More Sheep rug progress

Close ups of right and left sides




Today was my 59th birthday and I spent the biggest part of it hooking on the sheep rug while sitting outside, even in the heat. I have better light outside and can maneuver my hooking frame easier too. I worked from 8:30 Am to 4:30. I did have to drag the boom box out to drown out next door. I just not handle hellfire and damnation preachers that well while I'm trying to concentrate on my work. I got a lot of the background around the sheep done today. I decided on using greens--to try and make people think of recycling, green crafts, nature, etc.

Before I started hooking I was writing some ideas for a possible article on hooking with fleece for eith Spin-Off magazine or for Rug Hookers magazine. I'm going to contact both and see what I have to do to submit something. I have been taking pictures of some of my processes, sorry that they are with the camera phone but they
hopefully are okay.

These are some of my 'pallets' for the sheep rug




This is what I am hooking. Pulled fluff




Rolled in my hands like a clay or felt snake



Hooked into the rug warp



Close ups of eyes, an ear, and nose






Three Ravens bag semi finished--just have to add strap to it, and finish upper edge then take a much better outside picture. This was in the living room and does not do it justice. It's 18h x 20w. The main panels are 15w and the added side panels are 4 1/2 w.

Sheep rug started

I was ambitious today. Between 9:30 AM and 5 PM I got all of this hooked. I'm hooking with Badgerface and White Welsh Mountain uncarded fleeces to do the sheep while the colors are coming from food dyed and Wilton cake dyed Lincoln, Finn, and other breeds of sheep. This was designed on rug warp and so far I am very happy working the fleece on this. I'm a lot happier with this than when I have done similar hooking on burlap and linen. I'm using fine and primitive hooks.

Noon

3 PM

5 PM


I am going to do this all in fleece, adding no strips or yarns just t see how an all fleece piece will come out. I am also experimenting with adding a fleece ruff to it. I'll see how it turns out and debate whether it stays or not. I'm hooking the fleece into the fabric and then pulling the intact fleeces out, not doing true proddy with this.

The crows are enclosed into a felt bag I am still sewing together by hand. I almost got the sewing machine out then decided not to use it and to hand sew instead. I cut out a circle in the felt and then turned down the edges of it and sewed in it and then sewed another ring around it to hold the backing fabric in place. There was enough fabric to do a good size tote bag with side gussets and a strap. I'll post pictures of the finished bag next time.

I'm making a 2 inch border in black around the dino rug. I started that yesterday after seeing that 2 rows was not enough of a border so I'm taking the border out to the original inner border line and it does look better and frames it without being over powering.

The neighbors across the street killed and removed all the big oak and other trees in their yard. These were huge trees probably 40 to 80 years old, 2-4 feet in girth, some older than the ones in my yard. I have a hard time understand tree killers when these were nice healthy trees with great shade for their yard. The squirrels and birds that lived in them are upset too.

At least the neighborhood wildlife has a haven in my yard. I love watching all the squirrels, and birds as well as the butterflies and dragonflies that come visit. I have trees and plan on keeping all of them as long as the neighbors don't kill them off. Today I had a very unusual visitor and huge hawk that was as big as my 3 year or grandson. My dog was inside at the time but it landed by my clothesline and before I could grab my camera phone it took off. I did find a similar photo of what I saw which was a red shouldered hawk not a red tailed one as it was lighter colored more golden and with lots more cream on it's chest and head. I've heard them in the yard and seen them flying up in the sky but it blew me away to see one land not that far from me while I was working. I felt very blessed today.

Three Ravens

I got the three ravens hooked today, but am not totally happy with it yet. I have to figure out how to get the legs to stand out and make the ravens themselves stand out better. This was after three other attempts at a background color combo that would work. I think I should have done it all in fleece instead of doing the background in wool strips, and strips I cut from some of my younger daughter's ex-clubbing clothes and an old paisley skirt. I wanted to experiment with alternative to wool strips and try other recycled clothing in this piece. This is still going on in as as insert in a felted bag I am making from a felted Shetland, Jacob, Alpaca, and Icelandic shawl I made 2 years ago that came out thicker than I wanted, but great thickness for a purse though. I'm cutting a frame hole in the shawl and inserting the hooked piece in then stitching around the hooking. I may end up whipping the edge with some metallic threads and adding some embroidery. This piece will be going in the Fall Festival stuff for sale.

