HOOK WHAT YOU KNOW!

Hook what you know is a lesson I learned early on when first attending rug camp.  After you've hooked the colors on the motifs the teacher color planned for your rug and she hasn't come full circle what do you do?  You hook some background because you know what color you want.  Or, that's another reason to carry something else to work on before the teacher makes her first rounds, when all else fails or at night.  But then I don't have a 'plus one' at the moment.

That is unless you're unsure exactly what you want to do with the background too.  In case you've not seen the original antique from which I adapted the rug, or don't remember here it is.

Because the antique rug's background was so busy (junky) is how it got it's name.  And since a majority of comments liked Junk Yard Dog name more than Lucky, that name won.  

I kept the initials at the top and made them into my initials of SP.  Didn't know if I wanted to fill in that small spot top left with the green or fill in with the tan.  AND, about those initials ... not sure I like the light color.  Perhaps I like the darker S shape at the front of my dog better than the light colors at the top.

Also not sure how I want to handle the background around the flowers ~ the top one has a white outline the one bottom left has a texture and since I'm undecided haven't even thought about the flower bottom right side yet.  

By now you're wondering just how long I've been hooking???  😑  Would you believe about 30 years???  I'm ashamed to admit that.  You'd think I'd have all the answers.  People who have been hooking less than me are teachers.  Oh well, if I didn't share my struggles with color and decisions what kind of blogger friend would I be?  Must say tho, I still enjoy the hooking process even if I hook myself into a corner.

Happy hooking inside with the A/C, baby it's HOT outside.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Outside Edge ~ Border Decision

Am slowly working on Mr. Cotton Tail  (a design by With Thy Needle & Thread) and as I was hooking the border wondered if perhaps the outside edge row should be replaced.  The top you can see mostly an old gold/brown outer edge and swags.  Then wondered if the outer edge were black would the piece looked more framed and make for a nicer mat so hooked a section on your left but that didn't seem to help me.

So decided to lay a piece of dark wool on top of what had already been hooked to see for myself without having to pull loops.  AH, first glance at this sent a 'like' signal to my brain.  Then when I scrolled up to look at the photo above am able to see that as a viable alternative as a border frame.  Oh my.... decisions decisions. 

In a class with Eric Sandberg I remember him saying, "hook what you know".   This has come in handy in many a scenario.  That comment or thought comes in handy when at a rug camp you have a question for a teacher but she or he hasn't yet made rounds full circle.  IF I hook what I do know it will give me something to do and accomplish more on my piece without interrupting a teacher with a student who also needs help.

With this bunny mat, I will continue to hook 'what I know', which is the whole inside, because once there is more accomplished inside that border decision might be easier to make.

As always, I welcome everyone's thoughts.  There's no right or wrong, just a matter of taste..... or as with the 'dress gone viral' a matter of blue and black or gold and white ~ a matter of what the eye sees.

Have a great evening and hope your snow is melting there as it is here.  However, that is causing yet another situation with flooding; particularly since now there are to be a couple days of rain.  This is what it looks like now.  A series of photos taken of my back yard and woods area.  That woods area is supposed to be dry but unfortunately I do live in a low lying area.  Hell, all of Delaware is a low lying, flat land area.  That white in the background is still now on top of unmelted ice.  Inside Ben's playground you can see muck because it is so full of water.

 Yup, more water.

So friends..... once the rain developes you might see future pictures.  After all, we here in Seaford have suffered TWO 100 year floods within 2 years of each other and hope this isn't the 3rd.  Bridges were washed out and travel to a local grocery store just one mile from me took forever to get to because of the detours due to flooding.  But guess as long as I have heat, running water, some hooking and Ben for comfort I'll be okay.

Have a great evening.

Saundra