RUG HOOKING BLOG

About Me

My photo
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.

Monday, January 24, 2022

FINALLY AN UPDATE ON MY MOTHER AND CHILD RUG

 I have finally decided to make an update on my rug this evening since it will never be to my satisfaction and it could take forever to achieve my goal.   I have such difficulty getting the right directional hooking and the right shade. I've dyed so many shades of blue and I constantly have to pull out the loops or reversed hooking as it's called by seasoned rug hookers.  I just can't visualize how best to go about hooking the blue cape or mantel.  For some reason, the face was very easy to hook, probably because it is smaller but the rest is just a pain in the patootie.  I still have so many sections to reverse hook. I have removed most of the darker blue except a tiny spot by Mary's hand and I need to dye a tiny piece of wool for the baby's lips. I have removes the too pale highlights, but still have lots left to undo and rehook.   The baby's lips are the least of my worries.  I think because all the folds are diagonal, it's adding to my dilemma. I've never had instruction on how to tackle a project like this. 




I finished my baby blanket last week. I used my iPhone to take the photo and I discovered to get the right color, I had to tilt my phone, otherwise, it was washed out. Surprisingly, it came out exactly true to color.  I so enjoyed crocheting this design and it hooked up quite fast. The easiest pattern yet. 

 I started another blanket and the pattern is another chevron but with a different pattern. Somehow, I make the required number of chains and when I hook the second row, I was short of two stitches.  I tried it a second time and was short of two stitches again, darn it... I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I've put it aside for now and will try it again when my brain is rested.

I have discovered that when I'm tired and play Freecell on my computer and I run into a difficult game that I can't solve, I try the same game the next day and usually solve it quickly. I guess it goes to prove that a tired brain needs rest. I will not let two little chains stop me for long.  Maybe, I better concentrate on my rug but I find hooking so pleasant. I will definitely try again. 


 I only had one small poinsettia for Christmas and it's still doing well so far. I usually get some from the church but because of the lockdown, I didn't get any this time which is just fine with me. 



And from my kitchen, a speedy but yummy dish. I love making my own hummus and it only takes a few minutes and is so good for our health so. My little Sweet potato vines are slowly growing in the cool sunroom. It's warm in sunny daytime but cool at night as I don't have the heat on. 

There you have it, not much going on in my lockdown life but thanks for stopping for a visit and leaving a comment. Kind comments from blogger friends are the sparkles to my posts.   Stay safe and well and start counting days to spring. It's getting nearer and will be here before you know it.

Hugs, Julia







 




16 comments:

  1. Mary's face is so pretty. Those eyes are wonderful! I would never attempt a rug such as that but you are doing a fine job.
    That blanket is so sweet and someone is going to love it.
    Beautiful poinsettia. I just had one small one this year and I can't believe it is thriving and I have not yet killed it.
    Spring...bring it on!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love hummus! We eat it with pit bread. I love the colors in your rug. I would never be able to do a better job than what you have already done. Also love your afghan. Great job! Janice

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your mother and child is looking wonderful and think the baby's lips are great. What kind of beans do you use for your humus? I've never made it from scratch but sure do love it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saundra, I use a can of Chickpeas and rinse them well or your can cook your own dry chickpeas by soaking them but it takes longer and it works as well. I use my food processor to pulverize all the ingredients.

      Delete
  4. Your rug - and indeed all of your work looks really good to me.
    Mmmmm hummus. I love it. Himself doesn't so it is all for me. Which I am find with.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Julia I am always in awe of your rug hooking your faces are amazing! I do not see the issue with her clothing, but I am sure you do. You are keeping yourself busy with crocheting and hooking good for you it is the time of year to settle in and wait for spring.
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  6. I should try to make humus again. I don't think I let it process long enough - tasted fine but was a bit lumpy. I also want to make up some Ranch dressing mix to make yogurt dip for veggies. At least those 2 are a bit healthier with carrots than the sour cream & mayo versions.

    I think your rug is working out fine. As in needlework and painting, I suspect the trick is working along the folds of the fabrics. I wonder if studying the painting this is from would help?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the the color of the blues, and you hooking is fantastic.It looks like a painting. Its hard to believe its wool. I can't see anything I would change. Its beautiful. I love that baby blanket too. I haven't made hummus in a long time, but yours looks so good and yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aha...my long-held suspicions have been proven true: You are a perfectionist. I think your rug is simply amazing. Those faces are incredible!! I would never, ever, even contemplate such a challenge. It's as though you are painting with wool. And, like the others, see no issues with Mary's clothing. Perhaps you need to step back from it and take it in like we are rather than analyzing each strand. I think it's glorious. Your baby blanket is beautiful too...such busy hands you have! What an unusual color of poinsettia! I love it! I haven't had a poinsettia in many years as they are toxic to kitties...and I have one naughty kitty who chews on anything that is (or that she THINKS is) a living plant. ~Robin~

    ReplyDelete
  9. I once had a knitting pattern with that same chevron stitch, I remember making a few matinee jackets for babies, long ago now. came over via Elephant's Child.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think your rug is fantastic! Lovely work on the baby blanket! We didn’t pick up our poinsettia from church this year. I bought a very small white one to have at the house. Hummus is great! We love it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like the hooking Julia, I just think you are amazing to create the piece that you are.
    What did you do with the huge poinsettia you had a few years ago?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carla, my three poinsettias got to be so very large and were taking too much room in my sunroom and I needed the space to grow my seedlings in the spring so I put them out on the deck. Since we had damaging floods twice in a row in the basement, we had to put the large water heater and my plant growing rack in the sunroom permanently.I wanted to keep only one poinsettia and last fall, I brought it back in. It somehow got infested with white flies and I threw it out for fear of infecting my other plants.

      Delete
  12. Your hooked piece is coming along beautifully. Wow. Such small details. I love to make my own humus, which involves making my own tahini too. Super simple and fast and fresh roasted sesame seeds make the difference.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Testing -- my comment didn't work. If this one does, I said I love everything you do and admire you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think the Mother and Child hooking is just gorgeous so far.

    ReplyDelete