sewing time

So I drew, sewed, hooked and pressed... and now I'm ready to put it all together into a purse. I was happy to pull the last few loops last night and drag out the elna press to work its magic. In retrospect, were I ever to use this type of handle again, I would just baste them in place, hook tightly around them, remove them and then wait to sew them properly once the pressing was done. Not only would this keep them out of the way and from being a nuisance...it would also be a little better for them. They didn't really appreciate the steam bath (not that you can really tell unless you look closely).

I am anxious to start sewing the darts up and the sides on tonight. Unfortunately I won't be able to do too much more than that until my sewing machine returns. I still need to make my lining and sew it into place...along with adding a zipper closure and sewing down the top trim. I have a sneaky suspicion that this won't all come to pass for a while yet.

I am off to R.U.G. at the Simcoe County Museum in Midhurst on Saturday September 29th. It is always a goog day when rug hookers gather together....and this is a great event. If you are anywhere nearby, you should try to come. Registration and Vendors open at 9:30am, program starts at 10. Things usually wrap up mid-afternoon. Please bring a mug, a bagged lunch, and something for show and tell.

owl love

Just over three weeks ago, I enjoyed my first 24 hour period of time alone in my place in months. To celebrate, I started pulling wool off the shelves, grabbing lining fabric from the stash and choosing some Ultrasuede to go with the pile...

I came up with an idea. I've wanted a purse with an owl on it for quite some time - ever since I saw my cuz Laura's cute jacket (I will take a picture next time I am down and post it for all to see). I sketched (and modified) my motifs. Found some backing. Got out the lightbox. Drew the pattern. All before Lunch. Then crisis arose and much time was wasted when I broke my sewing machine. No Singer meant that I was unable to sew my top trim in place or make my handles. I started hooking anyway - I was so eager to get started.

I hooked everyday for the next five or six days. Have you ever noticed how your hooking changes after a long lapse? I am not only much slower, I tend not to pull my loops up quite as high and cram them a little closer together. I was getting a little frustrated with my lack of progress and more and more annoyed about my lack of Singer. I used that as an excuse to take a break (after all, I needed to leave lots of room to sew on the pieces) for a week or two.

Then last week, I went to visit Karen at my favourite local yarn store, and discovered the most gorgeous hand-made leather handles. With my name written all over them - a perfect match for my owl purse! This was all the motivation I needed - that night I had the handles sewn onto my backing before I even stopped to make supper...and I continued hooking until I forced myself to go to bed.

I hooked for the next few days, and was amazed at how quickly it was filling in...

Both sides are now at about the same stage. I am hoping that my sewing machine will be back at home soon....but if not, I've already decided to go and impose on AJ this weekend and use her's. Just so I can keep up the momentum - and because I promised myself I couldn't start the next one until it's finished.

Even though I haven't been hooking for the last couple of days, I refuse to put my wool away. That's a surefire way to delay progress.

whew, i made it.

I am sure glad that summer is over (although you wouldn't know it by the beautiful sunny day outside). The past couple of weeks have been a slow return to normal for me. I'm back to the gym. I'm hooking again for the first time in 2 months. The food in my fridge isn't half rotten. My place doesn't look like a bomb just hit. I'm organized enough to make my lunch most days. Oh, and I got my haircut ;-)

I'm also making a return to my blog. I've missed it. I've had a lot of great ideas for posts. At one time I thought that I should make a list....but of course this never did happen, so I'll just have to try my best to remember even half of them.

I have no photos today - sorry. I thought a word post was better than none at all. I will try to upload some pictures tomorrow. I am loving my newest purse, and can't wait for my sewing machine to come home from the 'hospital' and return to active service and finish it up. I will show you some pictures very soon.

In the meantime, if you want photos of rug hooking....there is an article in the September issue of Country Home on rug hooker, Jane Bescherer (sp?). I was in a class with Jane at Shelburne a couple of years ago. Check it out the next time your in line at the grocery store!

still kicking...

...but no hooking equals no posting. Not that you can tell if you're over at my place. There are still piles of cut strips, little snips and wool all over my coffee table and dining room table. I hate to put it away for fear of forgetting about my project and not doing anything creative until Fall.

