PATTERNS ON LINEN

Can I say again how much I dislike linen for rug patterns? First and what I thought was the #1 reason for disliking linen is that I am VERY allergic to it. Never in my life have I gotten anything like poison ivy until several summers ago after cutting, serging and drawing 100 or more patterns on linen I was a mess. Couldn't figure out what it was since I hadn't been out the house for days. It was very HOT July and I had been in the house working on patterns for camp. My arms & legs started itching and the next thing they were covered in blisters. Not a pretty site. After dealing with it a couple days on my own I went to the doctors. After talking about where I had been and what I had been doing it was determined that the linen was the problem.

Now I stay far away from it and try not touch it. But I had an order for a Madi's Favorite pattern on linen and I said I would do it. Really thought I could talk Neil into doing it but........So this morning I headed out to the garage with rubber gloves and long sleeves. Got the linen cut and was ready to draw the pattern. This is when I found out the 2nd major reason for the dislike...........it is a bear to draw on ...........pencil marks don't show up, it is hard to keep the pencil straight in the line to get a straight line and it takes way more Sharpie's to get a whole pattern drawn.

I hear so much about how Monks cloth stretches...........that is only true if you the hooker stretches it. All backing will stretch if they are pulled too tightly on a frame or you don't do a couple rows of an outside border around the edges of the rug. And since I don't have a choice on what backing I work on I do love Monks cloth. It is so forgiving on your hands and much easier to draw a pattern on.

The patterns is drawn. Clothes are washed and dried, and I'm so far non the worst for linen except my face & eyes are itching. Just glad this job is done! Think I deserve some time to go finish up my sock I'm knitting.

MADI'S FAVORITE

33" X 33"

The pattern on monks cloth is ready and available with free shipping here.

I love doing simple rugs with very simple colors. Althought there is only four main colors in this rug I used many different textures and colors for each. The dark green background was up to 10 or more different wools. I don' t even worry about them coming from the same dye pot just as long as they are pleasing to the eye.

NO FOOTBALL SUNDAY

It was a good day with NO football on TV. The Super Bowl is next week and then months with NO football! (And without the Colts in the Super Bowl it isn't exciting to watch.) This only means one thing...........DAYTON! Yes, I'm a racing fan. Watched many hours of the Rolex 24 yesterday & today and that can be pretty boring racing. but it sure beats football!

I plan on getting busy hooking so I will have something to do while watching a race each Sunday. I have been knitting the last few months but no way can I knit and watch something on TV. Way too much counting and paying attention to knitting. With hooking there is no thinking..........no counting or reading a pattern or dropping a stitch. Hooking is such a relaxing thing to do. But with knitting there is not the mess of wool lint compared to hooking.

Here is a picture of a rug I did a few years back. It is adapted from an antique rug from the collection of textiles at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. The original wasn't a hooked rug but more of a sewn/shirred type of rug. I dyed the colors close to the original colors. I have this rug mounted on a frame but it is in the closet. I really need to find a place to hang this. Guess I need to change a few things that are on the wall now and display this rug. Many of my rugs are in the closet. Since I have a 'bad' cat they just can't go on the floor.


And since I have had Bee/ the Bad Cat for many years, lots of my rugs have been cleaned. A few have been tossed in the washer. Many more have been cleaned by soaking in warm water with some type of detergent and I have to say they all survived. Now I wouldn't advise this but it was either that or throw them way. Very little fading of colors........ and I have done this with rugs on burlap, monks cloth & linen.

I have also washed patterns that have been drawn with a black Sharpie pen. In no way did the marks fade or bleed. When it says permanent it means it.

Did you notice there are no new picture of the wool studio...........NO, I didn't get it organized. It is still on my list of things to do in January. How many days do I have? Better get this pair of socks knit so I will have time to get to the room.

LET IT SNOW

We finally got a few inches of snow and like half of the US it is bitter cold today. Making for a good day to stay inside and look at the sunshine coming in. This little rug is titled LET IT SNOW. It hooks up quickly and works for the holidays right into March. It can be found here with free shipping. You can't really see it in the pictures but I added a painted wooden dowel that I sharpen and pushed through the face for the nose.

I have it hanging on an old cabinet that Neil rescued from a friends backyard and painted. Neil also made the wonderful green pie safe with painted, punched tin inserts. The cat weather is from old barn wood and an antique arrow from an old weather vane.

Since so many are talking about finding a "word" for them to use for the New Year I have decided ORGANIZE/ORDER is the word/words for me. As you can see .........and I don't believe I'm posting these pictures............my wool room/studio is a nightmare. It is a wonderful space when it is organized but also the place that becomes a nightmare fast. Maybe by posting these it will make me get in there and work at putting some order to it.

