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Archive for November, 2009

Promised Finished Project

30 Nov

The other day, I showed just a bit of a project that I was working on, but could not show in its entirety. Since I promised to show it when finished, I can make a full report. Here it is 100% completed.

This is my part in a Christmas swap, taking place through the Yahooker discussion group, all finished and ready to go in the mail. (Doesn’t it feel good, when all the work is done, to hang up your project so you can study every detail?) I worked like a demon during my off-times over the Thanksgiving holiday so I could mail it today … and, since it is going over the sea to an undisclosed destination, it needs to go out early in order to have plenty of time to make it to its new home by Christmas. Sorry to have been so secretive the other day but, now that it’s all over and in the mail, I am happy to show you what I was hooking on over the holidays.

4 Comments

Posted in Yahookers

Rug Hookers & Church

29 Nov

In response to my blog the other day about the Pendleton shirt of a parishioner, that took me 10 years to get, this story was sent in by Donna of Nova Scotia. I feel I need to repeat it as an encouragement for church attendance.

Gene, You certainly gave me a chuckle as I read the story of the shirt. Not too long ago, in church, an elderly lady showed up with a white wool jacket. She knows I am a hooker and after some prompting, she said it would be mine, when she finished with it. To my surprise, and delight, within two weeks, it turned up in a grocery bag tied to my back door handle! Turns out she sent it to be dry cleaned and both sleeves shrank several inches! So, you never know what will come the way of attending church.

One wonders about this story … is it evidence of the power of prayer (surely, Donna did not pray for this outcome!) … or an example of showers of blessing that come from church attendance? As a pastor, I would never encourage people to attend church just so they could “get” something out of it. Still, I must point out that there are many blessings that come from church attendance … the Pendleton shirt reported on the other day being just a minor one. And, it was not my first piece of wool to come from a church member, just the piece that took the most patience to get! There have been loads of skirts, boxes of braiding wool and wool yardage come my way, not to mention truck loads of cotton suitable for woven rugs, which I also make. While these things have been a blessing to me, I also realize that, since it is more blessed to give than receive, I am really doing the giver a favor by creating a giving situation in which they can be blessed. Additionally, when talking about Stewardship issues, a reoccurring Biblical warning centers on the futility of storing up one’s possessions where moths doth corrupt. Since I store my wool in bins with either pieces of cedar or bags of lavendar, I never have a moth problem. So, it seems as though, by accepting wool from people at church, I may be providing a very valuable service to them … which I am willing to do without thanks or fanfare.

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Posted in wool

Relaxing at Home

27 Nov

I hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

My fiber arts experience for Thanksgiving Day was to make the plum pudding. (I make this and my wife makes 4 pies.) It is a fiber arts experience because the pudding is boiled for 3 hours in a muslin cloth. That is enough reporting for Thanksgiving Day … I would rather get back to eating some of it. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Marion Wise, Part 2

26 Nov

Today’s post continues with more work from fiber artist, Marion Wise. These photos, most of which were taken by Marny Cardin, certainly underscore the fact that Marion’s work embraces a wide variety of hooking categories.

The pattern for this piece The Heceta Lighthouse, adapted, by Jane Olson, from a painting, depicts an Oregon landmark. Note all the enregy in the crashing waves!

Rock Point Lighthouse, adapted (Jane Olson) from a greeting card, was made by Marion at the age of 92. (I only print the age because any one looking at her would never believe that she could possibly be that old!)

In this much earlier work, Marion designed and drew her own pattern. This one was inspired by an antique plate in her collection.

With Vermont Shell, (pattern by McGown/Flynn), Marion continues to showcase her varied taste in both design and coloration.

She made this yellow rose was made in 1996.

The color palette for these pillows (McGown/Flnn patterns) were inspired by a set of Limoge plates in Marion’s collection.

While all of these hooked pieces are nice, I am pretty sure, however, that the piece that currently excites her the most is this one -

- designed, and in the process of being hooked, by Marion’s granddaughter, Helen Eagen. (Helen has consulted with both Marion and Elizabeth Black on this rug.) Although I don’t have a photo to show, I understand that Helen’s sister, another Marion, has also recently begun to hook. Nothing could please Marion more than to see her granddaughters carry on the tradition started by their great grandmother.

Perhaps Marion (shown here with Helen at the Cambria Rug Show) has a whole new career ahead of her as a motivational speaker/teacher for the making of hand hooked rugs?

Just as any visit with Marion is pleasure for me, showing her rugs has been equally enjoyable.

