Humble Beginnings Update

Rug Border

The color plan calls for the darker version of Dot Ebi's formula (earlier entry) to be used in the border. Here is how it looks when hooked.  Now..... just need to finish hooking this border....

Something Different

Bracelet, 2013

Here's a bracelet made from some simple materials found at home and the local craft store. The 6 large beads are made of Sculpey, Fimo, and beads from a inexpensive package off the shelf.  The small spacer beads are from the same package. The polymer clay is baked in the oven at 275 degrees (instructions are on the package).  The beads are strung with elastic. The possibilities are endless.

Humble Beginnings

Lighter Brown Background

Following Dot Ebi's formula listed in the previous blog, I dyed (using Cushing Dyes) this spot on rust colored wool that I purchased from Dorr Mill.  The formula used salt, which I had not done before.  I was pleased with the result, but I'll probably go back to my white vinegar mordant.

 Here is how the background looks once it's hooked. This is an exercise for me.  I am following a color plan for this rug by teacher Peggy Hannum that appeared in the McGown Newsletter of May 2001.  Peggy completed this mat in 2000.  As I posted before, I've never begun a rug with a color selection completely planned by another artist. I like these results, but I can't help wondering... what would this have looked like with a deep royal purple background?.... would the yellow of the flowers with the complementary purple color be more striking?... would the yellow-green in the leaves and stems pop?

Progress

Progress on Humble Beginnings

The central design is done.  Now to dye and hook the background.  The color plan calls for light and dark spot dyes over rust colored wool.  The formula is Dot Ebi's spot #44 (Scraps or Spots): 1/8 t Kahaki Drab, 1/8t Bronze Green, 1/8 t Old Gold, and 1/16 t Mahogany.  After the spot dye is finished, the color plan says to over dye the wool with Mahogany.  The  formula is the same for the darker background color, but the amounts are doubled.

Spot Dye

Wool for the Stems in the Rug "Humble Beginnings"

The rug color plan calls for a spot dye (Cushing dyes) for the stems of the flowers.  Peggy Hannum's dyeing directions call for 1/8 t Bronze Green, 1/8 t Old Gold, 1/8 t Bronze, and 1/16 t Mahogany to be used in Dotti Ebi's Spot Method.  Each color is dissolved in a cup of hot water and 2 T of white vinegar.  Dotti Ebi's book is the paperback Scraps or Spots, 115 Formulas for Rug Hooking, 1979.  I used 1/2 yard of butterscotch colored wool soaked in warm water and Dawn dishwashing detergent. I placed wrinkled aluminum foil in the bottom of my dye pan and added the wool on top.  The wool was crumpled, not folded.  The dyes were applied by the tablespoon (T) in a designated pattern.
                                                             OXOXOX
                                                             XOXOXO
                                                             OXOXOX
                                                             XOXOXO
                                                             OXOXOX
                                                            ( p.24, Scraps or Spots)
The "O" was Bronze Green and the "X" was Old Gold.  The Bronze was applied wherever space was available and the Mahogany was used as an accent.  After the dyes were applied, I salted the material per directions (just used my regular salt shaker).  I added 5 cups of boiling water on the edges of the pan (not directly on the wool), and then the wool was pushed under the water to somewhat mute the colors.  I covered the pan with aluminum foil and baked it in a 275 degree oven for 1 hour.  I rinsed the wool in my machine (remember, I have a front loader so I'm not worried about felting the wool) and popped it in the dryer.  The photo at the top shows the result.
Now to hook the stems.

Progress

The red wool is hooked in the daisy like flowers in the Humble Beginnings rug.  I could not find Maryanne Lincoln's Country Color Formulas booklet, so I dyed a soft yellow to use instead of the recommended color for the small flowers and the daisy centers (so much for the plan......).

The Challenge

 Jacobean Challenge, 2013

Wool strips on backing

Ellen completed her ATHA June challenge.  She chose to make the Jacobean design into the hooked top of a footstool. Great idea! She also added her own elements to the design (the upper bell flowers and the swirl to the left). I really like the movement in her background.