Hooking Complete

The border is done; the hooking is complete, and my first rug hooking project is out of the hoop!

Yep. I'm excited. I went to the rug shop yesterday, asked for coaching on the next steps, and bought the supplies I needed to bind my project. In addition, I picked up enough linen to make four mug rugs from my leftover wool. I'm looking forward to starting another hooking project soon. Like cross stitch, I'm thinking I may need two hooking projects going at the same time. So many great options, and so little time! I hope you all have an enjoyable and productive week. I know what I'll be working on!

Planning Ahead

I've learned two things from last week's challenge. If I don't make myself do something creative everyday, I won't. I've spent a good deal of time in the weeds - oops, I meant flower beds, this week, so the week has certainly not been a loss. But, I've not picked the cross stitch or rug hooking back up since last week either. Hmmm. Connection? I think so!

The other thing that I learned from last week's challenge is that I have too many big projects and not enough "little" ones to make me feel like I'm getting more accomplished. So, this afternoon I spent some time planning ahead for a few more portable projects.

Case in point: out came two projects I've posted about before, along with the scissors and fray check.


I cut the fabric for the six kitten ornaments as well as linen for another alphabet block, and I edged them with fray check. Once these dry, they'll be good to go.

My other crafty find for the week was three skirts from a local thrift shop. The 75% off sign at the door caught my attention, but even then I picked three winter items that weren't on sale - in June! The skirts were still very affordable, though, and the money goes to a good cause.

This was my first trip to the thrift store since I started hooking to look for wool items. Two of the skirts are 100% wool. The red plaid did not have a fabric label, but it was dry clean only, felt like wool, and should yield lots of usable material with all the pleats. I figured it was definitely worth the try. I washed and dried these as soon as I brought them in the door, so they are ready to store away for a winter evening when I'm in the mood to take them apart.

I love the colors - especially the red tartan and the plaid with the browns, rusts, and blue. I foresee some kind of rug hooking "sampler" project or notebook in my future just for the fun of keeping track of the various fabrics and how they work up. Oh, the fun!

No challenges for me this week, but I will try to be more conscious about making time for continued creative endeavors. I hope you enjoy your creative plans as well!

Friday's Hooking and Saturday's Whimsey

Last night I completed row four of my rug hooking project.

Hopefully, the next time I post a picture of this project it will be out of the hoop and waiting for its finishing touches.

My husband and I, along with several other photographers, spent the day engaged in another type of creative pursuit at Hidden Hill Nursery in Utica, IN. If you are in the area and have never been, it's worth the trip if you enjoy interesting gardens and magic around every turn. Today was our second trip in the last two years just to photograph the place. Bob and Janet Hill are gracious hosts, and their plant selections are very good. I came home with three new types of perennials that I've not had before, so tomorrow's "creative" project may very well be planting these new garden members!

To give you a taste of today's creative pursuits, here's a bit of garden whimsey until tomorrow.

Thursday's Progress and Friday's Plan

Here are a couple of pictures of last night's progress on row four of the border.

There are areas where row four seems to cover the background nicely, and other areas in need of a row five. If I had any experience, I'd have a better idea of how to handle this last challenge: squish another row of hooking in, whether the area needs it or not, or just hook a fifth row in areas where needed. I'm at least getting the experience now. And I have to admit, I enjoy working on this project.

Tonight is What Not to Wear night, so I'll be inappropriately dressed and hooking away. I can't think of a better way to spend the evening.

Monday's Progress and Tuesday's Plan

I turned the corner last night (two corners in fact), and row four is underway! If you look closely, however, in at least one area it appears as if row four should be the final row. How in the world could such a thing happen, when there's clearly room for a row five in other places???

Well...do you remember when I said that my instructor assured us that we would be able to tell the difference between the first area we hooked and our last area? She was right. My case in point. Look closely.

OK. Not that close! And, you're right, you don't have to look closely to see what went wrong. Here, for all to see, my first right angle. At the time, I was pretty darn pleased that I had made the turn after multiple attempts. In fact, when my instructor said it looked like a "trucker's turn," I took that as a compliment. Truckers make wide turns. Right? Nevertheless, getting off course is what happens when you make wide turns in rug hooking. Now I know. When row five comes around, I'll either detour around the area or see how much more I can squish into the area. Fortunately, that's not a decision I'm going to make tonight.

Instead, reality has set in, and I have to fix supper and do at least one load of laundry before I can pull out the cross stitch for tonight's creative endeavor.

Sunday's Progress and Monday's Needs

How often do you feel that physical and mental need to do something creative - in spite of the piles of laundry, the dirty dishes, and the weeds in the flower beds? That's how I'm feeling today. I'm home from work; the evening hours are limited, and we already have plans for dinner out and an errand. Still, I must find time to do something creative. It's one of those urges, and "yes," it's that bad!

So here's my challenge to myself for this week: do something creative every day and document the event.

