I'm Seeing Red

 

I'm seeing red.... In my rug. It's exactly what was needed. I'll probably finish hooking it later this week. I'm almost done, just the brown heart to fill in, and the little open places in the red shapes. The background turned out a bit lighter than I'd prefer. I've been making hooked rugs for 24 years. Wowzer, that's a long time. And a lot of rugs. 

I knew I wanted hooked rugs in my home. But I was a single mom and couldn't afford to just buy them. So I learned to hook them. My first classes were in the basement of Shirley Bloom. Gloria Ault was also there. Shirley liked to teach "fine" hooking. I started out hooking with a 6 cut. Shirley would pick out these bright colors, I'd look up and Glo would be shaking her head "no".  When Shirley would walk away Gloria would help me pick out more primitive colors. 

This is my first rug. It's a pattern by DiFranza called Garden Cat. It's hooked with a 6 and very low loop height. This was before the Internet so I never saw another version of the rug until much later. It's not my favorite, but my first, so I've hung onto it. 

I finished binding the Sun Burst Girl. That makes three ready to go to camp.  Summer camp. I'm getting impatient for nice weather to arrive, and stay. I've a few flowers blooming in my garden. But my hands are itching to get busy digging and planting and dividing perennials. I had a 6' foot fence installed around part of the backyard last year. Its great for keeping Daisy enclosed. She's my little runner. I did see an area where she has tried to dig a hole under the fence. That Daisy. She's sweet, but she's a handful. She  makes Henry look like the absolute dream dog. Henry is calm and well behaved. 

Anyways, the fence is big and boring. My plan for this year is to spruce up the back yard. I salvaged some limestone stones. I plan on making a curved walk way to the shed, then plant some trees and lots of flowers. Lots. My neighbor boy wants to help. He's developmentally delayed with ADHD. He's my friend. Years ago he started coming to the house because he loves Henry. And Henry loves him. Daisy dislikes him intensely. She will not even allow him to pet her. That Daisy. Again.