I do my fleece hooking with a 'fine' hook for the most part. I'm using mainly uncarded fleece, but you can use carded. The ravens were done in Black Mountain Welsh, Jacob, and some Black Shetland. The blues, purples and pinks came from some food dyed Tunis, Lincoln, and Finn fleeces, the yellows from food dyed Lincoln. I use a variety of different fleeces for hooking as I am still trying to figure out which are the best suited for doing it. Merino is a no go as it is too soft. You need something with some body and crimp to it as well as a longer staple length something at least 4" long.

Alpaca is a pain to work with because it is so slick and slippery to handle. At least it is for me. I mix it in with the wools I felt with but I hate trying to spin it by itself because it will not hold together unless I have a very fast wheel going.

The nice thing about hooking with fleece you can mix your own colors even as you hook for shading. You pull up your fiber just like you hook normally, you also control the thickness of your stitches, Some times it's helpful to roll the fibers in your hand like you are making a snake and gently pull it taunt like you are making pencil roving. Your back is going to be a bit messy. Needle felting it gently will also help lock the fibers in place. Best backings are linen, burlap or a close weave cross stitch fabric.

I'm going to be doing the Green Cat rug all in fleece, so I'll be able to tell you more how this works on a large project. This technique would also be good for making hot pads. I'm just beginning to touch the surface of what can do with hooking with sheep's fleece.

Dinosaur rug almost finished

I've almost got the dinosaur rug finished. Just the border(s) to go on it now. Finished the main part in a 5 hour hooking session today before I did some much needed yard work.

Though I wish my gay neighbors would leave my bushes alone and quite cutting my shrubby by our mutual fence. I want a privacy screen and they keep cutting my bushes and tree next to the fence. They were cutting the yard but after they cut down my flowering bush surround my oak tree and destroyed my basket woven sculptures of a goddess figure and a tall greenman that were in the bush I haven't let them near the yard. Then there's their all day every dayChristian religious gosphal channel that they listen to from early morning until 11 PM everyday at very loud volume. I don't care what other people believe in but I do dislike having to listen to it and having to play my music loud enough to drown theirs out. I am trying to avoid cops or getting really nasty but I would like to enjoy my backyard and listen to the birds and sound of nature instead of listening to anything. When I can afford it I'm putting up a tall wooden fence to have some much needed privacy. Their yard in picture perfect--that's all they do is play with their yard and have the money to put in nice plants, and landscape. They also work for the city I live in which is another reason I don't want more hassles with them. Maybe I'm being unreasonable but I just wish they'd leave my bushes, and trees alone and tone down their radio. I just feel sorry for the people on the other side of them as their house is closer to the radio than mine.

Going off soap box and back to rugs. I sent in my forms for the Fall Heritage Festival Oct 10th at the SC State Museum. It was only $30 for a 12 x 12 space and hopefully I'll be able to get a tent too. I will be having a couple of rugs for sale.
I'm thinking of selling Walk Me Dragon but only if someone offers me $3,000.00 for it. Dinosaur rug will also be up for sale for $700.00. I really need the money otherwise they'd be going to family as present instead. I'm going to have a combination of hooked and felted items. Some that will be both hooked and felted with 3D effects.

I've been back playing with my fleece and roving this week and about have my 3 Ravens 12" circle finished. It's being done mainly in fleece but with some fancy yarns and fabrics thrown in. It's going as a insert in felted purse. I had done the felted fabric 2 years ago attempting to do a Shetland and Jacob shawl but it felted up too thick so it's perfect for making a felted bag of. I'm going to try and recreate my greenman purse I did 2 years ago and maybe some other ones I did for over in Wales. I'm working 12-14 days on my projects now trying to get things ready for the shows. It's amazing what a little space and seeing hope and light at the end of the tunnel can do to boast one's moral and get things accomplished.