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Posted in Marion Wise

Marion Wise, Part 1

25 Nov

I met Marion Wise at the first Hook-In I ever attended. We immediately connected and have been good friends ever since. Our mutual friend, Marny Cardin, recently visited Marion and sent me most of the following photos, which I am happy to share with you. Marion has always brought me a lot of personal joy and I share her work knowing it will bring you joy as well.

Marion, who has made dozens of hooked pieces over the past couple of decades, has probably also helped and encouraged that many new rug hookers get started in our art form. It seems like she is always taking someone under her wing and sharing both her rugs and stories with anyone who is interested in learning about rug hooking. Her rendition of his beautiful William Morris design is one of my favorites.

Although Marion came to rug hooking relatively late in her life, rug hooking was something with which she was very familiar, as her mother was a prodigious fiber artist. This Pansy Tray pattern, designer and date unknown, was made by her mother. I love the delicate scroll work.

However, when I think of Marion, the first image that comes to mind is that of birds. This large piece, based on a pattern by Meredith LeBeau, was originally drawn with birds from the Eastern part of the US. Marion, after to moving to CA, decided to adapt the pattern by changing the birds to varieties found in the West.

The “Wood Duck” section, bottom right, was a design from Sherry Kohler that Marion added as well. In looking at this detailed shot, I guess I should amend a previous statement: When I think of Marion the first things that come to mind are birds AND fine cuts! I particularly like the shading and detail in the fern at the bottom, right, of this photo.

Here is another bird of hers. Although small in size, Marion packed in an incredible amount of subtle detail in this gem of a piece. Just try and count all the different colors in the breast and wing of this bird!

Even though she does like birds, and I have only shown a few, Marion has regularly escaped that pigeon hole by hooking outside her preferred designs and cuts. After seeing an old rug that her friend, Susan Higgins acquired in Connecticut, she copied the design to make her own wide cut version. I’ll share more work by Marion Wise tomorrow.

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Posted in Marion Wise

Monday Night in the Studio

24 Nov

Since most of my normal, weekly responsibilities are on hiatus because it’s Thanksgiving week, I was able to putter around in the studio last night. I was glad for the time as I am under the deadline on a new project.

It has to be done by December 1. Unfortunately, this is all I can show at the moment – can’t say who it is for or where it is going as, after all, it is that time of year! However, I will, eventually, report with a much more complete photo.

However, just because I was hooking, that does not mean I can’t multi-task and do two things at once.

My 2nd thought process was centering on this tub of left over worms from Big Momma.

As well as this tub of odd shaped uncut pieces … also left over from Big Momma. Since my leftovers from one rug often end up going into the next rug, the subject of that next rug was what I was thinking about as I hooked on Monday night. While I did not get my hooking project done (did make a lot of progress, which I can’t show) I did work out that next design. Since it’s not drawn yet, I can’t show that either. Still, I want to report that I was working … and will, eventually, have something to show for it.

8 Comments

Posted in Studio

Patience Is a (Handy) Virture

23 Nov

Ever since I moved to Anaheim, CA, 10 1/2 years ago, I have been eyeing this shirt. That is not to say that I have coveted it … simply eyed it … noticed it … kept track of it … commented on it every time it appeared. Shortly after moving to town it showed up at a meeting of my church elder board and it has been attending those meetings on a regular basis ever sense. Of course, it caught my attention the moment it walked in the room … as it had an … air about it – something that said:

Men don’t normally fawn over each other’s clothing … and I did not really talk too much about it but, as I stared at it much like a fox focuses on a hen house, the owner sensed my inordinate interest and quickly guessed my ulterior motives. Maybe some day … but not yet! he said, more than once. Of course, as a pastor, I know what the Bible teaches about patience … as does my elder. Verily, verily, I could wait as long as he could.

This close up photo does a better job catching the rich colors of this shirt, as opposed to the previous, bleached out full shot. Beautiful purples, rich teals, deep blues … all my colors … all colors that could make a wide-cut leaf sing … colors that had artistic potential … as I started pointing out to my elder/friend about 10 years ago. After all, a shirt is a shirt … but I make art that will last for generations. Durable art … made of wool … something that would truly elevate any piece of humble fabric. In fact, participating in such an endeavor would not be a sacrifice, it would be a privilege.

I am not sure that he ever bought that line of reasoning. However, after 10 years, my patience paid off when he brought it over Friday night. While his motivation probably has more to do with his movement from size medium to large, I accepted it as a noble endorsement of the arts and have it stored in a safe place awaiting an appropriate project. Of course, this is one of those once in a lifetime sort of things … but I do have a lady in the congregation who has the nicest Black Watch plaid blazer …

12 Comments

Posted in wool

Raving About Rug Aid

22 Nov

Like many other rug hooking groups around the world, my local ATHA Guild, The Orange Coast Classics, had a special party on Saturday. As luck would have it, November 21 also happened to be the day of the International Rug Rave for Rug Aid. Always on the look out for as many reasons to party as possible, my guild was happy include the Rave as a part of our holiday celebration.

