Don't miss out. Become a follower of my blog and join in all the fun !

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Quick Hooking Tip & a Bunny Rug

Well, although its been a super busy week I did have some down time to finish my bunny rug. Well, I guess I shouldn't really say "finished" since I still need to press it and bind it, but the hooking is all done. Well unless I decide to make some last minute changes...Here's what it looks like...
I think like the way it came out...but I might want to switch out the swirlies to a different color...what do you think ? Is the white too stark ? Maybe one of the tans would look better or one fo the flower colors ??? I would love to hear some opinions on this before I bind it.

So for the quick hooking tip...When you miscalculate the amount of wool you need (yep, I didnt have quite enough of the olive wools for the background ). I simply took out the flower stems and the outside border loops (all op which were the same light olivey color) and rehooked those with a darker olive. I know you cant really tell in the picture, but the darker olive wouldnt look great IN the background but worked great AROUND the background, but it still looked a little lost so that's when I decided to add that darker color IN the rug as the stems. Have I totally confused you ? Well, I had just enough of the light olivey wools once I took them out of the border and stems to finish the background of my rug. So, if you are hooking along and find that you dont have enough of a particular color look and see where you can "steal" some wool  from places you already hooked and "exchange" it for a different color and then be sure to add it in somewhere else too so it doesn't look out of place. The original pattern also didnt have any pennies in the corners...I added those too so I would need less of the background color. Remember you can always add something to your rug...you can make them even more personal that way. Sometimes you can add a date, or some ABC's or some flowers and squigglies...be creative !

I also just finished hooking a set of coasters/candle mats using up a bunch of left over wools. I cant seem to get the color to show up right in the picture...they are softer than they look on my computer. I will be backing these with wools that coordinate with the outside border of each mat. As many of you know I LOVE to hook but am not so wild about binding them, but I will force myself. If anyone is interested in purchasing either the bunny mat or the coasters, let me know. The bunny mat measures 9.5 x 15.5 and the coasters are 4.5".

As I said I had lots of time to work on these because I spent time waiting at the hospital with my husband and his family. His dad was diagnosed with colon cancer just a few weeks ago and went in for surgery this past Monday. Good news was they got all the colon cancer but the bad news was it had spread to his liver and they said he now has Stage 4 Secondary Liver Cancer. None of us were really prepared for that and it's hitting us hard. Not real sure what the future will be but I know God will bring us through. I would appreciate your prayers though not only for my father in law, but for my mother in law as well...she was just devastated.

I would also like to ask for prayers for my son, Kyler, who will be home this coming Monday for his last military leave before he ships out for deployment. (Yes, I have been crying my eyes out lately and not sleeping much). It's hard to believe it's been a year since he joined the Marines. We are so proud of him but, given the state of the world right now, we are nervous too, obviously. I will post pictures before he leaves.

Just a reminder that I will be announcing all the details for my "Big Blog Anniversary Giveaway" on March 11 which is the anniversary of my very first blog post.  I am planning lots of yummy prizes. I have a couple picked out already and I might even tell you a prize or two over the next couple weeks. You will just have to stay tuned. I will post as time allows with my son being home and driving back & forth to see the inlaws. I have several projects packed into my travel bag so I can get some solid hooking time in during the hour long drive to and from their house, waiting at the airport etc. I am sorry that I wont be able to comment on everyone's pages right now. I am just too overwhelmed, but please know that I think of you all, pray for you all and read your blogs (even when I dont comment). I get so inspired by all of you and am so grateful for the terrific friends I have made here in the prim blogosphere...you gals all rock !

Ok, before I start bawling, I will go finish my taxes...then I can cry for a completely different reason, hahahaha.

