Whipping With Wool Yarn Part 2

I'd forgotten just how labor intensive (time wise) this process is. Maybe that is why most of the time I choose binding tape. Wanted to start my new hooking project this weekend but am pretty darn sure it won't happen tomorrow either.

But at least I'm on my way to finishing this one so moving on to the next is in the near future.   

Only the left side and around two corners have been whipped.  I'm to blame for stopping and starting, getting on the computer to check emails, fast forwarding during commercials to watch recorded shows. But hey...I'll be here again tomorrow (I hope) so no need to rush. Afterall, every day is a weekend for me since retiring several years ago.

So now will share with you the formula as to how much yarn is needed to bind a rug. Must admit that I had to call on my gal pal Kris Miller to remind me so am posting it on my blog.  That way not only you will know but when I forget can do a 'search' on my very own blog, lol.

The hank of wool below is what I'm using to bind the rug.  It was purchased from Ali Strebel at Cape May rug camp but she also offers yarn on her web site.  

The FORMULA... It takes 12" (one foot) of yarn to whip 1".  Yes, sad but true.

This rug measures 22 x 47 which equates to 138" times 12" of yarn to whip around......OR 1,656" of yarn required.    Yup, but think you'd want a tad more to cover those corners and to tuck the ends of the yarn under.  So would want a tad more than that.

The hank of yarn above measures 28" (almost 29) and it is on a round so times 2.  There are 39 strands of yarn.  So the calculations are:

28 x 2 = 56" TIMES 39 strands = 2,184" of yarn required for whipping this rug.  So there IS plenty of yarn.

THIS WOOL YARN is thick so am using a single strand to whip with. So am wondering if using a thinner piece of wool yarn and doubled would require twice the amount.   I'm not sure because I've only whipped with either thick (bulky) wool or with cut wool strips.  The remainder of the time I've done the wide wool covered cording or cotton binding.  

Have a great Saturday evening folks.  You may not hear from me tomorrow unless this marathon binding is completed.

Saundra

The Adventurous Experiences of Wee Folk

Okay, Okay, here is my Wee Folk.  And yes, it is a wool covered cord.  But I am TOTALLY happy now.  Yes, I took one step forward and two steps back but will explain all this.  Oh, and it isn't really more narrow on one end than the other it must be that my camera was tilted to the side as I make sure that I hook on the straight of the grain.

Any way, you've all heard the comment...." just sleep on it" I'm sure.  With all internal questions and angst I've had with the binding of the rug I awoke one morning at O'dark 30 (yeah there is a movie title now but in military speak it means in the !#@*& dark of night.  Anyway, my realization was that to do the binding method whether yarn or wool strips would jeopardize the edge of the rug.  And here is why.

Notice the pre-whipping on the left, which, by the way, was done lightly, makes a huge gap between the hooked rug and the whipped edge.  And now look what it is like after I pulled out the wool yarn.

That gap is even bigger.  So I realized what I was doing was making a 'perferated edge' which might rip off the end of my precious rug with wear or additional stress.  

I've successfully bound rugs with yarn or wool strips with backing which is more sturdy.  And THAT was the issue here.  While this pattern WAS hooked on good linen it wasn't quite as heavy as the Dorr Natural Linen therefore I didn't want to use the whipping technique on this rug. 

Here is a picture of the two linens ~ Dorr Natural Primitive Linen is on the left and the thinner linen Wee Folk was drawn on (producer unknown) is on the right.  Also, remember the one on the right is BLEACHED.

It might well be that this situation of 'a backing deciding the binding technique' would never had happened had I chosen a different method.  IF this rug had been bound with a regular cotton binding or the wool covered cord in the very beginning, I'd have  never realized that a backing can choose its binding technique.  This was an eye opener for me and one I will consider in the future so that I don't waste time trying a binding technique which won't work for the foundation.

The Wee Folk pattern I hooked was drawn from the original Vermont Folk Art and not the current owner Hooked On Ewe.   Don't get me wrong, this linen was just great to hook on and the rug will live a long life now that it has been bound in a way which is best for this type of backing.  So this is a lesson to be learned when you are trying to figure out how to bind a rug.  You may WANT to bind a rug a certain way, but what does the  foundation call for?

