A Rug For My Son

Remember when I posted about my son building addition to his home and wanting to hook a wall hanging for him?  That prompted me to post some antique tavern signage on a previous post.  Problem was everything I looked at was something I would want.  Isn't that the way it is when you go gift shopping for a friend?  Everything you pick out is something you'd like.   Well this was no different and could my son relate to anything I wanted to hook for me?

Then I  had to shift gears and think what my son would like... he wouldn't want some artsy crows wearing a top hat and jacket, whales, etc.  but rather something manly man style.  He is a lineman by trade (think utility poles, restoring power after hurricanes, snow storms, etc.) 

Greg (my son) will have a pool table in his game room so pool balls became my focus for the design.  He and his buddies surely enjoy beer so that was an idea...... okey dokey then.... a design was being born. 

Yes, I'm still working on Mr. Cotton Tail but knew that unless I broke ground on this design for my son it might end up in a stack of unhooked patterns.  At least now it is started and I'll be more likely to return and finish it.  Sorry the visual is so zig zag on the foundation and hope you can see the design and what I've hooked so far.  If you click on the photos they will enlarge and is much easier on the eyes.

I'm using #8 cut for the balls but smaller worms for the numbers. Oh, and using worms wherever I can.  And it is interesting in the lessons learned at rug camps which can be used in the most unusual ways.

 

Last September at Cape May Ali Strebel taught us a really cool trick using needle felting in our work.  I used it in my Ali Katz rug and am using white roving to needle felt in the tiny areas around the numbers of the pool balls.  I hook one row of white wool in a circle but there are very small areas, like in the middle of the 8 as well as the 3 so that technique came in very handy.

 

Problem is I was too hasty in drawing the design.  Now I wish I'd drawn the beer mugs up a little higher.  While there is only a little difference, the picture below suits my eye better.  But don't think I want to super impose another mug drawing, even in another color ink, on top of what I've already drawn.  Besides, don't think my son would even notice that space above the mugs.

I thought about hooking the Ace of Hearts and Ace of Spades in those spaces but wanted to keep the design simple.  Also thought of hooking cue sticks but nixed that idea too.  Yet the rug doesn't need to be done until Christmas so perhaps I'll think of something to so the area doesn't look so blaah.

 

Have a great weekend everyone. 

 

Saundra

 

 

More Trunk Show by Ali

Since there are still a number of rug pictures from the show that need reducing in size thought I'd give you more of the trunk show that Ali took to Cape May.

Here are two great fraktur flower pieces which used a couple of her techniques.  I see needle felting, standing wool circles (quillies), embroidery stitches, beading and forget what else that I can't see in the picture.

This bluebird below has several techniques applied to the cute primitive piece also.  As you can see it still needs to be bound as did a few of her pieces but they were done enough to give us lots of eye candy.

 Below is a holiday piece which was done directly onto wool good for hooking, so it can be done.  The tree is needle felted.

Can't remember if Ali said this was a personal challenge or one with a group, but she did two flowers with entirely two different looks. 

I've a thing for log cabins, and also like how Ali has done a patchwork type framing.

Here is a close up of the cabin and tree.

 

Don't you just LOVE this tote?  The entire design has been needlefelted directly onto the wool. 

 A poinsettia pillow hooked on her hand dyed linen.

 I believe the piece below is from one of her booklets.

 Another cute wool tote a hooked sheep face and quillies.  Note the lether feet hanging from under the tote/purse.

 Another sheep and way different which incorporates needle felting (moon, trees, windows and door.

 Another small heart using left overs.

 How sweet is this snowman with his wool jacket?

 A close up of the sewn on jacket.

Well, there ya have it.  Now I've got to knuckle down and reduce the picture size but first need to draw a pattern for someone.

Have a great afternoon.

Saundra