Tuesday, March 15, 2022

From a 2 to a 10 (and Everything In Between)

 ...and I'm not talking about my dress size.
🙈

In a (somewhat) un-ending (well??) quest to locate my elusive hooking mojo, I once again wandered down the lane to Red Barn Rugs.
I didn't find it (the mojo, I mean...I found the Red Barn of course). But I did find myself in the company of some incredibly talented hookers.

Since I didn't accomplish any hooking and was not successful in finding that mojo, ya think I would have managed to at least take some more (and better) photos; but it seems when one thing goes missing, others do as well.
Be it as it may, I did come away with a few snippets from the day.

Miss Marilyn (a/k/a "Good Marilyn") was working on her own design of which I did not get a photograph.  I was too amazed at the bag of so-called "worms" she was working from.  I call them dental floss.  YIKES!  I do believe they were 2 and 3 cuts.
Seriously?? Who does that??!
(For you non-hookers who are still with me, the smaller the number of the cut, the thinner the strip of wool is that one pulls through the foundation...so 2's and 3's, like in dresses, are wee thin.)
Anyway, I did manage to get a photo of her precious Charlie rug.
Yeah...it was done in dental floss too.  But as precious as her real Charlie.


Some of you may remember Marilyn's tribute to her grandparents' engagement ("Marry Me Mary") that she hooked several years ago and I had on my blog...also years ago. 
Yeah, THAT Marilyn.
This rug still stuns me.
Rumor has it that Marilyn will be having another rug featured in Rug Hooking's Celebration.

Good Marilyn was scheduled for surgery the following day.... If you're out there reading this Marilyn, I hope you're recovering well. (And thank you for your so very kind words.)

Pat was putting the finishing touches on "Southwest Geometric," by Cathy (Red Barn Rugs*).  This is one big rug...and, yup, done in pretty small cuts, although no 2's or 3's.


And then there was Bad Marilyn. 
(She is one BAD Marilyn, let me tell you.)
Again, I did not get a photo of her current project (DUH!!), but I did get a photo of her David Galchutt "Witch."  
Who needs a fancy title with all THIS??!


Try as I might, I just couldn't capture the color or the details...so many details! 

So many varied textiles (I particularly fell in love with the black chenille), so many embellishments... It was one of those pieces you could look at a dozen times and always find something new to squeal about.
And, yeah...those teeny, tiny, cuts.

Cathy* had finished hooking her new "Colonial Eagle" pattern...she just needed to finish the binding.  I could drown myself in this background...it's that good.
And, yeah...Cathy hooks with 10 cuts.  (Actually, I think this one was done in 9.5?? but who's counting??) 

As for the "in between," that would be me...if I ever got any actual hooking done.  My "sweet spot" is an 8 or an 8.5.
I have no updates on "Welcome Cats" (or any other of my started-but-finished projects).  So you are probably wondering what it is I did do if I neither hooked nor took decent photos.  Well, about all I did was work a little on binding my "13 Stars" mat.  Very little...but I did finally finish it up a few days later.
{Design by The Old Tattered Flat}

It's not perfect, but it's done...and, in my world, done is good these days.

*******
I've fallen a bit behind on the "current reads" since I haven't posted much (but I continue to read).  This is the book I finished up last week (I think??):


Kristin Hannah is the author of one of my very favorite books The Nightingale, and I have read many (most?) of her books.  I have enjoyed them all, but none as much as The Nightingale.  This one is one of her older books and I am not certain why I hadn't read it before...probably because it was described as a "love story."  (Yeah...just not in the mood for those lately.)
But Cathy and I swap books and she had this one so I read it.
It is, indeed, a love story...of sorts...but also much more.  It is actually a story within a story set both in modern (well, early 2000's) time and in war-era Lenigrad.  Would I recommend it? Yes...It was not as good as The Nightingale, but it was a refreshing change from some of the "darker" things in which I tend to get mired.

******

*For the hookers:  I believe I may have confused some readers in my last post and perhaps in this one as well.  Let me clarify:  "Red Barn Rugs" is Catherine (a/k/a Cathy) Stephan's business.  And to answer several questions from my last post, no, she does not have a website.  She, does, however, have a Facebook page (search under her name, Catherine Stephan, and when you find the red barn, you've found the right one).  Many of her designs are listed in albums under the "photos" tab on her page...but she has so many more.  You can keep up with her newest designs by following her Facebook posts. 

******

That's it for now.... 
Beware the Ides of March.

14 comments:

acorn hollow said...

I like your finish and 8.5 is usually my sweet spot to. I always find it intimidating when I get around the Maryland type of hookers. I have read most off of Kristen Hannah's books Winter Garden was a slow start, but it got very good and yes Nightingale is my favorite of hers too. I am now Reading a British mystery centered in the 2nd world war. Why I do that to myself with all that is going on now is beyond me. If you like historical fiction read Kate Morton I can't say enough good about her except she writes was to slow.
I hope you get your mojo back.
cathy

Saundra said...

Marilyn's hooked sleigh in the snow looks like a photograph taken while it was snowing. I know it is a hooked rug because I saw her initials otherwise I'd swear it was a photo. Great work Marilyn.
Ya dun good ~et~, you finished your 13 stars piece. My sweet cut size is #8.5 and #9 but will reduce size when required. My rug camp project will definitely require a more narrow cut.