IF you are interested in hooking this design ( I love this Wee Folk rug) the patterns are now being offered by Hooked on Ewe.  And whether you have a pattern on this linen foundation from the former company or not, just choose your method of binding suitable to work with the foundation.

AGAIN, the linen used in hooking the Wee Folk was great, it just needed a particular binding method.  Click HERE if you would like to see a previously posted tutorial on how to do the wool covered cord style binding.

Thanks for visiting, have fun hooking and be kind to one another.

Saundra

Types of Rug Binding

Just another minor detour from my hooked items theme.  There have been two recent inquires from two different folks wanting more information about binding rugs.

Although I've posted binding information several times on the blog before, newly joined folks may not have seen them.  THERE IS a way to do a 'search' on my blog using key words to find what you want.  At the top left on my blog is a white block where I just typed in "binding a rug" and this is the information which popped up:
http://woodlandjunction.blogspot.com/search?q=binding+a+rug 

Yet, wanting to please my readership (lost one today...wonder why?) thought I'd show you different ways I've bound rugs.  In the beginning I used only the 1 1/4" binding tape.  I was taught to do a row of straight stitching 1/4" away from the last row of hooking and then 1" away from that do two rows of straight stitching 1/4" apart with a row of zig zag stitching connecting the two.  Then you could trim the foundation knowing it is protected from raveling.  When the binding tape is attached it protects the foundation from further harm.

At rug camps I learned other ways to bind using complimentary wool. The colors of this wool on the lion below goes well with the inside colors.  It was cut on the bias, covered a cord and sewn down the appropriate length to cover the edge of the rug.

This is what the back looks like.  I felt the edge of the bias wool needed protection so did a zig zag to prevent it from raveling.  

Also have done several rugs using a wool whipped edge.  Most recent was the Magdalena Goat.  The formula for 'how much yarn' is that it takes 12" of yarn to whip 1".  Bless Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios  for reminding me when I had a brain fart once.  

Now another question rises to the top, right?  You're wondering if you need to use binding tape if you whip.  Some people do but it isn't necessary.  The object of binding tape is to protect the foundation and whipping the edge does that.  The Magdalena Goat it is crisp, clean and no loose edges of foundation to be seen so did not use binding tape.  

I have also used cotton fabric in wide widths such as this.  I felt that the stripe would lend itself to a complimentary look if an edge were to show.  The Cherries and Candy Stripe piece is for my harvest table and not the floor so wouldn't see traffic.

Another binding technique was used on the Chicken Challenge rug below.  It was taught by Betsy Reed in a class.  If you would like to see it demonstrated on a previous blog post you can see it HERE.

NOW speaking of the traffic ~ this is the rug which was at my front door for 14 years.  Below is the back side and was also a wool covered cord with the self-binding a the back.  The wool was the same Dorr #44 used for the background.  This wool was cut straight of grain rather than bias.  Note the more squared corners than in the bias border previously. 

Below you can see how the walking of 14 years at the front door wore down the wool. The foundation is still perfectly fine and glad I pulled it off the floor when I did.  Plans are now to repair the edge with wool whipping around the cord all the way around.  I won't put it back at the front door again but it is too special to me to let it fade away.  This was my precious first hooking project and want to preserve it for my family.

There are additional binding techniques which I have not tried ~ one is the crochet edge and the other is with a braided edge.

Several booklets are available to teach about binding and other basics but I can give you two sources.  One is called Finishing Hooked Rugs ~ a publication from Rug Hooking Magazine.

Another is by Kris Miller which also gives basics of rug hooking.

Have a great evening everyone; for those of you who 'may' be looking forward to more of my hooked rugs perhaps I'll begin again tomorrow.

Saundra

And Then.....

.... after hooking for a couple years had feelings of inadequacy as to my hooking.  There was an atmosphere that wide cut primitive hookers weren't 'real' hookers and hooked only what they were capable of.  

