Rug Hooking

I have another hobby that I don't get to very often. I even blogged about these two projects back in 2012.  You can read more about it here.  

I am on a mission to get UFO's done this year, even those that are not quilt related.  I pulled these out, and I am ready to get them bound, so they can be put in the finished column and possibly put them to use.  

This hobby is called Rug Hooking.  You can google it or look it up on Pinterest, but it is a fascinating hobby.  Basically, you cut up wool in even small 1/4" strips and hook them into a base.  The result is just beautiful.  The finished products can be from primitive to very intricate perfection.  

The top two pictures are the first one I did in a class where I was taught how to do the craft.

I folded the backing to get it ready for the binding it needs to finish it for use.

And this is the next one I did and it is ready for binding.

I choose to use rug binding (can be bought by the yard, I purchased a whole spool) to finish my quilts.  I have this one started, and I am about half way done.  

An up close look at the binding after it is sewn on around the edges.  It gives the hooked rug a nice finished look.  Then you just slip stitch the binding down around the inside of the rug.  

I usually only do my hand work while traveling to and from our trade shows.  We don't have one until the first weekend of December.  I will be able to finish this one and then work on the other one. 

I can then add all my Rug Hooking UFO's to the finished column, and then start on a new hooking project.  

Warmest...

Wren

Spotty Hen Done!

Yep, as soon as I got home, I was able to finish the stitching project "Spotty Hen".  The pattern kit came with batting and backing, so I sandwiched them together, did some stitch in the ditch quilting, framing in the center appliqué design.  I also quilted around the four corners, giving it just enough quilting to show off the design.  Here is the finished project:

Warmest...

Spotty Hen Stitching Done

Here is the completed top done.  I managed to do all the stitching of the wool pieces using the blanket stitch, then using some stem stitching for bits of hay around the nesting eggs, and button eyes.

Here is a close up of the mama hen,  looking over her little chick.

Here is a close up of the nest with the hay holding the eggs.  Nice touch on the look of the eggs.

When I get back home, I will be sandwiching the batting and backing doing some stitch in the ditch and then get the binding on to totally complete this little wallhanging.  

I am going to be staying out of town longer than expected, by about 13 days, so my wonderful husband is shipping me another stitching project to work on during the long days of sitting.

Warmest...

Spotty Hen Start

A few posts back, I did a post about doing a felt fabric combo little wall hanging called "Spotty Hen".  I got the background fabric sewn, the felt pieces cut out and placed, and thread picked out ready to hand stitch down at some point in time.

I knew I would have an opportunity to do some hand working these last few days, so here is a sneak peek of some of the first hand stitching I have accomplished.

It is going faster than I originally thought it would, especially with all the little pieces involved.  I like how it is coming along, and will be working on it this next week, as I am out of town and not in front of a sewing machine.  

Warmest...

Spotty Hen

I picked up this complete kit (including the batting and the backing! RARE) last summer.  I wanted to  get it for a couple of reasons.  One, I have chickens and this is most fitting, and two, it is a wool felt project, and three (I know that's more than a couple) it is small, and should be quick to accomplish.  The finished size is 13" X 15".

The pattern is by Rachel"s of Greenfield.  She has oodles of awesome projects like this one on her site.  She has a real knack of making cute things into small wall hangings and ornaments.

I worked on getting the background frame sewn together and then I cut out all the pieces, laid them out on the background, and it's ready for some hand stitching (blanket stitch).  I did machine stitched down the cream colored wool felt, because the pieces were big enough to work using the machine blanket stitch, but the other pieces are a bit too small to do on the machine, so I will do them by hand.  I am planning on working on the stitching over the next two months, as we have some trade shows all across the state and will be spending considerable amount of time in a vehicle.  

Warmest...

New Addition to the Sewing Room

While out and about the other day, I stopped in the Goodwill store and came accross this too cute new sign. I have a a special area in my sewing room dedicated to wool crafts. And, i am always on the lookout for "wooly" kind of knick-knacks.  I saw this wooly sheep hanging off a Welcome sign, and knew it would fit in oerfectly in my wool area.

The only thing I didn't like was that it had '80's country look blue ribbon tied around it's neck and used to hang off the welcome sign.  So, I pulled out my wool strips and found a muted tan/off white piece to hang off the sign and around it's neck.  Aahh, so much better, and more updated.

Here it is hanging under my "Wool,Wool, and More Wool" sign.

Here is the close up.  Isn't it just too cute?

Warmest....

Rug Hooking Part 2

So here is Another completed rug that I have hooked. What I like best about this rug is, I found a red tartan plaid wool piece to do the scottie's bow and the ribbon framing the rug.

Sewing Room Part 2

This is a corner in my sewing room dedicated to my interest in wool rug hooking and felt crafts. I learned to rug hook about 8 years ago, but haven't had the time or space to really pursue this craft. That's why I gave space in the new room to work on my wool projects again.