Ready for a Rug Show?

When I'm at a loss to show something of accomplishment or a tutorial it is time for a rug show.  Besides, I always enjoy looking at rugs whether antique, in progress or finished.  So it was time for me to look at my archive photos. 

Below is a group of rugs which were to be auctioned off and am guessing it was from the same owner and perhaps same hooker.

 Another rug where the hooker made use of what she had and with a hit and miss background.  I always thought they would be so easy to do but find it more stressful than a primitive dark or light background. 



Guess we all know who this rug is about.  Interesting that the hooker put a darker background around the head of the horse than was around George Washington.  Now, could be that when she used the wool for around one head, by the time she got to the other that was the wool she had to use.  I find it so interesting to look at antique rugs.

I found this rug which sold for several thousand dollars whereas the one above was sold for $830 when I found it.  Since my hands and eyes didn't see these rugs in person am wondering if the one below was an adaptation of the one above.  Bet'cha so and the hooker was one lucky person to win the lottery.

Obviously this horse was a two star winner as everything but the horse and stars are faded or muted.

For those of you who like geometrics here is something with a pop of red and blue.

Two women, two dogs and two hidden trees on the sides of the house. 

And for some reason I LOVE this orange cat.  Why?  I don't know for sure, all I know is that it speaks to me.  Hmmm, could it be that I'm getting ready to hook cats at Cape May?  My Krazy Katz?

There are so many more rugs to show and probably some I've even shown before.  But I always enjoy looking at rugs.  So if any of you bloggers are at a loss as to what to post, look at your saved pictures and share rugs. 

And newbie hookers, if there is something you'd like for me to blog about please let me know.

Have a great evening everyone, and please be kind to one another. 

Saundra

Rug Rescue and Repair

Recently PJ (Porcupine Needle) and I have been corresponding about rescued old rugs.  She was quite lucky to have purchased a rug which was repaired early on.  So I told her about the find in my local thrift shop a few years ago.  There was a damaged hooked rug and I grabbed it up even tho it was pastel and hooked with probably Aunt Lydia's cotton rug yarn.  I didn't care about any of that because it was having a rug with a little age in my possession.

This rug has been here at least 10 years and I never did repair this one spot, (a view from the front).  I placed that injured corner in a spot which would receive even less use to protect it.

And a view from the back.  It is obvious there is a lot of missing yarn as what you see will not fill the void in the rug.

PJ's blog inspired me to finally repair the rug.  While I hook with wool strips did once hook a wool yarn rug that was purchased on ebay.....maybe I've wool yarn left.  

First thing was to find a piece of foundation close to the backing on the rug.  The rug seemed to be hooked on a monks cloth/rug warp type of foundation.  So I found a small piece of a soft loosely woven linen.

That was to be placed on the back of the rug and I pulled the loose yarn thru the back in the location it was on the front.  My first thought was to use thread and stitch the new linen onto the rug and contain that area.  Then wondered if I'd want to lift that linen foundation to have access under the old rug.  So didn't stitch around the new linen.

I did have some wool yarn but it wasn't the same color pink, it was either too light, too bright or this.  But isn't that what folks did....use what they had...make do?

This is what it looks like from the back.  Do I wish I'd stitched all around the healthy part of the rug to contain the area?  Yes.  You can see with it having freedom of movement the area has expanded with my loops.  More so from this picture below. But at least it won't fray any more and it is repaired. 

Thanks PJ for the cattle prod to get me to repair my rug.  You've a lovely rug in that Fern.

OH!!!!!  I do not and will not do rug repairs for anyone.  Not that anyone would want me to after reading my blog.  But no way no how.  This is my rug and I wasn't afraid to experiment and do wish I'd contained the area first.  Yet live and learn. 

Saundra

New Rug Labels

Since all my rugs have been bound and ready for the Cape May rug show thought I'd make rug labels for them and some older rugs which had no label. 

Last year at Cape May is when I started working on my Shadow girl Memorial rug from a photo.  During the labeling process decided that her photo should be on the label which was the inspiration.  Here is my Shadow girl who was a wide cut with #8 wool strips.

This is the label which I've attached to the back.  I'm so glad I decided to put a photo which was the inspiration on the back.  All I did was copy and paste a smaller picture in the label area.

Then it was onto the Rottweiler Memorial piece which was hooked way back in 2006 and never had a label.  I hadn't started labeling rugs back then, just the initials and date on the rug.  Here are my departed Rotties and they were both delightful, perfect companions.

