How do You Eat an Elephant?

How do you bind a rug?  A little each day.  I have the attention span of a gnat, though it has been pointed out to me that gnats are very persistent so I'm not sure where that saying has come from.  My hit 'n miss is finally steamed and bound.  It only needs a label . . . and I am falling behind in labeling my rugs.  It is my largest rug hooked to date.  I hooked it for next to my bed, but I've decided to take the front door rug, put it bedside and put this one by the front door.  Note my little photo bomber.

A smaller version of the same rug about 6' from the larger one.

I have started Madi's favorite by Margo White but not enough is hooked to make it worthwhile posting.  I am using some of the wool I dyed last week.  

Me some days . . . sigh.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Playing in the Dye Pots ~

I believe the #1 rule when dyeing wool is to wear rubber gloves.  You'd think by now I would have learned that lesson.  I am just a slow learner . . . and have the stained fingers to prove it.

Here are the wools before dyeing.  I did have a few smaller pieces, some recycled, that are not shown.

As always, I was not able to capture the richness of the dyed wool.

Taco Bean Red, a pot of dark (bottom two wools) and a pot of light (top three wools) from the Barbara Carroll/Emma Lou Lais dye book (my favorite!).  

Bottom wool was a formula from the same dye book, Turquoise Spark.  The top wool was from another dye book I have not had good luck with.  The wool is pretty, but it was supposed to be a dark mossy green.  

Emma Lou's Putty (old) is one of my favorite dye formulas. The wool on the left used the amount of dye called for.  On the right, I used half again the amount.  Surprisingly, there is not much difference.
 

I had some dye left over from a previous dye session.  Though this color is pleasing, it is nowhere near what I expected.  The formula was called Emma Lou's Hunter.  

Overall, I love the colors I came up with, but could probably never duplicate them.  I try to measure accurately, but don't always succeed.

If you would like to see some amazing cross stitch finishes, hop on over to Angela's blog.  She also has the greenest thumb around.  She often posts pictures of the flowers in her yard.  Not only are the flowers beautiful, so is her photographic ability.  Plus she has the sweetest little furbaby, Jack Jack.  You won't be sorry you paid her a visit.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Hump Day ~

I saw a great meme on Facebook yesterday but forgot to take a screen shot.  It said something to the effect you know you are in Ohio when you mow the lawn in anticipation of a snow storm 😊  We got very little snow here on Ohio's north coast, but I know other areas of Ohio got the 4-5" or snow predicted.  Good news ~ it will all be gone in a day or two!

I have another little finish to share.  Of course it is not "finished finished".  I'll let you in an a little secret.  Part of the design is one thread off.  Argh!  I thought I was being so careful counting.  No one would ever know but it still aggravates me.  It is worked on 32 count linen and measures 3" x 5".

Found this pattern in one of my many hooking books, Projects for Primitive Rug Hookers.  Madi's Favorite by Margo White.  I only enlarged it to 24" x 24" rather than the 30" x 30" Margo hooked.  I am not convinced this is what I really want to hook, but I need to get something on the frame (not like I don't have many others to choose from . . . sigh).

If this isn't the truth . . . 

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Doing a Little Happy Dance ~

Just a quickie to let you know my hit 'n miss is DONE!!!  The hooking that is.  I trimmed the linen and zig zagged the edges today.   (Note to self . . . on a big rug, do this before hooking!!!).  Next up is steaming which I like about as much as I like binding.  I guess they are the necessary evils of a rug hooker.  The finished size is 30 1/2" x 48 1/2", my largest rug to date.

Sadly I have nothing planned to put on the frame.  I have plenty to choose from, but nothing is screaming at me to hook it.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

So Close ~

I have been on a mission this week to finish my hit 'n miss rug.  I am so happy to be so close 😁  Binding is going to be a bear.  I should have zig zagged where I plan to cut the linen before hooking.  Note to self . . . next time do it!!!

My daffodils were so prolific this year but are sadly coming to an end.  On a happy note, the lilacs are beginning to bloom, but I must have pruned my bush too late so don't have that many flowers. 