Organization is something I am not good at. My mind goes in too many different directions to keep things neat. But 2009 I am going to try harder.
Not just with keeping things neater but with life in general. I'm so tired of hearing the word change........too old for change but hopefully not too old to find order and organization for my life.

Now off to see if I can start with clearing off one of the tables in there.

NEW PATTERNS

I have been taking inventory of my hooking patterns and adding many to my site. There will be free shipping and several at sale prices. More will be added in the next few days. Special Chick Delivery

18" x 27"

On Monks Cloth $25.00

IT'S FRIDAY

This first week of 2009 has flew but at least I have gotten some things done. Christmas decorations are all put up. And I realized as I was getting the house back together I must of packed some of my everyday things up when I put up Christmas so they are lost until next Christmas. Just as well it will be like getting new things when I unpack.





This is a picture at the bottom of my stairs. The horse came from Neil's grandfathers house. We love it and a couple bears I made a few years ago love riding in it!






For Christmas Neil made his daughter in law a sign for the kitchen as she HATES to cook. But when we got there Christmas day for dinner and found out Josh, Neil's son did the cooking we gave him the sign instead.

And this sign was made for Josh .........as they have just moved to the country and have a great pond for fishing. But instead of giving it to Josh we gave this one to Chas.........They both got a kick out the the reverse gifts and understood the reason for sure!

This is the first thing I knit. Ok I did a scarf but ripped it out. I used the Lucy Bag pattern. For some reason I had chosen this solid BRIGHT PURPLE yarn. After I machine felted the bag it was way too bright and solid so I got out the dyes and went to work on it. I really like the color it came out. And since I mixed dyes and dumped them in the pot not sure what it is. Then I needlefelted the design on the bag before I lined it. I'm happy at the way it came out and the felting the bag hides all my knitting mistakes!

This is my first sock I finished. Knit it yesterday and then thought WOW it is TALL! And I don't like that little ribbing around the ankle......more like around the fat part of my let........so I started new sock this morning. I have enough yarn to make a pair the new way so that I think I'll just keep this one as a reminder what the first looked like. This sock knitting I can see will be trouble as it is all I want to do..........and I've not even got a pair to wear yet!

They are predicting snow this weekend. Hope it snows lots since we have no where to go and it would be nice to sit and knit and watch it snow!

CHRISTMAS 2008

Here are a few pictures of holiday decorations before I get it all packed up for another year. This cabinet full of redware and a few of my sheep greets you as you enter the front door.

Wonderful Santa made and gifted to me from a great friend Nodie! Love him!

A little Merry Christmas redware plate on a shelf in the bathroom. On top are the "Brush Family". Who were purchased at a local art show and one made by Neil! They are always ready to make me smile!

Holiday scene in family room.

Log cabin made by Neil from some old barn wood!

HOW I SPENT MY DECEMBER

Here is what Christmas eve looked like. And yes it was still Christmas eve when I took this picture as I finished the last hat about 11:30 pm on the 24th.

Since I have learned to knit figured the best way to explain to Neil why I was spending so much time knitting was to make Christmas presents. Because I'm a new knitter I figured that scarves & mittens....... fingerless mittens would be good projects. Then at the last minutes decided I do a couple of hats.

Besides knitting these I did work on my first sweater......still not finished............and knitted on a purse that I will felt. Also needle felted some bowls for hooker gifts but forgot to take pictures of them.

Since Christmas I've been hardly knitting at all. Wanted to start something new but knowing I really should finish the purse & sweater before anything new.

Can't wait to watch the Colts tonight kick San Diego's buts! They have to win or else wait until next season.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

As I wonder where 2008 has gone I want to wish all Happy New Year! I'm sure that 2009 will be filled with as many or more interesting problems as 2008. I'm hoping I will be are more creative & productive year! With the beginning of a new year I'm excited about the ideas that are spinning in my head. IF I can just make myself do some of them each day 2009 will be a good year! Writing in my blog is at the top of the list!

Looking back on 2008 and wondering where it went I can say I did learn to knit. For many years I refused to learn as rug hooking is all I wanted to do. But the challenge of knitting.........and it is a challenge that at times I feel is beyond this old brain..........following patterns and COUNTING and DROPPING stitches about pushes me over the edge. But then I take a deep breath.......SCREAM, THROW STUFF and just before my brain explodes I tell myself this can't be THIS HARD! I ask myself why with hooking being so EASY and relaxing why am I doing this! I'm sure there as days my dear friend Tonia wishes she never talked me into knitting! She is a saint for all the help she has given me with this knitting task!

Hooking will always be my first love.The dyeing of the wools, designing a new pattern and putting the colors together will always be what makes me comfortable. But for now I'm making room for knitting. I mean who can pass up all the beautiful yarns ........and they are ready to knit ............I don't have to take the time to dye them as somebody else has gone to the trouble for me !

For now I'm off to find something for dinner and knit!