This is the label on which I mentioned my then married name and my special loving names each dog was given by me.....Shumba-dumba and her son was Panzer-wanzer.  I used to sing, "Panzer-wanzer sitting under a tree......."

If you would like to read about how I made these labels again, or if you are new to my blog to find out how they were made click HERE.

 

Have a great evening everyone and enjoy this beginning of fall like weather.

 

Saundra

 

 

 

Binding Barb Style

There are several different styles of binding techniques which have been posted about here in the past.  Since I'm binding Magdalena's Farm rug thought it was about time to do another tutorial of sorts. 

I've been very fortunate to have had many camps with Barb at Woolley Fox and when we were treated to a home tour took the opportunity to check out the bottom of her rugs to see how they were bound.  Oh yes I did girlfriend (as I swirl my head around like a teenager)!  Bold of me, right?  Well a girl just needs to see first hand how the master does it.

Barb has a booklet which gives all the information about hooking, cutting wool, hooks, etc., a very good beginner book.  It also shows how she binds her rugs.  Hopefully it is still in print since I'm posting about it here.  By the way, there is a free pattern insert inside too.

In the book Barb demonstrates how she uses wool yarn to whip on the underside of the rug by catching the foundation and the cotton binding. Must admit that Mz. Barb is more liberal with her wool yarn than me but mine does the job ~ hers is more lush.  Neither her way nor my way is seen from above and does not detract from the wool rug above.  That is the beauty of this style.

My yarn has variegated colors which are also in the rug itself.  But again, it isn't seen from the top of the rug but makes a nice statement when you flip it over.

Now, the hidden secret I learned while snooping under Barb's rug is that extra step.  One which I've known about since looking at her binding but haven't tried until now.  If you look closely at the picture above as well as the one above that, you will see a gentle running stitch down the middle of the cotton binding.  Now why didn't I ever think about doing that? 

If you think about it, that would make the cotton binding more stable when doing the inside stitching step.  It would also prevent the cotton binding from wrinking and fraying more easily.  Yes, it is yet another step for a task none of us like (binding a rug), but it does have its good points.  This is the first time I've gone that "extra step" yet wanted to let you all know about it.

For sure this last binding project will be done in time for Cape May.  Today I even made rug labels for several of the last rugs I've hooked this year.  While they may not all be attached to the back in time for Cape May show I do have something special to show you about making rug labels.

Hey, you ain't seen nutten yet.  Wait til I post about my rug labels tomorrow.  Okay, okay, some of you gals are far more computer and label savvy than me so you may know more, but today I got better than I was yesterday. 

Have a great evening everyone and be ready for the cool down tomorrow.  Personaly, I can't wait.

Saundra

AH, a Hook in the Hand

In case you're wondering...no, the third rug isn't totally bound yet but WILL be done to take to Cape May.  I just had to put a rug hook in my hand again.  So I got the bright idea to make a few more hooked flower pins to put in the camp store to sell.  After three I realized they would never be done in time with the various stages required so decided to do something more enjoyable.

Ahhhh, that would be to pull out the Magdalena Folk Art Horse (mat size) that I purchased from Woolley Fox. 

I didn't start this until late this afternoon but it felt sooo good to work on something fun.  Don't know how you gals can go weeks without hooking ~ I'd go completely bonkers.  HA!  Or else I'd get more work done around here, particularly a wool dust free home.

At least there's something for me to work on crossing the Cape May/Lewes Ferry so perhaps I can settle down and do what needs to be done here before I leave on the 14th. 

As a side note, I hook flower pins on excess linen that is too small to draw a design on and one which will fit on my small sit-upon frame.  I've even gone so far as to sew cotton fabric along the sides to give me that extra to catch on the grippers.  If you look at the flower pins again you will notice I even sewed two pieces of linen together to make it wider.  Waste not want now my mama used to say.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Moving Right Along.... But Not Too Fast

In a couple weeks I'll be switching from primitive to bright.  My house is rather eclectic with several antiques and primitive hooked projects and dolls I've made.  The only place there is any bright color is in my garden bath area.  Particularly in my shower area where I've wanted the Cat rug for years. 

So today started pulling wool and in doing so wondered why the hell I had all the colorful wool when I don't hook with it.  HUH?  Really?  Why?  But at least I don't have to buy much if any is needed to fill in a spot or two at camp.  This is what I've pulled so far.  Yes, that was really in my stash and there is more.   Yeah, me, the primitive hooker.

