Category: mug rugs

August 5, 2020

Sunflowers – hopefully they’re a neutral subject

SUNFLOWERS

Hooked Sunflower Rug used as a bench cover — “Melinda’s Rug” shown as a bench cover. It was hooked using recycled t-shirts.

I decided to talk sunflowers , mostly because I’m pretty sick of all the negativity surrounding us today. And yet…I bet there are folks out there that can find something disapproving about one of my favorite flowers. Too bad! Because, as I will remind you all, I AM THE BOSS OF MY RUGS. AND MY BLOG.

Now that that’s off my chest, I can go on. Sunflowers are starting to bloom here in New Mexico. The garden varieties and the ones that I find on my walks in the Bosque, the woods running along the currently almost non-existent Rio Grande River here in Albuquerque. Sorry! I’ll try to get back to being positive.

New Mexican Sunflower — This is the first sunflower that greeted the kid and me as we crossed over the Texas border into New Mexico five years ago last week.

I recently finished “Melinda’s Rug,” and many of you have seen it on my social media accounts. It’s pretty in pastels. Just the colors that Melinda loves, particularly the turquoises. (An aside: It’s a housewarming present for the house she and Gary build over two years ago. I’m a tad tardy.)

But it’s not the first “sunflower” rug that I’ve hooked. In fact, I like to make at least one per year. And I always do one, a mug rug, for the silent auction at Mountainair’s Sunflowers Festival. Which will not be taking place this August. Thank you, Coronacootie. 🙁

I decided to take a look back and see the progression of this series of mine.

BTW: I’m not a botanist. So don’t hold me to a strict definition of sunflowers.

Round sunflower hooked rug — I’m pretty sure this is the first sunflower rug I hooked. It says 2013, but I think it’s older, that that’s when I took a photo to get ready to sell it. Some lady told me that I should’ve put elastic around the edge so it could be used as a toilet top cover. That was after she told me how she used to hook. In the 70s. I really wanted to tell her a few things…

Sunflower hooked rug — After blue I decided to try red for a background. Sure, they were simplistic. but they sold! Again, recycled t-shirts.

Sunflower hooked ruggggg — It’s another mostly wool sunflower rug. With a little silk sari yarn hooked in too. Silk sari yarn is perhaps my most favorite thing to hook. I seem to recall that there was a little velvet involved in this one too.

Dog on sunflower hooked rug — I went back to recycled t-shirts for this table runner/bench cover. Tynan liked it. I really loved the green background! So did customers. 🙂

Sunflower hooked rugs — I liked the green t-shirts so much that I went for it again the next year.

So, I hoped you enjoyed the “Sunflower Tour” as much as me. But maybe you’re a tulip person. Or you prefer zinnias. I’ve done those flowers too, but not like the sunflowers. They’re special. To me, at least. But if you’ve got examples of other flowers, please share them on our Facebook page. We love seeing beautiful things, no matter what they may be.

Till next week, please stay healthy. And positive. I know it’s hard these days. It can be depressing. But the country and world have gone through worse. Most of all, remember to be kind to the other folks out there. We’re all in it together.

BTW: If you have any interest in High on Hooking’s inaugural Zoom workshop Hooking With and beyond the Wool on August 19, it’s almost full. See details here.

April 22, 2020

Share those hearts! And other news.

Heart hooked rug for hearts for heroes — Show me your hearts; here’s mine. I attached it to my spring door decoration. It was hooked with wool, silk, and silk sari yarns. #heartsforheroes

We’re still looking for those hearts. Tag them #heartsforheroes. If you’re not sure what we’re talking about, click here now. Relatedly, Maggie Bathory at the Aspen Rug Company has a contest HEARTS FOR HOOKERS going on over at her place. Combine our two projects; do good and maybe win some wool!

In other news, I’m still not working particularly efficiently as I’d hoped to back when this all started. If you wish, you can read about that here. The situation wasn’t helped when my kid had health issues that ultimately pushed her into the hospital up in Colorado where she lives…3½ hours away. That was nerve-wracking as Tom and I couldn’t just run up to be with her. Nope, in the end she had to do it all by her lonesome. There have been some hiccups, but her health is safe and she’s back at work…on the frontlines…at a grocery store. (Another plug for #heartsforheroes.)

