Ready

 Now that the decision has been made. I'm ready. I'm restless. I wasn't going to pack anything until it was all a done deal. But.. I started packing up some boxes. With covid everything is moving slower. What should have been 30 days, is now 45 days. We're looking at March 15th. It seems so far away. 

Selling the Ranch

 I had decided it's time to sell the ranch, and only have one home to take care of, and pay bills. Utilities, taxes, insurance, upkeep. It's gotten to be too much. So.. I'd been thinking of putting it up for sale in late February or early March. I've been praying about my situation.

Anyways, last Monday as I left the ranch there was a dead deer at the end of the driveway. Oh dear, a big deer. I couldn't move it by myself. So after I got home I went next door to meet the neighbors. They are extremely nice. I instantly really like them. I was talking to the wife, the selling of my house came up. She thought she would be able to help me find someone to buy the house. Yay!! This is a Mennonite community and she said she knew of several people who would be interested. They came over to look at the house so they could tell others about it. 

The next day they came over and said they are interested in purchasing it. They'd already contacted  their banker.  Last night they came over and we agreed on price, etc and gave me an earnest money check. I do hope this goes through.

It's Coming Up Roses

 Cabbage roses. Or just one cabbage rose. The inspiration for this was seeing a cabbage rose hooked rug on Primitive Spirit rug hooking. Then I saw this white version on a google search. Then there was a cabbage rose pattern in my Rug Hooking magazine. Yep, time to make one for me.

It takes me longer to think about and choose colors than to actually hook it. It's the same when quilting. So now I have four finishes to do. I brought one more pattern with me, but I'm not comfortable starting it.  It's a larger rug called Low Country Garden. I think I'll save that for a rug camp I'll be going to in June.

😊 it's supposed to be 78' today. I do believe spring is on her way.

It's supposed to be 33' at home. Whew, what a difference.

Sue

Crown Royal

 I recently finished my Crown Royal quilt. It turned out great. 

My new daughter-in-law gave me a huge sack of Royal Crown bags. Almost all were purple, with one lone black one and one green one. She asked I use bright colors, but other than that I could do whatever.  This quilt took me over a year. I got the top done, then it was too big, so I removed one row both horizontally and vertically. Then put on a piano key border. I kept thinking a would piece a back using those 18 leftover blocks. And I just didn't. It was getting closer to time to leave for Georgia, still no completed top. I used a 60% off coupon at Joann's and got a fat back. Then onto the quilters. I have a great longarm quilter, Diana Lake. Big shout out. So I finished the quilt, made shams for the first time, and a throw pillow with piping, first time for that too. 

A new quilt

I'm still hooking some every day, just at a much slower pace. I brought the pieces of this quilt with me in hopes to complete the top before heading back to Ohio. I fell in love with this fabric when I saw it in the shop. It is called Remix. The pattern is one of those little postcard patterns, called Neighborhood Blocks. I've got half of it sashed,  the rest is sewn in rows, just need to add sashing to three more rows and then join the rows together. Hopefully that part will be completed in the next couple days. Then I'll have to pick something that will for the first border. I want just a slim little something something to go between the purple and the final border. I hope I can find something here at the ranch.

The nearest store that has fabric is Joamn's, and that's 18 miles away. I do live out in the boondocks. It's 15 miles to my town, and then there's not much there. A Dollar General, CVS, and a Piggly Wiggly. And town the other direction is 12 miles. But they have a Krogers, and a Walmart.  No running to town for a forgotten grocery item or a quick burger. It makes me plan my trips, which is good.

Have a good evening. Be safe.

Sue

 

Mr. Snowman

 

I  also finished hooking Mr. Snowman. Isn't he cute? This was a pattern i bought from Kelly Belfast.  Her patterns are so fun, especially the ones with kitties. I had been collecting various creamy white yarns for a couple of years. Most of them were lumpy and knobby. I think there's even a bit of lace in there. That part was fun. The background is another story. I had a thicker nubby yarn, but after pulling some loops, it was just the wrong color. So I pulled this out of the basket. It's thin and slippery. It pulls out pretty easily. But the color is alright. I was going to make this into a pillow, but I'm afraid the loops will get dislodged,so it will become a wall mat.

Sue

I'm on a Roll

 It's complete.  Well, as complete as it will get until I get home in the spring. I still want to add a couple rows of border. I took out the multishaded red in the berries and used what I had. It's a bit dull, but it will work.

I even started another little project. This little pattern was in the Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine a couple of years ago. I have hooked it before using greens. Today I used leftover blue worms. Or do you call them noodles? I have bags and bags of worms in all kinds of colors and cuts. I try to use them whenever possible. I've made several hit and miss rugs. Many of my rugs have a hit and miss background or border. But there always seems to be more. Its like they multiply when I'm not looking.

