Designing from a Photograph

West Virginia continues to bloom and the skies continue to go from sunshine to black!

More storms are heading  our way this evening.

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OK, WHO put water in the tub???

Pip kitty loves the claw foot bathtub that I have upstairs.  He happily jumps in it when I am up there.  This Easter we had family visiting and Pip had a surprise.  He jumped in the bathtub and got his feet a bit wet!





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A photograph has been selected for my next rug. The photo was first enlarged on my computer to poster size.  I use grayscale print and I also used the erase feature around the background so that there would not be an excess of black toner used.  There are some programs that have a "coloring book" feature and that is indeed ideal.  Taking it to be enlarged is another option.  That for me is an hour away and this time I choose to do it myself.  Everything is taped together and taped down.  I find the center and mark it on the pattern and the foundation material.  Using the suggestions of the Rug Hookers list on Yahoo, I purchased the material (Sediment Shield) at Lowes to transfer the pattern. In this store it came in 30 foot roll. ( Let me know if you need some :O) Today I need to look at the photograph a bit and complete the transfer on to rug warp.  The size has been selected, the added 4 inches around the foundation material added.

   The line you see is paper protecting the draft board from my markers!

      May each of you have a safe week, may the wind and storms miss you completely, may the water stay out of your basements and your roof stay on your homes.    

Happy rug making!

Wool Work under Dark Skies

April's Colors on a West Virginia Ridge

Hook-able skies!

We've had wind and a show of unique and varied sky colors this weekend.  The tornadoes have missed our ridge.  Though we do have them, the hills seem to provide a barrier and assistance when they occur. I am sorry for those who were in the way of all the deadly storms yesterday.

I've been reading the blogs concerning rug hooking and though I cannot read all those I would like to, I try to do a few each day.  It just seems to bring those who hook rugs closer together.

Today my husband and his son worked with the calves and cattle.  Shots, tagged them and other necessary work was done.  My part was to locate some of the needed items...then I worked on Shirley!

Sweety Pie Cow

My rug initially entitled "Sweety Pie Cow" and whether she will continue with that title or not is another decision that must be made.  AKA Shirley is advancing as I spend time with her. The grass is starting to grow.  The dark and lightest of the grass is being evenly distributed throughout the area.  Then the medium tones will be hooked last.  The bird will be a cowbird. This bird who lays it's eggs in another's nest and leaves them to hatch, while she goes on her way.  She somehow looses my respect as a Mother but for some reason nature has decreed her actions and perhaps if she is a poor mother bird another would be better to raise her young.

Our daughter's cat is 30 feet up in a neighbor's tree and hopefully he doesn't believe he is a bird or superman..... and we are awaiting her son to return home from a storm filled weekend fishing trip with the Scouts. The larger the family the more excitement.

Wishing you a calm week following the storms.  May you continue to rug hook through life's ups and downs.            

WV Blooming!

 I was very young, but it was my Mother's birthday and I had to do something special for her.  I slipped to the local store in our small town carrying some change.  I came home with a glass ( oh yes glass) bottle of orange Sunkist in one hand and a hand full of violets in the other.  I still remember my confusion to see my Mother sitting there crying those huge lovely tears.

I understand the beauty of her feelings now and always when I think of her I see her smiling through those tears.

Violet

Vintage Double Daffodils

Sunshine and warmth visited West Virginia this Sunday.  We needed it to get our grass growing for the cattle. Yesterday I worked on Shirley quite a lot.  By evening I was fighting a low grade fever and discomfort from surgery.  It seems to come and go, and the days without the discomfort are grand!

The angle of the photo is not good but Shirley's a grand size gal and climbing up to get the right shot will have to wait a day or two!  I can get her on a wall and will do so soon so I can study her a bit.  

I'm to the green grass and ready for that change.  I'm also to the point where I think about how I wish to finish my rug.  This one will be walked on.  The "poo" or "cow pie" if you prefer :O) perhaps should be hooked following the grass but I've decided to do this one backwards so that I can see a bit of shading and where I am heading.  I'll pull out and add grass if necessary.

The Buckeye Rug Hooking Guild Spring gathering will be next month and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone.  My instructor will be Pris Butler and I'll be doing a photo of my son.  The first face hooked rug that I have done.  I'm reading Hooked Rug Portraits by Anne-Marie Littenberg and taking in all that I can.

A special hello to the "Yahoo Rug Hooking List" ....they are gifted sharing rug hookers and it's a wonderful list so if you do not monitor it please do so.
May you learn every day and share what you learn!  Hook on!

...you have some gall to make me ill!

Good morning hooking friends.  I left for a Doctors appointment Tuesday morning and as the day progressed and tests were ran, I ended up with a not so free transport to a larger hospital for surgery the next day.  No waiting for me, out came the gall bladder, and I am very glad to see the last of that trouble maker.

I had planned on hooking on Shirley at Myrtle and now she and I'll will resume work at home in my favorite spot!

The lovely lady at my side in the blue is my half sister.  Directly below her and in the black and white school photo's are she and I.

Well as I await Spring weather to feel a bit warmer, I wish you well.  Safe travel to rug camps that you are heading to, whether teacher or student.  Enjoy!