But I have gotten some things done. Two rugs left the Etsy shop for their forever homes. Yea! Virtual shopping can be as good if not better than going to the store. I know, three pairs of shoes have made it to my house from DSW via the post office. Then there are those two Kohl’s deliveries. Pro Chem and Maritime Family Fiber…

Hooked wall hanging — “Sacred Life” now lives in Louisiana with Susan. She and Carolyn are hoping to make a trip to New Mexico late in the year. Pray they get a chance. Till then, this will have to do.

Intrigue: There’s been an ongoing rug “sale” story; really it’s all about a would-be scammer who wanted to take me for about $1000. And get a rug in the deal! That deserves it’s own post. Watch for it in the future.

hooked rug — “Tea for Me” headed up to its Oregon forever home this week! Perfect for a cool spring morning.

Then I sold a pattern of “Big Boucherouite” after someone saw him in Rug Hooking Magazine. Damn, I think that little nugget of information was lost in the coronacootie hubbub. Yep, take a gander in the current – March/April/May – issue. My article starts on page 40. I’m so tickled! Anywho, later this week, I’ll be making that pattern available in linen and monk’s cloth in the Etsy shop. Or just contact me at Laura@highonhooking.com if you’re interested in one. Or in any other rug that I’ve hooked, for that matter. Most can be easily drawn.

Rug Hooking Magazine article — You know, I’ve had short stories printed and even rugs in the ATHA Magazine, but what a gas to have my own article and artwork in Rug Hooking Magazine!

Drawing a hooked rug pattern — This was part of the process when I drew the “Big Boucherouite” pattern for Leslie. Thank goodness for a large area on tile, and even more, doors to keep the dogs at bay.

Ribbon rug journal easter entry — Ribbon Rug Journal entry, April 12: “Easter, 2020” or “Easter, Corona Style.” Hopefully, the Easter Bunny didn’t catch the coronacootie when he delivered the eggs and candy.

Like I said in an earlier post, the Ribbon Rug Journal takes up more of my hooking time than I anticipated. I guess that’s not such a problem this year though. Sadly, so many vending and other in-person events are cancelled that I have time to spend on a big project like this one. Just the other day I finished the first roll of burlap ribbon. The new roll is a tad more difficult to work with as its weave is much looser. Danger, Will Robinson! It’s also wider which is a mixed blessing. There’s more space to hook, but showing any kind of detail is a no-go.

Other than that, there’s lots of cooking and eating and drinking going on in the Salamy house. We’re still really well stocked up. The boys keep us walking most days, thank goodness. It’s safer that way, otherwise the Wild Child (aka Bowyn) gets himself into much too much mischief. He took out a skein of rug yarn within five minutes of it being in the house. Snaked his little paw right through the doggie gate to snag it! I have managed to give them both haircuts, not that I’ll be accomplished enough to hang out a groomer’s shingle when this whole pandemic crisis is over. But I can now wield a pair of clippers and cut toenails. I call that a victory.

dogs on hooked rug — A FIRST! Tynan allowed Bowyn to share his “What’s on the frame” duty this week. (It all fell apart after I snapped the pic.) I’ll hook the last bit of this cheery, recycled bed sheet rug tonight. Then it joins a finishing queue along with a punched pillow.

I’m still interested in what you’re hooking up or even cooking up this Covid-19 “vacation.” Tell us about it below. Better yet, show us on the High on Hooking Facebook page. And get those hearts up on your front windows and doors. Share your love and gratitude with the heroes showing up at your house with yarn and shoes and food and…

November 26, 2018

After the vending…

So, vending is over for the year; time to relax. Yeah, if only. Instead, I have LOTS OF WORK here at High on Hooking, both new, old, and some things I’ve been putting off till now.

