I had a wonderful day on Saturday at RUG....and my camera had a wonderful...but lonely day at home by itself. I considered skipping a post on it altogether...then read Wendie Scott Davis's blog....which said exactly what I would have liked to say....so please enjoy Wendie's tale of what was my day too.

http://theruggedmoose.blogspot.ca/

Elizabeth

Linda Wilson was the originator, and a motivating force behind our "first Tuesday features" at Sunshine Rug Hooking.....and this week it was her turn to tell her 'story'.

She grew up on a farm located between Elmvale and Wasaga Beach in central Ontario, went to a small rural school, and later graduated from Ryerson and U of T as a teacher of family studies. After a number of years in Northern Ontario, she and her husband Bill settled back in central Ontario, where  Bill taught highschool in Alliston, and Linda became involved with raising her family, rug hooking and a variety of other crafts.

She has been actively involved as a teacher of hooking, a member of SCACA (Simcoe County Arts and Crafts Association....I hope that's the correct title) OHCG (Ontario Hooking Craft Guild), and hooking groups in Alliston, Barrie, and Orillia. She has been on the board of OHCG 3 different times, and highly involved with the OHCG teachers group . She is a wonderful teacher and organizer, and at present, is a co-convenor of the Canadian Barn Project...an exciting initiative to create a display of hooked pictures of Canadian Barns...a disappearing landscape. ....more info later.

She explained that most of the rugs she brought for display were from her 3 and 4 cut fine shading period.....at the time she began hooking...the only style one did.

I was fascinated by the shape of this octagonal rug in which she hooked veggies from her husband's garden. It was designed to go in their family room...and a table sat on top of it in the plain area. 

That was in their last house....now it has a place of honour rolled up in a closet.

This was one of her earlier rugs...this is the right side...

But she displayed it from the back, since the front had faded quite considerably. Linda explained that most of the hooking being done when she started...was of hangings, rather than rugs for the floor. .......and most of the topics were flowers or vegetables. ...Of course there was also the mushroom phase....and for her mushroom piece she devised this green padded frame which is wonderfully unique.

The bell pull in this picture was her second hooking piece. At the time, she knew nothing about colour, and naively chose the difficult colour yellow.

The lovely dress with the embroidered neckline, she made to wear when expecting one of her children.

Also displayed from the back due to fading...was this wonderful rug entitled "Back Home". She put herself in it twice, doing activities around the farm where she grew up. 

She hooked it to go on the floor in a specific spot in her home...but realized there was a hot air register right in the middle. .....undaunted....she cut a hole in the rug for the register, and painted the register itself like a rose garden to become a part of the scene.....how creative is that! 

Linda usually enjoys hooking geometrics...but this one she says was a pain to hook...It was designed as a part of a presentation with the teacher's group on ???????...style designs. (the name escapes me). The frustration came from choosing colours which were very closely related, and trying to keep them sorted out . It almost creates an optical illusion.. 

This lovely butterfly resides in her washroom, and her mom hooked an inch rug in the same colour palette to go on the floor. 

You can just see the edge of it at the bottom of the picture....somehow I missed taking a separate photo of it....I'm so sorry. 

This piece was originally intended as a bag....but when finished...it was too heavy to carry comfortably...so she converted it to a sign for her studio.

Her leaf bag however is much more practical...and light. She drew the leaves from ones she found on the ground and hooked them on verel. The colours are beautiful, and the shading stunning.

One year, when she was convenor of the Annual, she made this vest to celebrate the theme....Shakespeare. 

The entire vest is covered with Shakespearean quotes about friendship

 

 She loves vests, and made this one featuring sheep. The ones on the back are hooked, and those on the front are appliqued......

...beautiful...but she says....very hot to wear.

She also loves teddy bears...and made this sweet teddy vest.

She belonged to the teddy bear club, and admits that she got carried away making them. She had a "teddy bear" bedroom, and made many for her friends. She made Tetley for Luise Bishop...so named because he was dyed with tea.

One of her favourite pieces is this picture she did of her Dad...He was very proud of it and would point it out to friends.

