BirdBrain Designs

Archives for April 2012

a few favourite things

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I’ve mentioned the book reviews in the blog Pas Grand Chose before.  While some of my favourite authors are there–Rose Tremain, Sebastian Faulks, Julian Barnes and Kate Atkinson–there are also some unfamiliar ones. Based on Karen’s recommendations, I have recently read The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell and Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido. I had never heard of either author before–and found both books to be new favourites. I highly recommend Karen’s reviews and in particular these two books. I will be looking for more by these authors!

Brainpickings is my favourite website, bar none. Each day it makes connections to some of the most interesting books and ideas going. Today’s post features the TED lecture given in March by Frank Warren. I encourage you to listen–it will give you a boost on this cloudy day. And I encourage you to make Brainpickings one of your favourites–it will take you to places you never dreamed.

And just so we don’t stray to far away from things hookerly, my absolutely favourite wool is honeycomb from Rebecca Erb. It dyes beautifully in every colour and has multiple uses. You may have noticed I have begun using it in the windows of my houses. But just so we don’t all forget, I included an ‘as-is’ turquoise piece of 100% wool, already cut for the back of one of the chairs seats. And the source of this skirt? My favourite local thrift shop for less than $5.00!

 

sitting and hooking

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Thank you for the comments about my sprained ankle. Things are improving on that score, and I have enjoyed extended reading and hooking time, and lots of sympathy.

We had our wedding rug consultation and all are in favour of the style of chair seat #2 with cartoon birds dotting around the rug on roof tops and chimneys. We thought if would be fun if the birds were identifiable. OB bird would definitely be in motion! We also plan on a border, so I experimented with the ground in this chairseat to try out a circle border–and I think I like it. It ties in the various colours of the rug–and I love the interplay of dark tweeds and plaids. I’ll be dyeing more of these, so will share the process. One more chair seat to go to work out the last ideas.

And I heard from Elizabeth–her blogiversary prize bag arrived and she took some photos. Check them out here.

weekend update

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And, for a moment, a return to Fireworks. I thought it might be helpful to show the mitred corner before whipping. You can see that I have tucked in the edges and basted the corner. This makes for a neat right angle at each corner of your rug.

And below is my progress on the second chair seat. These sample pieces are definitely informing the planning on the wedding rug. Since the rug will go on the floor, I think the background colour needs to two or three values darker. And I am wondering if blue might not the answer. But the recipients of the rug are coming this afternoon for a consultation, so I will know more later. Border or not? Main colours? Cartoon birds? Squiggly pathways? But at least we have a couple of examples to base choices on, and that after all is the purpose of samples.

 

silver lining?

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I sprained my ankle on Wednesday — yes Mary Anne, the third of three calamities  — I hope! So sitting with my foot propped up is the order of the day. I’ve been whipping on Fireworks  and working on my second chair seat. Thought I would post my progress on both projects. And make a public promise that I will slow down and pay more attention to where I am going!

I left the four corners of Fireworks until I was finished whipping the four sides. Mitring corners is not easy, and since I don’t do it very often, I find with each rug that I learn the process all over again. It seems the corners are more consistent and neater if I leave them to the end and do one right after the other. Above is the first one complete and below the reverse side. I roll the linen forward when I whip which makes a clean finish on the back and eliminates the need for tape (and all that extra sewing). Since I am required to stay still with foot up, I imagine Fireworks will be all done very soon and ready for steaming. So I guess that is the silver lining on this glorious sunny day!

and another chair seat

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I am about to begin hooking my second chair seat. Inspiration comes from so many places–we build on our own work, in my case a love of circles and squares in the background, and are influenced both consciously and unconsciously by work around us. As I have said, I am working out design kinks with these chair seats–so #2 is a fanciful version of our house, with a bird on the garage roof. I drew the design in my sketch book, not to scale, but just to get a sense of the proportions. And then drew it again on the linen freehand, using the tape measure to make sure things were roughly uniform. All the while I had a computer version of a Hundertwasser painting at hand for inspiration. I love what he does with buildings–and as I look at it more closely, I may want to try move away from circles and do what he does with the sky–it almost looks like quilting.

The pile of wool is what I think I will use in this piece for outlines and main motifs. I always make sure I have dark, medium and light values as well as warm and cool colours.  Our house is gray, with a red/brown chimney up the front–I’ll try that first but fantasy is sure to take over. I will post my progress.

new fuchsia luna bag

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Although I have been whipping Fireworks, (have three sides done, so well set to make my deadline), I have also been working in the studio. Over the last couple of days I have used some of my favourite leather and lining  to make a new luna bag. I tried to incorporate all the features I like–zipper closure, cross body strap, double bottom, two outside pockets and lots of interior pockets. This is a good-sized bag–Height 13″x Width 14″x Depth 5″–so set to carry lots of gear. Not sure if this is bound for the shop or my shoulder!!