I Wish I Could Hook

There will be no rug hooking for me today. Neither was there any yesterday. I am hard at work cleaning, and reorganizing our Boston Victorian to get it ready for sale!

Have a great weekend!

Pure Heaven

I have so far only hooked with recycled woolens from vintage garments. I really enjoy searching for these vintage skirts, cutting them up, and dyeing them. But yesterday, I received samples of woolens from Heavens to Betsy.

They are absolutely gorgeous. So gorgeous that I could not resist taking pictures of them.
The colors, textures, and patterns are amazing.

 I am dreaming of what I could do with them. I could use them just as they are... I could over-dye them...

They are so soft and fluffy, I am sure they would be a joy to hook with. It is going to be so hard to chose which ones to order! I like them all!

Hooking Impressions

I adore hooked rugs that have subtly shaded flowers and details, hooked with fine cuts, like the rugs of Pearl Mcgown, or Joan Moshimer. I would spend hours looking at them, delighting in their visual softness and realism. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I love primitive rugs, hooked in wide cuts, with simple naive forms like the rugs created by Magdalena Briner Eby, or the rugs created by Kathy at the Grinning Sheep, or again the ones created by Karen at Primitive Spirit.

When I set out to design, and then hook my" Roosting Hens in a Bleeding Heart Bush", I knew right away that I would not be opting for fine cuts with subtle shading. Just the fact that my hens decided to roost in a bleeding heart bush made the rug one of fantasy, not reality. I knew that my rug would have to follow a more primitive path, where the elements of the rugs are" impressions" of themselves. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the hooking of the flowers.

My first thought when I start hooking a flower is to color, not in terms of shading, but rather in terms of what will make that flowers pop against the background.

If I think about our night vision as humans, objects at night loose their definition, we register them for what they are even though they only hint at what they are. The flowers in my rug, are hints of flowers at night, reflecting the moonlight.

Hooking each flower is pure delight, it feels so free. I love not being trapped by the need for realism. I love letting the simple hand-dyed colors do all the work for me.

I wonder if you feel the same way I do. I wonder what guides you when you hook.

Rug Hooking Again

When I went to France last week to meet my new grandson, my first grandson, I decided not to take my rug hooking with me. My decision was a practical one. I wanted to travel light, with just a little backpack. I was having so much fun with my daughter, her husband and their baby, that I barely had time to miss my roosting hen project.

I was so glad though when I came home to get re-acquainted with my project, and to return to my routine of hooking in the early morning hours.

I have made some progress. The little hens are now sleeping in their night blue "sheets".

Flowers have started growing around them, each a little different.

Night is spreading around the flowers. I just love playing with my married over-dyed "night" fabrics.

The branches are growing, adding movement and at the same time continuity as I am using only one type of textured wool, a brown and white herringbone.

A demain!

I Am Back

I have been back for a almost a week, but I spent the last week sitting on the couch, recovering from a great, but sleepless trip. I barely slept while I was in France. Too much excitement for one thing, and also the desire to spend as much time as possible with my daughter, my son in law and of course, my adorable grandson.

I feel so fortunate I was able to visit. I am a happy grandmother!