Inspiration and Hooking

I haven't cross stitched in years

too many to count

I've tried but my eyes aren't up to it

then came floss tube on YouTube

because I've seen all crime and murder shows

twice

once I found Brenda and the Serial Starter

I knew I was in trouble

the stash above is 2 of my 4 orders

so...

my plan is to try stitching some smalls

and adapting some patterns to hooking

let me know if you have a favorite 

floss tube channel

 Started this one the other day

I'd drawn at least 4 other designs on this linen

the border was already hooked...

my family is visiting for a week 

 I needed to some hooking to keep me calm

I'm the youngest sister 

62 to their 70 and 73

they still sort of boss me around

and question all my decisions...

This is the first log cabin I've hooked

if I remember correctly

19 x 12.5

pattern available on linen

The world has become such a heartbreaking place

I look for the little joys each day.

I count my friends first

Little Crow

 Yesterday I pulled out a smallish piece of linen

stitched some cotton to the length and put it on the frame...

what to hook?

I cut for the background

everything else from the worm baskets

The previous rug did cut down the size of my worm stash

but in between I have hooked many rugs

adding plenty more strips

have also set aside some I think I'll never use

mostly purple

Today I started another similar to this on the same piece of linen

after that, there is a cat in the works

Thank you all for returning to my blog

after the long gap

Peace Cats

 Hello Friends

This freebie is from back in February

So much has happened in the world since we last met here

In my little life I retired in March

Enjoying my time with the cats and my wool

Finally working on many more designs

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Why is my pattern on Freezer Paper?

in an effort to use what was on hand

I started using freezer paper for my paper patterns

it was the right size and easy to use

The other day something clicked

I use freezer paper for wool applique

Why not use it for rug hooking?

I drew the pattern on the shiny side

then pressed it to the backing

Now it was easy to place on my light box

(or would have been if I knew where it was)

or tape to a window

Turn so the backing faces you and trace

Super simple!

So get your backing ready

draw up your border lines...

I drew my design on the shiny side of freezer paper

a scant 1/4" smaller than the design

Place shiny side down on backing

press with dry iron

Ta Da!

you are now ready to draw your pattern on the backing

just flip it over onto your light source

the paper lifts off easy when you're done...

I hope this makes sense

I mostly draw my designs directly on the linen

because I design as I go

When purchasing paper patterns from others this 

is my go to now

 

Wool Dyeing

the oxygen tubing is long around here

so I can slowly dye wool

the colors are close to true

just a little darker in person

most recipes from

Beautiful Wool by Laurice Heath

turns out it's available at the 

I Love Rug Hooking Website

 some of these were overdyed again the next day

the top three are now a darker

primitive green

*****

I'll be off work until at least December 1st

my breathing has improved

still attached to the oxygen though

With my job 

I am required to return with no limitations

I need to be mobile

to walk from one end of the hospital to the other at times

(it's not that big of a hospital but when you can't breathe

especially while wearing an N95 mask...)

I need to push heavy equipment, to move patients

and stand in surgery for hours

This is one of the reasons I push myself

a little

everyday

I feel much better than I did 2 weeks ago

if all goes well in 2 more weeks I can return

Thank goodness for curbside pick up at the grocery store

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Now What

pulled out some twill from ages ago

before long I'll be making curtains for the kitchen

more yardage of the piece with the red

so that's the curtains

maybe some pillow covers from the other...

I am still painting the kitchen

good thing I live alone and am not bothered by the mess

removed the scrappy hooking samples

starting my Out of Hand Rug Hookers freebie

(Facebook group)

mine will end up being an altered version

of the pattern given

just because my mind has moved on 

*******

I have a couple of prayer request for strength and healing

my cousin Patty 

and 

a good friend of my NC sister, Betsy

thank you!

YouTube rug hooking

I've been puttering around the house today

listening to and watching

Cindi Gay on YouTube

even an experience hooker

can learn something new all the time

do you watch YT videos?

seems a lot of folks watch floss tube

any recommendations?

my favorite is Taco Stacks

he scraps, sells at flea markets and online

something different than creating

Rudie Hooked Rug

a start using already cut wool

still deciding on background

it will not be dark...

The Blue Basket

this blue basket

inspired the hooking for the Flag and Flowers rug

the colors in the rug here are true

two different filters 

to try and get the colors right

real colors are somewhere in between

two wools made up the background

another rug to keep

this went on the frame just now

Hooking some smaller rugs

to try out colors for some larger ones in my stash...

No Spend on Supplies 2019

is going great

nearing the end of the 4th month

there are a few things I want

but nothing I need

Would love to hear about what you've purchased

vicarious thrills and all that

More Happy Colors

a little washed out by the flash

love how this is hooking up

I NEED more of that old blue

used for the basket...

finishing up the beach room mat for Debbie

going to drag myself to work today

would rather be hooking

will be okay

when I get there...

Beach Room Rug

for some reason

this simple little mat for Debbie's beach room

has been a real struggle

think I finally found the right idea

all done but the pressing

it will be auctioned off online instead of raffled

if anyone is interested please let me know

Mango on a Mission

will start it on Friday

I will be sharing the pattern on this blog

sooner or later

did not keep the paper in my recent destash 

so need to redraw

Olivia rarely gets to sit in the front window

watching the birds and squirrels at the feeder

with Melrose sleeping in a different room

she took full advantage...

A visit to my family doctor yesterday

more good news...

down 32 pounds in 4 weeks...

decrease in my blood pressure medicine

Am going to switch to weighing much less often

concentrate on non scale victories

cleaning out clothes that are too big

Have a great Wednesday!

We have sun again in Ohio

until tomorrow...

