Narrow Cut? OR Wide Cut?

Which cut are you?  I'm definitely a wide cut as that is what inspired me to learn to hook rugs.  While perusing the issues of Country Living magazine or Early American Life would see those wonderful primitive wide cut rugs on harvest tables, in front of the hearth, on the floor and chests and knew I wanted one.  Knowing I'd not be able to afford  an antique rug decided to learn to hook myself.

Boy what a can of worms I opened then.  Had no stash of wool, no cutter or frame or any of the other tools and now think I own enough to open up my own shop.   Anyway.....

My very first project at home was a hooked mitten in a book by Kindred Spirits and it was horrible.  Sure wish I still had it but gave it away to someone who was just learning and we were to swap our first projects. Ha!  She got mine and I didn't get hers.

So the next project hooked at home before a class was this design by Pat Cross called Penny Crow in her Purely Primitive book.  The minimally hooked rug kit was sold on ebay and since the #8 cut wool strips came with it I purchased it.

Then my journey to rug camps started but my love of wide cut has always remained so continued hooking in #8 (now my go to strip is #8.5).  

After some healing time, decided to hook a profile of my two departed Rottweilers Shumba and Panzer.  Luckily Jon Ciemiewicz was teaching a class nearby and enrolled with the intent of hooking my Rotties.  As Jon is a narrow cut hooker decided to buck up and give it a try.  

They were hooked in #3 and the background I refused to do any more narrow than #5.  Naturally there was much more to hook when I came home and I got lazy with the narrow cut.  

Yes, it looks like they are painted and can see the yellow in the teeth, the change of color in the gums, shine on the nose, etc.  AND....If you look carefully at my boy Panzer in the back you will see my laziness and didn't follow the flow of his coat just under Shadow's chin.  I hooked that area straight up and down to get the job done and to hell with the curve of the body.  That I regret as my boy deserved better.  But learned that narrow cut is not for me.  

Here is the photo from which this piece was designed.

One thing I am proud of with this hooked piece is their own hair which I had spun onto a thin wool piece is hooked into each of their necks.  A very special friend Lesley Covney (now departed) spun each of their hair onto a thin core of roving.  You can see the dark brown fuzz between the black and tan of the neck.  That is the hair of my dogs.

SOOOOO, just as soon as this rug was hung on my wall decided to draw out another rug and hook my departed pets in a wide cut just to see that it can be done.  Okey dokey.  So here are two whole dogs only 12" tall hooked in #8.  So don't tell me that you can't get detail in a wide cut.  Oh, and yes, my boy Panzer sat like a girl, just like my Ben boy does.  

So when my girl Shadow and I would take walks we (I) would discuss how she was a wide cut girl.  And so she was.  Shadow is hooked in #8.

Here is a photo of her when she was twisting her head when I'd talk to her.  

OMG she would make me laugh out lof course you know that Ben will be hooked in ....most likely #8.5. Hey, he is a MANLY boy ~ okay, so he sits like a girl.  By not you must know that I will hook my boy in a wide cut and hopefully before he leaves me.  So that is a rug in my near future so he and I can discuss it, lol.

At least I know my comfort zone with strip size and realize that I am and always have been a wide cut hooker.  So experiment, and do want makes you happy.  There is no shame in being a wide cut hooker ~ yup, know that now.

Tomorrow my boy Ben goes to have a spot removed from his belly.  I'll probably have a sleepless night as if it was me having that done to myself.  Yet am hopeful for the results based on what the vet told me last week.  

Have a great evening everyone one.  

Saundra

Waz Up You Ask?

Today was a relaxed day not worrying about my grandson's rug BUT did spend time working on motifs and taking some pictures.  But do not plan on drawing anything out until the decision is carved in stone.

My little kitty kat is still on my frame and am sloowly and comfortably hooking it taking my time.  Follower Jennie asked what size the mat was because she was surprised at my getting the detail of the cat.

WHOO HOO!  Really?  That was the greatest compliment I could have received...thanks Jennie.

I'm old school so try to use what I have.  That is why those fabric strips are sewn onto the edges and to use up my small pieces of linen.  

