Winding Down

Soon we will all be doing yard work and cutting grass, our time will be limited so lets get these challenge pieces finished so I can share them on my blog.  

The Textile Challenge was opened February 13th.  While not everyone may have joined that day the challenge has been underway for just over 3 weeks.  Monday I will do a blog post of participants' projects.

The majority of people chose the Tattered Tulip since it was an smallish piece, 3 people chose Magdalena's Pup, 3 decided on Scrappy Cat and one person chose Hearts in Circles.  There were those people who finished their piece early and wanted to do another challenge so chose something else.  Out of that whole group there were only 2 people who haven't responded.  Yet the rest of us had a great time with comradery and sharing.  

Elizabeth drew her Tulip pattern measuring 15 x 17 so is a little larger than mine was.  She is using light weight cotton, sari silk and tie silk.  And you can definitely see where wool was used; and oh what a difference wool makes, eh Lauren, lol.  We sure do cherish our wool now don't we?

Maria just sent me her update on Magdalena's Pup and this makes me want to hook one now too and even with alternative textiles (did I honestly just say that???)  

She also sent a photo of what she's hooking in her piece ~ yarn, t-shirts and hose.

Jane also sent me her finished Scrappy Cat she named "Walter's Cat" since that cat would always greet her when cutting the grass and it had bowed front legs.

Jane sent a photo of some of the textiles used at the bottom and elsewhere loosely in the rug.  She said she used these on the wrong side to make the colors muted and also pretended she was a 13 year old hooking in the dark with whatever was available.   Oh if only we could revert back to that unharnessed innocence whenever we wanted ~ where the sky could be green or pink and animals blue?  Hmmm, is that an idea for a future challenge anyone?

Happy Saturday and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

From Challenge To Antique Rug Show

Thought everyone would enjoy seeing some antique rugs while waiting for the last of the challenge pieces to show up.  And in case anyone is wondering ~ I had no adverse reaction to first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.  Perhaps with the second shot I'll have a reaction but am very happy to finally have received the first one.

This first antique rug intrigues me as it is a Horse with cave art appeal which was said to be hooked between 1800-1899.  It measures 28 x 47; this is a close up.

This is a full view but at an angle.

Another horse rug, I believe the one below is an E.S. Frost design.  No dimensions or date were provided.  

Although somewhat faded except for the center, here is a close-up of the flower.

From Canada is Silver Black Fox and in the auction description said it is with Maggie and Jiggs. The rug measures 22 x 51 and is the collection of Jim and Ilona Fleming hooked 1935 so guess it isn't quite the legal age of public domain quite yet.   I'm not familiar with the history or names so maybe someone could enlighten me.

Here's a Hit and Miss Geometric from the Williamsburg Folk Art Museum.  Sorry, don't have dimensions.

The date on the rug below is being obscured by the floral arrangement but it was hooked in the 1920s  Don't have dimensions but it was being auctioned in York, PA.  

The below rug is too ornate for me to hook but thought you'd like to know about it's meaning.  The 1876 Crowned Eagle, beehive and conjoined cornucopia horns symbolize steadfastness, promise and plentiful bounty of freedom, value of work, faith, piousness.  It measures 33 x 44 and still in excellent condition.

A cute Cat with a triangle (saw tooth) border and flowers.  No dimensions or age provided by the auction house.

Finally a 1900s Floral with Scrolls measures 18 x 34.   

Here's a close up of the yarn and knit fabric.

Below is a back corner of the rug; take note how the hooker folded over the edge and hooked a self binding.  I've always been amazed at how they managed to do that because I need my gripper frame and they had to accomplish that task without any frame at all.   

Have a great day and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

The Beat Goes On

Am truly surprised and honored by the response of people wanting to participate in this Textile Challenge.  Some even enjoyed it so much they wanted a second serving, but me thinks my friend Lauren won't be one of them 😁.  You did a fantastic job on this beauty despite what you think Lauren.

The finished dimensions of her piece is 12 3/4 X 15 1/2; she  used Sari ribbon, woven cotton, paisley, 1 strip of velvet, 2 different wool yarns and an old t-shirt.  So you can see the great wool yarn edge better, here is a close up.  Also note a random color hooked in at the bottom left.  That is exactly what our foremothers would have done when they ran out of the textile they were using for the background.  That gives it character and I love it!

Denise finished her Scrappy Cat and asked to do Magdalena's Pup next.  Some of the cottons she used in this piece she previouslyl cut to do a quilt; but said she's enjoying it much more in this piece than the quilt that almost was.  Sweet looking feline you have there Denise.

Kimm also finished her Hearts in Circles antique adaptation.  She stained hers with coffee and said coffee stains darker and faster than tea.  But Kimm I think it looks lovely.  Maybe you'll try it again in different colors or using tea. 

