Category Archives: Anne Boissonoit

Directional Hooking and Eye Surgery

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As I’ve worked on Hijab, I’ve become aware of just how important  directional hooking is when trying to capture the draping of fabric. The hooded section over her head needed care, but when I got to the shoulder, I had to stop and really study the photo to figure out how I could create a realistic effect.  The direction of the hooking had to be combined with the direction of the shading …..which slanted a different way. I took photos of the process so I would have  it for future reference.DSCF6996

The arch needed to gradually flatten out to a straight line at the bottom, while at the same time the dull section on the right needed to be “arrow shaped” DSCF6997

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With the hijab itself completed, I could no longer put off making decisions about the face. After lots of thought, I went back to the first face I ever did…Emma Sue. She was hooked at a wonderful workshop I attended given by Anne Boissonoit several years ago. Emma Sue would be my directional guide.DSCF2137

I printed out a copy of her to have in front of me while I hooked, then forged ahead.

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It soon became apparent however that I had a major problem!!! (I had noticed it before…but ignored it)….The left eye was too far over to the left…..there was too much space between her eyes.DSCF7003

There was nothing for it….the eye had to come out.DSCF7004

I  carefully laid the removed wool out in the order of the eye, and re-drew it (with a red marker) slightly to the right. Then hooked a new eye (adding more black to the top lid and cutting down the iris).

It’s not a huge change, but to me, it makes all the difference. Now to finish the face while I contemplate how to create that wonderful background.DSCF7008

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Winter has arrived in central Ontario. It has been snowing all day today, and is to continue most of the week. The snow boots are out, the snowblower is working, the trees are etched with white, and I’m settling in to enjoy my winter wonderland.

Thanks for stopping by.

Emma Sue

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sonoitI attended another Sunshine Rug Hookers workshop in March 2010. (I love going to workshops!) The teacher this time was Anne Boissonoit, and it was on creative abstract faces. When gathering up wool to use, I threw in all the  pieces of transitional wool left over from doing my double cross rug.

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The end result was Emma Sue. The face is done in the transitional wool. The hair is a wonderful lumpy, curly wool yarn provided by Linda Wilson, (our hostess for the workshop), with some added bits of unspun fleece, and some sparkly hairy turquoise yarn I found at the dollar store. The second day of the workshop I was struggling with how I wanted to do the hair. I had some whites and grays, but they did nothing for the face. Linda walked over with a hank of the turquoise yarn, and suggested,..what about this? It was like a ‘eureka’ moment. I loved it, and it set the tone for the rest of the piece.

I didn’t have a lot of trouble deciding on the purple background, that is I knew what I wanted, but I had some difficulty getting it dyed so I was pleased with it. I think I ended up dyeing 3 different batches of wool, until I was satisfied with the result. Then I felt the background was too much the same tone as the flesh, so the edges of the face didn’t stand out sharply. By adding the paler purple I solved that problem, and I think it gives her a bit of an aura.

Anne said we must give our creations a name. I have no idea where the name Emma Sue came from, but it simply would not leave my mind…so Emma Sue she is. I like to think that she told me what to call her.