The answer of the size is the design measures 12 1/4 x 17 1/2.  The wool used for the cat has only been left over strips for whatever is in my bag. So mostly #8, some smaller and some bigger depending on what grey value I need.  

So thanks Jennie, and yes I'm proud to have gotten the detail in a wide cut.  That is why I chose to hook my departed Shadow in a #8 after having the intense hooking of my departed Rotties in #3.  

For you new followers I'll post a picture of those two rugs on my blog tomorrow.  Am really running late so gotta run.

Have a great Sunday evening and we're having another BIG freeze here and it is supposed to be SPRING.

Saundra

Moving Right Along.....

Surely wasn't a happy camper pulling out loops on my grandson's rug last night but knew I'd not be happy continuing.  Oh Oh.... NOW what am I to do the rest of the night????

No way I was ready to start working on new motifs for Zach's rug so decided to go in the small room where my extra frames, needlepunch etc. are kept.   Was thinking there may be a needlepunch which had been started eons ago which could be worked on.  

Holy moly... in a basket were two previously started and aborted hooked pieces.  The hit and miss mat below was started when determined to reduce wool worm stash.  I didn't like the direction and colors, got bored so stopped.

In that same basket was a small antique adaptation which I lost interest in so put that in the basket.  I'd forgotten about these until looking for anything to work on to keep my hands busy.

.

Today I did do some preliminary RE-planning of my grandson's rug but decided to chill and work on the abandoned cat mat.  No pet should be abandoned so have decided to adopt and work on it again.

After a few loops were pulled in between making soup, this is what it looks like now.

I'm using #8 cuts mostly so far and some 8.5... and YES, all worms!!!!!!! The right eye needs to be more defined and reduced.  But all of a sudden I'm attached to this little guy and won't stress over my grandson's rug since Christmas is still 8 months away.

So I'm chillin and hope my blogger friends are in a good place too. Some of you blogger friends are experiencing serious snow falls.  We've had some snow here too and will have more tonight.  UH, isn't this spring???

Wishing all of you a good weekend.

Saundra

How Long Does it Take to Plan a Rug?

Perhaps longer than it took me yet it seemed I'd worked it out numerous times on the blog to share.  Now wondering if it was premature to draw out my grandson's rug.  Did all the proper steps and research done. Motifs were enlarged thru my Paint program in different sizes.  Actually there were lots of options for motifs which were whittled down to 'keep it simple'.

Finally my decision was made and the pattern drawn out.

And then I saw a race car checkered flag which had 6 rows down and 10 rows across.  Say what????  The one I drew is 6 rows down but appears to be at least 15 or columns across.  Yeah, I got this drawing off the computer from a 'copyright free' site.  

So IF I'd known that earlier could have made smaller flags and enlarged the Redskins and Orioles logos.  Hooking the design as it is will require me to use some #8 or smaller in the Redskins logo and no less than #8 in the Orioles logo.  But there is a lot of background.  

Okay, I'm working this process out thru my blogger friends and writing about it might help me and of course feedback is always welcome.   Sooooo, IF I were to pull out the black and white that I've hooked so far (!*%$(@!~) and clean up the ends of each side of the flag, then I could do larger Redskins and Orioles logos.

BUT..... would also require that I flip the linen over and re-draw the whole damn thing again.  YES, I know that would make me happier to have a really nice rug design and YES it is taking huge steps backward.  

So now I've nothing to bind or to hook tonight (so much for binding my Sheep rug).  I'll remove the hooked wool from my grandson's rug and sulk.  Will also see what it is like to sit with nothing to do except catch up on recorded shows. 

Saundra

Spring Daffodil and Sheep Challenge

Yes, it is finally done.....well, a few more stitches to tack down the cotton binding on the back is all.

Oh, Elaine, I wanted to respond to you personally but since you are a NO-REPLY blogger the emails don't get to you.  But yes, I have done all types of binding rugs, wool yarn whipping, wool strip whipping, the Betsy Reed primitive edge binding, wool covered cording edge with wool back, you name it and I've done it.  If you use the search engine at the top left corner you can type in the words to see  how I did those techniques.  And, if you want to find out how to FIX the NO-REPLY Blogger problem click HERE.  Thanks to "Anyone Can Decorate" for putting together such an easy visual to fix it.

