Here is a new travel tote in a beautiful leather with both character and strength. The tote has carry handles and a removable and adjustable shoulder strap. Outside there is a large zipper pocket and inside there is another zip/slip pocket as well as a large canvas pocket–so lots of ways to organize your travel things. It has a double leather bottom, brass hardware and durable metal zippers. This will fit under the seat in an airplane and just as easily carry books to the library or rug hooking to your meeting. It’s a great versatile bag in a beautiful colour. Dimensions: 17″ tall, 15″ wide and 5.5″ deep. Shoulder straps have 12″ drop.
Search Results for: rug hooking
houses on the brain
I was uploading the last two pieces to the Rug Hooking Gallery (on the menu bar at the top of the page) and I realized that I had not added this piece done about a year ago called Houses on the Canal, based on my memories of Amsterdam. I decided to post it here as well, because it is interesting to see the evolution from this piece to the most recent two pieces. While I was at it, I thought I’d post a pouch I made using a piece of denim from my 20 year old NAF NAF coat and some coloured remnants. This vintage black denim is great. This was a chance to explore colour and shape — and just plain fun.
hooked landscape sketch and the memory of Ineke Berlyn
Sometimes an idea for a project swirls around in my head for years before it comes to fruition. Here is the beginning–a small mat I’ve just finished, inspired by the work of Ton Schulten. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. My wedding rug, completed in 2012 was a start. But for this one, I set out to understand his use of colour and value and to learn how I could take this into rug hooking. The impetus now for this piece is a project for a study group where I am to hook a larger piece inspired by his style. This is the first ‘sketch’.
But there is a sad note to all of this today. In the process of learning about Schulten’s colour block style, I discovered the work of quilter Ineke Berlyn. Her book, Landscape in Contemporary Quilts, which I bought and read in 2009, describes her discovery of Schulten’s work and her journey to creating landscape quilts based on the style of his paintings, “a bright picture-postcard centre…offset against shades getting darker towards the borders.” (p.25) I loved the pieces Ineke created and followed her development of the style on her blog. It was with sadness that I saw today that Ineke died just yesterday. I encourage you to visit her blog and look at the many online images of her work. It’s amazing how we form bonds with other textile artists online, and although we have never met them, feel so saddened by the passing of their creative light.
the inspiration of Sheila Hicks
I visited the Textile Museum last week to see the Sheila Hicks exhibit, Material Voices. This link will take you to Hicks’ site with photos of the full range of her work. The large wrapped and coiled structures are exuberant, brightly coloured and impressive. The show in Toronto contains some of these and also excellent videos of the installation of her enormous architectural pieces.
But it was the small framed pieces which intrigued me, her minimes. From the museum: “Working on a small scale provides her with the freedom to investigate colour, line and form; to test new techniques and to respond directly to her lived experiences. Indeed when she leaves her house or studio, Hicks often carries with her the small loom she build in the 1950’s should inspiration arise.”
I loved the thought of carrying a small frame and weaving on the spot. Testing out ideas in small hooked pieces is something I’ve been doing in the last few months–although in the studio, not on location! I have two big projects in mind and I’m taking my time working things out in my small mats.
By the way, I’ve updated both the Rug Hooking Gallery and the Leather Gallery to include all my work for the last year. It’s good record of what I’ve tried and helps me see where I want to go next. Check these out by clicking the link under Navigation on the right hand side of the blog page.
recycled wool and cashmere headbands
I find it addicting, fooling around with colour, pattern and texture. This is, of course, why I love rug hooking. But making these headbands from sweater pieces is also a perfect exercise. I set myself a challenge to make as many headbands as I could in a day, using only what I had on hand. I made headbands a few years ago, backing them with fleece–but I had no fleece in my cupboard. So…I decided to back them with pieces of black cashmere from a lovely old cardigan. Sometimes scarcity produces the best results. These are super cozy and much warmer than those made with synthetic fleece. The little label that you can see peeking out is one of my vintage handwoven ribbon labels embroidered with a little bird. Perfect.
Crows’ Choice finished
I took a great rug hooking course this month in borders with Wendie Scott Davies. (Read here to see one of the things that happened at rug school and you will get an idea about how much fun we had.) At any rate, we were to bring the centre of a rug to class and spend the week designing and hooking a border. I started with this and over the last month have finished what I am now calling Crows’ Choice. It’s interesting how a rug develops. We had some discussion about whether this tree and branches are actually a border–I think they are, but just to fulfill obligations, I put a single line around the outside to create a ‘real true’ border.
