(Thanks for the photos, Calvin!)
Really, I'm not obsessed, really I'm not. I'm just....well....diving into the deep end, or something like that. A mere month after I picked up the hook for the first time, it seems I've committed myself - both financially and space wise - to rug hooking. First I moved from burlap to rug warp cloth for a backing material. I loved the utilitarian and affordable nature of the burlap, but did not love the mess I was making all over myself and the house each time I used it. This rug warp cloth, though? It's so dreamy to hook through. On? With? (So new to the craft I don't even have the right lingo!) Anyway, it's an entirely different experience with this backing. And I'm hopeful that it'll make a higher quality, and more durable rug when finished. (You'll see above that I started this rug on burlap, but quickly stopped and moved onto the rug warp cloth when it arrived).
Then, just yesterday, I took a little drive to pick up my new (to me) favorite toy - a cheticamp rug hooking frame. Ah! I'm so very thrilled. Upon arriving home, I quickly put it together and stitched my current rug onto it and got right to it. How amazing to be able to see so much more of what I'm working on at once! And to have my lap free. And a space on which to lay out the colors and tools. So so good. I was a little surprised at how large it is - between that and my spinning wheel and everything else, this studio of mine is getting a wee bit crowded! But crowded in good fibery mess, so all is well.
I've heard from so many of you these past few weeks asking about getting started hooking. I highly recommend checking out the inspiring work of Deanne Fitzpatrick, starting with this lovely video. And yes, I do think this could be a great children's craft. I just picked up this kit for Adelaide for Solstice (shhh!!!), which looks to be a great first project.
Forgive my Pollyanna perspective, but isn't it just amazing to think about all the things out there that bring us joy, some of which we might not even have discovered yet? To think about all the surprising things we can make and create with our hands? It's exciting, I think. Finding new loves and knowing there are only more to come in this life.