Here's my Little Lambie Pie.  She is wearing a wool collar with a bell so I can tell where she is.

I hooked this using mostly #8.5 and #9 wool strips but did try to use worms whenever and where ever I could in various sizes.  The daffodil trumpets strips ranged from #8 to 3/4 - 1".

The sheep was hooked in a hand cut from a piece of delightful wool which was purchased from Gail Dufresne a few years ago.  Even tho it would go thru the cutter I hand cut ensure the lumps would not be cut in the middle but in the ditch of the weave. 

Am in the process of putting my grandson's design on linen but not going to rush to start hooking it tonight since there's a bit more hand stitching of the inside of the binding tape.  Plus I'd like to steam that section again to make it smooth in the back.

Have a fantastic evening everyone.  If you are wondering why I never respond back to your wonderful , kind and welcomed comments, check to see if you are a NO-REPLY BLOGGER by clicking that link above.

Saundra

This and That

First want to let you know I'm close to finishing the binding of the Daffodill and Sheep challege.  Here is where I am right this minute.  

So tomorrow I promise to show you the whole monty.  Hey I want this done too so that my grandson's rug can get started.  Buuuuuttttt....... am still working this out with photos and 'sleeping on it'.  

As you can tell by the photo above I've drawn the preliminary exterior lines and border dimensions which may change during hooking as we hookers tweak as we go.   Thought I'd put the drawing of my grandson's hand in the mix to see how that looks.

Okay,  so now without the hand check out the photo below.  Even tho the racing flags were enlarged am wondering if they would be better if they were spread wider across the top of the linen. 

OMG, this one is the most worrisome rugs I've designed so far and haven't' even started with the color and hooking process.  Just want to give my grandson something he'd love.

Sure plan to have a better blog post for you tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting and always love comments and questions.  
Saundra

Guess What Time It Is....

Nope it isn't Howdy Doody Time.  Are any of you readers old enough to remember Howdy Doody or Buffalo Bob?  Anway, .... it is rug show time.

Below is an antique rug I've wanted to hook for a very long time.  There is a chicken under the horse, dogs, and colorful border of various flora.

A very primitive and naive black dog with spots and pinwheels hooked on the inside border.  Sorry but don't know the provenance of this old rug.

A Fish swimming up river below just might not be an antique but is wonderful.  The edges of the rug are well preserved and the shells in the corners are too precise to be an old hooked rug but is still wonderful.  

What is old is the Scotty Dogs playing rug below.  

Speaking of dogs...a dog...my dog Ben.  

He is a big beautiful and powerful Rottweiler.  He is friendly with people, with other animals (okay exclude squirrels and cats who enter his yard and moving wheels).

Ben will often lay in a submissive position which he knows melts my heart. Therefore I see the underbelly quite often and noticed a recent change with a spot.  At first it appeared as a bald flat spot forever..until it changed.

Today I took Ben to the vet.  The vet said it did NOT look like a lipoma, a sebaceous cyst, a wart or mole.  He said it didn't look like anything he has seen.

Even before I told the vet my thoughts he suggested that Ben have the spot removed and sent to the lab.  Of course I totally agreed because if that was on my body I would ask my dermatologist remove it regardless.  This is my companion and need to keep him healthy to be with me as long as possible.   Ben goes to the vet next Tuesday.

Hope you have a good evening.  I'm still unsettled since nothing much was accomplished today.  Plus am worried about my boy and he's still trying to calm down after a vet visit.  Hey...who likes to go to the doctor???? Surely not a dog when they also get their nails clipped, belly checked, anals expresssed, etc.  Oh, and muzzled..... that will be a topic for tomorrow.

Too tired here so think (hope) I'll sleep well tonight.

Saundra

Grandson's Rug

Am taking my time working thru this process even tho I wish there was a pattern on my frame tonight since the last loops on the challenge rug have been pulled.  