I think this is sooo clever....the photo which inspired the hooking, has been mounted on the back of the framed piece...so when you flip it over...there it is! Here is her motto rug....love the cobwebs, and bits on the floor. Her latest rug is this depiction of her daughter-in-law and her two grandchildren...with a Klimt inspired background motif. I love the realistic curls made from coiled wool...which actually hang down on Mom's forehead.

I've taken several courses from Linda, and she is a wonderful teacher. She  hosts parties and courses (both her own, and ones given by other teachers) at her amazing studio in the countryside, works tirelessly on events like the annual Quilt and Rug Fair, and is a large part of the reason why Sunshine Rug Hookers is such a terrific group.

If you're a regular reader of my hooking journey...you'll know that a few weeks ago, Ray and I tried to retrace our steps from last fall and find the barn(s) we photographed in November. No luck ....they had disappeared!

This was niggling at both of us...so last Sunday we set out again to try and find the elusive barn. This time...success. We just needed to go a little further east. There it was in all it's sad glory.

I don't know if it had deteriorated over the winter...or if I was just more aware of it. This is the picture I'm hooking from...it was taken on an overcast November day. This is roughly the same shot...taken on a bright spring day. The crack under the first window seemed much larger...and the missing boards seemed to stand out more sharply. I tried to create the larger gap in the wall....and failed miserably....this will be coming out!!! I added the fully missing board (although it's placement isn't accurate... that doesn't concern me) This time I walked around the entire building (well 3 sides) . I love this view of the back, and what I would suppose are sections of the original stone foundation.  The far corner has crumbled away completely leaving the top unsupported.  I'd love to hook this picture of the side with the deserted gate leaning against the wall. Actually I'd love to do the last two pictures....and I'm thinking of doing them smaller, and having a group of three views of the same barn. On the other hand....while I'm really enjoying all this work with neutrals...I think I'd have to get a "colour fix" by hooking something nice and bright and cheerful in between. 

There's been very little actual progress this week...but lots of pulling out and reworking...

After trying several ways, I liked the effect of squiggly hooking with a variety of colours for the moss..., but it still didn't look right to me. 

I re-worked sections of it to try and get a streaky effect without it being straight lines. I had another problem as well... ......the small tree branch on the right was fading out against the darker barnboard at the top, but I needed the lighter colour to show up against the dark green at the bottom. I finally solved that by re-hooking the tree in the darkest silver grey I had, and taking  the dark green mossy section out altogether. 

The other....(and still not completely corrected problem) is trying to keep the barnboards relatively straight from top to bottom. At first I thought...easy...just hook in the same ditch top to bottom. But it's not quite that simple....

......The black breaks, and the fine cut barnboard edgings (which don't always go all the way to the top) leave gaps between the hooking rows above them if I just hook straight up. So I'm fudging it ...and adjusting as I go along to try and keep it at least LOOKING straight. I'm not very good at it so I've done lots of reverse hooking  (I hate that term) . (you can see I didn't get quite the same pattern when I re-hooked the green barnboards on the left) The greys don't show up at all true when I use my flash...so I found a bit of sunshine this morning and took this with no flash to see if the colours were better....they are....some.

It may sound like I'm frustrated by all of this....but in fact...I find it exciting and fun to 1) see the problems....and 2) figure out a way to solve them that pleases me . I learn so much with every project I do.

It's taken me until today to be able to verbalize what I'm trying to do with my barn hooking. (I'm a little slow when it comes to these things).....and I'm going to write it down here so I don't lose sight of the end-game while I'm bogged down in the details.

I don't want to recreate the photo, I want to re-interpret the photo so that the end result  is more like a painting in fiber. (I hope I hope)

I decided early on that the trees would be in shades of mouse grey, and the barnboard in shades of silver grey....so one would show up against the other. When I started working on the barn boards, I soon realized that the wool was too evenly coloured. I had three different shades...so I spot dyed them all with 1/128th tsp. silver grey to get a more uneven effect. I over dyed some of the silver grey with olive drab in an attempt to create the mossy sections on the barn boards (I put some in at the left), but it doesn't look like moss at all...so out it came.

