Veterans Day

God Bless those brave military who sacrificed life and limb to protect our country and our Constitution.  Thanks also to those now serving.  Yesterday was the birthday of the Marine Corps and would like to honor them with this beautiful hooked rug by Donna Hrkman.  First time I saw this piece my eyes filled with tears, beautiful work Donna.  

This was the note displayed with the rug.

Below is my wonderful step-father (Edward C. "Pat" Patterson) who served in the Navy and was on the Presidential staff assigned to Camp David during the years when Eisenhower was President, then John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

My father (Joseph H. Green Jr.) who served in the Army during WWII.

Here's wishing a Happy Remembrance Day to our Canadian neighbors.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Woe Is Me

Didn't sleep well last night despite my working outside during the day.  After getting up for my normal bathroom trip and returning to bed just couldn't shut off my brain.  So lack of sleep and disappointing outside work today is disheartening.  I'd planned to dig up what I thought was the last corner of Daylilies only to realize I'd forgotten the other corner.  So there are more daylilies and other flowers to transplant.

While working to pull out the ground cover and other pond plants toward that corner I unearthed a whole wheelbarrow full of rocks.  Which means those corner flowers still need to be dug up.  These are the rocks which were buried under the ground cover and is the 30th wheelbarrow load with still those 3 huge heavy ones I can't lift.

This what the pallets look like now.  If you look at the top of the left pallet you will see what looks like the tail of an alligator ~ no we don't have alligators in Delaware it was a pond thing we bought years ago and sadly the the front section of it decomposed during the years of hot, cold and other abuse.

Tomorrow is the last good weather day with rain coming on Friday.  Embarrassed to say this but I'm looking forward to the rain to have an excuse to not work outside and not feel guilty.

Guess I've held out long enough and will show you the pittance of progress on my horse rug.  This evening I also did a little whipping on the edge of the Standing Birds.  

A special THANKS to the gals who sent me a great email about the Granny Donaldson blog post they enjoyed.  I responded to all except Linda who is a No-Reply blogger.  But Linda thanks for being a follower and only wish I was able to thank you personally.

Okay kids, am thinking I'll sleep well tonight since I'm so tired right now and never take naps ~ unless I'm sick.

Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Thinking About My Next Rug (edited)

No I'm not finished hooking the horse and still have more edge whipping to be done on Stacked Birds, but don't want to end up with no plan as in the past.  Have considered hooking another Magdalena design or maybe hooking a Granny Donaldson cow blanket design.  All her motifs were crocheted by Granny and appliqued to a foundation.  She was born in Kentucky April 19, 1870 and died August 1, 1960.

The edit: A couple readers said they were aware of horse blankets but not cow blankets and why were they called that.  My first thought was that perhaps Granny lived in an area more populated with cows than horses and cows get cold during the winter too.  Also speculated that milking cows would be more productive if they were warmer.  

Since I didn't know if that was really the reason decided to research further and found an interesting article.

Here are a few designs by Granny which interest me, but remember I'm a fickle hooker so might change my mind before I draw a design.  This design is in the Collection of American Museum of Folk Art.

Below is in the Collection of the Ashville Art Museum.

The following design is a Family and Animal grouping previously sold by Brunk Auctions.

Here is one sold by Case Antiques and have no prices on either.

And the one below with a vine running up the tree.

Wonder just how many cow blankets Granny made during her lifetime?  I mean I've saved several photos on a flash drive and am sure there are some haven't seen.  

 

All the cow blankets seem to have the same theme of animals and family around a tree ~ the tree of life or the circle of life?  The blanket below is somewhat different in that it has a building of sorts ~ a grain bin (silo), oversize bee skep?  

Me thinks Karen Kahle designed her "Simple Gifts" from Granny Donaldson's Cow Blankets.  What do you think?  Below is the Simple Gifts I hooked with Barb Carroll.

If I choose a Granny Donaldson design to hook it will be difficult to decide just which design to hook.  Or will I decide to hook another Magdalena?   Stay tuned to see my options if I choose Magdalena.

Happy  hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Misc. Chit Chat

 A little work never hurt anybody but a little play is way more fun.  From around the pond I removed and transplanted daylilies but there are more daylilies and other flowers which need to be transplanted.

Also carried 2 wheelbarrows full of leaves to the back where the ground is low and flooding occurs after too much rain.  When those leaves decompose they become dirt and gives me a place to dispose of them.

I haven't pulled a loop on the horse rug today....yet.  But did hook that top for Shadow's ashes.  Since her ashes didn't come in a nice box and the white crematory box with her and my name was sad, decided to hook a box with her name and paw prints on the other sides.  As mentioned in a previous post each time I walked by it the sad view of the top gave me bad memories.  

