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Santa Fe Crossing, 50 x 77, a new Woolley Fox pattern for 2008. Pattern layout adapted from two antique images.

I am so excited about this rug, Santa Fe Crossing. This is really a "Barb Carroll" rug. I have had so much fun choosing the wools and hooking it, I thought maybe some of you would like to follow along as the rug and I journey together. 

I first decided that I would like a "blackish dark" horse. I love all of the dark funny-looking tweeds, so I began my hunt through my stash for WONDERFUL wools that I would love to play with. I chose about 6 or 7 darkish wools and about 6 or 7 lightish wools.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

I hooked the mane first using a neat tweed that has some flecks of color to it. Decided I love that and would keep it only in the mane. 

The eye was next. I hooked the center using a neat red plaid, then one ring of one of my light wools, followed by one ring of a medium wool. The eye now became important without overtaking the horse. Very fun!

Next I started hooking the horse. That was great -- all of the darkish wools became my friends. And that is how I hooked them. Just sat down and played, visiting with "one friend and then another." As I was working on the horse I discovered a GREAT black/brown boucle which of course I had buried long ago, and knew it needed to be part of the horse body. So now my "circle of friends" was complete for the horse, and away I hooked.

I have not decided yet if the light area on the back of the horse is staying. After I get the center finished I will be able to tell. Right now I like it because of some of the abnormalities of the old rugs, and this seems to fit in.

As I worked I figured out that the "lightish" wools would not work well into the body, soooooooo decided to use them for the hooves and the tail. That was absolutely a wonderful adventure into melting them together. All friends and all play so well together. I was sorry when I finished them; hopefully I will get to play with them again in the border. (No, I do not know yet what I am going to do in the border).

Now to decide the top part of the background behind the horse. I threw lots of wools around him and these funny greens just seemed to call to me. I started adding more wools to have a neat mix to play with in the background.

The trees - BIG FUN. I love the plaid, and then of course the berries needed to be red. So far the rug is "talking to me" and telling me what comes next. And then the wonderful soft plaid to fill in behind the branches and berries. 

The tree on the left is hooked with a very neat "spotted" wool. I wanted it to be a touch different from the others. Happy I am with the trees.

Okay - so for a while the rug and Barb were not on the same page! I had a devil of a time trying to get the area under the horse right. Too busy, too bright, too dull and killed the horse! I hooked in and pulled out like a wacky woman. Actually still wasn't sure with this one (my fourth try!) that it would work. There are two wools, and as I get more and more in - I am much happier. I love the way it plays off the reds in the trees. The whole rug is still soft and much warmer. Fun when you get it right!

Okay - I now love both of my backgrounds - this inside border has just made everything play together very well. The dark area is a super neat plaid which has darks, funny reds, and funny greens.  Sort of looks as if this area of the rug wore with foot traffic and light. Fun to do that. I added a stripe on the side of the inside border - a very neat nubby wool which picks up the brown tones and the reds. Should marry everything together perfectly!!!! No more for a while - lots going on here with the rug school.

  HOORAY!!!!!!! The center of the rug is finished - and I had a great time. Going to start on the border while I am watching the Penguins play hockey!!!! I am laying the wools out now. Very excited about this. I think I will have nifty places to play with color.

So!!!!! Not as uncomplicated as I thought it might be!!!!! One of the BIG things is to remember the border is part of the rug. With this wonderful design it is very easy to "wander off" and hook the BORDER - thereby making it "apart" from the rug. Ask me - I did that!!!! I think now that the border and the rug are one. I might change some of the berries in the trees to the "blue purples". I won't make that change until the rug is finished.

The color decisions are as follows: I hooked many reds into the border - I like red, and it plays off the center of the rug. The orange/gold/rust wools also pick up the colors in the trees. As for the two different blue purples - I have no idea!!!! I just kept playing until it seemed right - and yes - I did lots of reverse hooking!!!! The background of the border is the FOURTH wool that I tried!!!!, this one plays with the greens and browns in the background and also has some red in it. Just looked rich and balanced to me. 

There will be places for odd "waggles" of wool. When I get there I will pop in what I need. More to come!!!!

Not much more has been hooked on the border. I have done more REVERSE hooking. Another small change. Should have photos by Friday. Boy am I learning A LOT!!!!

  Okay!!!!  So took the "bright" blue/purple out - after I got more hooked - just did not look right. Now have changed it to a "black" and am much happier. The border seems darker and richer. I am not hooking the corner hearts until I have more underway in the border. Loads to learn about color in this rug.

This is all I am going to get done for now.  No more hooking until August.  Lots of fun family stuff.