After several attemps at delineating the boards...I settled on cutting in half a #6 cut of the darkest wool , and hooking it lower than the #8 cut 'boards', so that it almost sinks out of sight. I could have used a #2 or #3 cut...but I'm too lazy to keep changing the cutter heads.

At first I hooked these shadow lines to the top of the boards...but soon realized they had to vary in length to get any sort of realistic effect. (It's not as blue in real life as the flash makes it out to be)

Now I'm experimenting with the small patch of ground....something mostly neutral, and dead-grassy looking.

This is some of the olive drab that didn't work for moss, some wonderful wool yarn I'm hoping will work, and a bit of blue/gree/white plaid....still very much in the experimentation stage. I like the colours of the moss on the cement wall section...but it still isn't right...some more work to fine a technique I like for it too.

To go totally off topic...while Jen Manuell was watching moose in her back yard....(you've got to check it out  http://fisheyerugs.blogspot.ca  ), my Easter weekend was much tamer. Two of my three sons made it home, my sister was here, and we had a wonderful family dinner on Sunday.

Here Mathieu is getting ready to leave for an afternoon of mountain biking at Hardwood Hills.

I hope everyone had as lovely a holiday weekend as I did.

I just hate it when this happens!

First Tuesday...tribute day at Sunshine rughookers...and thinking I would avoid any problems...I changed the batteries in my camera...and headed out.

But alas!!......my rechargable batteries had given up recharging...and the camera turned off mere seconds after  I turned it on each time. So I have very few pictures of Gail's work...and those I do have were snapped quickly before the dying batteries finally gave up altogether....which they soon did.

Three lovely pillows...the one on the right is a pattern she got while visiting Dorr...and is a favourite of mine. I particularly like the colour pallette...the vivid coral just sets it off (but you can't really appreciate it from this photo). I love this piece...what wonderful details. It also surprised me...being a fine cut...and not the style Gail usually hooks. She said is was requested by a family member  (sorry Gail I can't remember who....I think one of her two daughters) so she hooked it for her. A wonderful primitive horse with an interesting straight line background. I think this was a free pattern in RHM...again beautifully hooked. This is a combination of penny rug, applique, and hooking from a workshop given by Bea Grant. Everything Gail hooks is so well done. I always admire her beautiful even loops.

Like so many rug hookers...Gail is multi-talented. 

She showed us examples of her doll making, (this was actually three diffrent styles of dolls...but the back two are hidden) Her spectacular quilts...that's Gail on the right.. ....and countless other wonders (which my camera refused to record)...such as baskets she had woven out of dried leaves from her garden, and crocheting....and although she didn't have any to show...she used to make willow furniture which was on the grounds of their 'bed and breakfast' home in the woods in Haliburton.

Gail was born and grew up in Orillia...and in fact we were school mates....born the same year. We lost track of each other, and she moved to  Minden (further north) where she and her husband lived for many years. One of my favourite memories of joining Sunshine Rug Hookers, was the wonderful welcome she gave me, and my re-connection with Gail.

Gail concluded by saying "I don't consider myself a great hooker...but I consider myself a 'Happy Hooker'.

Gail...I'm so sorry I couldn't get pictures of so many of your pieces, and wasn't able to do justice to your beautiful work.

As soon as I get new batteries...I'll post my progress on the barn.

I've decided I'm a 'dye as you go' kind of hooker. I start out with what I think may work...and invariably change my mind.

This is my progress to date.

The large tree is in shades of mouse grey. The suckers are silver grey...but I think they will come out. The window panes are black watch plaid, and the casings, a variety of greys I had in my stash. My original stucco/cement colour of the walls was too bright and new-looking, so I overdyed it with 1/128th tsp charcoal grey to dull it down, but I kept the bits I'd hooked in originally for some highlights.

The whole point of this piece...is that it's a deserted...and decaying barn

....so the green mossy moldy parts are really important to try and get that idea. (I think I'm going to have lots of yucky drab wool hanging around before I get this how I want.)

My first attempt (but not likely my last).

I chose Khaki, khaki drab, and ivy to test. I don't have swatches, so I spooned some of the dye bath on paper towels to get an idea of the colour.