So today I hooked a small square from a piece of scrap linen and placed it on top.  Matter of fact it was from a Woolley Fox pattern purchased from Barb so brought back fond memories.  I save the big scraps for things like this or to add to another piece of linen to fit the frame.

Now it looks better and I'm happier.  The bear I made for me from my grandmother's mink coat.   

But first I made this jointed bear for my  mother.  Mom-mom was in the Navy and pop-pop in the Coast Guard.  I've seen photos of them in uniform but don't remember their service, perhaps I was too young then.  If you look on the bear you can see a USN charm.  

Well, think it is about time for moi to play with wool and have a glass of cabernet sauvignon 🍷. Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

How I Hang Rugs (edited)

Thanks to a follower who asked the question "how did I hang my rugs" you will all benefit from the answer, I hope.  In the beginning when I knew the rug or mat would go on a wall I would sew a sleeve on the back and insert a dowel.  Here is one I hooked several years ago showing the dowel inserted and a ring to hang it.  This happened to be an Elf Challenge piece which I'd hoped to sell at a show but still have it.

I did the same to the Rottweiler Memorial as well but didn't sew a ring, but rather hanging it in the middle of the dowel.  

When the rug is heavier or wider I used a yard stick and cut it to size.  Gossip's back has a sleeve and a yard stick with a sawtooth picture hanger nailed in the center.

In 2016 I did the same thing for my grandson's Favorite Sports rug.  I hadn't purchased the yard stick at that time so inserted a pen so you could see the opening because of the busy binding.  In case you're wondering I used doubled cotton for the binding on this and on Gossip above.  And I chose it to correspond to the racing checkered flag and the beading on the front.

Here is a view of the front of the rug.  That black and white beauty line was achieved by doing the 'beading technique'.  For you newbies that is when you work with 2 different colors of wool and hook them alternately.  

Once I used a carpet gripper strip but didn't like that nearly as much.  The last several rugs hung I used flat head short straight pins.  Of course I can do that since I have drywall not wood paneling or plaster walls.  I took a photo of two hanging in the the living room and maybe if you click on it you can see the shiny pins.  If I want to move any of the rugs and place them somewhere else it will only leave tiny pin pricks in the walls.

So there ya go, that's how I've hung my rugs.  If anyone has any questions about anything, please feel free to ask.  If you are a NO-Reply blogger I'll not be able to reply directly to you but if you send the message thru the 'EMAIL ME' location on the right side of the blog I will be able to respond and perhaps even do a blog post about it.

Follower Julia asked if I would show the pins I use and should have done that initially, but have attached a photo, thanks Julia.  The one on the far left is what I use now but have used the shorter pin on the far right previously.  Didn't like using that since the colors show up.  The pin in the middle is what I use for sewing.

This is the information on the container and not  sure if I purchased these at Walmart or a sewing center.

Follower Elaine says she uses 'map pins' a/k/a 'push pins'.  I chose not to use them since the top is big and thought it would be distracting, albeit easier to use.  I don't push the pins in but rather hammer them in with a mini hammer which, after checking at Lowes, they are really very cheap, click on the Lowes link.  I'm sure Home Depot offers them too.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

What a Difference a Day Makes

Yesterday was sunny and cool and after a while working outside had to take off my sweatshirt.  Upon coming in the house in the afternoon was comfortable with just the long sleeve tee shirt.  Today I didn't work outside and was very chilled inside with a shirt and sweater.  So this afternoon I broke down and turned the heat on when the house temperature got to 61 degrees.  Don't laugh but my heat is set at 63; yeah I hear ya'll laughing and its funny to me too.  What a difference a couple degrees of warmth will do too.

It was in the 40's outside today and then it turned to rain so no outside work was done and I'm thankful for that as I was able to pull a few loops and have a little something to show you.

A friend told me she already has snow dropping on her part of the world, won't give her name so she can do her weather report and any other stuff she has to share.  Cannot imagine having snow yet, OMG I'm NOT ready for that as there's more of the pond to dispose of.

Guess it is almost time for me to start wearing turtleneck sweaters under sweatshirts again ~ that is how I stay warm in a house with the thermostat only set at 63.

Tomorrow's weather will be better so am hoping to get the last of the rocks I can lift hauled to the pallets.  If lucky I'll also get the day lilies transplanted before it is too too late.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

First Antique Rug Show of November

November 1st already ~ whew but the year has flown by.  Now time for another rug show as I've collected many on my flash drive which you've not seen yet.  Most of the rug photos recently acquired were from the Collection of Barbara and Charlie Hunter of Staunton, VA.  The first one is a Horse, Dog, Heart and bird with a sawtooth border.  It measures  34 x 37 and was hooked late 19th or early 20th century.

When taking classes with Barb Carrol, she might suggest hooking an odd out of place strip of wool somewhere.  That is what gives a rug an antique look because back in the day they ran out of the same color and had to make do.  Notice the black strips hooked in various places, or the pink in some of the triangles or the blue in the grey.  You get my drift.