Other designs I came up with this week working in the 12" circle space










I got my 12" circle for the Yahoo Rughooker's group swap done already except for the final finishing as it's on the same piece of linen as the raven piece is and I want to finish it and the other small pieces I have drawn out on it before cutting and finishing them.



After October I will be trying to teach classes in beginning hooking, felting and maybe spinning at Lexington. I'm also thinking of developing a mini workshop on my hooking with fleece techniques and another one on combining hooking and felting and maybe offer them in the future at a rug camp or something so I can go to a camp. Maybe someone will invite me to teach next year.

Been Moving

Hi,

I've been moving over to the house permanent this last week. Kendra and Corey moved to his grandmother's in Brevard, NC. It's taken over a week to get everything resorted out and finding places for all my junk. A majority of my stuff was already at the house but a lot was over at my husband's shop. I now have a functional studio space in part of the den/living room area. On one side of the back wall is the sheep collection about 8 or so containers full of fleece for my spinning, felting and rug hooking. On the other side is the rug hooking fabrics in bins. In the middle is a 10 ft folding table with magnifying light. Several shelves with with odd ball stuff and tools are next to me behind the table. I have room for my spinning wheel and spinning equipment. Along one wall I have my big looms and on my easel I've got the family rug to be worked on. Behind the couch facing my table is all my yarns in bags until I can get some more bins to put them in. You can't see them from the living room part.

In the laundry room is all my felting equipment to do wet felting with. In my bedroom I've got the cross stitch and needlepoint fabrics and equipment, Most of my fabrics are in there, along with dolls, doll stuff, acrylic yarns, and what finished fiber crafts I haven't hung up and lots of varied fiber crafts UFOs. As you come into the house I have the dining room/entry area hung with all my cross stitch and needlepoint finished pieces. I've got painting in the hallway and in my room and a few in the living room. I haven't hung up any of the rugs yet. The matle over the fire place has my collection of odd varied collector items, character dolls, minatures and family photos. A lot of things haven't been together in one spot in almost 20 years.

I will be doing the Fall Heritage Festival October 10th at the State Museum here in Columbia, SC. They finally sent the entry form and have also asked me to do a demo of my work. The SC State Fair is Oct 14-21 and I am going to try and stick some things in this year but the drop off for it is Oct 7-8 and release dates are Oct 26-27. The Conagree Fibre Arts Guild is going to do a group demo at the fair and I'll be doing that too sometime during the fair but hopefully not on Oct 17th as that's when Autumn, Heather's youngest is having her first birthday party. So I've got to figure what's going in the Fair and what I'm going to have in my booth for the festival.

I've also got an opportunity to teach in Lexington. I volunteered to teach rug hooking, felting and spinning but before I knew for sure about the festival. I have to come up with a teaching plan. They would like some one to do children's classes, especially after school and adults. I have to write them back but I'm thinking I wouldn't be able to do any classes until Nov as I need prep time for the classes and I have to get stuff ready for the festival and the state fair. I also need to do a test run on my teaching using the grandchildren and see how it goes. I've never taught before so I am really, really nervous about my abilities.

Monday Brian, my youngest son, 27, moved in over at the house as his roomates in Atlanta vanished. So instead of having the house to myself I have one kid back home again, By the end of the month my oldest son, 39, will be moving in. But with no internet at the house they'll be spending time at the shop so I'll at least have some quiet time to myself. Hopefully, they will help me with the yard work that despartly needs to be done.

I did manage to get some more hooked on the dino rug, and am going to try and work on Walk Me some more tonight.

First Tapestry started, Dino rug and Red Woven Bag

Pente Ifan, Wales


I have started my first tapestry weaving this week. I'm using a photo of Pente Ifan near Cardigan, Wales as my model. I got to actually touch this massive, incredible monolith while I was in Wales. It vibrates, and you can just feel the age to it. I felt like I was in a super sacred place, very holy, very mystical and cosmic. I went alone to see it while my friend Sue stayed in the car. It was a short walk through a pasture with sheep on both sides of the fence. It sits on one of the high rolling hills and isn't too far from the Neolithic Village I also got to visit. It was late afternoon, very quiet and still, with a light, cold misting rain. Some people have said that when they have looked through the opening in the center they have seen other places and times. I can sort of believe it as there as so much energy surrounding this simple structure. I still can't figure how they managed to balance the rocks the way they are to construct them with no heavy machinery to lift these huge stones. My ancestors must have been supermen. I stayed for about 15 minutes and left as it was getting on dinner time.