I decided on the Khaki (middle one) and overdyed some of my 'cement' coloured wool in that. The colours aren't true. I watched it carefully and took it out when I thought the colour was OK. I haven't hooked any in yet...but I'm not convinced I've got it right yet.

I had dyed about 1/2 yard in a pale mouse grey for the roof....but realized that if the tree was mouse grey....the colour for the roof needed to be another grey altogether.

Rather than discard the original wool...I overdyed it too.

Again I used paper towels to see what it might look like....with a bit of mouse grey first, then other greys spoon over top. I tried, silver grey, charcoal, and black...and decided on the silver grey. I'm not at all sure that's what I'll end up using...but it's been fun dabbling.

 

I actually didn't pull a loop all last week. I have to admit...I was in a bit of a hooking 'funk'. Even though I re-worked quite a few sections of the pillow background...it still didn't look the way I wanted it to...and I knew that if I re-hooked it in squiggles...I would lose the straight line effect I wanted.

I chose to ignore it for awhile....and finally decided I'd listen to Mary Lou...who commented that I was being too fussy.

I pinned the hooking to the front of the pillow I bought (so I wouldn't have to sew anything)....and it fit perfectly. 

That was step one in feeling more positive.

 

The whipping is tricky....going through the tightly woven material of the pillow covering. My usual bent,  dull -ended needle wouldn't work at all, so I picked up a package of sharp ended darning needles. It's really hard on my fingers...but it works.  I just do a few inches at a time...but I'm pleased with how it looks.

My next project is my monochromatic barn.

In the last blog...I naively said I might draw the barn pattern straight onto the linen. Who was I kidding! It didn't take me long to change my mind , and I went back to my tried and true system...drawing it in pencil onto red dot, then tracing it onto the linen.

I've just started the hooking...and I'm really enjoying working with the greys. The skinny branches are silver grey...the larger tree is mouse grey, and the window casings will be a recycled cashmere in a charcoal grey. The panes are my ever- favourite black watch plaid. 

I dyed the greys in my standard fashion...1/2 the dye bath in the pot...and 1/2 spooned over the wool a bit later after some of the dye has been taken up. I did three different intensities of the mouse grey over two different wools so I would have lots of shades available.

This is my latest aquisition....

...a 4' x 4' piece of tintest, which Ray marked out in a 2" grid for me for drawing patterns. I pin my backing straight on the lines around the perimemeter, then pin the red dot pattern on the top so that everything is square when I trace the pattern. I have an 8' x 4' piece in 3" squares, but this new one is perfect for smaller projects, and fits easily on my dining room table.

Yesterday Ray and I went for a drive to find the deserted barn I'm using for this project.(I took the pictures last November).

This is the whole barn... ...and this is the picture I'm adapting for my piece.

I wanted to have another look at it...and see if I could get any information about it.....and the name of the road it was on, so I could record it on the hooking.

I swear it must be in Brigadoon!!! We drove around for over an hour...and couldn't find it . We both thought we knew where we'd been....but it's vanished!!! 

The canoe pillow I'm doing for my friend has caused me no end of frustration this week. It seemed like such a simple project, but I've run up against a new problem. The picture Heather sent me has a decidedly straight  line background. I dyed a light mottled blue background, and hooked it in straight lines. BUT...even after steaming, in certain light, the lines are not exactly a uniform height, and I don't like them.

Last night I took out as many of the offending lines that I could find, and rehooked them ever so carefully. They looked fine in the dimmer evening light...but this morning, every slight variation seems to scream at me . I think I'll give it one more try, and if I'm still not satisfied, I'll rip out the entire background, and hook it in swirls. I'm told that the picture I'm copying is actually machine done...aha...no fair.

I also hooked my little 8" x 8" summer swap mat this week...but I can't show it to you yet, as it's supposed to be a surprise.

Have you heard about the Barn Raising Project?

The Huronia Branch of OHCG in cooperation with the Simcoe County Museum, is planning to curate a rug hooking exhibition celebrating the barns of Canada. Entry forms must be in to the museum by Oct 12, 2012, and the pieces submitted by Oct. 5, 2013. 

