Hooking DONE. Finishing YIKES!!

Some hooking projects take MUCH LONGER than others. 

My stool cover may be the longest yet - well at least in the top 5.

This was a workshop that I purchased from Cindi Gay Rug Hooking, and I cannot remember how long ago that was. The stool cover was for an Ikea stool that is no longer in stock, if that tells you anything. Cindi had a template for the cover, and included a variety of designs in the workshop fee. We purchased the stool on our own.

When everything arrived, I was stumped as to what design I wanted on the stool, and eventually settled on one of Cindi's designs, which was a bit of an abstract that I thought would be fun to do. However, something was missing. So I let it percolate with the pattern on, and finally had a eureka moment. If I added some pigeons to her design, they would be "STOOL PIGEONS", which really tickled my funny bone.

Now the hooking could begin. Well sort of. 

I did a post in 2021, in which I shared the disastrous attempt at "punching" this. So I reverted to hooking it, with Briggs and Little Yarn - a show process to be sure. (here/s the link to that post - which I had to search for....) https://theruggedmoose.blogspot.com/search?q=Cindi+Gay  That post solved the mystery of how old this is - I registered for the course in 2019. 

Anyway, hooking progressed, and the pigeons multiplied - I decided I had to add some on the skirt panels as well. So I added two to each, for a total of 12 pigeons. A sizeable flock, indeed. 

This was a project that continually got shoved aside for many others. Especially teaching pieces, or other things with a deadline. But I poked away and a little while ago realized I only had one panel left to hook, so I started taking it with me to my group on Monday mornings, and finally it was done. Or sort of.

I realized that the outside line was not going to be sturdy enough when assembly began, so I did a second line all the way around.

And then it was time to look for those pesky little blank spots we like to call "holidays". I find with yarn hooking, they are harder to find, until yesterday! I was steaming this piece, so that it would be nice and flat before I started joining the corners to make the stool cover. I had checked that everything was the right size before starting to steam and block. After steaming the front,  I turned it over to steam the back. Goodness gracious, millions of 'holidays' showed up. Not huge, but enough that I needed to fill them to make sure the stool cover was good and sturdy.

Usually, I use a toothpick to mark them, but this would have required a whole box, so I came up with a brilliant idea - if I may say so myself. I took some yarn and marked all the spots by threading the yarn through the bare spot and leaving tails on the front side.

Here is a long shot of the hooked cover - you can see a few pieces of black yarn there - well, in fact there are THIRTY! 

Here is a closer look at the new method of marking the "holidays"

And an even closer one.

Using yarn instead of toothpicks means it is easier to put the piece back on your frame and find the spots. I would insert my hook before I removed the black yarn marker, so that I wouldn't have trouble finding it again. I saved all the marker yarn pieces, and counted them, which is how I know there were thirty. 

I got all the spots filled this morning and am now going down to cut off the excess backing, which I have marked according to Cindi's excellent instructions. Then it will be time to start the assembly.

How much longer will this all take? No clue, but I am feeling motivated since I am so close. 

Another little obstacle in the "finishing" of this project. The legs that came with the stool are only chair height. I am hoping my carpenter/contractor son-in-law can make another set that are bar/counter height, since I would like to use it at the island in the kitchen as a "spare".

Stay tuned. More "yikes" ahead.