As in literature and music, rug hooking is also left to the individual for interpretation. The other day I posted a photo of a folky homestead with a patriotic theme.
A seasoned rug hooker friend of mine interpreted the piece as a bird house. Until she said that I'd interpreted the design as a house with garden in front and the grey strip below the house and "Y" shapes as walkway and driveway. How do you interpret it?
Below is a pattern called Gossip by Woolley Fox. Excuse the red drawing as those were my personal changes to the design. But you can see the images along the sides and bottom.
Back in June before starting hooking the pattern I asked my readers if they saw the images as leaves or feathers. Frankly either way would be okay as the birds are on tree limbs so leaves would be quite normal. I decided they should be feathers to go with the birds and the dark on all four sides would act as an inside border of sorts.
However, my friend Deb perceived those shapes as leaves. Note she followed the original pattern and didn't change the bird shapes as I did.
Deb was inspired by the leaf shapes in the antique Domestic Zoo design, a section of which is posted below so you can see those leaves.
This rug was hooked by me and if you wish to purchase a pattern click on the link just above.
Since we are talking about interpretation there are several elements in Domestic Zoo which had me thinking as I was pulling loops. That made this big rug even more fun and fast to hook since it didn't take long to hook a motif and hook a row of background around.
In addition to the cats, horse, donkey, birds and snakes I saw apples, a pear, leaves, hearts, bird house and cherries. So even a busy runner like that is up for interpretation.
Seems to me I had another design in my head as another example but forget what it was now. Happy hump day.
Saundra
Am finally starting to get ready for rug camp less than two weeks away. For several days it was questionable if I would be able to attend this year. Many of you may know that my ex would come care for the dog (previously Shadow and now Ben). But sadly he is very sick and cannot do it. I'm very saddened for his illness for I never wished any ill harm come to him.
Was uncertain at such late date I could find a kennel with an opening. Luckily I was to find one who would take on a Rottweiler as the first place refused to take a new client with a host of certain breeds. Am sure I will worry about Ben at camp and hope he adjusts, if not that might be the end of my travel to rug camps.
The pattern I'm taking to Barb Carroll's is a Woolley Fox Design called "Gossip". Here is a photo of the rug my pal Deb started at Barb's camp a few years ago.
Deb halted hooking on the design because she wanted to tweak the swan, owl and another bird. Deb liked the design so much she purchased the pattern twice. She found the other when cleaning out her stash and I was the lucky recipient of the duplicate.
In anticipation of hooking this design got thinking about the motifs she has having a problem with and had an idea..... what about changing the turkey, owl and swan into birds also. AH HA! Good idea Saundra.
Today I started digging thru my wool to decide what candidates there are for a background and pulling small pieces of color for various birds.
And am wondering about some motifs on the rug ~ referring the the motif at the very bottom and those along the sides. When thinking about the name and the design have two thoughts... 'birds of a feather flock together' and are those motifs feathers?
Would be interested in your thoughts.... feathers or leaves?
Must walk Ben as we will soon be on the way to the vet (AGAIN) but this time it is to get him vaccinated for kennel cough since he will be kenneled in 11 days.
Saundra