Rhonda completed her challenge piece and while she complained about not being a good photographer it seems none of us ever get the true colors when photographing our work ~ that's a constant complaint of mine.  Looks good and primitive just how I like it.

Donna started hers yesterday and is making good headway.  She is using quilting cotton, sari ribbon, some yarn and stretch jersey, which, she says Deanne calls 'sexy jersey'.

Pamm finished her velvety tulip today and it is a stunner.  She said the pink and green (which is showing up as a gold/green on my monitor) is hand dyed but the purple velvet has white on the backside and that is what is causing those little threads.   She also said doing this challenge makes her appreciate how easy it is to hook with wool.    Pamm, couldn't agree with you more about the wool ~ and, FYI, all of us who participated had those dang threads with the cotton we used too, not to worry.    

I've been asked how people are finishing their pieces.  I just folded back the linen and tacked down, then did the Betsy Reed style of primitive edge.  

To do that I cut 3" strips of like cotton background and twisted it into a ball to wrinkle it until ready to do the edge.  I had a ball of vintage pink and ecru thread to do the whipped edge.  Not fancy but adds to the primitive nature of the challenge.

This morning I began my normal ritual of searching for Covid vaccine in my area then shocked finding availability at my local Walgreens.   Was able to secure an appointment for tomorrow with the 2nd dose in 28 days.  A couple hours later received a phone call from Walgreens saying they had 3 pharmacists on duty and did I want to go in today.  Heck yeah!  So I had my first Pfizer shot today around 1:44 p.m. and will have the second on March 31st.

Happy Hooking and stay safe.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Still Going Strong

The Challenge Group is still active with new finishes coming in and some folks deciding to do another.  This is Chris' Tulip.  She said this was such fun because she's never been to a rug camp and loved the comradery of  group participation and communication.

Margaret finished challenge #2 with the Tulip.  If you recall she already completed Magdalena's Pup.

Rhonda has made some progress on her Tattered Tulip and has only  background to do so she is on the home stretch.

Joan finished her Tulip and says she will do another since the blue in someone's piece caught her fancy.  You go girl!

Maria added her special touch to make this pup her star canine.  I like stars too Maria and crescent moons particularly in love with that overdyed t-shirt.  I think Magdalena would approve as well.

Maria shared something special and one I plan to take advantage of if I can find that random olive drab shirt of my ex.  Unless I gave it to the thrift shop eons ago.  Oh I hope I didn't.   She overdyed one of her hubby's t-shirts in a black RIT dye bath.  Said not to worry it wasn't one of his good ones, this was in the thrift shop pile.  She used some of this in her Magdalena Pup challenge.

Guess what I found!!!!!!  Yup, it's here and I'm going to use some of it in black RIT dye and save some for another time in another dye bath.  Thanks Maria!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the challenge; Sue, Sheila and Donna, do you need any help or have any questions?  

Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Life After My Tulip

Life is Good.  Not to worry, I'm not abandoning the challenge group and will continue to post your progress on my blog but thought I'd give everyone a break to look at something different.  

As soon as I pulled the last loops on my Tulip Challenge I grabbed the Patriotic Shield and reverse hooked the cotton flannel I'd hooked when it was my challenge choice.   Grabbed some red, white and blue textured wool and my Townsend cutter.  This is what I've accomplished so far.  I drew this measuring 20 x 21, hooking the stars in #8 cut and the rest is hooked using #8.5 cut. 

It is an adaptation based on the following antique rug.  This rug was located in Shenandoah Valley, Va.  measures 30 x 88 and sold for $13,000 in 2008.  It was hooked 19th century.

I've been wanting to hook this Shield for some time and now is the time.  When starting to work on it for the challenge just knew it was too precious a piece to me and bigger than I wanted to do for the challenge.  So I pulled out these loops and went for the Tulip instead.

FYI, Lisa if you're reading my blog want you to know that I decided to straighten the lines and re-drew them down the ditch.  I'd originally thought of following the unevenness of the antique but made more sense to hook them straight since I'm using #8.5 strips.

Happy Hooking everyone.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

ELEVEN DAYS INTO THE CHALLENGE (Updated info)

This is day 11 of the alternative textile challenge with 6 people having  completed their Tulip and both people completing Magdalena's Pup.  

Update:  Chris posted a very interesting question to all you participants.  She wondered if you plan to steam your piece.  She's worried since both ribbon and pantyhose are in her piece they may melt or singe.  Chris, I can only speak for myself and I don't have either of those textiles in my piece.  I don't plan to steam, but since it is supposed to look old anyway, mine is on the floor in my kitchen between the sink and where I prepare food.  It will get pressed when standing on it and if anything spills on it oh well.