My tapestry is being done of a 12 x 12 frame loom that I had already warped and put headers on maybe a year or so ago and never got any actual weaving done on. The yarns are pulled from all my stashes and I am using hand dyed homespun, DMC Medici tapestry, Jameison yarns, rug yarns and assorted knitting and sock yarns--whichever have the right colors I need for this. I've gotten 4 or so inches done so far doing simple tabby and interlock tapestry. I'm trying to avoid doing slits to sew in as much as possible. The warp is not tensioned which I will correct in future weavings. Still having problems keeping even sides. I really have to figure out how to do sides. My tools are naalbinding needles, yarn needles, and a plastic hair pick.



I can't remember what I used to warp this thing but it looks like thin Medici type wool as it isn't cotton thread or linen and is thicker than quilting thread but not as thick as Peaches and Cream cotton yarns. I think my rocks and foreground grass is coming along okay. I think it's close enough to the original colors and shading. I'm doing a lot of color blending of threads using 2-3 strands of Medici as I weave when I'm not using thicker handspun, and even with it sometimes I am adding a stand of the Medici to make it blend better. Designing xstitch, needlepoint, my own yarns, and rug hooking has helped a lot in learning how to optically mix colors in yarn and fibers also the rag weaving of rugs and bags has helped too to see how colors interact and blend. I am studying a lot of the tapestries on line in progress to see how other people handle their colors and problem areas of their designs. I'm learning at lot that way than I have from my less than helpful books. I'm going to try to get into the monolith rocks today and see how far I get.





I got the red rag bag done. This was all on 2 cardboard looms, one for the bag and the other for the handle. It used red Peaches and Cream yarn for the warp and assorted cotton quilting fabrics for the weft cut in 1" strips using both my hands and one of the larger naalbinding wooden needles to weave with. I had to weave the bottom together with extra yarn, then sewed the handles to the upper header band. It's 15 x 18 which makes a nice large project bag or a bag where you need extra height for items so they won't fall out. My tapestry loom would fit in it with not problem.




I've also gotten some work done of my dino rug when I wasn't working on the tapestry or something else. I got the stegosaurus done and am putting in the background before I move on to another area. I think it's coming along okay. For those just tuning in, This rug was deliberately designed to look like a child drew the dinos. Very primitive, very simple--at least for me artwork so I could use leftover 6's, 8's and other wide cut leftovers. The figures remind me of the tail end credits on Ice Age 3. I love the artwork on the credits, it's darling and gave me ideas for other work along this and that lines.

You are probably wondering why this interest in yet another fiber art, tapestry and weaving-- it's just something I have been trying to do off and on for years. It's the only fiber art that generally frustrates me and I never seem to be any good at. Ever since I started spinning I've had this thing in my head to weave enough cloth to make a garment with using a primitive loom like a warp weighed one like my lost ago ancestors somewhere did just to see if I could do it and how long it would take me to do it. I've gotten a pretty good idea of how long it takes now to spin up enough fine yarn to make a sweater, blanket, or shawl out of on spindles and a wheel but how long did it take a poor lone housewife back in the past to weave enough simple cloth for her family? That's something I really want to know for myself knowledge and to having the satisfaction of doing it.

Previous attempts at weaving





I'd love to learn how to use a rigid heddle, 4 or 8 shaft loom but I'm never going to be able to afford a real or big loom. At least I can build frame looms, but don't have the equipment, tools to make my own bigger more complex looms. I'd love to have a big 36 to 45 wide rug loom, that would be wonderful and I can see being able to make my rag rugs way quicker than I am doing. I'm in love with Kromski Harp loom with it's built in warping board. And I also love the Ashford Knitting looms with their optional extra heddles. Hopefully one day I can make enough money to buy on in the future. I have started numerous weaving projects over the past 6-7 years since I've been here but never finished them. Hopefully, since this a small design I will get this tapestry done. What I get out of weaving is a sense of being connected, like I do when I'm spinning, something ancient and primeval like Pente Ifan is, if that makes sense, something I'm missing from daily like here in SC. I know I will never get into complex weaving, I look at weaving drafts and my head aches--too too confusing for my head at this time. Though I do admire some of the spectacular work being done by the complex, multi shaft weavers out there.

