kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Heat Wave!

It's been hotter than blazes this week.  And there has been no significant rain in about a month.  The grass is dried up, the yard is brown.  We get our water from a well so there is no garden watering.  That means our garden is a loss this year.  We have Swiss chard that usually grows about 12 - 18 inches tall that's only about four inches high and it's been the same for weeks.

I check Weather Bug's doppler page several times a day, watching storms going all around our area, but not on Newburg.  It's like the desert here.  But the thing I will NEVER understand is how the ground can be dry as a bone and the humidity in the air is so high.  It's like a sauna!  Does that make sense???

I'm trying not to think about the garden situation.  My time is being spent inside with the fans on and rughooking and listening to books on CD.

Last week before going to Grant Street I decided to do this small easy pattern that I happened to have made up long ago and never started. 


I didn't want a stark white sheep so I cut some textured grays to take with me.


I started pulling loops at Grant Street and right away did not like these three fabrics together.
I bought some tans.  Lucky I was in a wool shop, huh???

The tan sheep was OK.


Until I hooked in a yellow base with red wheels.  The tan and yellow did not work at all well together.  I liked the base and wheels a lot, so the tan sheep had to go.

Yeesh!  Now what?  I dug through a bag of wool that Doris had given me about a year ago.  In it was a piece of very textured tan and gray with nubs of natural.  I was skeptical of using this fabric because of the nubby stuff, but decided in desperation to give it a try. 


Whoo-hoo, it worked to perfection!

Next I had to choose a background.  I thought of blue but didn't have anything that seemed right except navy.  Not very exciting.

These dark olives seemed like a possibility.


They didn't really look that great right next to the sheep so I outlined in the navy.


I don't know why something that was supposed to be small and easy always seems to turn out to have so much trial and error.  Even after 20 years of rugs, I'm still doing major reverse hooking.

Now I have to decide how to do the small squares in the border, or even IF I want to use that border.  I was also thinking of stars...



Thanks for stopping by.
Hope you are having a good summer.

17 comments:

  1. we have a lot of rain and last night a pretty good storm. It has been warm here but today was just perfet 77 degrees light breeze and no humitiy. But I still haven't hooked in a long time.Love your sheep the colors are just perfect.
    Cathy

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  2. Pat ~
    It is amazing how quickly things dry up. We had rain, rain, rain and more rain for the longest time. Now I need to water the pots and anything newly planted. Oh, how I hate to water but I am fortunate not to have to depend on well water. I grew up with well water, so I know what you are going through.
    You've done some serious reverse hooking, but I love what you ended up with. Keep us posted on your progress, please.
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

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  3. It is dry here too and humid as can be! We had a thunderstorm last weekend but that didn't do much at all to help!

    I think your sheep looks really cute especially the yellow wagon, so cheerful :-) How long does it take you to do something like that? From the post it sounds like you hooked the sheep several times in one afternoon...that's fast no?!

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  4. Dear Pat, your sheep is perfect as Cathy just said. You are so talented in designing rug patterns.

    This year sure has been a challenge for gardeners, starting with a late cold and wet spring and then intense heat and then too much rain and now things are dry but humidity is high. Mine is growing well but is still far behind from last year.

    I'm sorry about your garden. It such a shame that there is nothing you can do to save it. It's dry in a lots of places.

    I hear of Wallow fire in Northern Arizona that is destroying everything in its path and has consumed over 1/2 a million acres. We have been asked for prayers for rain and for safety for the people affected and those who are fighting this fire. The fire is out of control and will burn for a long time.

    I hope that things will improve for you. Here is a big HUG for you. JB

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  5. We are in total crunch here...triple digits for weeks!
    LOVE the rug you are working on and your trial and error is making it absolutely beautiful!!!!

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  6. Love the colors in the rug you are doing!

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  7. *****simplicity is often the most difficult
    in the color planning process no matter how
    many years in the craft. with each rug we are
    supposed to learn something...after forty years
    i can say the same is true for me. there are times that i will draw something that is deceptive in it's complexity. the sheep looks
    great and good for you that in your willingness to change what is not good to something great! that is the sign of a true
    craftswoman! stay cool....

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  8. I like the olive background, and was very aware of how well the single line of navy brought spectacular focus to the design. Nothing wrong with reverse hooking when it yields such a lovely rug!

    Hope that the drought breaks for you soon. Here in Eastern TX we've finally gotten some rain, and a possibility of a Tropical Storm near Florida, so maybe a bit of that will fall on PA...not gullywashers, but a good long soak! Jo

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  9. It's a real treat to watch the step by step evolution of perfection! All the wools you chose are "just right"! You're amazing!

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  10. I find this craft enthrawling ...love the thought process ...love your results ...ses... I can do short comments lol

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  11. I love this little sheep. I'm glad you walked us through all the fabric choices. I learn so much from you! The blue outline makes all the difference. I just moved to a place with well water. I guess I'm in for lots of adjustments...
    Stay cool and I hope you get rain soon.
    Courtney

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  12. Pat....you are just a wool rug artist! I just love the sequence of photos showing your progress and yes, your changes. Can't wait to see the finished rug.
    Linda

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  13. What a delightful sheep! Having him on the pull toy makes it really fun - I love the colors you've chosen!

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  14. Love the colors you used, really beautiful piece.
    Too hot for me to hook lately, but getting the itch;)

    Debbie

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  15. Another beauty Pat - even with your reverse hooking you make it work! I can't believe how much you got done. Been threatening rain everyday here too but nothing yet. The tomato plants have to be watered constantly.

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  16. Looks great Pat! Love the wools you chose. This heat sure is something, but really happy we got the rains that we did today! We certainly needed it. Supposed to be a less humid weekend.. Enjoy!

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  17. I sure admire your acceptance of reverse hooking. I guess that's why all your rugs look so perfect! I hope you get some rain soon. We had rain all day but tomorrow is looking good.

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