Christmas Dolls and Santa's

The Olde Ducks Magdalena design is still on my frame and still isn't fully hooked.  So......haven't started the new one.  So thought I'd show you some dolls and Santas I've made and perhaps sold, over the years. 

The cute snow gal below is called "Betty Duz" and was a pattern Ali Strebel and her partner sold when they were a team at Kindred Spirits.  I loved this doll, made and sold several when doing shows and my DIL loved it so much that I made her one.

Look at this huge hooked Santa on a dummy board which was hooked by Annie Lee ~ Santa is taller than she is.  With her is Joan Strausbaugh.  Quite an undertaking and well executed!

A Santa I made years ago and still own.  Face of sculpy, velvet and fur clothing, wool fleece beard. 

A primitive hanging santa holding gifts.

Santa with white wool coat and vintage stripe pants holding candy cane. 

Here are a couple folk art santas which never did sell and I think they are adorable.  Sewn with canvas, stuffed and painted with acrylics.

And this is Freezin' Frannie, another pattern and I forget who by now.

Well folks, as you can tell I'm just trying to entertain with a little this and that during the holiday since the Olde Ducks hasn't made much headway.  Have a great Friday.

Saundra

Yup, Time for Another Rug Show

Since the Olde Ducks isn't done yet and haven't started hooking on the new project, figured it was time to show some antique and folk art hooked rugs. 

This is a sheep dog watching over it's flock.  Look at the almost goggle or glasses appearance on the dog.  Makes me wonder if the hooker did a stylized hooking of light circles around her dogs eyes or it she was making a point to indicate the dog was spectacular at looking over its flock.  Interesting either way.

A floral with penny circles.

Nice antique rug from New England which I believe has been adapted by other hookers.

A hooked rug of the old whale ship Stephania.

This moose rug sure got lots of use.

Pocahontas, John Smith and Powhatanc, 1930.

Red Chickens yarns sewn rug.

 Interesting Maude Lewis kitchen, look at the art and hooked rugs.

A  Grenfell rug.

Since I had a dog rug the post needs to have a cat rug for the cat people.

And now for folk art hooked pieces by Nancy Gertrude Smith.

Hope you enjoyed the show.

Saundra

Let the Next Journey Begin

That journey would be my next antique adaptation Cherries and Candy Stripe.  No, I haven't finished the Olde Ducks yet but since I'm always looking forward to the next rug just had to start the process.  And since I promised to share the journey with you thought I'd begin with this.

I've started pulling wool and the strange thing is that once my next pattern was decided and drawn on linen a bundle of wool fell off the shelf.  You wouldn't believe the luck, but it was the perfect color for some of this design and it fell by a fluke.  That would be the dulled mottled red color you see in the pile to the right of the stripe.  That stripe will be my exterior holding line all around the perimeter of the design....uh, I'm thinking.  The blue, over dyed cream and white/tan cream worms will also be used.  Frankly would like to use reds and blues out of my worm bags also to give it the aged look. 

First the pattern was drawn on linen and where you see those dashes and dots is where the background coloration was on the original antique.  That will be to guide me for that delightful discoloration in antique rug backgrounds I find so endearing.

Then another line was drawn 1/4" from the edge of the design for me to attach my binding even before binding.  Also, drew another line 1" away from the edge of the rug design where the protective stitching will take place.

The protective stitching was done first at the 1" away from the design.  As it will be a narrow runner for my harvest table and have no desire to enlarge the pattern or the border I did the two rows of straight sewing then a zig zag row between those straight stitched rows to connect and protect the edge when the excess is cut away.

Next I sewed on this cotton stripe as the binding fabric.  Remember, this is NOT intended for the floor so it should be great as it will blend in with the colors of the border plus it looks faded and olden.  Besides, the wool chosen for the holding line will work great as the 'middle man' (er woman) between the cotton and hooked border.

Sadly I'm not starting to hook this baby yet as Magdalena's Olde Ducks need to be completely hooked first.  Not bound immediately I'm sure, but at least all hooked.  Just had to do something in preparation of the new rug on my frame. 

If you wish to follow along in the journey, FOLLOW me and check in periodically to see what is going on.

Have a great Saturday evening everyone.

