So Far

August 1, 2010: The first thing that inspired me was a you-tube video by Deanne Fitzpatrick. She was more than informative, she had the "spirit" of creativity. I went to the fabric store when I got off work and bought some burlap, just regular burlap. I didn't have any wool fabric, just yarn (and lots of it), so I got my quilting hoop and a crochet hook (no rug hook either), and this is my first piece. The edges aren't perfect, but all in all, I think okay for a first piece.

First piece - Vases

Second piece - My Design

While I was waiting for my supplies to come, I did this contemporary design, similar to ones I had done when painting, and again used yarn, the quilting hoop and a crochet hook (size F). I kept thinking of all the things I could hook, all the designs and colors. It was almost overwhelming.

I didn't want to spend the money for a wool cutter or an expensive frame - I was trying to control myself. I ordered precut strips on ebay, #8's. Forget scissors - that would take a lifetime, so I found a Bliss cutter on ebay - great price too and I bought it ($64). I didn't think it had a blade, so after searching more wool sites, I found Jeanne Sullivan Designs' site. She had blades and and a tool for the machine, along with beautiful wool. Short story - now I have a cutter, blades 3,4,5,6,7. A quilting hoop doesn't fit over the finished part of my work so I had to get a hooking frame. Again, I searched, nothing seemed right .Then I found Thomas Anderson Handmade Products and I knew that was for me, a frame handmade by an American with care. So I ordered the lap frame. Later that day or the next, I decided to get the stand for it. I really love it, I feel like it is a true heirloom that I am working on. Now if I could just turn out some heirloom pieces of work!!

For my third piece, I drew another design similar to my past paintings: the back of two women with hats looking at a vase painting, I think I called it The Showing, or The Exhibit, not sure. I received by hooks, and my favorite is the Moshimer Primitive hook. I also received my start-up pack from Deanne Fitzpatrick (shipping from Canada is so slow). With everything in hand that I needed, I was on my way!

Then a frustrating curve came. I had picked out the colors of wool that I wanted with much thought. I was hooking away, and when I got to the first hat I found that I did not have enough wool, so I took out what I had done. I had used yarn from some of the vases and for the background wall, but wanted to use wool for the two women. Silly me, I had bought so many colors of wool, only 1/8 or 1/4 yard, that I didn't realize until now that it would take more for a large area. I became a little down about this. So, I went to the Jeanne Sullivan Designs site and put in an order for 1/2 yard off the bolt. Jeanne has been so very helpful. She emails me so much information on different things that I comment on. You know this frustration may have turned out to be a good thing because she said that to use a solid color in a large area may overtake the rest of the rug. I never thought about that. So that's a good thing. After I finished the background (yarn) of this piece, I am going to set it aside and wait for the right colors and quantity of wool.

While I'm waiting, I'm going to do a geometric design, maybe a quilt-like one, on the monk's cloth I got from Jeanne to try. I need to finish hemming the edges and decide how to proceed.

I think that just about covers it so far. /Deb