Rug and mug to be sold on Etsy now that High on Hooking's vending season is over. — **“New Mexico Geometrics”** just went up into the Etsy shop last night! It comes with 4 blue mugs (if you choose), but also has a ring on the back for hanging. It’s 12×12 and hooked with recycled t-shirts!

Filling the Etsy Shop

Unfortunately, because I was so busy getting ready for and then actually doing the vending of October and November, I’ve had little to no time to devote to my Etsy shop. I was even forgetting to take down items that sold “in person.” Finally got around to that just before heading up to Santa Fe for the Fall Fiber Fiesta. In fact, I was in such a tizzy that day, that I initially deleted the wrong rug! With no time to put it back up, I hoped desperately to sell it that weekend. And you know what? Sometimes desperate prayers work! A lovely volunteer bought it. Now, though, I’m in the midst of putting up those items that didn’t sell at various shows. If you know someone who’d like to give a rug a forever home, send them here. There are all kinds of sizes and prices. And remember, every little rug deserves a home!

ATHA Biennial Favors

Because the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) here in Albuquerque is so close – out west, eight hours is considered close – the Denver guild putting on next August’s ATHA Biennial asked us if we might help out a bit with an item to be included in the swag bag. We agreed, of course, and now I owe them some hooking. Vending put me behind the other AWAG members who will now laugh at my hurry-up attempts this week at our three-day retreat. See if I make them brownies…

Hooked rug on Anderson frame. Now that vending is finished, I can work on it. — I walk by this poor rug all day long. In the kitchen I try to sit with my back to him, but I can still hear him calling. “You promised we’d be together today…” The truth is that I long to sit and work on him more than any other rug. (But don’t tell that to “Kleeful” below.

The BIG Rug

Still languishing on the Anderson frame, shooting daggers every time I walk through the dining room, which is nothing more than the area next to my kitchen in my open-concept home, is the BIG Boucherouite of which I’ve hooked nothing but some outlining. Working on him is far more imperative now what with Albuquerque’s Fiber Fiesta (not to be confused with Santa Fe’s Fall Fiber Fiesta; ours is MUCH bigger and more educational in nature) right around the corner. Big Boucherouite is to be my primary entry. By the way, anyone, including YOU, can enter multiple pieces of fiber art; there are several categories. We receive stuff from folks all over, even Europe! But the important take-away is that entries are due online by March 1. Check out the Call for Entries here.

Unfinished Projects

You know, before I moved from Massachusetts to New Mexico, I never allowed myself to start a new rug before I finished the one I was working on. That went to crap pretty quickly out here as I started vending and taking annual workshops with AWAG, let alone doing commissions. Mats are always bumping others in my now not so insignificant queue of UFOs. Really, I’m not particularly happy about that, but it seems to be a fact of life these days. One day…

So, you see, vending is over but more work remains. Fortunately, I love my work! Maybe hemming a rug up not so much. But it’s getting colder even here in New Mexico, so the timing’s good. Oh, except for Christmas is in less than a month! Time to de-autumn the house and trim a tree. It never ends…

Dog and stuffed opossum sitting on unfinished hooked rug. — Tynan and his new best friend Opossum (thank you, Nan Huntington!) bring you this week’s “What’s on the frame.” Still working on “Kleeful.” Oddly enough I’m working on its (wide) perimeter before I fully decide on the small inner squares. I figure that it ought to be real fun when I try to hook those center squares what with the heaviness of the t-shirt loops. Not!

Are you like so many of the rug hookers I’ve seen on Facebook and Instagram this week who already have their trees up and their houses looking like Santa’s home up at the North Pole? How? Already? Maybe you’d like to come do my house too…

November 13, 2018

Fall fiber frenzy, Part 2

Fall fiber frenzy continues. The year here at High on Hooking culminates in the Fall Fiber Fiesta, Friday – Sunday, up in Santa Fe. You are coming, yes?

Fall fiber frenzy - post card for Fiber Fiesta — Feed the Fall fiber frenzy by attending Fiesta! **Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center** does a great job with this event.

