Whoop de doo!!!!! I'm all caught up with binding my rugs...so far. But the Daffodil and Sheep Challenge rug isn't done yet so that would be next.
This is what I've been working on the last couple days. Finally the last Out of Hand Rug Hooking challenge rug has been bound and steamed. Hey, since I'm working on a new Out of Hand Challenge it is about time, don't ya think?
Not only did the rug above get bound but these did too. This was an antique adaptation which started with just the horse from an antique rug. But while hooking him (Brownie) thought he needed a friend. So I have called this design Brownie and Bunny.
AND, I also stitched a label to the back of the rug of the original antique rug from which my horse shape was done.
This horse mat replication was also finally bound over the last couple days.
and the label attached to it is a copy of the original.
Oh but it feels SO GOOD to be caught up. But soon the newest challenge rug will be done and needed to be bound. Plus I'm getting anxious to start on a rug for my dear grandson for Christmas.
Uh... and then in May I'm going to a Barb Carrol rug camp in Ligonier. Oh my, so much fun happinging here.
It is very interesting to see how textures look so vastly different in yardage vs. hooked. And, color can change appearance depending on what color it is hooked against. Hmm, when I'm at a loss of what to write about that might be a good topic on how grey can change the colors of wool hooked around it.
Happily my second antique adaptation The Old Brown Horse and Bunny is done. Below is a picture next to the wool used for the ground.
In yesterday's blog post one of my readers thought the ground color below was pink. I can understand as below is the picture she saw. In this confusing photo the lighting was different I guess...., whether it be natural light, flash, different room....whatever. But when taping on the photo to enlarge you would have noticed it was orange in color. But an easy assumption nevertheless.
Wish I had the perfect set-up for taking photos and more times than not the picture on the monitor is not what the rug or wool looks like in person. All of us hookers at one time or another have excused the color of our photos. These two vastly different pictures, taken with the same camera by the same person can testify that color isn't always what it seems to show on the computer screen.
That very same orange and grey wool was used to hook 500 Mile Betts, my adaptation of a Harriet Powers Bible Quilt block. And must say it does look pink when compared to the background.
Something else I noticed too, is that the newest picture at the top doesn't show the garish bright blue sky either. Which means the jury (me) is still out about whether or not to use black walnut dye solution to soften/dirty up the sky. Just might still brush or dab some in spots just to give it a little old worn mottled dirty look in places.
Meanwhile, the pattern has been chosen for the next project. It is too late in the day for me to start cleaning up and putting back the mess I'd made and choose wool for the next project. The two mats have been steamed, edges prepared for binding and think tonight will be spent binding.
Yes, hate binding but am okay with doing that tonight ~ matter of fact it even seems like a calming event. Particularly since I did 3 loads of wash, changed sheets, picked up limbs and pine cones from the yard, cleaned out the fish pond filters and basket, walked Ben 3 times, steamed and did preliminary binding work on the mats. Whew, I just made myself very tired, lol.
Have a great evening everyone.
Saundra
It's about time this smallish mat got completely hooked. For those wondering mine measures 15" x 16" and should have been done some time ago. Here is an un-steamed adaptation of an antique horse.
Here is the original antique from which this was drawn.
Now I'm ready to move onto the other horse. I'll hook this one differently than the one above. This is also an adaptation of an antique rug. Since I couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted to hook decided to hook them both. This design measures 13 1/2 x 19 1/2 before hooking.
Remember a few posts back I wrote about "...what to look for when buying a pattern"? As you can see from my drawn linen that 'at least a 3" margin' doesn't apply to me when drawing for myself. In drawing patterns there is usually some odd size pieces of linen left. Naturally I like to conserve linen and will use small pieces for me. So I will sew a piece of cotton on the side which doesn't meet the 3" criteria. That way it will fit on my grippers while using up left over pieces of linen.
Plus I drew both horse patterns on the one linen but with enough space between the two to ensure there is enough between the patterns for binding.
