Summer Projects

Hello Jellos!

I finished designing my second rug and have transferred the pattern over to some burlap I had left over from my college days. The edges are all re-enforced, and I spent some time last night cutting up some darker wool, so I can begin on my ravens and text. Voila! Ravens!


The text that is written on the burlap will be in dark wool, except where the Ravens have picked up a letter or two in their beaks, then a lighter shadow letter will remain for what I'm hoping will create a sun-bleached effect. I also plan to insert some lighter colours that will partially blend with the rest of the background, adding some depth and interest to the negative space. The text is just words or phrases that frequently pop up in journals I've kept over the years. Here are a few details:



Also, I finished off a few pencil portraits as gifts for family this month. I am super happy with how they turned out! Haven't lost the knack! :D

This is a portrait of my mother and father in law, their children and grandchild (our little William). This was an anniversary gift:


I found a really good photograph of each person separately, then married them all into one polished drawing. This is one of my best portraits ever!


And here is a little 5" x 7" portrait of our son William, that I made for Great Grandma's birthday.


I will try and post again once I''m back from my vacation, and have made some progress on the rug hooking front!

Cheers n' Beers!
JQ

Leaps and Bounds

I hooked a rug! It's a Calla Lily. I designed it and had the backing all prepared, and the pattern transferred for the first Tuesday of the month, thinking I'd buy a little wool and If I got a chance I'd have it dyed and ready to use at the next meeting two Tuesdays later. But I should have known I'd get all wrapped up in it. I dyed a yard of wool in all different pastels like, the day after I bought it, and then proceeded to hook the whole thing! It was so much fun I just couldn't put it down, so now I have no idea what I will have to work on this coming Tuesday. I think I'll just have to bring my tapestry frame and work on that.

I'm halfway through my second tapestry. I got all done the first one and was all excited to take it off the loom, but then I remembered that there was a whole chunk of warp on the backside. So I designed another cartoon based on a rose, and off I wove.

This first shot is of both the Calla Lily rug and the Rose tapestry. I have most of the difficult detail woven on it, so the rest should go relatively quickly.




I'm just in love with the process of rug hooking. It works up faster than tapestry, and I can have fun with salvaged fabrics. But most of my heart still remains with tapestry. I hope to have a series of these 8' x 11" ones completed by midwinter. Maybe I'll hook a few rugs in the series too!

And voila! My very first rug. It's about 12" x 15". I think it is destined to become a cushion top. I did hook this one too tightly. The loops were too densely packed against the linen backing and it makes the rug curl. I guess I'll know for next time. Loosen up!




Here is the finished first tapestry:




And I tried a few close ups as I am finally using my wonderful new camera. Thanks Dad!




You can't really tell (I think because of the flash) but there's a bunch of sparkle in with the pastels:




I really wanted to be patient with my rose and weave it up with a greater attention to detail. My former tapestries were very flat, with little in the way of intricacy. So I'm pushing myself more and more with each new project to slow down and add striations, shadows, more veins etc.



Sadly this photo doesn't give you all the information. Wherever I switch to turquoise against the pale pink petals it's raised, and you can see strands of pink between. It's quite delicate and lovely.



Okay! I'll try to get back again once more in June. I still have to post images of my paintings, and hopefully I'll be done the Rose by then as well. Maybe I'll have the loom threaded up for my Pitcher plant by then!

Hearts off the charts everyone!
JQ

Bracelets Galore Part 1

Here is that blue and brown threading I was talking about.




I am using brown upholstery thread for the stabilizer weft, and three strands of crochet thread, one each of the browns used in the warp. I wove with just the stabilizer for an inch at each end, which I will then unravel to where the picots start. I will then sew the unraveled weft thread into the weave backwards to secure it so the fringe wont unravel any further. Then I will cut the fringe to the desired length and shape. I have made the picots super long and then gathered them on each side with a large jump ring, which I will then attach the closure to once I am finished weaving up the rest of the bracelets and have taken everything off. This threading should do five or six bracelets. I'll do one with velvety blue fringe at the edges, one with little picots, and one where the picots actually get longer and shorter again to form scallops.


I found the neat pink and orange yarn bobbins at a store here in town. The orange bobbin should work nicely as a beater/shuttle for those wide brocade concepts my crazy friend has planned. I know you know who you are. :p

Ciao!