RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

IT'S OBVIOUS, I'VE BEEN DRAGGING MY FEET ALL WINTER

When too much time elapses between post, I never know where to begin. I've noticed although I'm not getting many comments on my last post although I'm getting a lot of visitors who never comment. Is it because my blog is getting boring? If so, I don't blame you. I'll admit, my posts have been rather boring even to myself, but I still would like a tiny comment like  "Hello Julia".🙂

I don't have lots going on, I'm still recuperating from a nasty fall on the ice while working at the farm. I fell flat on my belly, hurting my rib cage and it interferes with my sleep so I don't get much done at home but I'm on the mend slowly.

 There was a thin layer of freshly fallen snow on top of the ice. I was wearing my ice grippers and carrying a pail with 3 bottles of milk in hot water for my small calf and the tip of my ice grippers hit a small bump of ice, I lost my balance and down I came, just missing smashing my face and eyeglasses on the hard ice. I had snow all over my glasses. I got all wet from the splashing hot water and went to feed my calves. Thank goodness it wasn't cold that afternoon and that I didn't get burned either.

On a happier note, my daughter Christine and her family are back from a winter vacation and cruise. She sent me some photos of the boys enjoying Walt Disney characters.


The boys actually had green eggs and ham for breakfast.  Look at those smiles of contentement...


They really enjoyed hugging these Dr. Suesses characters, He looks so cuddly...


The cool Cat In The Hat


More cuddly characters to make friends with, Winnie The Pooh and Eeyore



It looks like they had their dream come true, meeting with their favorite Walt Disney book characters.

Now to show you what I've been playing with... For those who don't hook rugs, this may be boring but dyeing wool this way always brings some surprises.


I tried an experiment to marbleized some wool worms to hook some grass on my Rock-A-Bye-Baby challenge rug using leftover assorted green wool worms. I tied the top of the worms and braided it and tied it several places. Put it in the pot with water without pre-soaking it following directions. It asked either use Tide powder or Borax.  I didn't have Tide powder so I tried Borax.


You can see the color bleeding out of the wool


I used a candy thermometer I bought at Walmart a while back and simmered at 195 ℉ for 15 minutes and turned the wool over and simmered for another 15 minutes. Then I added about 1/2 a cup of vinegar and simmered again for about 30 minutes. Care should be taken to not boil the wool as it may felt the wool and making it too thick to hook with. I turned the heat off and let the wool sit overnight as it was a bit late. The next morning I rinsed the wool well and squeezed the water out and blotted the excess moisture with an old towel and hung them on an old fridge door that doesn't work anymore.

For some reason, one color of the wool turned out brittle and had to be thrown away but the rest was fine. I won't be using Borax again. The colors don't show well in these photos but there is a marbleized effect on  the wool worms.


More marbleizing experiment using the same method but rolling and twisting different color wool pieces on top of each other, using dark and light and a neutral color like camel and laying some extra leftover wool worms in the middle.




Now if I could just get off the computer and hook a bit on my rug I might make some progress.
Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment. I hope the weather is sunny where you are. Here it's been a beautiful springy, sunny day with a few clouds. Spring is only a little over 22 days to spring.





23 comments:

  1. That fall sounds painful! I hurt for you.
    Those boys sure are growing up, and they are so cute!! You must love it when you get a chance to spend time with them! I'm in no hurry for the grandma stage, but I'm sure it will be fun!

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    1. Oh Julia you are not boring. I think that everyone reads blogs on tablets and phones now and do not sign in. This means they do not comment. I am guilty of that. I am so sorry you fell and so glad it was not any worse. It could have been you know that.
      I love the colour of the worms.
      I also love to see your grandchildren doing what grandchildren do best....make us smile and happy.
      I have been ill for a long time and if I get the energy to drag out my big laptop I will post this comment on your blog. Never doubt that you engage your audience Julia. I just think everyone is so busy and honestly in my case maybe a bit lazy.
      I have only 13 followers on my new blog two of them are me lol. I will keep posting for me if nothing else and so should you. But believe we are reading. Take care of yourself OK. Hugs Grace

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  2. You are not boring dear Julia! I love your adventures on the farm but please be careful. I'm so sorry you fell and hurt yourself. You are so talented with your rug hooking and all that goes with it. Very interesting! Love your sweet pics of your Grandkiddos. Looks like a really fun vacation. Thanks for your sweet comment on our dear little Chubbs. We sure miss him but life does go on. Have a good week and Spring is only a few weeks away!

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  3. I'd love to learn to hook rugs. My favorite kitchen rug had to be thrown away because most of it unraveled. I loved that rug too. My daughter weaves rugs so she recently attended wool dying classes at the Heard Museum here in Phoenix. I love the vibrant colors she used to weave a contemporary style rug. She taught me to weave and finished a small rug recently. I'm looking forward to a larger loom to weave larger rugs. Your post are never boring. I check in daily for new posts...most of the time I have nothing to say to make a comment. As far as taking a nasty fall, I've done that too and had surgeries on my left knee. I still have trouble with the left knee every so often it hurts. Take care and we love your post :-)

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  4. Your boys are growing fast. It looks like they had a great time. I love the idea of marrying the strips. I always read your blog. My ribs hurt just reading about your fall.
    Please show us what you are working.
    Cathy

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  5. I am so sorry you fell o the ice; please take care of yourself while you are recuperating....Julia, I don't think anyone thinks your posts are boring I think people just dont read and comment like they used to.
    When I visit you or Kim and read about your rug hooking endeavors, it always makes me want to try my hand at rug hooking. Maybe I will one day....
    Your grandsons are so cute and it certainly looks like they had a great time on their cruise....My grandkids love Disney too....