Blue Bird Progress

a little progress this morning

it's about 15.5" across

off tomorrow so maybe a lot of hooking time!

*****

Couldn't resist yesterday 

weighed myself at work

3 weeks down 26 pounds

it's a good start

a long way to go

 for the first time in my life I have no doubts

concerning success at weight loss

I feel so much better already!

Blue Bird Rug

started the hooking this morning

mostly stash strips

cutting as I need 

this boy

he loves to lean on quilts and hooked rugs

definitely a "do not disturb" face

image from Pinterest

circa 1880-1910

instantly fell for this antique rug

even if it has 4 hearts...

on my to hook list

Off to work soon

don't know if I can resist weighing myself

non scale successes have been great the past few days

Dyeing Wool Tools

these are two of my essentials

when creating my own dye recipes

or making substitutions

the Cushing color card

is also good for picking colors

to dye straight from the package

no recipe needed

this pie chart is a priceless tool

knowing the value and intensity of each dye

allows you a better starting point

with a new recipe

as well as choosing a substitute dye

If you're new to dyeing

one important consideration is the color of the wool

you are using to overdye

I tend to purchase oatmeal type lights

so when over dyeing they look more antique and aged

if you want a brighter look

the wool you overdye should be natural

Checkout Dorr Woolens for comparison

I admit to studying color my whole life

as far back as I can remember 

I had art classes in all grades, including college

the color wheel

primary, secondary and tertiary

opposites, values, hues, tints...

I don't ever think of these

when working with color as they are a part of my 

genetic make up by now

it's like breathing 

automatic

It is fun to dye and experiment

I'm just ready to use up my stash
ready for

as-is wool from now on

I'm not quitting hooking

this wall would be perfect

in my sewing room!!!

well, I think I keep my face neutral

when taking patient histories

but this is what I'm feeling!

Have a great Monday friends

Lavender in the Dye Pots

pulled out my copy of Karen Kahle's

Little Book of Lavender...

rats, out of the dyes so made up my own recipes...

two dye pots going

one more blue, one more red

I hope

this is one of the Pinterest images 

that inspired the dyeing

might do some of those chartreuse greens next

if you want to see how my dyeing has been going

check out the previous days for the "after photos"

yesterday's grays dyed green
are still waiting for a rinse and dry

will add them to the older

post tomorrow

hope that makes sense

I am bored silly with my fabric stash

between mom and I most of it has been around

20-30 years

am not interested in new fabric though

too much to use up

or dog!

Hope you're having a great weekend

I'm off and resting my achy legs and feet

my own fault

for gaining weight over the winter

depression contributes to my eating issues

but I just like food too much!

the struggle has begun to lose weight again

~~~~~

I  hope don't mind seeing Jensen's handsome face 

for a few more days

first he makes me smiles as an actor and a person

second my electronics are giving me an issue 

with changing the header photo

Dye Recipes ~ Making Do

my favorite outsider artist

image from Pinterest
Misty Lindsey

as you may know

I'm still living the

"buy no supplies 2019" life

it's been easy so far

today I pulled out some dye and recipes

that turned into a make-do session

as my dyes are plentiful...just not the colors I need

here are 3 make do recipes

don't try them yet!

I'll add photos when they are out of the dryer

probably tomorrow

all are over about 1/3 yard
oatmealish wool

for once I used less wool than called for

all dyes are Cushing

Blue Variation

1/2 tsp turquoise blue

1/4 royal blue

1/4 peacock

1/4 peach

1/8 medium brown

Woodrose

somehow I have many packages of this color

I think I bought a mixed lot off ebay years and years ago

this is probably the first time it's been used

1 tsp wood rose

1/4 American beauty

Orangish

1/4 tsp apricot

1/2 orange

1/4 peach

edited: 1/16 seal brown

accidentally deleted the orangish photo
woo...it was beyond day glo orange
it's back in the dye pot now
with the seal brown
will add photo tomorrow

image from Pinterest

my dyeing has been inspired by all the images

of Spring flowers 

found online

I may never hook with these colors

but it'll be interesting trying new colors

*****

I'm not really all that enthused about cleaning the house

it's more to keep busy and not fall into a 

puddle of blackness

working so far!

Happy Snowman Swap Rug

hooking and steaming done

this Happy Snowman

will soon be heading to his new home

this is not the free version

find that one on the previous post

this version is available on red dot

14" x 14"

just the pattern, no photo

for $10

PayPal only

shipping included to USA

proceeds from this project

will go to a few of my local charities

message me on FB

or email

kankerdoodle @ aol dot com

thanks for checking in on the blog

Freebie Snowmen

this is the free version

looking through my old doodles the other day

for a rug swap design

I love to hook snowmen!

 I just don't want to own anymore snowman things

or mostly anymore things at all

still on my long journey

to minimalism

this is the free version

these are very rough doodles

nothing like they will look when I hook them

I encourage you to use them and adapt them

please 

as always

give credit to me for my designs

this is the free version

so this is the fellow I chose to hook

tomorrow I will share with you

the finished hooked rug

the "new improved" version

is available for $10 

on red dot

14" x 14"

shipping included to USA

proceeds to my local

two and four legged charities

Happy Sunday!

Fall Flight Bird

I pulled an old pattern out of the stash

one of the Collector Series desings

by Jan Patek

Fall Flight Bird

impatient to get started

I just drew up my own based on the pattern

will be adding a crescent moon 

my favorite

another little mat nearly finished

the next will be a cat and pumpkin

Itty Bitty Kitty

the first one of my three little rugs

started and finished the hooking on this one

today

the gold green mix is one of my favorite backgrounds

hope you're having a good night!