kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Friday, January 7, 2011

Back to the Drawing Board

We had a nice little snow last night.  Not enough to make driving a mess, just enough to make everything white and beautiful.  It was a little more than predicted.

That's why we seldom plan very far ahead at this time of year.  Zip's music instructor is holding an all-day bluegrass workshop tomorrow.  We've been debating for several weeks if he should commit because of the uncertainty of the weather and the fact that it's over an hour drive from our place to Hagerstown, MD.  Finally this morning with the storm seeming to be over, Zip called and registered.  Now there are predictions of three more inches by morning!

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get a project ready that will last me all day.  I need to start a rug!

I had been drawing some patterns for a few other people lately, starting with a picture, making a line drawing, enlarging, and then transferring from paper to mesh to backing.

I use a lightbox to create a line drawing from a colored picture.
Notice the black and white Deiter body in the upper right corner!  Love that boy!!!


Then I scan it into my computer and use a really nice program called Irfanview to crop and resize if necessary.  Irfanview is a FREE program that can be downloaded from their website.  I've used it for years to modify my drawings and photos.

Next I measure my small picture.  Then I decide how big I want the finished design to be.  Then I mathematically figure out how much I will have to enlarge the drawing to make it into the finished size and use the Paint program that comes with Windows to print it out.  I then tape the sheets together.

My favorite transferring mesh is a sheer drapery fabric that I purchase at the PA Fabric Outlet.  It's a very fine mesh that is easy to see through when copying the design.  It's also very inexpensive.  Since it's very fine synthetic thread, it doesn't suck all the juice out of the markers.


After I transfer the design to the mesh, I pin it to the backing and draw it on.

I have signed up for the Rug Hooking Daily challenge, 'Grandmother's Trunk'.  While I'm working up my design I plan to photograph the steps for getting a design from the paper to the backing with detailed instructions for people who have never done this before.  I will put it on my website as a tutorial.

Here's the finished design on the backing.


It's been a long and busy day and we must get up early tomorrow to get to the workshop on time.
Should I choose some wool now or wait till morning???

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Reggie had his neutering (ouch!) surgery on Tuesday and has recovered nicely.  He's flying around the house doing his usual acrobatics.  He doesn't seem to realize he's missing some parts!

11 comments:

  1. Pat that will be a wonderful tutorial. I will surely be interested in how you do it. Oh, Reggie, what did Mommie do to you??? Hope you are up to par and are nice to the girls! Hope to see you Monday at B&G if the snow holds off.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pat! I love your kitty companions. Cats are so loyal and give so much love and attention. They truely show they appreciate you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. While I have done this I do not like to do it. It seems like a work for me not sure why. But love the design,
    cathy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pat, you are so well equipped to make your designs. I'm so computer illiterate that I have no idea on how to use some of the programs people often talk about. Maybe this year, I should just do it. I'm always leery of downloading free programs for fear of virus. Great design, by the way...

    About the Challenge rug, I don't know if you were aware, but you will have to keep from posting anything revealing until the date that everyone's challenge is posted on Sunnie's group challenge after the cut off date at the end of the challenge. Its Top Secret until then.

    It's so interesting to see how so different everyone's rug is done. It will be so nice to see the tutorial on how you went about it. I haven't even thought about it yet.

    Have a great weekend Pat. JB

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Pat,
    Did you get that snow yet?
    I'm glad Reggie is doing great! Hope you are all done at the vet for awhile now!
    Your work is always meticulous. I know that tutorial will be wonderful and very helpful for anyone that wants to start transferring their own patterns.
    I am thinking about that challenge of Sunnies..... I want to do it but with my classes coming up not sure if I would be biting off more than I can chew...
    Hope you and Zip have a great day at the workshop! Be sure and throw a snow shovel in your trunk just in case!
    Hugs!
    Cathy G

    ReplyDelete
  6. Have fun at the workshop today! Yes, snow is pretty but it sure can be an inconvenience... we got 3 inches yesterday and another 4-6 today... looking forward to seeing how you hookup Spaghetti and Meatballs!!!! Hooking on that would make me HUNGRY!!! lol!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pat ~
    So good to hear from you. I miss when you don't post!
    I hope you and Zip had a wonderful time and the weather posed no problems.
    I look forward to your tutorial. You are SO MUCH more computer literate than I am!!!
    Glad to hear all is well with Reggie after his snip-snip!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey Pat - hope you and Zip had a wonderful and productive time at the workshop! So happy Reggie is happy and unaware of missing his man parts! Bigs hugs to you and the furkids!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good for Reggie! sounds like he is back to normal, as our LA Animal Shelter hear would say "If it ain't neutered FIX IT"

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Pat, nice to hear that Reggie is recovering from the surgery; the young ones bounce back so quickly :-) I hope you both made it safely to the workshop on saturday, it snowed ALL DAY here!!

    Very interesting to see how you get a rug started!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Pat,

    What a beautiful photograph of Reggie. I hope you will consider entering the next calendar bookmark photo contest coming up very shortly.

    Thank you for doing the proper and right thing regarding Reggie and we are glad to learn he is doing fine and is bouncing back nicely.

    We would like to wish you and all family members in your household all the very best.

    Warmest regards,
    Egmont

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting!