Tips on Abstract Designs ....

Abstracts

-can be suitable for beginners and also the most experienced hookers

-freedom of form allows you to express yourself with your use of colours

-abstract rugs can be created with an assortment of wools, along with different textures, colours and sizes of material

-you can separate your materials to be hooked in free forms around your mat

-you can hook it and unhook it until it's what you want

-visualize your design in your mind, sketch it or use an object for inspiration

-you can ask yourself 3 questions: 1. What is it's shape? 2. Is it defined by parallel, circles or horizontal lines? 3. Am I following my instincts?

Jun 14, 2017
emily dunne
Tags: Inspiration tips

The Last Three Stitches

Jun 09, 2017
Deanne Fitzpatrick
Tags: Videos

It changes

It seems that I start out with an idea when I begin to hook a design that almost always morphs. I thought these poppies would have a black background tinged with a bit of navy. Now look at the background. Yellow and white together. Clearly something big happened as I hooked that changed my mind. It is important to approach every pattern you start with an open mind because what you think will look good and what will look good can be far apart from each other.

I am loving these diamonds. Simple little designs , squares and diamonds together are turning into a good background.

Jun 09, 2017
Deanne Fitzpatrick
Tags: tips

May 2017 Pattern of the Month- love the ladybug!

Jun 02, 2017
Deanne Fitzpatrick
Tags: videos

While You Hook Podcast #1: How to Hook Rugs More Often

One of the challenges people face is finding time to hook. We all struggle with it a bit. It is important to commit. In the podcast below I give you some ideas for committing to your rug hooking.

May 31, 2017
Deanne Fitzpatrick
Tags: hooking Inspiration podcast

What Inspires Me Now.....Remembering Maude Lewis

Recently I went to see the movie Maudie which I loved. I loved it for one reason mainly. They captured the heart of being an artist. When I went bible study the next day, Cynthia, a former artist told me that she had read Lance Woolaver's book, A Heart at the Door and that there was a lot of artistic licence in the movie. Her life was much tougher than was portrayed in the movie. As Cynthia said, "Everett was no Ethan Hawke."

I had left the movie wondering what was accurate and what was not. I had known very little about her. So I ordered Woolaver's book from the library and am waiting for it to come. The movie Maudie is a story, and is told sweetly and sensitively.

After watching it I was inspired to come home and make work straight from my heart. When a movie can do that to someone who has been making art for twenty five years I think it did a lot right.

The next night I stayed home and made a simple little house rug with a few flowers.

I just wanted to hook pretty. You can see a detail from it below.

It was not important to me that the movie be accurate in every detail. I was disappointed to hear that it was not but really I learned from the movie that I wanted to know more about her. I also felt that they really showed the most important thing about her, her artistic spirit, delicately and beautifully. It is an excellent movie and if you get the chance to see it I hope you are as inspired by Maude Lewis and her creative spirit as I was. we very rarely get to see art so pure, even if it was at times drive by commercial sales. I love the spirit that comes through in her work. I love it even more having seen the movie,

If you are interested in knowing more you can see her house at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia which now is the home to house as shown above.

Notice the hooked rugs on the floor. How sweet is that connection.You can also find out more factual information about her life in the links below. Lance Woolaver has researchedMaude's life intensively and recently wrote a biography. The links are below.

Maude Lewis AGNS

Lance Woolaver, Heart at the Door