Though doing the tapestry I have to wonder what I'm going to use it once it's finished. Wall hanging, purse decoration, clothing insert? I'll have to think on it. It's not like a hooked rug that can be used mutiple ways and is a lot more durable. This tapestry is going to be too lightweight and won't stand up to heavy use. How much is going to be worth finished? I have seen incredible prices even on small pieces but would I be able to get those kind of incredible prices for my work? I'd be happy to get a 1/4 of some of the prices. I do get miffed that most of my work will never been seen in a gallery or any place it should be seen, and will most likely end up stashed in a closet in one of my kids homes or end up at Goodwill or the trash. At least I can show it on line where someone might like it in passing and if I'm really lucky buy it.

Nest week I move into the house so I will not be on very much as the computer is staying at the shop. Kendra and Corey are moving to Asheville to his grandmother's. Things sort of blew up over the house and them not really paying half the rent or utilies for the 18 months they've lived here. They are moving and sticking us with the bills. If he had just gotten a job besides doing the occasional sci-fi con for his friend, things would have been cool, but enough is enough. I won't go into other problems with them. Oh, he has a job waiting for him there.... I will miss my daughter and granddaughter, but I hope he shapes up and starts supporting his family as we can't anymore. So I move in next week after they've got their junk out, and move my working junk over here there. I'm going to get a cheap cell phone for there but no cable or internet for awhile. I need it because I may get stuck at the house as the car is taking longer and longer to start because of it's messed up security system that we can't afford to get fixed. So initally it'll be just me and dog, they are taking their cats thankfully. With everyone out I can finally inventory my junk and see about selling off some of the books and craft supplies I have. I'll be posting notices on different Yahoo sale boards for what I am selling off and post a notice on here too.

Weaving this week

Tie Dyed cottons drying on the clothesline for my rag fabric weavings and crochet projects. Recycling old sheets and redoing so so fabrics to make them more interesting this last week while house sitting.




This week I am experimenting with weaving on simple looms using cotton strips. Weaving has been on my mind for a while now and while I had the time and space while house sitting this last week I took the plunge.I made a large rug frame out of the metal rim from a folding table that got destroyed in the rain but forgot to take pics of it. I've got an almost completed 24 x 40 runner in shades of blues and lavenders done on one side of it. I designed the loom so I could weave on both side. I had to leave it over at the house as I couldn't move it in the car over to the shop without tieing it on top. I have been making some cardboard and foam board looms that are tote bag sized to do weaving in the round on. I've started one in reds, oranges and yellows on a 15 1/2 x 20 black foam core loom. I've never done this kind of weaving before so don't expect much as I'm still learning as I go.

I decided to try the weaving after I made 3 crocheted rag totes using 1" cotton strips and size Q hook. They took 2-3 days each to make and used up lots of fabric. It's a toss up which uses more fabric crocheting or braiding, so in the interest of making my fabric stretch further I am trying to weave some bags with the cotton strips. These are fabrics from my mom's, grandmother's, and Cecil's grandmother's fabric stashes I inherited some years ago. Most are okay pattern wise but there are a bunch that I have to wonder what they were thinking or how cheap was the fabric when they bought them as they are rather ghastly in my opinion. I know I could dew them into something but I am not in a sewing mood and want to try making things that don't require needle and thread. My interest in braiding has whittled down because of all the sewing required by it. I will get Walk Me's braiding done eventually, I promise.



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The current weaving project was inspired by a weaving book in my stash I had forgotten about, "Weaving For Beginners" by Lynn Paulin, Glick Publishing, Inc. 1977. It's only 41 pages but it is packed with info , photos and diagrams that are easy to follow and understand. It has info on how to construct several different types of frame, cardboard and masonite looms along with patterns to weave bags, handings and pillows. I love all my older books as they are always so easy to follow and understand, more so than current more pricey books now a days.




