I'm back!

Ten days after the crud hit me, I've still got a cough and I'm not dancing any jigs, but I have a pot roast going and I painted my toenails pink. I call this great progress. And it makes me feel like spring and sandals and sailing and diet vanilla cokes from Sonic.


I've been thinking a lot about rugs lately. I've finished one recently (see picture) and have another about halfway completed. I'm making the second one for a gift. Normally, on principle, I dislike giving decorating items as gifts, because the recipient may not like that "perfect for them" gift as much as I do ..... and they might feel obligated to use it ... even if it only comes out when I visit. I hate putting either of us in that awkward situation. Nevertheless, I'm going to be brave and make an exception this time with the hope they'll know there was "love in every stitch" and will perhaps enjoy using it as much as I've enjoyed making it.

The first rug is in my laundry room -- I chose the colors specifically for that room, but now I'm thinking I might like to create a new rug with a pattern that shows drying laundry hanging on the clothes line. Whatcha think?

Anyway, I'm going to play with that idea and, if successful, I may have to relocate the first rug to another room.

Bob and I have become very interested in making rugs. The technique I used for this first rug is called Locker Hooking because you lock the hooked stitch. Traditional hooked rugs, if they have no rubberized treatment on the back, have stitches that can pull out far too easily. Another difference is that locker hooking is usually done with cotton strips of cloth. Traditional hooked rugs are made with either yarn or wool fabric cut to a very thin strip. Sorry -- didn't mean to create a tutorial, but we've had a lot of fun researching this and looking at traditional and primitive patterns. I'm going to play around with the whole making rugs, rug patterns, wool fabric thing for awhile ... in between my other projects. :-)


I've found a new recipe for bread that sounds interesting. After I've tried it (in the next couple of days), I'll post the results ... and recipe if it's good. It looks fairly easy and it's supposed to be really, really good.

I miss exercising (and gabbing) with my sisters. There's nothing better than sister talk. I'm hoping I'll be back to it next Monday. And Thursday with Alice. I've really enjoyed the time I spend with her and Anita.

Girl talk is good for what ails you.