COMING UP FOR AIR

Coming up for air - that is exactly how I feel today - last week whirled by me in a vacuum of being sick at rug camp - being in the office only 1 day last week and leaving on Thursday - still not 100% for a long drive to Auburn AL for a meeting I needed to head up. 

I promised a complete run down of the Off the Ocean rug camp however the first day of camp I was already beginning to feel sick.  I went home Friday night instead of staying at the hotel with my mom - Saturday I was worse and by Sunday I was holed up in the hotel room too sick to even get dressed or venture very far from the bed.  How horrible is it to be sick at an event like this????  too sick to even get in my car and drive 10 miles to my house!!!!!!!!!  It's pretty horrible I might say - I missed the exhibit on Sunday - missed seeing many friends who come to see the exhibit.  I missed more than a full day of hooking/class time and my progress on this rug really shows it.  On the positive side - I did get a good start on this very large rug which is an original design by friend Katie Puckett who is a co-director of this rug camp.  I got to name it so it is Medieval Melody and I wanted William Morris type colors.  I must admit that I started this rug about 4 years ago with another teacher - somehow it just did not come together - it did not excite me - the colors were not what I wanted - it was too monotone so I rolled it up and put it away with the thought that one day I would pull it out again and find a teacher who was willing to work with some of the wool I had previously purchased and maybe add some of their own flavor and spark to the rug.  I knew I would get what I was looking for from Vivily Powers - I have had Vivily several times before at the rug camp I attend every year in Sebring Fl.  She did not disappoint - after tossing out a few of her choices that were too bright for what I had in mind - I added a gorgeous dusty plum 5 value color set and a rich rusty red 5 value set all looked awesome upon her great backround color called White Trash (yep she uses cute catchy names for many of her wool color formulas) - So she will have to dye more wool for me but I have made the plunge and am quite happy with how the rug is shaping up so far.  Here is a close up of the center medallion. 

Vivily came up with a beautiful spot dye that was the inspiration for the whole color plan on the rug. It is the leave section of the red flower on the right.  There is also a great 4 value turquoise set that is being dyed but is not currently hooked into the rug - so that will be a lovely addition to this color plan. 

Here is the full view of the rug including the border which is really the focal point of the whole rug.  For any rug hookers out there - I have started in a 5 cut and I might add some 4 for that looping vine in the border or any other fine detail - since there is not a lot of open backround in this rug - I will probably just stick with a 5 cut even in the backround.

Here is my mom's new rug - it's called Bunny Trails and is by Not Forgotten Farms reproduced to canvas by Spruce Ridge Studios.  My mom is a meticulous hooker - it takes her a while to make progress but she does a lovely job with the actual hooking.  She wanted something bright and springy and this certainly fills the bill.  The house is 2 shades of yellow gold - how about that blue door ???  Don't you love the texture of the daddy bunny and his cool ty dyed shirt - Vivily was trying to encourage my mom to make a plaid dress for Mommy Bunny but I'm not sure she is going to bite on that idea.  I love the rounded edge on the top of this rug - should be great fun to watch it take shape.

Here is Vivily on the right with fellow student and friend Susan Rogers on the left.  Susan is doing a lovely crewel pattern called Vasa and her color plan was exquisite.  Susan is a quilter convert to rug hooker - she told me she would sit and hook all day if she could and I think she has some interest in dyeing as well. 

 Dawn friend and a charter member of our local rug guild was hooking a stunning peacock design.  The colors in this rug were so wonderful - I know it will be fun to watch this one come alive.

Ladie (yes that is her real name) was doing a neat rug that was adapted from a old post card or some type of media like that.  She lives on St Simons Island Ga and  I wish the photo was better - the waves at the bottom were so neat - it has a shrimp boat and a rendition of the lighthouse on the island.  Her color plan was gorgeous and she said she dyed all the wool herself. 

there were about 15 or so people in my class - there were lots of  great rugs being hooked that I did not get photos of - sadly people were in and out a lot the last 2 days and I was mostly out of commission so I missed getting photos of many of my class mates rugs.

Off the Ocean 2011 is now a distant memory - it was their 12th camp and my 12th camp with the directors who are a mother daughter team and good friends of mine.  I have been fortunate enough to take classes with many great teachers at this camp - I have started a new rug each year except this year - yes I have many WIP's which are not finished from this and other camps but when I look back over the past 12 years of rug hooking - I have had so much fun and created some awesome rugs and made many friends along that journey.  I would not take anything for the experiences I have had and the time spent hooking with my mom and our friends is priceless.