I'm using 1" or so torn selvage size strips from various plain and print cotton in my fabric stash==probably about 10-16 different prints and solids so that I can go from dark red up to light yellow without having sharp jumps in colors. My warp is Peaches and Cream cotton yarn in red. I'm using a piece of double sided black foam core board with 1/4" cut notches on top and bottom, with 4 1/4 dowels, 2 on top, 2 on the bottom to hold the weaving up from the board. I am weaving around the board to weave a tube that I will then sew closed when finished. I'm using a long wooden naalbiding needle as my shuttle, and a large hair pick as my beater. I did 1/2 to 1 inch simple tabby weaving with some extra P & C cotton to hold my weavings in place. After I get this piece done I'll have a better idea of time and fabric factors. I am hoping to eventually build my skills up to try to do tapestry weaving which I have been wanting to do for years but have a hard time figuring out how to do color changes in my weaving.

A little more progress on the dino rug. I do work on it off and on. So far I think I'm happy with it.

Torchwood This week!!!

Okay, I'm a big sci-fi fan, nut, etc. I'm a very big Doctor Who and Torchwood Fan. Torchwood is being broadcast on 5 days with the story Children of the Earth. It is awesome and really keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'm not going to give away plot and spoilers but I hope you catch it.

From the Doctor Who new site at: http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php

Torchwood: Children of Earth was watched by 5.9 million viewers, according to unofficial overnight figures. The programme was the 5th most watched programme of the day and the 2nd highest rated on BBC1, being beaten by the three main soaps. The programme won its timeslot with an audience share of 25.8%.

An additional 97,000 people watched the programme in HD on the BBC HD channel.

The BBC Three repeat at 2345 was watched by 214,000 viewers, a 3.9% share.

Part Two of Torchwood: Children of Earth was watched by 5.6 million viewers, making it the the most watched programme of the day on british television. The programme beat Eastenders and Emmerdale, with both soaps losing ratings to the Michael Jackson Memorial on BBC 2.

The programme audience once more grew throughout the hour and got an average 24% share of the total audience.


An additional 82,000 people watched the programme in HD on the BBC HD channel.

The BBC Three repeat at 2345 was watched by 282,000 viewers, a 5.8% share.

The Appreciation Index for Episode One was 88, one of the highest scores for the day.







This week I'm taking a hooking break and crocheting tote bags from strips of torn cotton fabrics with a size S hook. I'll be posting pics tomorrow of them.

Dino rug and Cats Paw

Just some photos of newest projects. Here's the finished T-rex for the Dino rug. I am deliberately making him primitive style with the colors and hooking.




This is the small cats paw runner I'm working on that's at the halfway mark on it.



While I'm doing the cats paw I'm doing color planning for the snowman canvases. One of them has cats paw circles on it on burlap and the other has rectangle and square shaped patches on monk's cloth. I am debating on doing some dimensional work on the noses with felting and maybe doing at least one with bits of fluff instead of strips. I haven't been doing as much work with fiber as I started out doing and need to do up some more examples using just fibers. More thinking required on what to do.

Caws Paw, Dino Rug and Braiding

I've started reworking the cats paw runner. This time around after taking out the cotton strips I was trying I'm using left overs from previous projects. Though today I'm cutting up some supplimentary colors to make the colors balance a bit more and make it more cheerful looking. I have a lots of dull muddy colors left from Walk Me and those are going in the Dino rug which I have also started. The cats paw is being worked on an old needlework scroll frame and the dino is on the oval hoop. I thought I'd do some simple primitives just for a break from my more elaborate designs.

The cats paw is a fairly common pattern with multiple variations of its design. I'm not even sure how old the design really is as you see variations on circle or shapes on a background color back to ancient times in various fiber crafts. The only thing different I am doing is making an irregular looping edge to it instead of a straight line edge, though that too has been done by different people. I'm also debating on building this--adding a braided edge then doing some small additional paws and enclosing them in braiding and adding them randomly until I have reached a size I like.

The braiding on Walk Me is proceeding slowly. I have almost finished the first round around the edges. So far it's going good.