Monthly Archives: December 2012

Finishing and Beginning

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Christmas is over, family has returned home, and once again it’s just Ray and I keeping the home fires burning.

Last night I completed the hooking on the cats paws mat.

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I still have some questions about it….for instance….I don’t imagine I can steam it. I seem to recall having someone say to lay a damp cloth over it then after it is damp, block and let dry. Was this a dream???…my imagination????….does anyone know??

Next then will be the finishing. I have to dye more nylons for that task, and then experiment with crocheting the edge after it is rolled forward. This will be a whole new experience for me…never having done a “rolled forward”  or crocheted edge.

For the last while I’ve been hooking small pieces, and while I’ve enjoyed them all, I’ve really missed having a large, challenging project to be excited about. I tried to think what would create this enthusiasm, and I realized I wanted to do yet another Klimt. After an hour or so of browsing, I’ve settled on “Lady With Fan” a portrait of an unknown woman. I was drawn by the wonderful background and the significance of the birds and flowers…love, happiness,peace etc. …..a balm for my soul at a very difficult time in my life when my dear sister is very ill with cancer.

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The lady seems so graceful, peaceful and pensive. I only hope I can capture that feeling.

It is square…and I decided on 36″ x 36″. Thanks to my clever husband who was able to take the 8″x8″ picture, and mark out a grid on it that will be 3″ squares on the 36″ inch square pattern.( I need 3″ since he made me a 4’x8′ board of 3″ squares for drawing my patterns.) By labelling the squares and drawing from them, even though I am artistically challenged, I can adequately reproduce it to the size I want.

Now to make sure I complete the cats paws before I get involved in this new project!!

Chugging Along

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Being a member of Gene Shepherd’s Internet Rug Camp has lots of perks. Just one, is several times a year getting a free pattern.

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I seldom hook seasonal topics, just because I dislike the thought of them being useable/out for a short period of time. However, I decided to hook this little bird and holly to have on the table as a hot mat for Christmas. It is traced onto the red dot, ready for transfer to the backing. I looking forward to hooking with wool again.

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The Cats’ Paw mat is nearing completion, and I’m starting to contemplate the finishing. I’ll have to dye more blue nylons and then cut them on the diagonal in a long coil to creating whipping material. Jill told me how a friend finished her nylon mat by crocheting with the nylons, but I’ve got lots of experimenting to do to see if I can make it work.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a joyous holiday season….hug your loved ones close.

Cat’s Paw Background

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The background is underway, and I really like the effect of the blues against the reds. I wanted it to pop, and it surely does. This is by far the brightest piece I’ve attempted, and the colours are way outside of my usual comfort zone. (Saundra these colours may shock you to the very core…I need to visit your blog frequently just to get a calm colour fix)

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My favourite cat’s paw is the large one on the left, which goes smoothly through the oranges to red , pinks and finishes with maroon.

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I spot dyed the background with 5 colours. I began with turquoise (which unfortunately doesn’t show up in the picture), then used, from pro chem: navy, national blue, brilliant blue, and also the Majic Carpet blue. I’m not very good yet at gauging how many nylons I’ll need….they don’t go very far), so I’ve got lots more background dyeing to do.

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I find I’m adding more rounds to many of the paws as I do the background, as well as inserting more small ones to fill in the spaces. Its rather like watching someone break out in the measles!!