I mentioned in yesterday's post that my rug hooked pumpkin was so cute he deserved his own post. Don't you agree? He just makes me smile, he's such a goofy, happy guy.
Here is is with his cousins that inspired his very existence. I bought the two pumpkins on the right from my friend Mary Stanley. I adore her version of modern folk art rug hooking, I can hardly resist them whenever she makes a new patch;). She makes all sorts of rug hooked animals and shapes, and she'll be teaching her rug hooked creations again soon.
Anyway, when we knew we were going to be meeting up for a little art-friend fun, I started asking her what materials I needed to purchase so she could get me going on my own. Mary, being the sweet spirit that she is, brought everything I needed, I just brought a little bit of wool felt I had on hand.
After my doodling a rough pumpkin, and asking Mary to sort of improve on it a little, she gave me a few tips and tricks and I was off. I was instantly in love.
By the end of day 2, it was really adding up. You can see a few changes I'd made from previous hooking. It's such a forgiving art form: you don't like a color or texture or location? Pull it out!
Once home, I got it to a point of alllllmmoooost done (above)...and then decided I needed to move the eyes, and replace a few colors that were a bit too distracting.
A few more switches and I was ready to really call it done and stitch it into a little stuffed pillow.
I sent Mary some late night photos sking if there were any obvious no-no's I wasn't seeing...
I found it suprising how different my pumpkin looked from hers, even though she had added some of her touches to my rough sketch. Of course, color choice has an impact, and the rug hooking itself, but still, beyond that, I see a very obvious difference between Mary's and mine. Hers have much more of a folkart flare than mine. I really, really love that about art.
Finally, stitching it up! When making projects, specific crafts; those with a beginning, middle, and end, (different than when engaging in art that's all about the process, the play that's open ended), I love completeing them. The closer I get the more excited. At this point, I was feeling unstoppable, so close...
I do wish I had machine stitched on my label before sewing it on the back; but I didn't. Frankly, it's pretty much made to sit on the couch, so I'm sure it's fine. I imagine a future where my children have it in their houses, and their children become familiar with his appearance each fall, looking at him and flipping him over to see their grandma's (my!) name. I want them to know I made it with love for them. (Of course, this is all imagined, my kids might not even have kids I know, but one can dream...)
I guess I best make a second so both my kids will have them in their homes....oh darn! ;)