Saundra

Da Ducks are Back

I'm going to work hard to finish Magdalena's Olde Ducks during the weekend but have yard work to do too, which will slow down my progess.  There's nothing like having another project lined up to get one motivated to finish another.  Just a tad bit more to do here.

On my next project I'll take you along on my journey step by step.  I've already begun pulling wool, but will also use some worms.  Plus I've thought about the binding I'll use ~ different for me. 

Have a great evening and hope you have been out and gotten your holiday shopping done, otherwise you are still driving around the mall parking lot trying to find a parking spot....or in a long line of holiday shoppers.

Saundra

Santas on my Harvest Table

Was thinking about pulling out some Christmas decorations but this is as far as I've gotten so far.  This Santa and Deer antique adaptation of was hooked by me as was the standing Santa doll.  Standing Santa doll is for sale; price is $65 plus shipping, oh, I also made the Charlie Brown Christmas tree he holds and it has tiny decorative lights on it.  I love this rusty metal container and branches with big snow beads which is not for sale.  That was purchased a few years ago from a shop that has since closed and I LOVE it as it is something that can be used all winter.

A few years ago I made a feather tree so perhaps after I clean my living room I'll bring the table top feather tree down and tell you the story.

Have only pulled a few loops on the Olde Ducks today since pulling things for the thrift shop.  I MUST start downsizing.  There are clothes in my closet that haven't been worn in years.  They fit and were in style then I gained weight and kept them thinking I'd fit into them again..... and I can.  BUT, now the length is different and even tho I may be the same weight as when I last wore them, my body shape has changed so they don't hang the same on me.

So I took a big box, and two large garbage bags to the thrift shop today ~ and I'm not done.  Guess the next haul will wait until I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about this issue of downsizing.

Have a good evening everyone.

Saundra

Update on Olde Ducks

I feel like such a bad blogger when doing updates on rugs I'm working on.  Yet, when looking at other blog sites who post updates on their progress it is interesting to me. 

HA, maybe it is I'm the one with the problem.  Maybe it is because I am ready to move on to my NEXT project... ya think?  I'm so close to being finished with Old Ducks yet it seems so far away from my starting hooking the next one. 

Today I got in the 'zone' pulling unrelated wool colors to hook in the rug.  It feels so good to use up worms.  And yes, I do cut wool for a few darks and lights when what I have is either too thin or too thick.  But am still reducing my worm stash, which is wonderful.  Oh my... I just looked at this photo on my blog and compared it to the original antique and now want to pull out loops.  I've got to consult my expert Evelyn Lawrence about this and send her this post. 

However, I've already drawn out my next project, have already found some over dyed wool I did eons ago which match and I'm ready to go.  But just may be pulling out loops on the Olde Ducks first.

Have a great evening.

Saundra

Needle Felting an Outline on a Hooked Rug

There is still a little to do on my otherwise completed Ali Katz rug.  That is needle felting the outlines.  It is all bound and I'm not in any hurry to do the needle felting since it actually looks okay as is ~ but I know it isn't 100% finished.

When I had my class with Ali Strebel this past September, my intentions were to hook an outline in a more narrow cut wool between the jaw line and other features of the cats OR use a darker color to show the shape. Here is a close up of the blue cat where you can see the outline of the nose, lip, etc.  I also chose to do needle felting inside the triangles as well as between the colors in the flower petals on the green cat. 

Yes, I could have chosen to use a darker wool on the blue cat as I did on the nose and jaw of the yellow zig zag cat and like on the jaw of the green cat but figured it was a class with Ali and wanted to try some of her techniques.  For the eyes, instead of hooking them I did the quillie eyes (a/k/a 'standing wool circles').

This is a photo of the dyed wool roving I used, the felting needle (just above the business card) and information on how to contact Ali Strebel of Kindred Spirits if you wish to purchase a package of 3 felting needles or wool roving.  You can see a small piece that was pulled off to needle felt a section that still needs to be needle felted.

And this is a cat I will demonstrate on where it is not felted on the left side facing you.

 As I work at the jaw I punch with my right hand as I gently twist and stretch out the fibers of the wool roving to make it thinner.  You can use as much or as little of the roving as you wish.