The forsythia is in full bloom.

I don't remember the name of this flower, but it is spreading like crazy.  As you can see, the hyacinth are done for the season.

My brother's DSO gifted me a Johnny jump up plant last fall.  It sat in the unheated garage all winter since I never got around to planting.  Thankfully I did not kill it and it is beginning to grow in the garden.  They always remind me of my mom.  It was one of her favorite plants 💖

Please think good thoughts for my brother.  A little prayer would also be appreciated.  He ended up at the ER last night and has been admitted for pneumonia.  He has other health issues, too.  Hopefully this will be a wake up call that he needs to take better care of himself!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

Happy National Pet Day ~

Molly would like to wish everyone a happy National Pet Day.

Another week has flown by.  I know I was busy all week, but it sure feels like I got nothing done.  I did go hook twice.  I can't remember the last time I have gone to hook twice in the same week!  The weather has been gorgeous so yard work was done.  Of course that is a never ending task 😁

I have been hooking on my hit 'n miss rug.  I am pretty bored with it, but I am afraid if I set it aside, it will become a long time WIP.  31 of 40 squares are done.  The color is terrible in this picture but nothing seemed to work in getting truer colors.

I also started a little cross stitch piece.  Not a sampler, which I prefer to stitch, but a sweet little piece nonetheless.  I'm thinking ahead to that "C" holiday.

I have started walking down to Lake Erie each morning.  (It's not like I am walking that far . . . lol!  I only live a couple blocks away.)  The lake has been extremely calm.  It is good for the soul to be outdoors.

I was talking with a neighbor today that I don't often talk with.  I mentioned that if I didn't have my "hobbies" I would be absolutely stark raving mad.  She asked me if I did diamond dot.  I told her I had heard of it but it was not something that interested me.  She then showed me a couple of her projects.  The part that cracked me up was when she said she thought it was a pretty expensive hobby and proceeded to say that the one kit cost $14.00!!!  (And for the record . . . it was not a case of that is all she could afford.)  Don't you wish you had a project (whether hooking, applique, stitching, etc) that only cost that?  Each to her own.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊 

Lauren

#9

Just a quick hello!  I'm hoping one and all had a sweet Easter.  Here on Ohio's north coast the weather was drop dead gorgeous.  It is once again today, but hopefully we will get some much needed rain soon.

Ernestine celebrated birthday #9 yesterday.  She was not very cooperative in her party hat 😁

No real progress to show on my hit and miss rug.  I started a little cross stitch piece, too, but not enough to share.  Hopefully next time.

My son and I have this lawn mowing rivalry going each spring ~ who mows first.  Last week he sent me this.

Darn!  He won this year, but I will get him next year.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Blast Off?

 

I'm happy to report that Dancing Bunnies is bound . . . before Easter.  Here they are with some fun wooden bead carrots and wool forsythia branches gifted to me by DF Melissa.

If you don't like the weather in Ohio, stick around for a day and it will change.  Thursday we had snow and today will reach 57*.  I will be out mowing the lawn for the first time.  My local son and I have a rivalry going each spring.  Who mows first?  Darn!  He is the winner this year.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Not Funny ~ Mother Nature

 

It is April 1.  It is Ohio, so this is not an anomaly.  Areas surrounding us got closer to 1.5" of the white stuff.  The good part of a spring snow is that it doesn't stick around for long.  Heck, I can remember getting snow in May.

I finally got Peter Rabbit bound.  No good excuse why it took me so long . . . other than the typical hooker response of "I hate binding!".

Now I am in the process of binding the antique adaptation, Dancing Bunnies.  I WILL finish it before Easter.

Progress is being made on my large hit and miss.  I feel like I have been hooking it forever (it has been 5 weeks!).  I am afraid if I set it aside, it will become a long term WIP.  The linen was wide enough to make it 8 blocks long, but it may get shortened to just 7 when I try it in the spot where it will reside.  I can't believe I am not even making a dent in my worm stash😡 It is currently about 30" x 30".

~ Leftover Peeps ideas ~

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊
Lauren