With this show in mind, Ray and I took a Sunday drive just north of town last November, looking for old barns.

It would have been prettier if we'd gone a month earlier...but somehow the November sky and bare trees add to the sadness of the 'decaying' barns.

 

I love this sky, and would omit the house, and probably the metal shed on the right.
This is the typical barn-shape in our area. This one doesn't have as extensive a roof. This is the only building left standing on this deserted farm. The neighbour told me it was the slaughter house. The carcasses were hoisted up inside to 'season'. I loved the covered entrance to this barn and winding drive. This barn has an interesting peeked roof. I got up close for some other shots. These two are my favourites. I've looked at these pictures on and off all winter, and finally decided I'm going to try this one.

I've been dyeing a variety of greys and beiges to get a start.

These are much lighter than they appear in the picture. Submitted pieces must be no larger than 24" x 36". I settled on 20" x 26", because that is the same proportion as the picture I printed  from my computer. Because it is mostly straight lines, I  think I may be able to draw it directly onto the linen.  This is a half size "try out" (10" x 13") ....I'm working on to see if I can do it. 

Wish me luck!

Some of her first small pieces were shaded flowers and fruit.

Jeanne said this is her 'oldest' rug...and it now has a place of "honour" in the basement in front of her washing machine. For a period of time Waldoboro was a very popular style. They would make these small pieces for sale. I love the little piece mounted on barn board....the picture doesn't do it justice, and you can't see the precise sculpturing either. Jeanne admits that hooking animals isn't her favourite subject matter, but loves her giraffe, done at a workshop with Jon Ciemiewicz. These beautiful eyes were done at a workshop at Green Mountain. While on her trip to the Green Mountain Workshop, she took a picture of this quaint covered bridge, then later hooked this from the picture. This purse is a Jennifer Manuell pattern, hooked after a workshop taken with her.  When I first joined Sunshine Rug hookers, after retiring from teaching, I remember watching Jeanne working on this piece. I was totally in awe at how she could translate a picture into wool so beautifully.

I found out more about it Tuesday..... it was adapted from a painting done by her daughter.

The trilliums in the border set the time and place as Ontario in springtime.

Jeanne hooked this Christmas stocking using a variety of specialty hooking techniques. This piece was hooked at a 'hit and miss ' background workshop. Jeanne said the wool was put in a brown paper bag and pulled out at random to create the background. Hard to believe ...it seems so beautifully planned and highlights each cup so well.

I've always admired this Rittermere pattern, and it's  beautiful colour pallette. Jean's piece has an interesting story.

For some reason (I can't remember exactly the circumstances)..Sunshine was given a number of patterns and partially finished pieces. Jean selected this one, which was partially hooked,...but came with no wool. She said it was difficult to match the colours...but I think she did a wonderful job!

This piece is a Deanne Fitzpatrick pattern. Jeanne is a wizard with a needle, and applied a braided edge. 

Last Fall Jean was our leader for creating hooked 'still lifes', and gave a wonderful workshop on composition, balance etc. 

This is her hooked example.

We recently held an auction of patterns , wool etc.  left by the passing of our dear friend June Baker. (the money raised was sent to the Rug Hooking Museum).

June had started this small yellow plaid, and Jeanne thought it was too beautiful and precise not to finish. 

Being 'hooked' on the procedure...she is now in the process of hooking the Wallace plaid...shown here in a tie ....a landscape ....Father Christmas ...a penny mat/applique/hooked combination...done at a workshop with Bea Grant.

In spite of her obvious hooking talents, Jeanne considers herself primarily a quilter....and a hand quilter to boot! I've seen many of her quilts, and they are highly prized. She keeps a notebook on them, and reported that she has completed 71 full sized quilts (all quilted by hand)....it boogles my mind! 

This is a rare example of a machine quilted panel.

She didn't bring any quilts with her on Tuesday, since they are heavy to carry, but these are two hand quilted  panels. The Japanese lady in particular took my breath away

What a talented lady! Thanks for sharing with us Jeanne.