That year I signed up for a class with Jon Ciemiewicz ~ I know you have seen his magnificent works of art in Rug Hooking Magazine and shows.  That was the class I started work on my Rottweiler Memorial.

The dogs were hooked in #3 but got so frustrated with narrow cut that the background was hooked in #5.  The background was a mixture of that same High Meadow Green dye recipe, a staple of mine.  The wool in the dogs were dip dyed by me using repurposed brown wool dip dyed in black.  

And some of you may know, at the nape of the neck between the color change some of their hair is hooked in.  I'd saved each of their hair during grooming when they were alive.  Friend Leslie, now departed, spun their hair on a narrow core of wool yarn.  In person you can see the hair, which makes this a very special piece for me.

Okay then.... I got my confidence back!  I now know my capabilities of handling a narrow cut, could paint well with wool but CHOSE to hook wide cut and primitive.  So what did I do next, you ask?

Pulled out a piece of linen and drew a primitive rug and hooked it in #8.

One year at Cape May someone was working on Bev Conway's pattern Rufus the Lion and it was love at first sight.  So purchased the pattern and hooked that in a class with Bev.

Those shades of fuscia and purple aren't really me but since his adorable mane had those colors they needed to be spread around the rug.  The rug is in my wool room.

Meanwhile during the year I hooked several more purses for shows and small mats until it was time to go to another rug camp.

The pattern Birds and Pomegranates by Edyth O'Neill was in a book so drew that out for the class with Eric Sandberg; and sold that one.

Was time to put another rug on my frame so chose 1880 Running Horse.  This one I hooked on my own using the picture of the antique as a guideline ~ sold this one too.

Going into 2007 Polly Minick was offering Patriotic kits with portion of the proceeds to benefit the Semper Fi Fund, which helps wounded warriors and their family.   I recently donated this to the American Legion so they could sell chances  ~ all proceeds went to their cause.

That was also the year  Polly and I developed a great working relationship which lasted 10 years until her recent retirement.  

In a class with Lucille Festa I hooked 1847 Turkey, a pattern in a Needl'love publication named Falloween.

Next on my frame was Crow Sampler, a design by Kindred Spirits.  I changed it up a bit with the border.

And here is the original on the web site.

Tonya (Mad Hen) invited me to hook a design to be included in an upcoming booklet.  There were a few of us rug hookers who were included in that publication.  It was quite an honor for me; heck, she provided the pattern as well as the wool.  The only stipulation was that the black was to be for the sky (a/k/a/ background).

There ya have it for another blog post rug show.  After breakfast I will go back outside and work my aching bones to clean up the small limbs.  But at least the trees are being whittled down and the mess will eventually be gone.

 Although you can't see it in theese two photos, the trees are still in a very precarious and dangerous position as the weight of the top tree is teetering on the tip of my clothes line post.  

Here are close-ups.  The weight of the top and heaviest tree is sitting on that tilted clothes line post.

The men will be back this morning to begin work again.  Would you believe there is another storm with rain/snow and wind developing for Tuesday and Wednesday?

Saundra

TRUE CONFESSIONS

Do you remember seeing True Confessions magazine on shelves at the shops and grocery stores?  I do, but if you don't you can read about it HERE for a little useless conversation piece.  But my confessions are about the rug I'm working on and an update to Giant Flower.

Just before Cape May I had nothing planned to fill my time with teacher Lucille to work on before the camp project.  Frankly nothing in my desperate searches for an antique interested me but the giant flower raised my smile meter more than the others so drew it out.  Will show you the update below then continue with my confessions.

Second confession ~ Getting ready for Cape May I had tunnel vision and didn't think ahead about how I'd bind this rug.  Even just last week realized I should have sewn on something as a binding.  The purchased cotton bindings I have were too dark, didn't have a suitable color wool yarn for whipping and wasn't sure there was even enough of my various colors of dyed blue wool to do a wool edge.

Sooo, the row of hooking closest to the edge had to be pulled out so I could sew the cotton fabric on in order to get it close to the last row.  Oy vey!  Had my head been right before camp I'd have thought of that earlier.  BUT, being in a hurry missed that planning step.