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  6. I always enjoy your blog and never once have I been bored with it. I love you and I love your blog. :)
    Your colors are just perfect. I never thought about using my worms. I do enjoy dyeing this way so much.
    I am so glad you shared what you have been doing.
    I don't need any wool at this time, but I have sure wanted to dye like that again.
    I love the pictures of the boys on the Disney cruise. What a lot of fun. Gosh they are growing up so fast. I hope you feel better soon. That was a terrible fall.

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  7. Sorry to hear about your fall and hope you mend quickly.
    Love how your wool turned out.

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  8. Oh Julia I hate falling and I'm sorry that happened to you. I hope you are doing well. I've been in the same situation where my rib cage either had a broken rib or a really bruised one and it's hard to find a comfortable way to sleep. let alone cough or laugh. You are such a hard working farm girl and It's hard to be down and out. I'm glad your taking some time to do what you love, your rug hooking is always so impressive as well as your wool dyeing. I love the photos of your grandsons, it sure looked like they had a great trip!! They are brave souls to try Green Eggs and Ham haha. At least you know they'll try it in a box with a fox, or on a train in the rain, maybe even in a barn on the farm!! :)
    Take care and know that I'm thinking of you and praying for you to have a full recovery!
    Saimi

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  9. I’ve fallen many times in my life but it hurts more these day. A few months ago, I tripped over one of the dogs and took a spill. I was sore for a week.
    Those kids looks like they had a ball on the cruise.
    Rick

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  10. Julia! So sorry to read about your fall! Yikes!

    Looking at the pictures of the boys I just can’t get over how they’ve grown! Time sure does fly! They are such handsome little guys!

    Char

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  11. Hi Julia,
    Sending extra good well wishes from your fall. I fell in November while delivering Meals on Wheels. I hit my elbow and my left leg. I slipped on a slick walk way.

    The boys are growing up so fast. It has been awhile since I seen them. My oh my, how fun. I do love the smiles.

    Take Care and Think Spring!

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  12. Loved seeing pics of the grands. It looks like they were having a grand time.
    So sorry about the fall. I'm happy it was not worse.
    Great dye results.
    Hook on, my dear friend.
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  13. Ohhhhhh! Those Seuss and Pooh characters look so cuddly! Looks like the grands had a very enjoyable time on the cruise! Glad you are on the mend from your fall...just one more reason to be done with winter. I've been hearing birds in the morning and there are patches of green here and there in the Bruch and grass... won't be long now and we'll be swatting mosquitoes! lol! :-)

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  14. Bruch is supposed to be brush...I keep forgetting to turn off the auto spell correct on this crazy thing... lol!

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  15. Hi Julia,
    I am so sorry about your fall!! That ice can be so treacherous! So happy you didn't break any bones, but I'm sure it feels like it!! Do take care and hope Spring comes soon!!! xoxo
    The boys have really grown and you can see how much fun they had! My son has Disney passes for him and his girls and they go as often as they can and just love it! Loved seeing your dye results and since I just went to my first dye day, I can totally understand the magic and mystery of dyeing!! Lovely results!! I have been super busy of late and gotten behind on my blogging and commenting, so trying to catch up!! Always love to read your posts, dear friend!
    Hope you continue to heal and have a wonderful week!
    Heart Hugs~
    Julie

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  16. Sweet Julia I never tire of your posts. I may miss one now and then when things are going on in my life and I am not online much. But I do hope you keep blobbing but only when you feel up to it and want to. It is supposed to be fun. I cannot believe how those sweet boys have grown. What fun they were having. I sure hope you are healing well from that awful fall. Take care of yourself and keep healing. Love and hugs

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  17. Oh Julia, I am so sorry you have had a fall and what a painful one too! Your rugs always fascinate me so it was great to see all the strands like that and to see the dyeing process! It looks like you have been making fresh pasta! I look forward to seeing the Rockabye baby complete!
    How fun to receive all those cool pictures of the grandchildren! They look like they are having a ball!xx

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  18. Julia, your blog is NOT boring :) Love the pics of the boys. Look after yourself and feel better soon x

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  19. So sorry to hear about your fall and the injury, Julia! I know what it is to bruise and break ribs:/ Sleep is very hard just after, as is coughing and breathing and laughing:/ Please take care and be gentle with yourself.

    I've been away long, too. Sold our house and moved. Making my new nest has taken most of my focus; getting to know a new place is fascinating but focused.

    Good to hear from you in your world.
    Sending love from me in mine,
    Jennifer

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  20. Hello, Julia. I have always enjoyed your blog so much. I am always glad to find that you have posted, and I have never found a boring post. I could talk for hours about things I have learned from you. Now it is how to color the wool. I don't hook rugs, but a knitting group meets at my house weekly. one of our group dyes her own wool in a crock pot.
    I think you said earlier that you are going to retire from taking care of calves? I am sorry you fell and hurt your ribs. Hope you recover in a hurry. Seems like the boys really enjoyed their trip. Thank you for the time you put here!!!

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  21. So sorry about your fall. I'm finding that I don't "bounce" very well anymore.

    The dying process looks very time intensive. Those hooked projects you do are a true labor of love.

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