For the life of me cannot remember the circumstances under which I received this thoughtful gift.  Was it a swap, was it with the frame I purchased from someone?  Anyway, Debe, if you read my blog it will be used in this project and would love to hear from you if the handwritten note and wool looks familiar.

As my jaccuzi style tub, sinks, shower and toilet are navy blue I plan to use a dark blue background for the rug which will make the cats pop out even more.  Or at least that is my plan for now. 

So much to do and only 1 1/2 weeks to do it EEK!!!!!!

Saundra

 

Two Down One to Go

Just finished binding the second of three rugs to be finished before I leave for Cape May on the 14th in order to have them show ready.  Here's my original design of Mache Jack-O-Lanterns.  Looks like it needed to be pulled up straight but hey, this isn't a professional photo shoot, just me.

Now I've got to get serious binding the Magdalena Farm rug so it can go to Cape May too and that will start tomorrow. 

Must also start pulling wool for the design I'm taking to Cape May.  That would be the crazy cat design which I dubbed Ali Katz since Ali Strebel of Kindred Spirits would be my teacher. 

I'm also wanting to pull wool for this to work on across the ferry from Delaware to NJ and the night before Ali gets to me in class.  It is the mat size of Magdalena Folk Art Horse a design from Woolley Fox.  This will give my fix and refuge if I need it while working on the crazy Katz.

So much to do in these short two weeks and I'm on this dang computer contraption.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Happy Labor Day

Even tho I've been laboring over binding rugs in preparation for the rug show in Cape May I've only finished one.  That would be the antique adaptation of Pot of Flowers which I offer as a pattern on my web site.  Here is a picture of it with a flash.

 And a picture of it on the back deck without a flash.

I'm halfway done on the second of three rugs which need binding so not having fun pulling loops on anything new right now.  I was hoping to start a small project just to have something fun to work on during that hour's ferry ride from Delaware to New Jersey.  Plus to have something to work on the night before class and before Ali gets to me.

Hope everyone had a great fun-filled Labor Day with cook outs and games with family and friends. 

Saundra

Rug Hooking Magazine

Oh my but what a great issue Rug Hooking Magazine this is.  It is chock full of eye candy.  One day I'd like to do an adaptation of an artists work but not sure yet who I'll do and continually search for the one that special one that speaks to me.

While the artists' adaptations were wonderful, this rug on 'human form' made me awestruck and had to stare at the simplicity and beauty of this piece below.  (Sorry for the glare on the page).  It is entitled "The Golden Earring" designed and hooked by Gloria Reynolds of Hinesburg, VT. 

There were a few other great hooked body form rugs in this issue and this one is done by someone I know, Nancy Lee Ross of Hinesburg, VT also.

I first met Nancy Lee when she lived in Maryland and she and I were in our first camp in Ocean City, MD.  I remember that she had been lucky enough to be given all the hooking equipment by an elder man whose wife had been a hooker. 

My friend and I were shocked that Nancy Lee picked up hooking so fast as that was her first learning experience and all her loops looked like they'd been steam pressed after she pulled the loops.  Nancy now lives in Vermont and still pulling those nice loops.

If you don't subscribe to the magazine you might want to check out the issue next time you are at Barnes and Noble or perhaps subscribe on line.

Have a fun filled and safe Labor Day.

Saundra

Still on the Drawing Table

A couple posts ago I showed you this silk painting I did while on vacation in 1998 (geez how time flies).  It resides on the wall in a section of my bathroom where the shower is.  Ever since then I've wanted to hook a rug like it for in front of my shower.  Finally it might come to fruition.

The area could accommodate a 24 x 36 rug but when I enlarged the design incrementally, it was 24 x 24.  So I cut out a piece of linen that could accommodate a pattern of 24 x 34 and thought I'd add length to it and expand it somehow.  This is how it started and you can see all the open background space on the two sides.  Sorry the wiggles happen when I take pictures of linen foundation and don't know why.  But if you double click on the pictures they enlarge and better to view.

In pondering what to do with the open space had considered putting in an extra cat or two but think it has plenty of busy going on with cats as it is.  So thought of a border on the two ends.  I could do alternate color stripes down each side (picture below).  BTW, that is thin landscape fabric I'm using and it is thinner than red dot which means it doesn't require drawing twice ~ once on the fabric and then again on the linen because it didn't show up clearly.  I purchased mine at Lowes and if you click on the link above that is what it looks like but mine didn't cost that and perhaps it was a smaller quantity.  But even so mine will last me years.