So what have I been doing instead? Swimming. Walking. Camping. Playing with my nieces, nephews and cousin's kids. Reading ('cause there's no good TV in the summer). ...and of course, there's been a lot of work - this is the busiest time of year with my day job.

Happy hooking and happy summer. I'll post again soon when I have something of note to report...

new project

Saturday was a great day! I don’t get to go to hook-ins very often, so I really enjoy having a chance to sit and hook and chat and snack ☺ It was also nice to be able to just be a participant (unlike R.U.G., where I seem to run around like a chicken with its head cut off).

I arrived home on Friday night and started scrambling….pulling wool off the shelves, digging through random pieces of backing, flipping though my idea book, and doing a little sketching.. My first couple of ideas were discarded and I finally settled on “the one”. A good friend and local artist R.W. “Bobbi” Haviland had sent a couple of cards in the last few weeks, and at some point in my mad scramble, one caught my eye and it became the inspiration for my latest project.

Bobbi has been a friend of our family for a long time and I have long been an admirer and collector of her work. For the last year or so, I have received “Bobbi Bucks” for special occasions from my folks and some from AJ, too. Two weekends ago, she had a show at her studio and my BBs were burning a hole in my pocket. I was very happy to pick up this piece… (yes, that's my TV reflected int he bottom left corner -- sorry!)

The cool thing about Bobbi’s work is that she has a unique style….and there is so much variety in her work, you can always find something new and different at her studio. If you are ever in the area, it is worth the short drive to her studio in Burk’s Falls. Just south of Burk’s Falls, turn west onto Old Ferguson Road, and then travel about 1-2km…and her studio is on the right side (just look for the sign).
* * * * * * *
So back to the project….
Have you ever noticed that when you don’t hook for a while, your sorta forget how? I find that I have a much greater tendency to pack when I have been away from it for a while. On a bigger piece, it wouldn’t matter too much, or on a piece where you started right in the centre, but this piece is pretty narrow, and I started at one end. Packing ended up distorting the shape of the perimeter….so I ended up ripping out almost everything on Sunday. What the picture shows is the part I hooked on Sunday, and the amount of wool I ripped out (I forgot to take a picture beforehand, but the pile gives an idea of what I had accomplished in Powassan) from Saturday’s efforts.

what do you bring?

What do you bring to a hook-in when you don't have a project on the go? I'll let you know after tomorrow.

I'm off to the northern hook-in in Powassan tomorrow...and I haven't hooked anything in months. The only real WIP kicking around is something I started 5 years ago (and I haven't hooked on it for at least 2 years). I love this rug, but it feels like it's too much work to try and gather the wool together. It doesn't help that I already know some of it has been hooked up into other projects.

Last night I had an idea to just bring some miniature punch needle work...it won't take up too much room and it won't be an unnecessary "cloak" in the heat. The problem of what to hook...what design and motifs remains.

I could also start a new pattern -- I am my mother's daughter afterall, and there is nothing like a deadline to spring me into action. Maybe I will whip up a purse pattern tonight...or a pillow...a runner....or a small mat. It has to be small, I don't want too much of blanket on my lap. In any case, I won't get anything done sitting here typing.... keep posted.

mailed

If you're waiting for your latest issue of the R.U.G. sack to arrive in your mailbox, it might be there as early as tomorrow. I folded, glued, stuck and stuffed for a few hours last night and happily dropped them all of at the post office when it opened this morning. (thank you Sandra for your help--it is sure faster with another pair of hands ;-) )

I am trying to make up for lost time and attempting to make a post -- even if it's short -- every day during the week....so far I've been successful for the last three days, but I don't think the habit has been formed just yet. I will try my best.

a canadian icon

Did you get a chance to go to the AGO for the Emily Carr: New Perspectives on a Canadian Icon exhibit? It was a real treat!

I've been to the city several times since it opened on March 3rd, but it never seemed to fit into my busy schedule of work, shopping, eating yummy food and visiting with friends. We made a quick trip down on the closing weekend (Victoria Day weekend) and it was well worth it. Myself, I find that I "tap out" after about an hour or so at a museum, after which I cease to register any more images.