I enlarged the racing flags and removed the baseball, hand and a soccer ball.  Keeping my grandson's rug simple is best I think.   Also, while planning in my head had imagined a black and white checkered border as in the flag. But vetoed that since it would be too busy with the already black and checkered flag.  Instead with go with something else to frame the rug.  

Next in looking at photos is do I want the Orioles image to be the size you see in the first photo below.....

Or the larger image below.  In comparing the photos I'm thinking the smaller is better since the larger drawing over powers the Redskins football team image.  

Just to let you know, my sheep challenge rug IS all hooked.  It has been steamed and is resting now.  So I'm thinking tomorrow will show you what I've done so far.

Have a great Sunday evening everyone.

Saundra

Buried Treasure

Slowly I've been trying to purge my cottons, craft supplies and other clutter which has accumulated over the almost 20 years while being here.  Believe me there is a long way to go because I've doll patterns, more fabric, accessories to go with dolls, clothes.. you get the idea.  

And no, my house doesn't look like a hoarder lives here ~ I've successfully been able to hide all my faults on shelves, attic, boxes...sigh.


Imagine my surprise when I found a treasure trove of stitchery patterns by The Basket Case which I thought lost.  Eventually I am planning on putting the entire 12 month collection on either eBay or etsy but plan to place several listings at the same time.  Originally these individual patterns were $7.25.  Some may have had a carrot button for a nose or some other button.  Some items I used and some not, but the carrot nose for a snowman can be embroidered...after all it is a stitchery design.  You can see 3 packages which has a button or accessory which I didn't use.

In this treasure trove also found a collection of Curtis Boehringer's Redwork designs which I never did do.  And don't ever plan to do stitchery again as the rug hook is glued to my hand.  There is an empty spot for May and for the month of August.  Not sure if I just didn't go back to the store to pick up the others when they were released or if they may be buried somewhere else here...which I doubt since all these were in one pattern box.

There are several other stitchery patterns which I haven't taken pictures of yet.  This pattern is for Christmas ornaments and includes the fabric and floss.  It is an Indigo Junction design and I've no interest in doing these or other stitchery now.

There are several other stitchery patterns never been used and will eventually take pictures of them when I'm ready to post on either eBay or etsy.  I'm not planning on listing each month individually when it is a 12 month series.  But there are some of The Basket Case stitcheries which were individual designs and will be listed separately.

Yup a treasure of the lost was unearthed.  Made a little headway on my Sheep challenge but still not done since I'm multi-tasking mending son's work pants, pulling items to take to the thrift shop, still working on grandson's motifs.  

Have a great Saturday evening.

Saundra

   

Designing a Rug by the Seat of My Pants

But then that's pretty much all I do with hooking, designing, color planning, etc.  

No, the sheep challenge isn't done but really close to being done and am afraid of going thru withdrawal.  If I don't have something to put on my frame immediately after the last loop is pulled I might need sedatives, lol.  Just kidding, but not far from the truth.

Since my 13 year old grandson Zach was so excited and interested in the Man Cave Rug I designed and hooked for his dad (my son) thought Zach should have one of his own.

Zach loves to watch sports on TV with the family and loves to play sports as well.  He's played soccer (his favorite), baseball and basketball.  There isn't a swim team at his school or he would be in that for sure as he loves to swim.

His favorite football team is the Redskins, favorite baseball team the Orioles and he also loves Nascar.   The family takes Zach to the team games when they can get tickets.  My mind started planning the rug many weeks ago so now it was time for templates.

Redskins and Orioles emblems were no problem.  But ran into a minor glitch in my mind for Nascar.  Seems his favorite driver is retiring soon so he has to choose a second string driver.  Initially I'd planned to do an outline of a car with the driver's number on the hood but vetoed that.  Then decided the crossed flags was a better idea.

Okay, so how about a hand drawn from Zach's hand put in the design, also a baseball and soccer ball?  As you can see it is WAY too much on the rug.

So decided to eliminate the hand, the baseball and knew it wasn't going to work so didn't even do the soccer ball.

Here is my second go.  Now it's beginning to look like a better design. Plans are to enlarge the crossed flags to stretch across the Redskins and Orioles logo.  There will be a black and white checkered border to pull it off.  I'm thinking this will be good.  Still a tad more tweaking and planning before putting on linen but a far cry better than the first one.