Cathy of Acorn Hollow has completed her Tattered Tulip and her sentiments were like  mine....happy to have it finished.   She used ribbon, old curtains, skirt lining, vintage bark cloth and vintage lace.  She enlarged hers 10 x 10 and said it was much harder than she thought.

Lauren has accomplished a lot since her last posting.  But me thinks she can't wait for this to be done so she can go back to her wonderful warm wool.  Your colors work well together ~ I especially like that olive green in the background.  Oh, and great colors.

Chris couldn't wait to cut up her old pantyhose and put them in her Tulip rebelling against having to once wear them.  She said the nylons hooked  "as smooth as buttah".

Kimm also accomplished more on her Hearts in Circles design.  She said the pink and tan appeared too bright so she coffee stained it.

Jane sent an update on her Scrappy Cat, said she had just enough of the stripe brown and tan jersey to put some in the head.  A remnant of a rayon paisley skirt was used to outline the cat.  The background is a variety of knits. 

Here is a picture of some of the fabrics Jane spoke of. 

Pam sent me this photo  a day or so ago and I emailed her saying the photo was distracting and to take another.  Explained that with the sun and the shadow of her hand it destroyed the beauty of her work.  But since I've not received another photo thought I'd post it anyway since her hooking and the velvet is wonderful.  

Breaking News, this just in.......

This afternoon Maria Barton asked to join our group and has chosen Magdalena's Pup as her challenge.  She said once while hooking a Horse and Scroll she added some cotton but she'd never hooked an entire piece with alternative textiles and can't wait to do the challenge.  She has, or had, an active BLOG and welcome her to the group.  

Donna, who also has a BLOG  has joined us as well and has chosen the Tattered Tulip.  And, would you believe that Margaret, who has already finished her Magdalena Pup wants to do the Tulip challenge also???  

Wow, am quite surprised by the second wind this challenge has taken.  I'm having a glass of wine so don't hold me to what I'm about to say 😊 but maybe, just maybe I'll do another challenge along with the rest of you and choose my textiles more realistically and more hand friendly.

Tomorrow I'll post something else other than challenge updates to give everyone a break.  But will post something for sure.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Scrappy Cat and Tattered Tulip

Want to thank all those who decided to take on this alternative textile challenge and honestly was happily surprised at the number who participated.  

For those who may not have a big selection of cottons there are other fibers you can use for this challenge: socks with holes in the toe or heel, worn t-shirts, silk ties your partner doesn't wear, out of style blouses or items you planned for the thrift shop.  OR, go to the local thrift shop and purchase what you need at a very low price.  That would be more in keeping with the challenge rather than depending on wonderful warm wool.  A little bit in a piece is understandable I used a couple strips in the center of my leaves, and those odd colors in the background, but that's it.

Look at Denise's wonderful Scrappy Cat.  She said she's using all homespun.  Looks that hooks better and with less threads than my woven cotton.  You've a pretty feline there Denise, looks like a pure bred to me 😉.

Chris just made her debut showing today with her Tattered Tulip.

She is using hand torn quilting cotton, ribbon, yarn  and really wants to cut up an old pair of pantyhose because she hated them.     Chris confessed that color planning was always a challenge for her but with this challenge the gathering of different textiles mattered more than the right color.  Said it was freeing to give into the randomness of color choices.  Well said Chris!!!!   And here is a peek at what she's using in her piece.

Had hoped to post a photo of others which were close to ready but they hadn't arrived in my mail box by 6:40 p.m. so decided to post what I had.  Pam sent me a photo of her tulip, which is gorgeous and being hooked with velvet, but the photo had blotches of sunlight and shadows of her hand which distracted from the beauty of her work.  Am awaiting for another photo but she just might be finished if I receive it tomorrow.  

Happy  hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Textile Challenge Update

 Sondra finished  her tulip and boy does it look old.  Not only did she not do that tan border all the way around (similar to the antique) but she made 3 square corners and one rounded corner on purpose.  Job well done Sondra.  Wish I could claim I hooked it, lol.

Rhonda has made great strides on her challenge piece despite having a job and taking care of grandchildren.  You can see the textiles she's using in the project ~ wonderful Rhonda and now I'm wondering what color that background will be.   That blouse was perfect for your tulip.

Kimm chose Hearts in Circles as her challenge.  She is using t-shirts, jeans, and pillowcases ripping them in 3/4" strips.   She said the red t-shirt is a pleasure to hook with but not the black.  She plans to use the jeans too but hasn't tried those yet. 

Elizabeth provided an update on her Tulip and the silk tie she's using in the center of the leaf adds more interest.  Perfect addition to your textile usage!   Sure hope that wasn't a favorite tie of someone in your home😁.

And, a different color background too.  It is cool to see the different color choices for backgrounds for the same designs.  I find that as interesting as the various textiles people choose or have available.  

Will post another update tomorrow if there is something to share.  Happy hooking everyone.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com