kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Sunday, July 31, 2011

When it's Done...It's Over

My toy sheep rug is finished.

I always start out thinking primitive, and somehow as things evolve, they end up, well....COLORFUL.


The whipping took longer than expected because I changed my mind again.  I had planned to do it in navy like the border, but after pondering, I decided I wanted the small outside edge to look like the background.  I went to several yarn shops trying to find yarn with the right combination of dark green, olive and brown with little tweedy flecks of tan.  I guess you figured it out before me, that particular yarn is impossible to find.  I didn't think trying to spot dye to match would be successful.

My next best choice was to do the whipping with wool strips, but I only had a little piece, approx. 6 x 8, of the background fabric left.  I had purchased this piece of plaid wool several years ago in East Berlin at Woolgatherings.

Off Zip and I went on a field trip.  Hopefully not a futile one!  Thank goodness Carol had two pieces left.  The day was saved!  To celebrate Zip and I went to eat, of course.

This is Hog Wild on the main street in East Berlin.


They have THE BEST smoked pulled pork sandwiches!  Other specialties are smoked sliced pork, pit beef, barbequed ribs and chicken.  We have been buying sandwiches from Rick and Tina for years and they just keep getting better.  If you are in the area, stop in and try these delicious sandwiches filled with meat smoked right there in their back yard.  It's worth going out of your way to try this place.

I love this planter they have out front with the water running out of the pump.


Now for the reason for the post title.

Quite a few people ask me what I do with my rugs when they're finished.  Do they get put on the floor?  No, they'd be a mess with cat claws and hair sticking all over them.  Do they get hung on the wall?  No, I don't have that much free wall space.  Do I give them away?  Not usually.  Most of my friends are also rughookers.  Giving a rug to a rughooker seems kind of...redundant.

What I do is photograph them and then roll them up and into the top of the closet they go.  When I tell people, I see shock on their faces.

Why would I do that???  Because for me all the fun, the ROMANCE, is in the designing, color planning and hooking.  I love the designing part, the drawing and tweaking, copying and enlarging.  Then there's the excitement and angst of color planning, looking for just the right piece of wool to make it look the way I hoped.  I love the sitting and hooking while listening to a book on CD, it's hypnotic and relaxing.  Then there's the little snags along the way when a planned color doesn't quite work out and the hunt for another better wool keeps it interesting.  Then when all the colors come together it's smooth sailing, with just the joy of mindless hooking.  I even like whipping the edge.

For me all the fun is in the creating and doing.

When it's finished, the love affair is OVER!  And I want to be on to the next challenge without a backward glance.

No sense getting attached.

I guess I'm a HOOKER.

21 comments:

  1. I love the sheep toy rug! That said - I do understand about the finishing a project and being done with it. It's the doing that is fun. Now it's time to think about a new project, right?

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  2. I totally get what you mean about loving the process, but your rugs are so lovely that I can understand the "shock" people have when you confess they're in the closet! You have such a gift of design and color planning. I enjoy watching your progress with each rug! The toy sheep rug is awesome.

    Thanks for the comments on our girl Sophie. Your little Penny looks like she could be a sister to my Sophie!

    I'll be waiting for your newest project!
    Courtney

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  3. A Hooker in Newburg??!!!! Now we have something to talk about in this town :o)

    How's the food at Hog Wild?? Kevin loves BBQ.. might have to go on an adventure.

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  4. Hey, I almost forgot! Congrats on your 100 followers!
    ~grin~
    Courtney

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  5. Oh my goodness, Pat!
    Sorry, but I am in a (mild) state of shock. In the top of your closet??? At least roll them up and display them in a crock. And how many rugs are in the top of your closet? LOL! What's next on the frame?
    Love your sheep pull toy rug. You are just so talented!!!
    You've made me hungry. I LOVE pulled pork. Yum!

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  6. I love primitive and I love color. So maybe that should be a whole new category in the hooking world. Primitive color!!! Love your rug.
    Karen

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  7. Pat, I just have to tell you that I love the way your sheep rug turned out. It has been fun for me to watch the progress.
    Hmmm.........do you need anyone to come and clean out your closets this fall?
    Can't wait to see what is next.
    Linda

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  8. Pat,
    Now that's quite a post! What are you going to do when you run out of space in that closet?! LOL!
    Whatever works for YOU, is what I say DO! We all need to keep on hooking no matter what we do with our rugs! I must say though that if you could find a space on the wall to hang your latest one you should! It is such a happy, very Folk Arty, very wonderful rug!! I LOVE it!
    I can't wait to see what you will be romancing on the frame next!!!
    Hugs!
    Cathy G

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  9. Firstly ...that is a beautiful completed piece ...thankgoodness you found the last piece of the creation. I sort of understand what you are saying about the love affair ...its how my mind works on the LO's ...once created they go into an album or box and rarely are looked at again by me. My FH blog draws me to read and view my blogged record but the real thing is filed away. I feel yours are something that should be seen or sold ...but a record of the work made and recorded.....maybe raising money for a charity ...maybe selling them where people do not hook rugs.

    I have to say that I could smell that pork ...wish we had it here ...sometimes there is a hog roast at a farmers market but it is rare.

    Thank you for the wonderful comment on my blog ...so pleased you enjoy my tours ...Scotland has its ruins while you have your BBQ pork lol xx

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  10. I love it. But I love all your rugs. I always giggle a little when I read about you 2nd guessing your choices and re-doing sections BUT you can't argue with success. I think I need to 2nd guess a bit more. The sheep is gorgeous.
    P.S. How is Zip doing with the no caffeine etc?

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  11. Wow! What a funny post! I totally get it! :-) It really is a beautiful rug!

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  12. Pat - you are so talented - do you have enough closet space to hide all your treasures? I know what you mean though - Sometimes it's just the thrill of the hooking and color planning and then "what to do with it"! I have a small pile just laying in a corner in the living room cause I don't know what to do with them! OH well! Jonesy likes the one for his morning sunning so there it stays!

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  13. I haven't eaten meat for about four years now, but I used to LOVE pulled pork! If you put all your completed rugs in the closet then tell me this, do you ever decide to pull them all down and look at them again? Maybe there are some old friends in there that you forgot about :-)

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  14. *****your rug is truly wonderful! we have a
    hooker here in maine that is married to an asian woman who does not like hooked rugs. he, along with the other two men in our group, is an accomplished and talented rugger, but he too rolls them up or gives them to his children. your colors and technique are great!
    hope things cool down in the mid-atlantic.

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  15. Still laughing about being a hooker and not getting attached. Too funny Pat!
    Your rug turned out great! Amazing Carol still had the same wool. Lucky you !!
    It is a shame that they can't be out for some kind of display, but I hope you go and look at them every now and then :).
    Looking forward to your next design!!

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  16. Tamera @ Stone Fence says:

    I love it!!!!
    Luckily none of my friends/family are crafty to say the least so anything I make always can find a welcome home!

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  17. I understand what your are saying but I don't think I could roll them up and put them away. I need to see my work... now I switch things out for the season but everything gets displayed at some point in the year for a little while at least.
    I love your work and am so glad that you share.

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  18. I LOVE the rug, Pat. You are a true artist!

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  19. Pat - this is a test to see if I can leave a comment

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  20. I can totally understand that your favorite part of rug hooking is the process. That is the best part for me also.

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  21. I love the process too!The joy of creating, seeing the design come to life is what keeps me interested...after that, like you said, it's over, move on...

    Most of my rugs are rolled up in baskets large and small, a dozen or so in cupboards...a few on counter and table tops for the cats to lounge on...

    It's different with work from family and friends, those pieces I like to see around me...

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