It was 60' today, and sunshine. It felt great.

This last picture is a small pattern that I won last summer. It's called Summer Basket by Old Friends Woolens. Again, a #6. It's not my prefered cut, except when I want details to show. The Bouquet for Kitty rug was mostly #6,*with some #4s thrown into the mix. 

Enjoy your evening. 

Sue

More

 More of the same. Just the kitty face, background, few berries, and the border. What a productive week. At least regarding rug hooking.

Still plugging along

 I'm still working on my rug, just at a much slower pace. And I had a helper today. This is my princess cat, Lucy. She's not the lovey type of cat, unless she wants loved on. But overall she's a pretty good cat. About eight years ago a friend asked me take her. Her daughter had brought the cat home without asking, and she didn't want it. She took her to the vet, got her shots and fixed, and i picked her up from the vet the next day. Poor Lucy. Hurting from surgery, then had to meet my me, and my dog. Must have been a terrible day for her.

Here's my progress so far. As I've said, I like it even better each day.

I decided to pull out the multicolored berries, and go for a brighter red. But this wool is so thick it is hard to pull up the loops. I'll look through my stash here, i don't know if i have more red. If not, it will have to wait until spring. Today was so very nice outside, sunshine and 55. My Ohio neighbor is here. She winters in Florida, and stopped for the night. It's been good to visit. I live way out in the boondocls, so no neighbors. Church activities have been minimal due to covid, same even with friendly get togethers. No quilt guild meetings, no sewing days with our sewing group. I miss everyone. Some days get pretty lonely. Good thing i have my pet babies. 

So long rug camp

 A typical off the ocean rug camp is only 5 days. It starts Friday night with a meet and greet. The real hooking begins on Saturday, and then we hook like crazy through Tuesday. They say it last til Wednesday at noon, i think. But most folks,  and even one teacher, pack up and leaves on Tuesday evening. Me..well I stay to the end. I've had several different teachers, but my favorite has been Bev Conway. She's sweet, and smart, and has a great eye for color. This is how far I am so far.

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Basically just have the kitty and background to do. I'm running low on the brown for the background. But as in the picture they filled in with a lighter shade of brown. I think they just worked with what they had. And over the years the colors have faded. And they fade differently. I have a slightly lighter brown to work with. It won't be quite like the original, but definitely still a beauty.

Hello Day 4

 Another shorter hooking day for me. But working on it each day will get her done. I probably won't totally finish it until I get back to Ohio. I don't have the wool I need for the last couple of rows for the border. Hopefully I have something in my stash, if not I'm sure Connie, at Wool Yankers, will have something that will work. 

I absolutely love brown and red together.

And it's day 3

 Day 3

And I find I hook less each day, as the pain comes sooner. It eases off some as  I rest, but after 20 minutes or so of hooking

it comes right back. Boo hiss. But it's coming along. I'm liking it more every day. I decorate primitive/rustic, and the colors in this are great additions to he homey feel I love.

Sometimes I hook in other colors. Sometimes. And then don't always know where to put it as it doesn't go. As in match my home. My son asked me once if I hook anything but a brown background. The answer was, sometimes.

It's been cool and rainy, in the 40s and 50s. But then I check on Ohio weather, and brrr it's really cold there. I hope the grands are having some fun playing in the snow, making snowmen, and snow angels, and sledding. I don't know how to remove the last photo. It's of my youngest grandson, M, cutting down my trees. 

Rug Camp Day Two

 Day two of my stay at home rug hooking "camp". I've given myself permission not to do much else. Not much cleaning or cooking going on. Just hooking. I looked for further information on the antique rug. It was on an auction site, says from the19th century.  Looks like it's got a burlap foundation with much fraying of the edges and a hole in the kitty's body. 

  I prefer primitive linen. I drew the picture out as best I could, then took it to my local print shop. They charge me a couple dollars to enlarge it to the size I want. I think this one is 20" across, but I'd have to measure.

  I am having fun hooking this piece. Mainly because I love it. So, enjoy the pics.

Rug Camp at Home

 I often attend "Off the Ocean" rug hooking camp in Jacksonville, Florida. But this year with covid still floating around, I've decided not to attend. I will miss seeing friends I only get to see there. Hi Dawn, hi Robin, hi Sarah Beth.

So I decided to have my own at-home rug camp. I've chosen an antique reproduction that has a bunch of flowers and a kitty. I've named it "A Bouquet for Kitty".

This is my progress at the end of day 1.

I have found I can't sit and hook for hours anymore. It hurts my back. This makes me sad, but my pain in the back is part of my life now. I'm in Georgia for the winter. I intensely dislike the cold and snow and ice. But I also intensely miss my family, especially the grandchildren. They bring such joy to my life.