Why the Blog

August 1, 2010 Why the Blog? First of all this will be just me talking. I figured that since I don't exactly have anyone with whom I can discuss my art thoughts, I would write them here. I have tried paper journals for many things but never continue. Since I type a lot faster than I write, maybe I can keep up with this blog journal. About a month ago or so, I was listening to an audiobook. In my life at that time, I was not working on any particular hobby. I had just finished a year and a half of classical guitar lessons. Anyway, back to the story. In the book, the woman walked into the room and "Many Doves was sitting by the hearth hooking a rug" - my brain registered - hook a rug. I turned off the ipod, and googled rug hooking - and I was hooked - I could tell. Since then, as I have done in everything I am interested in, I began gathering needed equipment and supplies, and learning all I could. Many steps along the way have been forgotten but now that I can write in my blog every day or when needed, I will be able to look back and see the progress that I have made, steps I have taken, mistakes I have made, as well as feelings I've had about the process of rug hooking and maybe even about life. I know the universe can read this, so I will not be too personal I'm sure but it will be real, not for entertainment, just for my expression.

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Below are previous postings from the Rug Hooking Daily (July 2010) that I copied and pasted just to keep all my postings in one place. No need to read, most of it is included in the future postings. Also, no pictures are included unless I try to put them in later. /Deb, 8/2/10 ***** 7/28/10: My books came in the mail and I took them camping this past weekend. The temperature was about 100 degrees, so I did not take my wool! I received my Bliss cutter, and two hooks, Moshimer medium and primitive, and a #4 and #7 cutter blade I ordered from Jeanne Sullivan. Wow - that's all I can say - a hook really makes a difference compared to a crochet hook! The #8 strips were a little big for my fabric, so I started using wool yarn also. Then I cut my #8 strips in half with my #4 cutter - and it worked just fine. I made quite a bit of progress on the upper left corner of my design. For now I will be using wool yarn, strips #4-5-6-7 in my pieces. I am looking forward to collecting wool. I have bought quite a bit on ebay, and also from Sherri Demate at ShabbySheepWool. Now my delimna is where do I keep all my wool??? I will post pictures of my progress soon. ***** 7/22/10: Okay, I have my linen-burlap, and many wool strips along with my yarn, but still using a crochet hook (hopefully my hook will come soon). First I hemmed the edges of my backing fabric. Then I laid it out on my puzzle board, drew a design (one of mine that I had previously carved in wood), and this afternoon I began picking colors and making decisions on how to begin. When I first tried the wool strips, they seemed a little difficult, compared to the yarn, but after a bit I was hooking right along. You know the direction you go in gets a little confusing sometimes, but it felt better the more I hooked. I finally have a hint of how addicting and relaxing this can be. I really hope my piece turns out to look nice and I think it will. I will post a picture here of my real beginning rug hooking piece. It is about 30x36 or a little less. I'm only showing the part I'm working on. This is where I sit, on my couch, my thread on one side, yarn on the other. Oh yeah, the piece I was doing "randomly" I just took out. I read that regular burlap won't last. I'm really glad I didn't do a huge "masterpiece" on that backing! Can't wait to get my real hooks! **** 7/20/10: I received my burlap linen today, 30x36". I posted a discussion about where to start, but then deleted it because I just had to get started. So, I stretched the fabric onto my quilting loom and began at sort of the middle. I surely hope a real hook will be easier than a crochet hook. The #8 wool was a little strenuous on my right hand. I also found that going sort of side-ways is easier than in a straight line. I didn't draw a picture or anything, I just need to practice. I still like it though. This Friday through Sunday I'm going camping with two of my daughters and one of my granddaughters, so I will be away from the RHD. Hopefully I will get my learning packet from Deanne Fitzpatrick before I leave so I can study it while I'm in the cabin by the lake. /Bunch ******* 7-20-10: I was looking at more photos of members and when I saw one of Jan's of a log-cabin quilt pattern, the idea came. I have made lots of quilts, but all of them are old fashioned country style, no design except for the log cabin. I have never had the patience to cut little triangles and stick to patterns very well. But, now with rug hooking, I might just try some of the quilt designs. I don't guess that would be cheating ?? The colors would be simpler it seems as well. Another thought is that I can't draw very well, not even an interpretation is too good. Anyway, just wanted to record this idea in my journal blog for reference. /Bunch ******* 7/15/10: I found some precut wool strips for rughooking on ebay. It sounds like a lot but I'm sure I will need more. I figure for the cost of the strips, I may need to go ahead and invest in a cutter but I'll give myself a little more time with the learning process. I have looked at many sites with hoops, lap and floor stands, and read other people's opinions. Well, today I came upon a website, Anderson Handcrafted Products. Something just struck me when I read what the man had to say about his product, it seemed they were personal and not just turned out by a big company. So, yep, I did it, I ordered the lap hoop he makes. Now with my beginner lessons, my hoop, my wool strips - all arriving by mail soon, I will be ready to get going. Between now and then I will work on figuring out a design I want to do - and keep up with RHD postings. One thing left - I only have to decide what type backing I like the best. PS: I emailed Mr. Anderson when I got back home about mailing my check for my hoop: Thanks Mr. Anderson I look forward to receiving my hoop. Not to take your time, but I thought it might be interesting to tell you the process I went through to get your check mailed. First of all I NEVER go to the post office except maybe at Christmas. But, I couldn't find where I had hidden my stamps from myself, so off I go after work. Well, the PO