Postcard info on Fall Fiber Fiesta — Pertinent info regarding Fall Fiber Fiesta this weekend.

A BIG THANK YOU to Dagmar Beinenz-Byrd of ZiaWoolz for opening and sharing her beautiful home during Saturday’s High Desert Studio Tour. Yes, I did buy almost, but not quite more than I sold. But who can resist those hand-dyed yarns and fingerless mittens (yeah, I bought another pair of those), etc., etc. Because Dag’s yarns are too light to hook with, I’ve never been able to purchase any of her yummy colors. (Tom just wouldn’t understand me purchasing yarn to look at. He’s so silly, I know.) BUT, having just finished crocheting a shawl (sized more like a scarf to me) – my first “big” crochet project in years – I rewarded myself with some of her yarn to repeat the project in BRIGHT summery colors. More on that another day.

Fall fiber frenzy things to buy — Goodies by ZiaWoolz. She’s got an **Etsy shop**, peeps.

Really, can you resist these? And I’m not just talking Hersey’s Kisses here.

And lastly, this week’s “What’s on the frame” feature is really about what’s NOT on the frame. These little rugs have to be finished up in the next couple of days to be ready to go Friday morning. So much to do, so much to do…

Fall fiber frenzy - littel rugs to finish — You know, mug rugs give quick validation, but I’ll be glad to get back to bigger rugs after this weekend. BTW, if you can’t make it to Fiesta, we do have an **Etsy shop**. I’ll have time to update it after I cook Thanksgiving dinner. Give a yell if you don’t see what you need. Or want. We can help. Really…

Again, feed the Fall fiber frenzy by visiting High on Hooking up in Santa Fe this weekend. As always, mention the blog and get 10% off any rug. See you there!

November 6, 2018

Fall fiber frenzy

Like I mentioned last week, I’m kind of slammed for the next couple of weeks in my own personal Fall fiber frenzy. This Saturday is the High Desert Studio Tour on the east side of Albuquerque. I’ll be at Stop #3 on the map below (if you click, you’ll get a better one) where Dagmar Beinenz-Byrd runs her ZiaWoolz business. Each year she generously offers me space for the event. This year Catherine Wies, another multi-talented Adobe Wool Arts Guild member, will have her wares there too: all kinds of versions of her “Everywoman Tote Bag.” I may have to buy another one to put Dag’s hand-dyed yarn and project bags in. Yeah, I’ll spend more than I’ll ever make. But the goods are all worth it. Plus we have a lot of fun. Stop by!

Meanwhile, I’m busy hooking away for Saturday and next weekend too up in Santa Fe at the Fall Fiber Fiesta. Then there are the meetings: guild (I told you I’m president now, right?); next year’s Fiber Fiesta here in ABQ; the Fiber Arts Council’s Education Committee; the food pantry I deliver to, and Susan’s Legacy. All this with a cold that won’t quit. I swear that between us, Tom and I can incubate it till next spring…

I hate meetings, but they’re a necessary evil for worthy organizations and causes. And if you have any interest in Fiesta or the Fiber Arts Council, click on those links above. Regarding Susan’s Legacy, if you’d like to help women trying to help themselves out of mental health and addiction disorders, see our website. Disclaimer: I’m a Board member, and such troubles have run in my family.

High Desert Studio Tour - part of Fall fiber frenzy — Info on the annual High Desert Studio Tour this Saturday in Albuquerque. More info on the website, **www.highdesertliving.net**. Remember, three of us will be at Stop #3. Follow the purple balloons!

Dog and hooked rugs - Fall fiber frenzy — Tynan ~~whores for a treat~~ brings you this week’s “What’s on the frame?” As you can see, there are actually four little rugs on there right now. I’m low on mug rugs which make excellent and unique gifts for the holidays. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Check out our **Etsy shop**. There may be one or two there right this minute. If not, give a yell and tell me what you need.

Hope to see you this weekend in Albuquerque or next in Santa Fe. Remember: Mention the blog post and get 10% off any rug. It’s part of spreading the gospel of rug hooking and buying handmade this holiday season!