Or I could do rectangular shapes which appears in the some of the cats.

Or another idea is to do the zig zag border on the two ends.  I got a little carried away with drawing lines so tried to paint over them so as not to confuse you.  Not sure it did any good tho.

I wouldn't have a border on top or bottom but would extend one row of the same color which ended on the inside top and bottom, if you know what I mean. 

For the time being I'll leave it blank and see if I come up with any better ideas and perhaps even wait until Cape May to see if Ali has any suggestions and see what my roomie thinks.  Deb is very creative so perhaps she'll give me a little input as well.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

Saundra

A Rottweiler named Ben

My handsome Ben had his annual physical yesterday afternoon and he is in perfect health for a 6 year old big dog.  He had all his shots, free of heart worms according to the test (thank GOD) and purchased more Heartguard for my boy's continued health for the next year.  This is a photo from November 2011 while working in the front yard and pre-playground.

This was the first of three visits I made to meet Ben.  I wanted to be sure about him before bringing him to my home since I'd had a disastrous short adoption of Bella previously.  When I pulled up he was tethered to a tree so he wouldn't run off before my arrival.  When I got out of the car I said, "Hi Ben, I know you but you don't know me yet".  The owner let him loose, I petted him and gave the sit command.  Here he is looking very sheepishly which I've since realized is an affectionate look.  Even now he will drop those ears peer into my eyes and slowly and longingly lick his lips.

Here he is in November 2011 before he had a fenced in playground and I wanted him with me while I did yard work.  Look at that handsome boy.

When I adopted Ben he weighed about 120 and when I took him in for his first wellness exam (right after adoption) the vet suggested I get his weight down to about 100.  Ben didn't look over weight and was handsome even then.  Last visit to the vet he weighed 103 and I was quite pleased with that as was the vet.  Yesterday the scales were at 99.6.  Here is a photo of my handsome dude relaxing in his playground.

This was Ben's favorite toy which had 3 different sounds when the noise box was squeezed.  Ben would twist his head from side to side each time the tone changed.  It was his favorite until he killed it.  Once the sounds stopped he lost interest.  I looked everywhere for one just like it but not to be found.

WHAT?  Yes, I do feed my boy well, and yes he does get treats in his Kongs and for good boy deeds and also monitor his intake of calories.  I was concerned he was under 100 pounds but the vet said he was a healthy active Rottie in summer and to keep on doing what I was doing.

When I make a salad Ben will hear me washing the Romaine lettuce and will com running into the kitchen grab his goodies.  He also likes the bottom hard part of celery, the cut off ends of zuchinni, cukes, broccoli, and of course carrots and sweet potatoes.  They are all healty for dogs.  But please remember that the following foods are NOT good for dogs:  onions, chocolate, raisins, grapes, banana peels, and when in doubt do  a search to find out if it is good or bad.

Sorry to bore those of you who are not dog people, but I just had to gloat about my sweet boy Ben.  I got very lucky with him and I think he with me too.  You CAN get a good dog thru pet adoption.  And you CAN get a sociable dog who likes people and other pets even if they are considered a dangerous breed.  I believe the majority of problem dogs come from not getting socialized properly, abuse (mistrust issues), and training or lack of. 

Have a great evening.

Saundra

Will I be Ready in Time?

Just look at the mess in my wool room.  There's so much going on in there and if I don't have enough of my own 'stuff' going on most of yesterday was spent designing and redesigning a pattern for someone else.  Well, thankfully around 3 p.m. it was decided and drawn.  Now I can deal with my own stuff.

There's wool on the floor, containers with wool still left from the rug camp with Barb in May (yup, May, 3 months later), patterns draped across the back of chair while I was deciding what to hook at Cape May (less than 3 weeks away).

Notice on the photo below there's even more wool plopped wherever it landed that is being used in the commission I'm still working on.  But at least I've started drawing out something for ME to hook at Cape May.  You can see the empty linen on the drawing table.  I've enlarged the design, cut and serged my linen and now need to draw it out.

I've dubbed this design as "Ali Katz".  Get it?  Since my teacher in Cape May is Ali Strebel thought it might be a CATcy name. 

Have a great afternoon everyone. 

Saundra

A Potential Pattern for Cape May

Ahhh, I think I've found the inspiration for a rug to play with at Cape May in Ali's class.  Way before I was bitten by the hooking bug I was into other crafts, lots of crafts. 

