Sunday, March 18, 2012

Hooks, scissors & bees.....


Good Morning Friends & Folk ~
and Happy Sunday to you!

Here is my small collection of rug hooks and scissors...
i realized that the scissors that I'm drawn to have this dark, almost gunmetal patina to them...
they are all antique, with my oldest pair dating to the late 1800's (the stork scissors, upper left)


The heavy-looking scissors at the very bottom are button scissors,
were used to snip valuable buttons from cothing when it was spent...
the hooks are so much fun to collect...my favorite one is the one I mentioned yesterday,
(upper left) but the one I am hooking with right now is the one located at ther 7:00 position ~
it has a sharp hook, and a maple handle...
I usually use my Hartman hook, but my friend Joan is borrowing it to see if she wants to invest in one at the rug show next Saturday...

I have not spent over $20 on any pair of scissor or hook.
that's the fun part of collecting! ~ trying to find them for a good price :)
The hook at the 2:00 position is one Peter made for me from a deer antler that Lazy found on a walk in the woods...it is beautiful and feels good in the hand.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and here is what I decided to hook...
a honey bee...

I was thinking about spring, and how much I enjoy the gardens ~
I was also looking for inspriation on Pinterest
(who doesn't??)
and looked into one of my boards...
...found thee perfect honeybee photo and drew up my interpretation of it.

I used standing wool circles for the bee's eyes, and love how they look!
the bacground will be that wonderful blue wool I showed you yesterday...

Joan wanted to watch me hook yesterday, saying she didn't like the way she hooked her loops...
so I set her up at the table with a little log cabin square design to watch HER hook...
(see what I did there?) hahaha...folks tend to think there is a right or wrong way to hook...
I disagree. totally.
I feel that we all hook differently to begin with...we percieve color differently, hold our hooks differently, draw differently, space rows differently and so on...

see how I hook?
my loops are not even.
my rows are not tidy.
my strips are handcut so that they are different sizes altogether.
I have been hooking for 20 years and I love the way I hook.

I don't try to hook like anyone else, because i can't.
I'm just simply me and you are just simply & wonderfully you.

so embrace the hook, fondle the wool and love what you do.
if it brings you joy, that's what matters!!!

(p.s.) this honeybee will be a chairpad, and I'll finish it up today to share with you)
blessings from the farm,
Lori

17 comments:

Robin Leuschen said...

Oh Lori, your honey bee is so loveely ! I love your colors, your loops, everything !I love wool , I love hooking, but I don't want to get caught up in rules and stiffness.....Create and bee happy !!!...lol
Robin

Mugwump Woolies said...

Lori...your collection is wonderful! We do love all the tools and doodads that go with our needlework don't we? I feel such a kinship with those lovely ladies that came before us when I see an assemblage such as yours...they would, I am sure, be pleased to know their hooks are valued by a new generation, today.
Your bee is great, as well. I whole heartily agree with your thoughts on hooking. I have hooked with ladies whose loops and rows were "perfect". I cannot do "perfect"...I have stopped trying and have much more fun...and I like the look of my rug better, too.
Can't wait to see the finished chair pad...it looks fabulous so far!

Gayle said...

Actually, the scissors at the bottom of your picture are button HOLE scissors - used to cut open a buttonhole after it has been stitched without any damage to the edge of the garment - looks like the screw is missing - if you do a google image search you'll see what I mean. Love your bumble bee rug - those eyes are perfect!

Laura said...

Lori,Thank you so much for saying exactly how I feel. Lol! I have never liked all the so called rules... In needlework! I am what I am and love what I alone can create. I have always looked at patterns and picures as guides to what the possiblities could be. Thanks for sound advise and saying ioy so well.

gracie said...

I love the look of your piece. I have not tried this ..yet...but I agree, there is a little difference in the way we all do a craft and that is what makes us special as well as our project.

gracie said...

I love the look of your piece. I have not tried this ..yet...but I agree, there is a little difference in the way we all do a craft and that is what makes us special as well as our project.

Ann said...

Oh, I love the bee! His eyes are perfect. I need to learn how to do that technique. ~Ann

Annette-California said...

Your Bee Rug is Beautiful. It looks like you use small strips of wool. I don't understand how you hook this. I've only done the regular hook rugs with small pre-cut yarns (Kits). Maybe sometime you can explain how to get those loops. I can only imagine the ends showing on this side and not the pretty flods like you have done. I hope I'm describing this properly. Still very new at this. thank you for sharing your work is gorgeous.

woolyredrug said...

Such a sweet bee and love, love your collection of scissors and hooks! Treasures for sure! ~L

Karmen said...

You bee making some fine wool work. Karmen

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

Such good advice ~ so many want to hook perfectly ~ want it to like somebody else's ~ that's when hooking becomes frustrating for them. Hook just like you hook and you'll love your result!

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

I am so happy that so many agree with the 'no rules' theory! ~ I love what I do & do it my way...anyone who has ever taken a class from me knows that I try to show the basic technique, then encourage you to 'find' your own way...manay thanks for the comments...

Robin, yes, the 'stiffnes' is no fun at all & I wanna have FUN!

Gayle, thanks for letting me know a little more about my scissors! I love when folks sahre their knowledge!!!

Annette-California, my strips are hand cut using scissors, so they renge between & #8 & #9.5, both primitive size cuts of wools strips...hoping you continue to hook and are loving it!

~Lori

My Colonial Home said...

Hi Lori,
What a great collection.
I was shopping yesterday and found a pair of the dark gun metal gray ones but they came with a string holder (which I didn't want) so needless to say I didn't get them.
Oh my the bee is too adorable.
Thanks for sharing.
Karen

Jane said...

Love your bee-utiful piece. Your inspiration and encouragement have allowed me to become the hooker I am today!! I never thought I'd call myself an artist, but thanks to you, I do!!
Hugs.....

Coon Hollow Farm said...

Beeeeeing a beekeeper I must say it looks just like one of my girls!

Zhenya and Nika Aksutin said...

I like your blog! Beautiful crosstitch! Welcom to my blog too, about my crosstitch, quilt and ministry! Hello from Russia, Nika

jennifer768 said...

Love your bee rug!I just finished punching one with the oxford rug punch,it reminded me of Spring as well.What a wonderful collection of hooks and scissors.Hugs,Jen