Third confession ~  I don't have a 'plus one'.  BTW, just to clarify how I came up with that term, ya know how when you're invited to a party and the invitation says you can bring a 'plus one'?  That's how that became a thing with me.  Figured this is my party and I'll bring another.  Anyhoo, I digress...

So that is why Do Goode Be Nice was changed after 8 years, I needed something else to work on other than the flower.  Still don't have a plus one and if it weren't for having this mess below and the mess on my drawing table to clean up I'd draw one. 

Those are all the various colors of cut wool worms I'm using for the floral rug.  The only wool I'm cutting now (after perusing the worms) is the blue background and the green for leaves.   The blue is a mixture of many previous dye jobs I did over the years but at a distance they all seem to work okay.

Thanks to those of you who recently 'followed' my blog.  Not sure what I posted that inspired you but hope I can continue to keep your interest.  Hope you will check in often to see what I'm working on.  If you have a question or want me to cover a certain topic, please email me.  If you don't want to put it in the 'comment' section there is a special "EMAIL ME" spot on the right hand side of my blog which comes directly into my email.

Nice mild temperatures today but we all know winter is in our forecast and dark getting earlier.  Enjoy it while we can.  Happy hooking, knitting, quilting, stitching or whatever floats your boat!

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

Color Planning by the Seat of My Pants

Seems I do this a lot ~ color planning at the last minute when I need a wool for the grass, or the sky, or whatever.  When first starting the Out of Hand Challenge rug tried to use as many worms from my bags of various colors as was possible.  

For the sky there were several worms pulled from the bag then went directly to the source of the over-dyed flat wool in my stash.  Will be nice when that is gone too.

But now a decision needed to be made on grass/ground color.  Since I'd recently tried to organize my wool stumbled upon this textured over dyed wool which I think will work great.  Have cut a few strips to hook with tonight and hope it looks like grass and not water.

For at least one of pups I'm hooking the spots in the lighter brown and tan for the body.  The other pup will be close but not quite same colors.

As for Nantucket Broom Ride I did do a little more wool yarn whipping the under edge of the rug but still have one and half sides to whip and then the tacking of the inside edge.  

Have a great evening everyone.

Oh So Close!

Okay, I'm guilty of taking breaks from whipping the edge of my rug with wool yarn so every once in a while needed to pull loops on my grandson's rug.  This one is a piece of cake compared to my son's Cave Man Rug and my grandson's Favorite Sports Rug last Christmas.

So, when the last of the wool whipping is done on the Horse Trainer my grandson's rug will rest for a few months so that I can begin my next project.

Above is the Horse Trainer and all that is left of whipping is 36" at the bottom. It WILL require one more steaming.  I have concerns with the corners. It looks wonderful from the top and coverage is good.  But it seems the corners curl and are longer (stretched out).  Am hoping the steaming fixes the look.  Any advice from your experts????? 

Have a great evening and plans are that whipping will be accomplished tomorrow.  BUT.... I have a pattern order which needs to be drawn, the wool room needs to be cleaned up before before wool can be cut for the new project.    Trust me there is no one more excited about starting the next antique rug adaptation than me.  So we will ALL have to wait.

Have a great evening and am so sorry for the horrendous snowfall for our neighbor's in Canada.  Hope you still have electricity and enjoying your Storm Meals.

Saundra

1909 Horse Rugs

As promised, but a little late is Nada's rendition of 1909 Horse.  Hers is wonderful and just hope mine, when finally finished, will be as nice.

The delay making this post was because my digital camera couldn't  be located.  The iPad is here so could have used that but really needed to find my camera.  After doing 3 complete walks thru the house on both floors finally 'moved something' and there it was.

So here is a photo of the start on 1909 Horse.  Yup, I stitched the binding on already.  As there are no plans to make the pattern larger ~ it is already 33 x 40.  Plus the binding process will be so much easier and quicker since part of the task is already done.  That doubled cotton has the same beige, black and red which will be in my rug so will blend in with the back colors.