Grace to you,
Margie








16 comments:

  1. i love the mat! the white is perfect. so sorry to hear about your FIL. i'll keep you in my prayers. i know all about military deployments my SIL has been to afghanistan twice since he and my daughter have been married and now is gonna go back again next year.prayers are with you. denise

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful hooking, prayers for your family.
    Blessings,
    Ronda

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Margie:
    Hello girlfriend, I won't ask how you've been because the news about your FIL has you all
    devastated. I'm so sorry for your family. I am certainly adding him to my prayers, and your MIL for her to receive the strength to endure this.
    I love the theme of your rug, I don't know anything about hooking so pardon me if I say something weird. I think the white is stark, I didn't see that it was a rabbit until I really, really looked. Maybe the swirls could be gold or tan? I think I'm seeing gold but maybe it's the tan.
    I don't understand why your boy is being deployed. I thought the war was ended?
    I'm sorry he's going, I think it all should come to an end for our troops shipping out.
    I'm praying for you to find courage and strength and for your boy.
    Your giveaway sounds stupendous! There's a word.
    Hugs,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  4. Saying a prayer for your son. Rug looks good! I will probably be crying along with you once we get ou taxes done too. Take care, Janice

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, Margie,
    One of my rugs I hooked had a light color in it that I thought didn't go, and I just spritzed it with a little walnut dye...then it was perfect! I know that is cheating, but, oh well, it works. I am very sorry to hear about your FIL, and am sending prayers your way. I lost my hubby to cancer 2 years ago... it is such a terrible scourge! Enjoy your visit with your son, and thank him for me for his service.
    Hugs,
    Melinda

    ReplyDelete
  6. Margie ~
    I can understand you bawling your eyes out! Prayers for your FIL & MIL. I can only imagine how you feel about your son being deployed. Please give him my thanks for serving this great country of ours. Unfortunately, freedom isn't free.
    I, too, think the swirls are too white. Another fix you could try before reverse hooking ~ use a tea bag to stain the white wool.
    Prayers for all your loved ones!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  7. So sorry to hear about your FIL & MIL. Prayers will be said. Will also pray for Kyle. I like your little coasters & the bunny : ) Blessings, Shirlee

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so sorry about your FIL. I will keep him in my prayers as well as pray your son is kept safe and well during his deployment. I love the bunny rug.-Jan

    ReplyDelete
  9. Prayers to your FIL, I also find the white stark and didn't realize it was a rabbit but I love the othe colors and design of it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. God Bless your whole family with strength to travel the journey ahead with Angels by your sides.
    This is my 2 cents which in todays economy isn't even worth 2 cents about your wonderful rug. I 1st see the white on the rabbit before the rest of the rug because it seems so bright compaired to the wonderful muted colors you chose for the rug. Maybe the tan that you used would work better so your eyes wouldn't jump right to the white.
    Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks everyone for all the prayers and well wishes and the great suggestions for the white in the rug...It looks much brighter on camera than in person so I think I will try the tannish color...I will take pics and let you know ! Bless ings to you all.

    Margie

    ReplyDelete
  12. The bunny rug looks adorable! I like the white swirls.So sorry to hear about you FIL that's the same type of cancer dad has.Will keep you and your family in prayer.Hugs!~Amy

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would go with a softer color for the bunny swirls, maybe a tan or med brown.. Sorry to hear about your FIL. I finished up chemo last July for stage 3 colon cancer and so far am doing well. I will keep all of your family in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Margie,
    As always your rugs are beautiful. I know it's hard to get a true idea of the colors with a camera.
    I am sorry to read of the diagnosis of your FIL. You are all in my prayers for the road ahead.
    Please thank your son for us for his service~ it truly takes a special person to serve and give as they all do. I always keep our service members in prayer.
    Take care of yourself Margie, we're always here if you need us.
    Blessings,
    Jean

    ReplyDelete
  15. So sorry to hear the news about your FIL! will keep you all in our prayers!

    Bunny mat and coasters look adorable!!
    Hugs,
    Tanya

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm a little late coming by for a visit but I will give you my opinion anyway. =] I think the white is just a little too bright. It looks good, but it's the first thing your eyes see when they look at the rug so it's up to you. I think the rug looks beautiful, love the colors that you used!

    So sorry to hear about your FIL! That is so very sad and I'm sure it's gonna be hard on your MIL. I will be praying for them both and also for your family.

    You have had a rough year already girl! Sorry for all the crying but I can certainly understand why. Lean on God, He is the only one that can get you through all of this. Please thank your son for his service for our country! My son is wanting to go into the Marines when he graduates from high school but he still has a couple of years to go.

    Hugs and prayers sent to you my sweet friend~

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from my followers, so please leave me a message.