Landscape with Ducks flying over a house and wonder if the dog was coming back home after chasing the ducks as it appears the dog's tongue is hanging out.  Rug measures 32 x 54.

Big Bird Small Dog.  There are two dates in the rug.  Wonder if she started hooking it in 1888 and 1894 when it was near completion.  No dimensions on this, sorry.

Cat with a ball of yarn and was hooked with yarn.  Dimensions are 26 x 32.5.

Big Dog with stars was said to be attributed to Magdalena.  Perhaps the reclining dog style is but you have seen the reclining cat and dogs in other antique rugs and I do not consider this a Magdalena rug JMHO.  The piece measures 33.5 x 44.  I've forwarded the link to friend Evelyn to get her thoughts on if this is a yah or nay as a Magdalena.

General Robert E Lee with his horse Traveller measures 21 x 30.  An interesting documentation that goes with that rug is that "it was purchased in 1930 from woman who lived on a farm near Lynchburg W. Virginia who hooked the rug.

Here is a close up of the General's face and I find it interesting that she used sheep wool roving for his hair and facial hair.  She did a great job and a shame it is damaged.  But it also looks like she used a stocking for the face and perhaps even stuffed it with some of that same wool roving.  Very moving piece of art.

Another rug in Hutchinson style is Fisherman's Luck.  Said to be hooked 1910 and measures 36 x 46.

Love it when the auction site shows a photo of the back of the rug to see the true colors.  But then most times the frail antiques have been tacked to a fabric and the mounted on frames to keep them from falling apart.

Stars and shields had a date of1898 and measures 34 x 45.

This is a close up of the hooked date so you can see how it was hooked.

That's it for me tonight.  As you might imagine I worked digging out rocks and hauling them from the back pond to the front and so far have made 27 loads and more needs to be hauled.  Some are so big and heavy that I can't even lift and put them in the wheelbarrow so will have my son do it later.

Which means very little hooking has been happening and moi isn't happy about that.  But as the old farm saying goes..."make hay while the sun shines" and it is November 1st ya know.  So weather permitting I'll be back at it again tomorrow.

Hope you rug hooking pals have been enjoying more rug hooking success than me.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Happy Halloween

Don't have a lot of Halloween decorations out this year but will show you what is.  First is my favorite Halloween rug Nantucket Broom Ride designed by Lori Brechlin and sold by Spruce Ridge Studios.  It was fun to hook in Kris' class and I enjoy it each year.

I used to make dolls but stopped doing that about 10 years ago.  Here is a witch with a hooked face I made.  Also made the paper mache' pumpkin as well.  Prices too high for a vintage pumpkin so made my own.  I don't have wonderful vintage Steiff Cats like Robin (The Cranky Crow) but do have this fun thing I purchased from a JoAnne Fabrics years ago ~ think it was JoAnne.

A pattern by Lucille Festa named Hobo Joe.  It was meant to be a cut out door people pattern but I chose to make it into a mat.  

A better view of Lucille's pattern is below.  

Since I have your attention I may as well show you other Halloween themed rugs  and  other things I've hooked over the years.  My design is "mache' Jacks" and a better look at my pumpkin.

A design by Kelley Belfast I call A Little Birdie Told Me because her design looks like the bird is whispering into an ear.

Another Lori Brechlin Design named "Do Goode Be Nice" was hooked in another Kris Miller class and she also offers the pattern for sale.

A few years ago I was the lucky recipient of a kit giveaway by Maria Barton from her Star Rug Company's blog.

Below is a Barb Carroll Jack I hooked which was a free pattern insert in the 1997 Sept/Oct issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

Many years ago I made this applique quilt piece which I've hung on my front door previously to celebrate Halloween.

HESTER is another free design by Lori Brechlin which was in Primitive Quilts and Projects.

I can't forget Jack's Crow which I hooked last year.  A design by Terri Leamer of Winter Cottage Studio.  Think I'd like to hook it again and in better colors. 

Yet another Lori Brechlin pattern Merrie October hooked last year was quick and fun.

A Witch doll I used to make which sold well at shows.  I tried to make each one slightly different.  

And another example.

From a Not Forgotten Farm pattern booklet I hooked the Wytch pulling a pumpkin.

Just found this picture of witches.

Last but not least....Kitty in Candy Corn was a small thing I made which sold well and even tho I could probably sell many this time of year am just not interested in even making easy things any longer.  Am over dollmaking (cat making).

Today I hauled 8 wheelbarrow loads of rocks and here is the sum of two days work of 16 loads.  And there is a lot more for me to haul.  Me thinks these rocks are reproducing faster than my wool worms.  Calling my work outside done for today and will find pleasure hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com