Monthly Archives: March 2015

March Sunshine Hooking Part 2

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We had several guests with us at the last Sunshine get together, and enjoyed seeing their work. I’m not good at remembering names, so please excuse the errors and omissions.DSCF7377Janice is doing Whirligig, a pattern by Suzanne Hill.

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Elizabeth is enjoying her introduction to rug hookingDSCF7390

This is a one end of a very large rug designed by Martina Lazar. The colours just pop against that light background.

The fishes below will be hung as wall plaques.

DSCF7400I was very interested in how they were being finished. I have always avoided hooking convoluted shapes, because I had no idea how one would bind the edges.DSCF7401This hooker (I apologize for not knowing her name) has come up with a wonderful method which not only provides a great finish, but sets off the vibrant colours with the black edging. She is using material like a bias tape which surrounds the raw edges and hides them completely when sewn in place on both sides.DSCF7402I’m surely going to remember this method, and if I ever get the nerve to attempt such a moving edge, I’ll give it a try.

Anne was hooking stars.DSCF7396….and Mary Ann is building a funky house….DSCF7378

Our knitter/hookers were also hard at work. I drool when I look at their wool.DSCF7398

Those colours are such favourites of mine, and I so admire the picot edge on Kathy’s work. Who would want to cover up the beautiful detail in Theresa’a socks by hiding them in shoes???DSCF7399

If and when I get back to my own knitting, I’m going to try knitting socks from the toe up.

Gail….I know for sure I took a photo of your knitting, but my camera gremlin must have been hungry and swallowed it….because it is nowhere to be found!!

I’ve been enjoying hooking Hilda’s English Sunset. I’m only sorry it is so small, and I’ll soon have it finished.DSCF7410

 

Happy hooking. Thanks for stopping by.

 

An English Sunset for Hilda

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After the passing our our dear Hilda at age 97 last year, her daughter gave her wool to the Sunshine rug hookers.

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We sold most of it and donated the proceeds to charity, but there were still many lovely pieces left. Mary Lou Justason and Linda Wilson came up with a wonderful idea and put it into action. They divided the wool into about 40 groupings and gave one package  to each of the the Sunshine members. We are now each creating a small hooked piece with this wool to have as a personal memento of our friend. We are planning to show them at R.U.G. and then invite Heather (Hilda’s daughter) to see them all at a meeting in May.

The package I chose was primarily navy, pinks and purples, and I decided to hook an English seaside sunset.

DSCF7363It’s tiny (just 25 cm. x 16 cm……sorry I can’t find an imperial ruler…but that’s approximately 10″ x 6″ ), and I added yellow orange/red and teal from my own wool.DSCF7367

Then, since Hilda’s wool was mainly solid colours, I  used the transition dyeing method (doesn’t use any dye), to create variation and highlights.

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….and ended up with this….DSCF7375So now I’m having great fun creating this little English sea scape, and imaging that Hilda is enjoying the view as well.

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Jean has created “Hilda’s Garden” with her wool.DSC03694

…..aren’t those little quillies delightful?

I’ll share what everyone else makes in a later post.

At our meeting this week I was working on “Hilda’s English Sunset”,  and here’s a glimpse of what everyone else was working on.DSCF7397Joanne’s adorable owl has a very ‘mola’ look to me. DSCF7404

Gail is hooking an abstract bench seat cover.

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Marion was off visiting when I snapped this photo, so I have no explanation for her work.

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Helen is continuing with her abstract moon/ night sky.DSCF7405Charlene told me the title of her lovely dressed tree, but unfortunately but I’ve now forgotten (so sorry Charlene).

DSCF7392Edie is coming along with the background of her floral piece. That lovely mottled background just makes the flowers pop.

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Isabel is just getting this rose underway.

DSCF7388Linda’s grandchild painted this tile and presented it to her. Fearing that it was fragile, and might not stand the test of time……..DSCF7389

…….. she has hooked a replica of this very special keepsake.DSCF7381Liz’s necklace is the inspiration for her present project. A gift from he son-in-law, it is a maori symbol called a kora….DSCF7384

 

….and she is hooking a tribute to it….DSCF7387……using sari silk, and wool which she herself has spun and dyed.

There’s more to show, and I’ll include the rest in a second post.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

 

Good News and Bad News

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I have good news and bad news. The good news is that my son Mark gave me a wonderful new Imac computer (I have three wonderful sons who all spoil me). What a fantastic surprise, as my old Mac Mini was limping along on its last legs. The bad news is that although my old photo library is on the new computer, I haven’t yet figured out how to get it from documents to iphoto and can only access the photos by thumbing through them 1 by 1 (and there are 10,000 of them). The post I had planned to do required photos from the library…soooooo…while I sort that out, I’ve been finishing up my zentangle piece and I’ll share that.

The padula flowers were toned down by adding colours from the swirly section on the other side.DSCF7341

DSCF7346….and then I brightened the swirls a bit by adding more of the light tan.

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I know many teachers say to start in the middle and work out, but in this case, the middle was the very last thing I did. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to hook it.

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I settled on two shades of each of the main colours, and I really like the effect. I made two mistakes in hooking it though….can you see them? I’ve decided to leave them both there. (what group is it that always put an error in their work since God is the only one able to create perfection?)DSCF7362

So just a few rows of black around the edges to go, then steaming and whipping.

Mentally I’ve moved on to the next wee project. “An English Sunset for Hilda”

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….and I’ll tell you all about it next time.

Thanks for your interest in my hooking adventures.

Searching for Balance

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Every piece I hook presents new learning experiences. I think that’s why I love hooking…..in this very simple art form there is always so much more to learn.

The challenge for my zentangle is how to make a cohesive picture out of six totally unrelated designs. I took the first steps in reducing the colours. Next was to balance their placement.DSCF7334

I felt happy with the yellows at the top and bottom, and the muted dip dye background around the top centre padula. I removed the yellow from the bottom right segment, and planned on blue padulas with some sort of contrast colour in the echoes…..perhaps the very dark blue.DSCF7340

Then a new consideration hit me. I liked the look of it but the vibrant colours totally would overpower the muted section on the opposite side, and unbalance the whole piece. Now what?

Out went the dark blue idea, and I decided to try the sand beige and blue green from the muted section to tone it down and tie the two sections together.DSCF7341DSCF7343

The light blue is still  too bright, but for now I’ll carry on and make a final decision later.

(I know Cynthia…I’m overthinking again….but I’m having fun in the process)

Colour Testing

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My Zentangle needed a mental overhaul!

I began the hooking thinking of the separate sections, with no view to the whole piece. As a result while I liked the individual parts, the piece as a whole was ugly. When I think about it, it’s much the same process I went through when hooking Signa Mia Vita. Both times I had chosen too many colours for the pattern. (and my monochromatic taste)

SOoooooo….with a view to balance in the placement ….I did lots of pulling out.

This….DSCF7229became this….DSCF7333

…and there were two other areas as well, but I don’t have photos….I had the red/pink in a couple of areas, and it was all  removed.  My original idea of having it “go with” the hall rugs has been scrapped. These colours are in those rugs but that’s the only similarity…..and….I’m a happier hooker.DSCF7331

This loopy tangle is quite muted and quiet.DSCF7332

…while the blue triangles really pop with the lime green edging and black bckground. DSCF7334

It feels much more cohesive now, and I’m once again happy to hook on it. ….and that’s good…since the Brier Curling started yesterday, and I’ve got a week planned cheering on the amazing shots of Canada’s best men’s teams, while snuggled up with my hooking.