Friday, August 31, 2012

Garden Mop Top

Finished!  Something new and a bit different for me.  Wanted this hanging to retain an earthy quality, so I used this sweet branch as a dowel with a piece of leather as the hanger.  I like it hanging outside, and wish I could just leave it hanging on this old beat up trellis.......


Of course weather would be an issue, but I kind of like the idea of hanging hooking out and about in the garden.  Let the weather do it's work.... Could be interesting?

My knitting basket is full of projects..... a couple have been sold.  I'll tell you more about that later.


So narcissistic of me, but hubby took this shot of the back of my head the other night...... I won't let him photograph me during our "deck time" because I'm always a mess from a long day gardening, projects, and life in general.  But, that's ALWAYS when he's sticking his camera in my face!  This is all he's able to get...... poor photographer........


I think if I didn't comb this mop for a week I'd have dreads for sure.  Which is sort of where I'm heading.  It's such fun to be retired, and old enough to not give a hoot about hairdos and don'ts,  proper clothes and such for work.  Just have fun!

xo
dulcy

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Hooking Small

I've been working away on my new fiber piece while thinking about hooking.  What else do I want to hook? (I counted seventeen pieces around my house.... counting pillows, rugs, and wall hangings... this does not include my many hooked bags and a few oldies put away).  It's not like my home is a shrine to rug hooking, as I have everything spaced apart and in various rooms.  But, I'm so into cutting down on decorating clutter these days!  I know a lot of you probably hook for holidays, and keep those pieces nicely stored to be brought out each season.  I think that's a refreshing way to display hooking and decorate.  But...... I'm not a big holiday decorator.  I like to keep things as simple as possible.... I like to keep seasonal decorating to a minimum.  I don't really like to have too much stuff stored away that's not being used.  That all being said, I'm thinking of using my hooking creativity to create smaller more painterly types of work.  I've done a few in the past.....


All these were made without much planning from bits and piece of this and that.  They tend to be playful and full of color.  The following is along the same lines.... in that I cut by hand and create my design as I hook.  This piece is loosely based on a photo my husband took of some woodland wildflowers.  You can see the photo in my previous post.



I stitched the hooked piece with the lace onto this gorgeous piece of wool dyed by my bestie, Tammy from  Skip To My Ewe.
This piece will be a wall hanging, and I'm waiting for the weather to dry out to find the perfect tree limb to use as part of the hanger.  I'll post it completed later.

I think this sort of thing is the direction I'm heading, at least for now.  I love the aspect of painting with wool.  I also like hooking small, not cutting a bunch of wool at one time, and just creating as I go.  I'm thinking postcard sized pieces that can be mounted creatively..... small gifts that can easily find a home in small spaces......

Oh, I'm sure there's at least another large rug or mat left in me, but I'm really happy with what I have right now.  Too much to create and not enough time or space!!


xo
dulcy


Friday, August 17, 2012

Quiet Time

I've been laying quiet and low.  My mother is very sick, and it's been a sad and exhausting couple of weeks.  Thank goodness for knitting!  Knitting can get me through some intense and scary life issues..... it's portable, somewhat easy, a bit creative, calming, and always there for me.  Over this past week I've been knitting this lovely cowl.  I think it came out quite nice.


My current color love is gray.... can't get enough!  I bought some adorable gray dessert boots that I'll show off with a pair of my knitted socks when it cools down some.  I found this free pattern on Pinterest.  I had been looking for "my perfect cowl" for sometime.  This caught my eye because the cowl pictured on line is also in gray... and I like the little design knitted in.  I think I'll wear it a lot this winter (if it ever cools down again......... sigh).

Of course I've always got a hooking project on the frame.  Below is a shot of the current one in progress.


I had noticed the photograph on my husband's computer as he was going through some things he had recently shot.  Just some little wild flowers in the woods.  I thought it might be a fun challenge to try and hook this.  It's a small piece and I'm hand cutting every strip.  I'm obviously not trying for every little detail.... I have to get somewhat abstract with all the dried leaves, grasses, stems, and dark areas.


Yes, it is tedious... but I've done a few similar projects, and really enjoy this detailed type of hooking when I'm in the mood.  It creates quite a mess as there's wool scraps all around my chair.  I don't like to clean any of this up until I'm done.  I could hook in the studio, but got this started inside, so that's where I'm currently planted.  It's the sort of project that is soothing and tranquil for me.  I'm not at the cutter sawing off chunks of wool strips.  I just look at an area, cut a piece or two with my scissors, and hook.  I pull out what doesn't work and try a lighter or darker piece.  I've only used what's in my wool stash, and this is a scrap piece of linen.  You can use up the tiniest strips and scraps of wool when doing a hooking project like this!

I haven't left many, if any comments lately.  But.... I do peek in and see what's going on.  I've just  been a bit tired due to this current life circumstance.  Things seem to have settled down some, so I"ll drop by soon.

xo
dulcy

Monday, August 6, 2012

Toasty Hands For Fall

I've still been on my fingerless glove kick.... and maybe I'm done.  It's been fun knitting these up quickly, edging with crochet, and then adding a bit of embellishment.  This little project has also been a handy and creative way to use up bits and pieces of yarn, buttons, and wool.


The above is my first pair.  I edged these with some creamy vintage style ribbon.

Below is yarn from the same skein, as I mentioned in my previous post.  I added the wool hearts and sweet little vintage pearl buttons.  I like mixing things up a bit so each glove is somewhat different, but still obviously part of a pair.


Both of the above pairs are a cotton silk blend.

Below are my two wool pairs.  This first pair has a leaf and acorn embellishment for fall walks during crip cool weather in the woods. Ahhh..... obviously dreaming (94 degrees at the moment).


My last pair is a nice brown wool with some confetti flecks dancing about.  I edged it with bright left over sock yarn, and added some pretty bright wool hearts.


So..... Christmas presents maybe..... or just happy's for friends?

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