome my 180th Followers... thanks for joining!

Here is the chaos with the STILL unfinished Spiral Chair Pad (notice Ben is laying right where my feet would be).  Yes, I just overturned the tote so all tangled worms would be available.  I want this sucker all hooked before I leave!!!!!!!  Close, but not close enough.  If it isn't done by the time of leaving for camp it will be put away forever and ever and ever I'm afraid.

And there is the chaos of now gathering wool for camp since the 32 patterns have been drawn and shipped. 

Notice those two rings on the table to the right.  That is where I put samples of the wool to be presented to Barb and will have the bulk of the wool in my van.  So whatever she chooses can be retrieved from my van later.  Previously I'd taken half yard of all my presentations and that was a lot of bulk to take to the class room.  Now will just have these two rings full of samples for her to choose from.

That four spool of pink threads is the serger that saved my butt.  That is the one which allowed me to finish the last two patterns for the shipment.  Still don't know the story with the one just taken to the shop AGAIN.  But hope to know before leaving for camp.

Thanks for visiting and hope you stop by again sometime.

Saundra