The creative urge started creeping in yesterday, so today I submit a couple of pictures for Sunday's progress. I'm ashamed to say that this evening is the first time I've had my rug hooking outside during daylight hours. I can actually see the three shades of black in the border. Imagine that! And, I've discovered that my project is the perfect size to cover a flower pot some future cool and frosty eve.


Are you feeling that same creative pull that I'm feeling? If so, join me, and document your endeavors as well this week!

Evidence

I'm not posting as regularly as I'd like to, but I will submit evidence that I am still working on my rug hooking project. I started on the border weeks ago, but my progress is slow. I'll blame the spring fever that I've had.

You can see that I'm on row three of what looks like five to complete the border. Every time I take the project out of the hoop to reposition it, it looks so much smaller--and thicker. My instructor has promised that blocking will make all the difference, so I look forward to seeing what happens next.

While catching up with other blogs, I came across pictures of Andrea's Adam and Eve samplers on her site, Deep Fried Cupcake. I've linked to her April 13 post, but if you are interested, check out the other A&E samplers on her April 19 and May 2 posts. Gorgeous!


My only contribution is the photo above of an Adam and Eve sampler I finished in 1988. I certainly like the genre. Now that I've seen Andrea's pieces, I want a collection! If there were only more hours in the day for cross stitch!

Border Crossing Coming Soon

I spent most of yesterday with a cat and a hoop on my lap. And finally, I completed my center blocks!

I didn't know until I was ready to hook the last row what color I would end on. The choice was made for me, since I had only enough of one of the reds to complete all four squares and still keep the piece as symmetrical as possible.

I definitely like the colors, and I love hooking with the plaids. The combination of solids, plaids, and tweeds adds to the visual texture. I'm already thinking about hooking a couple of mug rugs if I have enough wool left over. Oh, the possibilities!

Here's to future projects!

Quick Progress Pic

I didn't complete my project on time for our last class on finishing. Sigh. No one else did either. I furiously took notes, but knew I'd be back to the shop when I have everything hooked and ready to go. The others in my class have so many beautiful projects near completion. I hope we all show up on the same day for our next "lesson." Until then, I'm still hooking!

Stash Happens

I had no intention of acquiring rug hooking stash. But as we all know . . . stash happens.

My rug hooking class has been moving right along. The first week, we started our projects. The second week, we learned about color theory. And this past week, we learned how to dye. We learned how to over dye. We learned how to spot dye. And we learned how to dip dye. Much to my surprise, we all got to keep the pieces we dip dyed. So now we all have stash! Smart instructor. Very smart instructor.

Of course, I've been thinking about my "next" rug hooking project, but I'm not planning on starting anything until this current project is complete.

We have one more class on finishing. We all started out with the goal of having our various projects (all the same size) complete for the last class. I don't see that happening for me.

I'm pleased with the progress I'm making, but hooking certainly takes more time than I would have expected. Plus, I'm fighting to keep my blocks square, so that has been a bit of a challenge. Still, I'm enjoying the process; loved the dye class, and I will start another project. Speaking of which . . .

This one found its way to me yesterday. Honestly! We spent several hours yesterday morning photographing the old state capitol in Frankfort. After lunch, we walked down to the Kentucky History Museum, and I made my first stop the gift shop. I picked up a few things and paid for my purchase. I asked the clerk about several cross stitch samplers that were on display, and we started talking about traditional crafts. She told me they had one rug hooking kit and asked if I had seen it. I had not, so she took me to a back corner of the shop, and there, underneath a table, in the darkest corner of the store was a bag. And the last kit. On sale. Say no more. Please meet my next project.

It's a Start!

I'm happy to share with you the labors of my first two hours of rug hooking class.

Impressive, isn't it? I didn't think so either! At this point, I'm not so sure about the "happy hooking" part. Instead, I spent two hours with my shoulders up to my ears and my toes curled tight. Yes, I was tense. Just a wee bit tense. While learning how to hold the hook, pull the wool to the top , and set the loop, my strips of wool began disintegrating before my very eyes. Time after time I was left with single strands of fiber. Floss! Now there's something I could relate to!! I have to admit that about that time I began counting all the advantages of cross stitch: the single strands of fiber, the pattern, the evenweave, the clearly identifiable places to start and stop my stitch, the precision. Yes. That was it. The precision!

So far, there has been no precision in my rug hooking. I like precision. I like the exactness of cross stitch.

My homework assignment was to complete one of the blocks before my next class. I looked at my instructor with alarm. "But the symmetry! What about the symmetry??? How can I complete one block at a time and keep my colors and work symmetrical?"

Fortunately, I now have an alternate and additional assignment: a glass of wine before the next class. Here's to more relaxed hooking!

Something New . . .

What gets in the way of completing an old project? A new project, of course!


Meet my newest blank canvas and the wool colors I've selected for my first attempt at traditional rug hooking.

Classes begin in a few days. I'm looking forward to learning something new. This is only the third time I've taken a craft/fiber-related class. I'm sure I will be able to benefit from learning how to do something "right" from the start! My instructor assures me that I will be able to see the difference between the first areas I work and the last. Just what I wanted to hear! Here's to happy hooking!!