Prims By The Water said...

Some amazing rugs I see...including yours. I could probably never hook a star. When I first read your Title for this post, I thought you were going to talk about snow. So glad it was wool cuts. Janice

yaya said...

So much talent! So much beauty! That witch is amazing!! I love all the colors and detail...even a wart on her nose! Too fun!

Rugs and Pugs said...

We are definitely twins. I consider anything smaller than an 8 cut dental floss!
Beautiful hooking with the small cuts. I admire it so, but it is not for me.
Cathy's new rug...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!
Great binding finish on your 13 Stars.

Julia said...

My sweet spot is # 5 since this is what I was first introduced to but I also don't mine #3. I've hooked a tiny cat rug with I think was a #8, which was a giveaway from Lauren way back when giveaways were popular... and in no time it was finished.

Oh yeah, that Mojo, I picked up the hook again but didn't get far. There is always something that needs my attention or I'm on the go. I will need to make a date with myself and get some hooking done.

Your friend G. Marilyn is an amazing rug hooking artist. I saw her "Marry Me Mary" rug in Rug Hooking Magazine a few years ago. So talented.

Yay, you finished your 13 stars mat. It's looking great.

It's starting to look like spring here but the river is still frozen. I still haven't seen my first robin but I keep hoping.

Take care, spring is just around the corner.

Hugs, Julia

Lady Locust said...

How nice that you were able to get out and in the company of some seemingly very talented folks. That witch is a hoot!

Shrimpton and Perfect said...

I've nearly finished a book you recommended in a previous post, 'The Book of Two Ways. I have to say I'm enjoying it's slow and sure style muchly. We happened to be in London last weekend staying in a hotel in the road alongside The British Museum, so I popped in to look at all the Egyptian treasures, some are mighty. All gave me a feel for the landscape in the book.

NMK said...

Wow , those rugs are totally amazing ! The Puppy is incredible , I never want to hook with a # 3 again ! That is how I learned , but now only for outlines !!!
Marilyn's rug is incredible too ...looks like a Currier & Ives print , so much detail .
But that Witch is she is something else !!! Love her !
Your 13 stars matt is beautiful !
Cathy from Red Barn has beautiful patterns , just hard to choose one !
Thanks for showing us these wonderful rugs !!!

Jan Hebert said...

What a wonderful time you must have had at the Red Barn. I don't blame you for not taking photos of everything, there were so many fun things to look at and talk about I'm sure. I learned to hook with #3 and really love the look you can get with the smaller widths of wool. The shading that can be achieved. But typically will hook with #5ish. I've never hooked with wide cuts like 8 or 9! I can't even imagine it. I would think it would hurt your wrist pulling something that wide through those little holes! I've actually been working on a rug started many many years ago using wool yarn and a punch needle. It looks similar to an oriental rug. It's a rug full of lots of memories as my parents worked on it as well as my husband, kids and myself over the years. It's a runner and has taken a lot longer than I ever thought it would, haha. But hopefully this is the year it's done. I love how your star mat came out - I think the stars look perfect! That "Witch" is so fun! And "good" Marilyn's rugs are just amazing. I wonder if Pat will put fringe on the ends of her Southwest Geometric? Such talented friends you have Robin! Jan in MA

Farm Girl said...

What lovely rugs! I bet you had such a nice time. I like 8 and 9.5 the best, but I bet you could really get wonderful detail with that 2 or 3s.
I love your little project. 13 Stars. Very pretty.
My son started dating his future wife on the Ides of March. My younger sons would go around saying" Beware the Ids of March." Reading that at the bottom made me remember that. (We did Julius Caesar one year in school.) Thank you for sharing and I always love your posts.

Hootin Anni said...

Lovin' your stars, the Mary marry me...but ohhhhh, that witch!!! The best in my opinion. Oh and the southwest rug is fabulous too. Now, about love stories. Nope, not my "cup of tea"...but, lordy, how I have read & re-read the Thorn Birds.

marly said...

Your simple star creation is my favorite of the post. The others using even a skinny worm still baffle me. How can such detail be accomplished with a worm bump? Remarkable and wonderful. But my brain can't handle too much stimulation! The Colonial Eagle design is very very nice.

Nice that you have an actual shop where like minded artists can gather and share. My green today is not related to wearing of the green, it's outright jealousy.

Wendy @ Ravenwood Whimzies said...

Hi Robin! Such a nice post! I loved seeing all of the hookin' being done. Some of the rugs you shared are stunning! Rug hooking is something I admire, but I am not sure I would ever do it. I tried needle punch once and never finished it. But I do love quilting and creating primitive critters. I do, indeed, make my own ice cream. OOOH....it tastes so much better than anything you can buy in the store! We have a little Amish market nearby that has lots of different flavorings, so I have played around with those many times. I especially love the English toffee, and I add toffee chips...it's even better when it is chocolate...egad. We would get pretty chubby if I made it all the time. I will be sharing Joey's Orange Chip ice cream recipe tomorrow! Be blessed and have a lovely weekend. It is turning much colder on Sunday and Monday. I wish Spring was just here to stay...sigh.