Although we did spend time talking about Rug Aid, Heather Ritchie’s program for teaching blind Gambians to hook rugs as a means of supporting themselves and their families, the real focus was on experiencing what it must be like to hook without sight.

While no one is suggesting that a few mins. of hooking blindfolded can even remotely qualify as being the same experience as that of a sightless rug hooker, it certainly did get us to thinking about the great achievements being made in Gambia.

I had, as previously mentioned on the blog, made wool blindfolds for the event. If we had to be blindfolded, then an attractive wool piece seemed the obvious choice. Those who wished to do so could keep their blindfold, after making a donation to Rug Aid. Money coming in from just the blind folds came to $273. Then, at the actual guild meeting, the group decided to donate an additional $500 to Rug Aid, making a grand total of $773 from out event. As November 21 is also Heather Ritchie’s birthday, this donation will also have to double as our gift!

Of course, everything was not limited to just educational and benevolent pursuits. We did have second breakfast … elevensies … and lunch.

There was also plenty of time for people to just sit and hook together.

The Beauport rug showed up for a report and was passed off to the next guild member who will continue the work of this recreation.

While not every one donned a blindfold, there was a steady stream of willing participants.

It was a good day all around … all around the world, that is.

1 Comment

Posted in ATHA, Antique Rugs, Blind Rug Hookers, Heather Ritchie

Blindfolds and Blocking

21 Nov

Blindfolds – Here are the wool blindfolds that I am taking today to the Orange Coast Classic ATHA Guild Holiday Party … which also is a Rug Rave for Rug Aid site. Volunteers who would like to be a part of the international effort taking place today, to call attention to the efforts of Heather Ritchie and her work with blind fiber artists in Gambia, can hook blind at all Rug Rave sites. We will have two “blind” stations for those who want to experience what it would be like to be a sightless rug hooker. And, if participants want to make a donation to Rug Aid, I will let them keep their blind fold.

Blocking – in answer to several requests from readers:

I always block my rugs on our dining room table. We happen to have a set of those heat proof pads – the kind with a layer of metal in the middle. Since our table extends to 120″ and I have never exceeded an 8′ foot rug, I always have enough room to spread out my rug. (I do cover the pad with a plastic table cloth.) If I had something wider than my table, I would put together enough stainless steel tables in my studio to do the job. The rug is placed on the table, back side up.

For Big Momma, I soaked a cream colored twin sheet in water, partially wringing it out, but leaving it fairly wet. I prefer something big as my steam cloth so I do not have to keep making trips back and forth to the sink. The sheet was placed over the rug and the I started pressing, from the middle out, with a hot iron. (Straight up and straight down – no moving back and forth.) I repeated this twice to make sure I got plenty of water steamed into the rug. After 2 steams, I went over the edges of the rug, pulling and stretching a bit in any places that needed to be stretched into shape. Using a wet tea towel, I did a final press on those special spots to reinforce my tweaking.

I usually steam at night, right before I go to bed, so the rug can lay all night undisturbed. In this instance, the rug was not completely dry the next morning, so it had to set until lunch time before it was completely dry.

2 Comments

Posted in Big Momma, Blind Rug Hookers, Blocking Rugs, Very Wide Cuts

Finishing Up the Shoot

20 Nov

After yesterday’s post, a reader wrote in asking me to print an unobstructed shot of Big Momma. In all actuality, I did not have that sort of shot until last night after my friend Dan, a professional photographer, came over to do the shoot for me. Although I usually do all my own photographic work, I do it by luck, not by knowledge, as I have never had any instruction. It was as much fun to watch him work as it was to receive the finished professional shot.

First of all, it’s not an easy job to shoot a large, dark, piece of fiber art. Dan got a good likeness in both tone and color. (He did not even have to photo shop the image to make it perfectly straight and square!)

He used four times as many lights as I do, positioning them at angles, several feet from the rug, each at equi-distance spots on each side.

I usually just make a spot on the wall and shoot - immediately outside of the line of sight ,the room is usually in chaos. Dan had me move away everything that was remotely close to the rug so there could not be any unwanted shadows or reflections. (Luckily, he stayed around and helped me move things back!)

One would expect a professional photographer to have all sorts of snazzy equipment and that’s exactly what Dan brought. The only thing I provided was the Diet Coke.