While on vacation at a Club Med took some silk painting classes while my ex was scuba diving.  This is one of the items I painted and it is hanging just outside my shower.  It makes me smile, not because it reminds me of my ex but for the colors and thoughts of happier times.  Those happier times would be the sense of calm... a clueless (dumb and happy) sort of existence.  Anyway, I do like this picture and would like to hook a companion rug for in front of my shower.

Normally I don't do bright colors but think it would be perfect in a class with Ali.  Finally I'd get my companion rug done and in a great venue.  A few years ago I even started collecting fleece just in case I did decide to hook the rug and figured that in front of the shower the fleece would be better than wool.

Oh, my, the visit to my attic to take the picture of the pile of fleece ruined my morning because the attic needs to be purged.  Anyway, continuing......I'm definitely missing a lot of bright colors so would need to purchase more fleece if I go with that fabric. 

Now I've got to decide about textile to use to hook this rug and wonder if any of you have input.  I dry myself off inside the shower and always put a towel down on the floor in front anyway.  So really the rug wouldn't get real wet, and I don't have any boys living here (if you get my drift) so the rug would only get minor damp bottom of feet from exiting the shower.

Have any of you hooked a rug for in front of your shower or tub and if so did you use wool, tee shirts, fleece and do you have any recommendations?  I would use linen as the foundation but also have rug warp if you would recommend that.  However, I'm thinking linen would be better so my concern now is what to use to hook with or work with on the rug.

Saundra

Just Three Weeks Away

......before Rugs by The Sea in Cape May, NJ and I don't know what I'm going to hook.  Not that I don't have plenty of patterns in my stash that I've purchased, but also some I designed.

If you were a reader last year then you know how stressed I was hooking my departed Shadow girl.  Not this year baby, this year will be less stress and more fun.  This is shadow hooked in #8 strips.

There's always my favorite antique adaptations but I'm quite comfortable hooking those home by myself.  Here are some of the patterns that I've purchased from Woolley Fox and I've been wanting to hook and it would be so easy just to take one or two of these and hook away to my heart's content. 

This is a design called "Have you Any Wool" a design of Carol Endress from Woolley Fox and love how my gal pal Deb hooked hers.

Hannah's Hen has been patiently sitting on the side lines waiting for loops too, also from WF. This one that Barb hooked has a wonderful background that looks old.

Oh, and I've also Barb's Ned, a couple other sheep patterns, I've Rainbow Cabin, and a cat design, but have forgotten the name.  I also have a delightful pattern by Lucille Festa called Moon over Vermont that is calling my name too.

In my stash also is Karen Kahle's Catnip pattern, but again that is something that I could do at home and even between patterns.

 I drew out a rug based on a cute doll I made called "What's Its Name" by Kindred Spirits, here is the doll.  Oops, I chopped off her hair.  I even have more of that yarn left to use in my rug when and if I ever hook it.

 

And here is the rug design I drew based on the doll.
 

Another rug I designed is me and my two cousins.  We used to hang out together all summer long when we were kids.  This one I drew out about 9 years or so ago and stopped drawing because I got timid with the face and hands and decided I didn't want a realistic looking piece anyway ~ sorta more like what Deanne Fitzpatrick does with her people.  But I got cold feet, and gave up as I felt inadequate to hook it right.  Besides I'm not a fan of a narrow cut.

 

This is a close up of us three....Barbara, me, and Rachel.  The two girls are sisters and we still keep in touch, particularly me and Rachel.

The picture was taken in front of my grandfather's house, along his sidewalk.  The house behind us belonged to an elder woman who we, as silly kids, thought was a witch because she wore dark clothing all the time and we hardly ever saw her outside the house.  We would 'imagine' all kinds of evil and mysterious things were going on in the house and when we did hear or see the door open we would scramble.  Oh silly girls we were.  The house has been long gone as is now my grandfather's house.

I am quite sure that I will receive an e-mail from a friend (you know who you are Lynne), prodding me to finish drawing this rug and to hook it.

Anyway, in order to fully take advantage of Ali Strebel's art and creative mind I am also thinking of drawing out a 'paisley' design so that I might try something other than just plain hooking.  I know that my gal pal Deb will come out of her class with a most wonderful and colorful piece as she will use every technique known and demonstrated by Ali.  I've a wonderfully creative friend.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Saundra