Since it is going to rain tomorrow that will give me time to play with the design. Have to really soon since the Sheep challenge is almost all hooked.

OH!!!!  Thanks to the new followers!!!!!!!  It is so nice to see people joining and hope that means you like my blog posts.

Have a great evening everyone.

Hugs Saundra

Caught Up!

Whoop de doo!!!!!  I'm all caught up with binding my rugs...so far. But the Daffodil and Sheep Challenge rug isn't done yet so that would be next. 

This is what I've been working on the last couple days.   Finally the last Out of Hand Rug Hooking challenge rug has been bound and steamed. Hey, since I'm working on a new Out of Hand Challenge it is about time, don't ya think?  

Not only did the rug above get bound but these did too. This was an antique adaptation which started with just the horse from an antique rug.  But while hooking him (Brownie) thought he needed a friend.  So I have called this design Brownie and Bunny.

AND, I also stitched a label to the back of the rug of the original antique rug from which my horse shape was done. 

This horse mat replication was also finally bound over the last couple days.

and the label attached to it is a copy of the original.

Oh but it feels SO GOOD to be caught up.  But soon the newest challenge rug will be done and needed to be bound.  Plus I'm getting anxious to start on a rug for my dear grandson for Christmas.  

Uh... and then in May I'm going to a Barb Carrol rug camp in Ligonier.  Oh my, so much fun happinging here.

Stupid Is as Stupid Does

Sigh..... would you like to see what stupid looks like?  Here it is. Yup it is ME.  I cannot believe how stupid I was today.  Uh, am sure this isn't the only day I've had a stupid moment.

Okay... here's the story.  I had two patterns to draw for a very important and well known hooker and wanted to send them off as soon as possible via priority mail.  However getting the prescribed sizes, etc. they weren't drawn on linen until lunch time.

My plans were to eat lunch and take a bike ride to my mail box at the end of the road for pick up by my mail carrier. I did the click and ship and since my usual delivery time is around 3 pm. thought I was safe.   

OOPS.  My mail was already there for today. So this package you see below dated for today wouldn't be picked up here until tomorrow.

Came back from the mailbox, grabbed my purse, car keys and drove to the Post Office a few miles from my house.  Parked my car, grabbed my purse and looked for the package.  WTF (whiskey, tango, foxtrot) where was the package of patterns?   

You guessed it.  Back at the house.  There was NO WAY I was driving back home and going back to the post office to ship the package.  So I'll leave tomorrow morning early and stick it in the 'out box' in hopes that they will think it was delivered inside just after they closed the doors but still in today's date.  

OMG, how stupid can a woman be?  

For a while I took leave of my thought process but can't explain where it was.

Hope you have a great evening.

Saundra

Never Ending Binding Syndrome

I've just named a syndrome known as the 'never ending binding'. Hey, sounds silly but makes sense.  The more you hook, the faster you hook, the more binding is required.    Yet, I hate the binding part.  Just wish I had the money to afford someone to do it for me.  But the only way it will be done is if I do it.  So it is a self-inflicted "never ending binding syndrome".  

While there is only a tad of sky to hook on the Sheep and Daffodil Challenge rug thought I should set that aside and finish binding the other two mats.  Happily one of those two mats just got bound today. That would be Rainbow Cabin.

Still in the wings is binding of one of the two horse mats hooked.  And VERY SOON will be the challenge rug.

And as soon as those are done I'll start something special for my grandson.  

Have a great evening everyone, since I'm really running late will cut this short.

Saundra

Getting Close But Not Done Yet

On the surface it appears that I'm close to finishing the hooking part of the challenge rug.  BUT, when putting the rug on the floor for a photo I'm not happy with the border.  The border doesn't flow nicely but rather harsh in some areas.

And not sure about the sky colors ~ whether to do lighter in areas for cloud like formations or do a more lavender dark.  But then in real life there are all those colors in the sky which we can see from our yard at any given moment.  

Here it is.  The sides and bottom wavy border I can live with.  But the top is not smooth enough for me from the red house to the right of those daffodils ~ that's too jagged.