In case you're wondering..... I have bound my rugs with wool yarn whipping, wool strip whipping, cotton binding tape and using wool wrapped cording with wool binding.  Have done all types of binding except crochet and braided edge.  Oh....haven't done the Eaton edge either.

Happy hump day for all you worker bees out there.  Hope you enjoyed our record high temperatures today but things are about to change drastically.

Saundra

A Question from a Follower

Just love it when people ask questions as it gives me something to talk about.  Not that I know all the answers to everything, but most likely I've tried whatever the subject matter is about.  And if I don't know figure I need to know so do a search to learn.

Glenda inquired about how to hook with wool roving ~ does one hook like normal hooking or do a proddy?  I have only hooked this rug using wool roving on the two sheep.  It is a Woolley Fox design called "July Cabin" and a free pattern in a book by Barb Carroll titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking.  I tool some creative license by making leaves on the trees instead of flags and changed the direction of the smoke to make the rug smaller.  Sorry the flash really washed out the colors in the photo below.

A closer view. 

And  a close up of one of the sheep.  I did regular hooking with a hank of the three ply wool yarn and cut off another length if I needed more.

This is the Icelandic Lopi I used to hook the sheep which is a roving that had been carded but not thru the final twisted spin to make it a hank of knittable wool.  I purchased this years ago direct from my Icelandic friend Sofia Katla Leifsdottier.

I was in Kris Miller's class when one of her students used Kris' curly locks to use as a Santa beard.  In looking thru old Cape May photos I believe it was this Santa (a Polly Minick Design) that was the pattern Kris helped Jeri with in her class.  Click on the photo to see a close up of that fantastic beard using Kris' curly locks.

Kris Miller has a great blog post about the subject which covers more than I just posted.  http://spruceridgestudios.blogspot.com/p/hooking-101.html  and if you are interested in purchasing some of her curly locks, purchasing a pattern or taking a class you can contact her from her web site HERE.

Hope your weekend is marvelous.

Saundra

 

A Rug Show

As I'm not quite ready to show my little bit of progress on the OOHRH Sheep challenge piece yet thought you needed some sort of blog fix. Yes, I did finally decide on the grass and stem color of the daffodils and am presently out of my slump.  But it has been two days since I posted and figured you needed to see a little something here.

First is a yarn sewn rug on a footstool hooked approximately 1830, according to the auction site.  It is mounted on a madder base footstool, hooked with cotton and wool.  The legs of the foot stool are visible and I chose to not crop those out of the photo.

Below is a hooked deer with a scroll edge.  Sorry, don't have any other facts.

Below is a landscape with animals and birds.  No other information other than my visual observations, lol.

A very faded floral center and geometric border hooked rug, don't know the date but has seen some use in it's time.

Not sure if I've shown you this antique horse rug below before or not. But in looking at it closely (tap on the photo is you want to enlarge it), notice the frightened look in the horse's eye.  I'm thinking this is a race horse or show horse who was getting his legs bound (or unbound), got spooked and darted off.  Those are wrapped legs not natural 'socks'. Not sure what the proper term was but as a kid when talking about our horse we referred to light colored hair near the hoof as a sock.

I love this whale rug which sold for $28,000 by 1stdibs.  One day I want to hook it.  Think Maria Barton did an adaptation of this design too, and was wonderful.

The rug with all the cats below is great and a good adaptation.  But if you look closely it appears the edge is whipped with wool which definitely wouldn't have been done years ago.  But whoever hooked it did a darn good job making it look old, dirty and worn.  If anyone knows who hooked it I'd love to give credit and know who I should be envious of for their talents.

This rug is quite colorful and question its antiquity with the colors and scallop edge.  Unfortunately I cannot read the information below the rug so don't know any other info.

For years I've wanted to hook the 3 Bears rug.  My grandson is into football, soccer, baseball and Nascar so no bears for him.  Maybe one day I'll tap into my inner child and hook it just for me.

Well chickadees, time for me to fix my salad, heat up the homemade soup and then hook.  Sadly I haven't made the artisan bread recipe that Kim of Millie's Mats spoke of but have purchased the yeast.  So now my plan is to make the bread the day I make some homemade chicken rice soup.

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

Saundra