was closed, no electricity - just on my one day! So, I thought, the grocery store sells stamps and we need milk and bread. Bought the stamps, headed home knowing that the mailman had already come to my house. Sure enough I saw him driving towards me heading out of the neighborhood. I turned my car around and when he pulled over, I pulled my car over, got out and asked him to take the letter. He was very pleasant, but called back and said "Mam, the stamp". Oh my - so got the stamp out of my purse, applied it to the envelope. My address was coming off because I didn't secure it with tape, so you will be receiving an envelope from Duke - so don't think it is junk mail. /deborah ******* 7/14/10: First there was facebook, a personal page. Then I started a page The Painted Turtle which was photos of a lot of my past art work in various medias. A few months ago I started my first blog at blogspot.com. It was initially about my new adventure of kayaking. Then came father's day, so I posted a tribute to my dad. Then I started camping and included that. Of course, then came rug hooking and as I was searching the web I found the Rug Hooking Daily. My first two blogs on RHD were copies from my kayaking blog because they pertained to my artwork. I have finished hooking my first mat, vases, with yarn on burlap. Now I have to look on you tube to find out how to finish the edges and all. I don't want to make actual rugs because my house is not really suitable for rugs. I would like to make art mats, but I need to learn how to hang/frame them when they are finished. Since I haven't decided on what design to do next, I decided I would cut a piece of cloth and try real hooking. I only have cotton because my huge stash is for my quilts. So, I grabbed a piece of cotton fabric, cut about 1/4" or so strip, put my burlap in my hoop, and hooped my first piece of material. You know, it was purely excited to make it curl just right. I see why you work in a straight line because when I tried to turn at an angle, it was a little difficult. I can say I have a new respect for the beautiful works I have seen by the members of RHD. WOW - all your loops are so perfect. It will take me a lot of practice but I think I can at least incorporate fabric with my yarn. When I think of wool, I think of moths. I would hate for moths to eat my work! In the past I made a couple of really nice pictures with beans/seeds/beads. They looked so great. I sealed them really well, I thought. Anyway, I had them stored with my oil paintings. When I looked at them much later, bugs had eaten some of my picture. Needless to say, I do not do anymore art like that. I'm looking forward to see what I do next. I should be getting my order from Deanne Fitzpatrick any day. I ordered her beginner package with instructions, etc. I may have to break down and get some wool fabric and just cut my strips with scissors; in fact, that feels like part of the process anyway and I sort of enjoy the lack of speed. You know, slow down, relax, and smell the roses. I really appreciate the comments from members here. They are helpful and motivating. later/deb ******* July 9, 2010 How I came to start hooking. I really like it when life flows. One thing leads to another and everything just feels in place and purposeful. It seems my life is an ebb and flow of happenings, creativity, new ideas, boredom, feeling displaced, liking to be alone to feeling lonely. After a time, when I relax my thinking and quit trying so hard or worrying about what to do, the flow takes over. I have listened to many audio books. I like to read that way because as a typist in my job, when I "read", I am actually editing for errors and not retaining what I'm reading. As I listen to books, I can visualize the scenes and the people, even the expressions on their faces. Today while on a smoking break at work, I was listening to one of my books and a phrase caught my attention. You see lately I've been in the waiting phase to see what to do next. In the book, the author wrote "Many Doves (an Indian) sat by the hearth hooking a rug." My mind registered that as if it was being told to me - hook rugs! So I went back to my office and googled rug hooking. I found a site on You-Tube about hooking rugs by Deanne Fitzpatrick. It was so motivating to me, so inspirational to my creativity, I looked at her website. The flow was in progress. Then I found that she had an audio book (yeah!!) about creativity, life, inspiration, etc. I ordered it and sure enough it was just what I needed. I may or may not hook many wall hangings, but it is encouraging to know that if you relax, the flow will lead you to the next step along your life's path. I'll post of picture of my first hooking piece of art. /Bunch ******* July 10, 2010 (this is from my blogspot - Bunch's Place) . Saturday. Some photos of my living room - "studio". I live in a small house, about 950 sq. ft. I have about 2 million square feet of art/hobby supplies. I have my "little house" and "barn" out back and they are both full of things. So, my living room had to be transformed into the place where keep my stuff. This is the beginning of my first rug hooking. If you have seen my art on facebook, you know I like to paint vases. So, vases it will be. You see I think vases are like people - they come in all sizes, shapes, colors, old, new, beautiful, worn - but you can't know what's inside by looking at the surface. Some of the yarn I prepared for my rug hooking. A frame knitting project I'm working on. When not in use as a knitting table, it is where I put puzzles together. My living room studio. It contains my supplies for quilting, sewing, puzzles, egg dying, gourd designs, beadwork, knit/crochet, rug hooking, guitar/piano, and a TV on one end. Oh yes, and there is actually a small place on the couch where I sit. More yarn - at the bottom of the picture is a long box full of yarn. Shelving I made to hold some things. Dyed eggs, beads, yarn, sewing supplies, quilting and anything else I can put on it. Where I practice and play my guitar. I took classical guitar lessons for 1-1/2 years. Though I have played the piano my whole life, guitar is a difficult instrument for me but I truly enjoy the songs I play. The guitar is a very personal instrument, you hold it close and it seems the music is coming out from yourself. Well, I guess I better get to the store and load the car for our camping trip. There's a chance of thunderstorms, and the temps are in the 90's - so instead of camping cabin - it might be cabin fever. /Bunch