So who knows what this will look like next time you see it.  But at least it is close to the finish.  Hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday.

Saundra

Happy Easter

As kids Easter was all about the Easter baskets and candy.  As we matured we realized what celebrating the religious holiday was really about.

Since this is a hooking blog I will show you rabbit items I've hooked.

A rug designed by Sally Kallin named "Harry".

A painted cloth bunny holding a hooked egg and basket with hooked egg.

Mr. Cottontail, a design by Brenda Gervais.

Both the rabbit and crow purses sold years ago at a show.

The velveteen rabbit on a tuffet may have sold......or maybe it is still in one of my totes.  Perhaps I should check that out.

 The rug above is a design by Karen Kahle named "Stop and Smell the Roses".

Above is the first and last wool yarn hooked rug.  It is a cute design by Claire Murray and named Strawberry Patch.  I hate hooking with yarn. No it wasn't done with an Oxford needle, but rather a Hartman hook. Don't think I'd have liked using the Oxford needle either.  To me, the rugs hooked with yarn look rather machine made or like they came from China.  Just my humble opinion and personal preference.

Hope all of you have a great Easter Sunday.

Saundra

Looking For Wool

   Update:  Thanks to Karin a transaction is underway for Polly to purchase the wool.  Gotta love the power of the internet connections and hooker friends.

A friend of mine is looking for this wool.  She sent me a picture asking if I knew who had some.  She calls it 'crazy green wool' and uses it a lot in flower stems and other things as well, I'm sure.

If you know who carries it please let me know.  Am not sure how much she needs or wants as I'm awaiting the answer to that.  I'll bet she'd be happy with whatever she could get.

Thanks much and happy Saturday.

Saundra

Rugs Hooked by a Friend

Yesterday afternoon I attempted to do a blog post but was still down in the dumps about Ellie so aborted the blog.  I hate going days without a blog post as I'm afraid my readers or followers will leave.   

Since there's not much more hooked on the challenge rug am taking the easy way out by giving you another rug show.  This one has loads of rugs my friend Evelyn Lawrence has hooked.  Many of them you will recognize as Magdalena designs.  

This rug below is an adaptation of an antique that Evelyn designed.

The geometric below is an adaptation of a sculpture; the pattern was designed for Evelyn by Bev Conway. 

Single dog design attributed to Magdalena Briner Eby.

The pot of flowers is a design offered by Lucille Festa. 

The rug below is named Lucky Racer and is a design by the late Patsy Becker.

Rooster with Dogs and Cats .

This Two Cats and Dog rug were in an antique booth in Maine Antique Digest and not sure that it is a Magdalena rug.

There is something interesting about this abstract which Evelyn designed from an antique.  Perhaps it was hooked originally to use up whatever leftover wool, nylons or whatever.

Ship at Sea.

Another Magdalena rug.

Another antique adaptation drawn and hooked by Evelyn.

This Large Flower Box is a design by Karen Kahle.  I recall when Evelyn was hooking this at Cape May and was surprised at her bright comors since she hooks mostly dark primitive rugs like me.

A few more Magdalena rugs follow.

Unfortunately the photo below with the two roosters is really really small....dang it.

Below is a design called Big and Little which is a design by Barbara Brown of Port Primitives.

Ahhhhh, a side view of hooking on the Chalfonte porch, a pattern offered by Bev Conway.

Below is Whatnots and is a design offered by Woolley Fox.

An antique adaptation.

Farmyard is another antique adaptation.

As you can see, Evelyn is quite a prolific hooker.  And believe it or not I've loads more of Evelyn's hooked rug photos but my arm is getting tired.  But sadly there have been camps at Cape May where Evelyn and I were attending different weeks so there are many more which I don't have photos of.

If you tap on the photos they will enlarge so you can see who the designer is.  All of the Magdalena style rugs were researched and drawn by Evelyn Lawrence.  

Evelyn started hooking about 1989 and started researching Magdalena Briner Eby over 12 years ago.  That information she had learned of Magdalena's life and rugs was in this publication below.

Hope you have a pleasant evening.

Saundra