The crows represent the two voices in my head: the one on the left critical and cautious, the one of the right full of ideas and ready to take a chance. They have an ongoing battle while I work my way through any creative project. The tree? Well trees represent many things, I’ll leave that to you. And the leaves are the ideas and creative projects, 13 of them, my key number.
I really enjoyed working through this process of hooking what is in my head. And whether that trunk and those branches make a border, I’ll leave that up to you as well. Finished hooked piece is 30″ x 17″ and once it cools down, (the weather, not the rug) I’ll dye some yarn in the same yellow for whipping.
cottage landscapes
I’ve been at the lake for much of the summer — and it’s a good summer to be there. Temperatures in Ontario have been averaging around 30 degrees centigrade. While I enjoy exploring the area around the lake, including local villages and provincial parks, I spend most of my time on or near the island reading, rug hooking and sketching.
I love the landscape of our lake and explore it by kayak and canoe. It is especially beautiful in the late, late afternoon. I’ve been doing some of my favourite scenes in my sketchbook and with my rug hook. Big thanks to Jen Manuell of Fish Eye Sisters who, in spite of all the incredible work of setting up her booth at the Haliburton show, remembered to bring me some slubby yarn for my landscape hooking. The Haliburton Art and Craft show is a wonderful chance to see high quality Canadian work–and congrats to Jen who won best fibre artist in the show!
Below Skull Island tree almost hooked and in the sketchbook.
first view from the island
On my list for the summer is a series of hooked mats which capture the views from our small island. This is the first, looking south west to the far shore with one lonely tree on a rocky outcropping. I used lots of textured yarn and really loved the feel and the sense of freedom that comes with it. I am already planning the next one, in a rectangular shape. I think I’ll do a watercolour sketch first so that I get a better sense of the big shapes. Sketching and rug hooking–perfect activities for a summer on the island.
Annie: meeting in the middle
It’s a milestone of sorts–joining the two ends of my rug. It is 5′ x 7′ and the end is in sight. As I look at the whole thing now, I see where I have to make some changes/tweaks but they will come at the end. I hadn’t worked out in the beginning how to morph from one colour to the next. I’m sprinkling some turquoise, my favourite colour, into the middle now. It seems strange, after working so long on this piece how much joy I still get from forming each circle, from choosing the strands which make each one unique. I’ve spent much of this snowy week with the rug and good radio. A great winter combination.
The Globe and Mail had another article this week on the benefits of knitting (substitute rug hooking, quilting, crocheting most handcrafted fibre arts). Stress reduction has been linked to such activities before. This article goes farther to suggest that such fibre handcrafts not only reduce stress and help avoid depression but “may help to stave off a decline in brain function with age”. Hurray for that. I’m all for staving off my brain decline. But mostly I’m about the love of strips of hand-dyed wool pulling through my fingers and sitting next to one another in lovely colours. And I love the feel of the finished product under foot and the look of it across a room. If the joy of creating one of these hand-hooked pieces also helps me keep a grip on things a little long…all the better.
If you would like to see photographs of this rug in progress, just type Annie in the search box on the top right of the page.
closing in on the middle…
I promised that I would post a picture of my rug Annie as she now stands. And, as you can see…I am closing in on the middle. Those of you who are regular readers of this blog know that for the last four years I have gone to Kenya at this time to teach both school and rug hooking. Now the month of February is open on my calendar. I’m looking forward to filling the February days hooking on Annie. I was looking back at older blog posts of the rug…yes I’ve been at it a while…and I came across this encouraging quotation from another Annie…Annie Leibovitz:
“Talent is something anyone can have. It can go away. It needs to be nurtured, taken care of. The best thing about getting older is that you kind of know what you are doing — if you stick with something. It doesn’t get easier. But you get stronger.”
Here is where I was when I last posted in the summer and the two photos here show today. There is still a way to go, but in the spirit of Annie Liebovitz, I’m sticking with it. I’m not taking this rug out to hooking gatherings anymore–much too unwieldy. But it’s still a great joy to have her on the stand and to pull the loops and join the circles. Kind of like living. Sticking with it and getting stronger.