It was definitely a treat to see two of Emily Carr's hooked rugs. The first one in the exhibit was the Killer Whale Rug (c. 1927). It's in pretty good shape for 80 years old!


The other rug was her Double Eagle Rug (c. 1924-1930). Some of you might recognize this pattern - it is one of the ones that Rittermere Hurst Field has acquired the rights to sell. My auntie Betty is currently working on this pattern. (my apologies for the picture quality, it's a picture of a picture in a book)


I would love to write more, but I'm out of time. If I try to finish, there'll be no post today....and the pictures are already 10 days old!

finally!

...after over 40 hours of work, I was able to drop it off at the printer's first thing this morning. I tried really hard to get it finished last week, but there were a few insurmountable obstacles (including going out of town for 4 days for my job). I put the finishing touches on it last night and I am feeling relieved to finally have it done.

I am hoping to pick it up tomorrow, so with any luck it will be out in the mail on Thursday. I will be addressing all of the envelopes tonight, in preparation ;-)

Now that the issue is complete and I have also wrapped up a few family projects that sucked up almost all of my spare time over the last few weeks, I am looking forward to having some time to relax and maybe even start a new hooking project ;-)

yummy wool

Isn’t this beautiful wool? It is marbleized using linings…and there will be directions for how to make your own similar wools in the next issue of the R.U.G. sack. When will it arrive in your mailboxes? I am hoping to have it ready to head to the printers right after Victoria Day.

Just for kicks, I thought that it would be interesting to figure out how much time it takes me to write and assemble one issue. So I’ve been keeping track, and so far I’ve spent 11.5 hours on it – and I’m not even half finished! All of the pictures are cropped, I’ve finished the front and back covers, and I’ve started work on the content. I’m afraid that only “started” is appropriate. For all of my good intentions to get a bunch of articles written ahead of time, I only managed to type up a couple of things beforehand. I am getting better though, since I usually leave everything until after R.U.G.

ca-ching!

Okay, so this is definitely blog-worthy! I picked up a copy of Architectural Digest the other day for the first time in a year or two – it was a special issue on country homes, and I thought that it might be inspiring. I was using my “rugdar” to search for hooked rugs and came across this beautiful old rug…


The caption reads, “Five cats adorn a hand-hooked, circa 1925 America rug, $45,000, from folk art dealer Fred Giampietro …. The scale of the decorative rug is unusually large for a pictorial design.” Nope, that’s not a typo. Oh, if I could sell my work for those prices, how different life would be…

lucky me!

It was another great R.U.G. on Saturday. It’s such a good time, I wish that it happened more than just twice a year (although I don’t think that I would have enough time to do more newsletters!) We had 17 participants in the swap, and I was pleased to be the recipient of Fiona de Biasi’s mat…


This is the second time that I’ve been fortunate enough to get a piece of Fiona’s work in a swap, and I couldn’t be happier. I really like her stuff. She has a unique and recognizable style and use of colour….and in this labour intensive craft, few hookers are willing to part with their work. It is a real treasure to have a piece of someone else’s hooking.

binder clips

If any of you are working on one of the patterns where you sew the top trim to the backing prior to hooking....pay attention ;-)

During the creation of my latest purse, I was having a very hard time pining through the ultrasuede and various other layers, without bending a lot of needles -- and having everything shift around in the process. To solve this problem, I started using binder clips to hold everything in place. By putting many clips close together, everything is help in perfect order -- I just remove each clip as I sew up to it. It's almost like having another pair of hands. Hope you find it just as handy (no pun intended ;-) )

marie's purse

A couple of months ago, I sent mailed some patterns off to Thunder Bay, to Marie Kelly and her friend. Marie has now completed her first purse and is busy planning her next one. Here is a picture Marie sent me of her purse…



I welcome pictures of your completed purses – and I will only post them on this blog if you say that it’s okay. Please send them to fisheyerugs AT hotmail DOT com

feast or famine

I have come to the conclusion that my approach to many things in my life is either feast or famine. All the time or not at all. Regularly or never. A lot or none. This blog is just one example (the irony is not lost on me as I write a new post for the first time in a couple of weeks...)