Below you can see how I needle felted the outline of that side of the cat.  What I have felted needs to be defined a little better but was in a hurry to get pictures and post this on my blog.



 FYI, this pattern does not need to have any needle  felting done to it all, that was my choice instead of hooking an outline.  So it's all up to you.  My friend Renia has purchased the pattern and will hook it at a rug camp next April and I sure hope she shares a picture with me when hers is done.  She may not do needle felting and hers will probably look more crisp than mine.  But hey, I'd never done that technique in a rug before and thought it would be fun.

Have a great Monday.

Saundra

Anatomy of an Antique Rug

Personally, I've only had the opportunity to get close and personal with very few antique rugs.  One was at Woolley Fox when Barb let us touch and closely view the rug which inspired her adaptation of Cora and Bently.  No, there are no pictures to show you of that experience as she asked us not to photograph it since we were seeing it before her article appeared in the Christmas 2013 issue of Early American Life magazine.  That back issue is still available if you wanted to purchase it.

This is a picture of one of the antique rugs I posted on my blog recently.  It is thought to be from the late 19th century and the original measured 30" x 57".  I plan to do an adaptation of it and am naming it Cherries and Candy Stripe.  I'm hooking mine not as a floor runner but a nice table runner for my harvest table and it will measure 14" x 35". 

Below shows the most damaged edge and for the life of me can't figure out if it is hooked with wool, nylons, cotton or what.  But we know that most any textile was used to hook a rug and still is to this day.  In the picture you can see how faded out the top is compared to the part of the textile which was folded and hidden from wear and sun exposure.

This is a picture of the colors of background wool that I find very endearing ~ that mottled blotcy background.  Whether it was originally the same close color but some areas faded more than others or if the person used what they had as it seemed close enough in color at the time. 

In this enlarged picture of the corner of the rug you can see the changes in the colors of in the stripes to either repair it or using what she had to fill in.  And it almost looks like it could have been hooked with nylons.  Maybe it will enlarge if you double click the picture.

Finally, this is part of the back of the rug.  I'm sorta guessing it was a punched rug and not a traditional hooked rug.  Any of you aficionados want to inform me with your expertise?

Have a great Saturday evening everyone and this is a teaser on my journey hooking an adaptation of this rug.  Not yet tho, I'm still working on Magdalena's Olde Ducks.

 

Saundra

Friday and Update on What's on the Frame

As a treat to myself on my special day it was time to leisurely look around in a couple department stores and have a Chinese Buffet lunch.  So I piled my plate high with baked tilapia and steamed or sautéed veggies and mushrooms.  OMG it was delicious.  And for dessert I had a small plate of a steamed clam and 5 steamed shrimp.  Trust me that was more tasty than a piece of pie, cake brownies or bowl of ice cream to me. 

Still on  my frame is Olde Ducks which was started on November 9th in a Betsy Reed class ~ not done, but it's getting there.

Already I'm thinking about what will be next on my frame...and think it will be an antique adaptation of a rug shown in a previous post.  Am thinking of names and sorta sitting in a holding pattern is "Cherries n Candy Stripe".  Guess that gives it away doesn't it?

Have a great weekend everyone.

Saundra

Antique Rug Show

Don't know about you, but I'm always ready for a rug show of any type, but my favorites are antiques. This one has piqued my interest and believe a lot has to do with the eye catching border, faded look of the colors as well as the blotchy primitive dark background.  That would look stunning on my harvest table.  Just might have to draw this one up and hook it.  Oh my but could many woolie worms be put to good use here.

The floral rug below is interesting too.  The pot reminds me of a broken tile vase. 

Below, an antique rug sold was described as Located in Lancaster County and is a chain stitched rug.  Wow, can you imagine the amount of time it took to make that?  But then there was no internet, TV, video games or texting. 

I like this deer rug also.

Think I've shown you this folk art chicken rug before but I still like it and it is worth showing again if I did.

 

If there was a granddaughter in my family I'd certainly have to hook this Sunbonnet Sue rug.  Isn't it cute with the girls and the shoes off?

 

Hope you had a great hump day at work or at home.  Whatever your day I wish you all a very good evening.

Saundra