Now I've got to start thinking about what to hook next. Will look thru my stash of patterns rather than considering drawing out something. Hmm, isn't that what I said before drawing out these two dang horses?
Have a great evening everyone.
Saundra
This is my progress so far on one of the antique horse mats. This one I drew to the size of 15 x 16. Looking at the photo the red/orange threads in some wool is showing where it was hooked at the neck. Not sure yet if I'll pull it out and use the more brown wool or not. But you know me, it will probably but the heck out of me until I do.
Also, if you read my blog you know I wanted a lighter tail but not as light as the original antique. Plus the background is using a mix of light wool worms dirtied up using the Olde Patina dye recipe.
And in case you've forgotten what the original looks like here it is. This is an antique rug so if any of you wish to join me in hooking one to the size of your liking, feel free.
The sheep rug still hasn't been completely bound but I should get busy finishing that up before there are two more mats to bind.
Happily I've gained 2 followers; not sure if they were ones previously lost who opened a gmail address and came back or new ones. But whatever the case am happy to see the follower numbers increase instead of decrease.
Last weekend the east coast experienced the wrath of the nor'easter Jonas. Depending on where along the coast you lived depended on whether you received snow or rain. When this nor'easter occurred it also happened to be high tide, high winds, full moon and loads of rain and snow mix.
As I live inland, it was snow for me. The news photo attached below shows a photo of what Mercer Avenue in Oak Orchard, DE looked like.
The white lamp post to the right belongs to my mother's house. Yes, she lived in a flood zone as her house is across the street from the Indian River. If you enlarge the photo you will see the picture was taken after the water had already receded 12" - 15".
The other photo was removed as it didn't pertain to Oak Orchard.
Now the great news is that my brother and I who used to worry about flooding in the house each time there was a hurricane or nor'easter, had just sold the house in December so it isn't our problem any longer.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Saundra
For those just now checking out my blog, this is an adaptation of an antique horse mat that is on my frame right now. For you others who follow me I'm sorry if this is redundent But it is a great way for me to view progress and see what needs top be tweaked.
As you can see comparing my rug to the antique below my colors are different. However, I am using a darker value where is required yet using what I have.
The plan is to use only my left overs and the wool worms over dyed (shown in a previous blog post). Haven't figured out what choices to make for the tail but won't be almost invisible like the antique.
Binding of the sheep has been stagnant because once I get the hook in my hand it is glued in. Each day the plan is to bind the sheep for 20 minutes and THEN hook. Uh, hasn't happened since starting hooking on the horse mat.
Craziness is happening with my followers again. The other day I gained a person after having lost several in previous weeks. So I thought Google had gotten their s**t together removing all folks who had a yahoo, aol or other email address and didn't have a Google email. Well today I lost another 16 followers.
No way I believe the followers don't like me. Think it is because the people who join are being held captive until they become a gmail person. Hey, Google, what the hell does that prove? Do you really want to put yourself out there to say...."it my way or the highway?"
Okay folks, if my blog disappears overnight you'll know why. Google decided to say "bye bye".
Hope everyone has a great night.
Saundra (who did make the blog with a gmail account but who has other email accounts as well)
Yippee, finally managed to pull a few loops on one of the horse mats. Am wanting to make this one look scrappy as I'm using (so far) only left over wool strips. Some will be short, thin or thick and just going for using what I have....just like our foremothers did.
In case you don't remember, here is what the original antique looks like.
Already I see that I've hooked too thick a brown area on the horse's leg compared to the original...also I've hooked a brown texture in the neck; oh well.
Am planning to go spend a little time now binding the sheep rug. But before bedtime will go back to my horse.
Feels good to have one rug edge whipped and one to go. At least now I'm hooking again.
Warm up today started melting the snow and now is the dirty, slippery mush. At least poor Ben can walk unscathed instead of stepping on crusty snow only to drop several inches with each leg movement.
Hope all of you have a great evening and am in anticipation on what the heck my friend Kim is going to post tonight. She is an over achiever, a show off and other things, lol.
Luv ya'll.
Saundra