Yes, I know that the best blogs and more widely read blogs are those with frequent posts. I often think of things to post about, I do. But if for some reason there is a long enough delay between the seed of an idea and sitting in front of the laptop, nothing happens. The longer I put things off, the easier it becomes. I am sorry. I will try to do better.

So, what have I been up to? I did manage to create some scarves...


...they are a lot of fun to make, and I am thinking that they will be my handmade gift for most of my friends and family this Christmas (it's too late in the season for new scarves now). There is a real opportunity to play around with colours and use up leftover bits....while diving into my stash of novelty yarns.

I modelled the design on a scarf I purchased here a couple of weeks ago -- sorry, I forgot to take a picture -- but they are practically unrecognizable from the original, anyway. I was going to sew my knotted "ropes" together with a bodkin and yarn....but ended up using them as warp threads and weaving them together with yarn. Maybe I follow in my mum's footsteps and take up weaving one day...

almost famous

I received a surprise phone call from my aunt yesterday. She had ordered the new book, Hooked Rugs Today 2006, and one of my rugs is featured on the back cover...



The house mat was designed by Deanne Fitzpatrick. I started it at a workshop at her place in the Fall of 2005, where I was encouraged to use lots of other textures (wool slub, fleece, mohair locks, etc.). If you ever have the opportunity to take one of her classes or even to visit her studio in Amherst, I encourage you to go. You will not be disappointed.

done!

Yep, the new machine was hard at work on Saturday. I even sewed in my very first zipper ever. Can you believe it?

I am going to be working on writing up the instructions this week, while everything is still fresh in my mind.

my new Singer

Several years ago I bought my first sewing machine - a 1950s era Singer - complete with table/cabinet for $20! It has served me well, and I most definitely got my moneys worth. I had been having a few problems with it a couple of months ago, and around the same time, my aunt gifted me my grandmother's old Singer (same vintage, but a much fancier model). I then had two Singers.

Since then I been having some problems with my Grandma's machine, and I was beginning to think that the time had come for me to "bite the bullet" and treat myself to a brand new machine. I started researching new machines, and was horrified at the prices. You can practically buy a car for less than a new sewing machine! I was torn: new TV or new sewing machine. It had to be one or the other...not both.

My sister called last week, wanting to pop by and drop off my birthday present. Would I be home on Saturday afternoon? She would need help bringing it inside. My curiosity was piqued....what could it be? Imagine my surprise when she opened her tailgate to reveal a sewing machine! Jackpot!


It belonged to her neighbour's late wife, and arrived complete with cabinet and all of the original attachments, plates, etc. Even the instruction book - copyright 1972, so it's only one year older than me! I spent about 45 minutes cleaning it and oiling in all the necessary places, before I turned it on for a trial run. It sews like a dream!

You don't need to be a math whiz to figure out that I now have 3 Singers. At this rate, I will soon be able to open a museum! ;-)

rewind...

Okay. I know that I have been negligent in my posts of late. I’m sorry. No good excuses, just life has gotten in the way.

I spent the next to last weekend in the city…shopping, visiting, eating, and getting some culture. I made a great discovery at Romni, when I found half-sized skeins of Strati (the wonderful slub yarns I have been incorporating in my hooking lately), for half of the price. After much consideration of all of the various colours and skeins in the store (and wandering up and down all of the aisles, drooling all the way…), I was able to exercise some self-control and only splurged on four skeins ;-) I cut them up and braided them in bundles of 10…


They look pretty, and it also helps to keep it organized ;-)
I have been thinking more and more about my footstool, and I am getting closer to actually drawing it on paper. I’m already starting to think about colours, and I expect that some of the slub will be making an appearance. I don’t think that I will need to do much (if any) dyeing….I can just work from my stash.
I was surprised with early birthday presents from my cuz Laura. One of them was some flowering tea. I had first heard about this several years ago…but I had not seen it in a store before. It is pretty neat stuff – and a great gift for anyone who likes tea. I took a couple of “before” and “after” shots…




Very yummy!

inspiration

My sister brought her kids for a sleepover last weekend and suggested that I reorganize my furniture a little. I have moved my couch over in front of my wool shelves, so I can't help but be motivated to produce when this is what I see....


Of course, there is still more wool -- but it's not too much fun to hang out in a closet!