Weathervanes of New England Design and a couple others....

My goodness, we've been busy!  Mom finished our "Weathervanes of New England" design the other day and we are both thrilled beyond belief.  I have just stopped dead in my tracks when walking by it just to admire it.  I do this often with my designs to think about what I would have done differently and with this one I can honestly say it is just as it should be.  

As you know we had visited the Shelburne Museum, in Shelburne, Vermont last year in May.  What an absolutely amazing museum.  I grew up in Vermont, 45 minutes down the road from the museum, but hadn't been there since I was a child.  I was excited to go back because I knew it was loaded with wonderful Folk Art (that you don't appreciate as a child).  And, at the time we were living in Missouri and I really missed New England and needed my "yankee" fix!!  A day there certainly did it.  I took so many photographs but the highlight was the amazing weathervanes and folk art inspired from the weathervanes.  Mom immediately asked me to design a rug with them.  I put it off until December and presented it to her for Christmas.  I had it in my head for so long that putting it on paper and fabric was really just a formality.  I knew I wanted to do the flying geese border to represent "flow and continuity" or "movement" of the subjects.  Now, saying that, I'm not really a person who dissects artwork but I felt that the border was really going to tie it all together.  Mom had the vision for color.  We discussed it and knew that the subjects had to be simple with the POP coming from the border....

I didn't want all the the weathervanes going in the same direction.. why would they, right? 

I knew the directional letters had to be part of the design but wasn't quite sure how I was going to do it.  I had thought of putting an actual N,S,E,W weathervane right in the center, but it just didn't work..

Mom wanted color, but muted color for the border.  The brightest one is of course the yellow, but she always says you need to have one color that pops out, it is called "the poison".  It shouldn't detract, but should in a sense pull all the others together...

As I was designing the large rug I knew I wanted to also do all 8 Weathervanes individually.  I had done this before with my Favorite Things ~ Summer rug.  I separated the 9 blocks and called them my "Petite Prims".  So, with this one I knew I wanted to do each weathervane, but with a different border....and the borders had to be FABULOUS!!  Mom and I also both feel that the individual rugs should be done with the same colors, which, by the way are Antique Black for the subjects, our Just Grunge for the Backgrounds, Old green blanket, Old Gold, Terra Potta (yes with a P), and Spring Blue for the border with the background also being Antique Black.  So, the individual ones will all be done with the same colors, but as you can see, the borders are all very different.

Eagle

Fox and Hound

Whale

Rooster

Folk Flower

Indian

Horse

Two Fish

 ...and of course all of these designs can be found right at the top of my RUG HOOKING page at our website, www.theoldtatteredflag.com, but here's the link to make it easier: Rug Hooking Page

 So, in my spare time, between punching my series of Buttermolds into one big design (which is coming along nicely, I'll show it in a day or two)....

..and continuing to stitch on my "Through the tulips" bunny Wool applique design...

....I have hand shaped a few new hooks.  These are just beautiful.  I have surprised myself with just how pretty, strong and comfortable they are..I have tested them all.  They are available in my SUPPLIES section at the website as well.

And, two more designs.  What an absolute joy it has been for me to get back into creativity.  With my office all set up I have been able to get all these ideas out of my head and on to fabric.  

Below is my "Fraktur Flower" table runner.  It is 16 x 40 inches long and Mom has already chosen the most beautiful colors for it.

....and next is "Sheep Rides".  I first introduced this back in 2006 when I dabbled in pattern design.  It was popular back then so I decided to bring it back.  Both patterns are also on our RUG HOOKING page and all the designs you have seen today will be available for punch needle very soon.

So, as you can see, we have been busy as usual.  As I sit here and look out the window I'm thinking about the 9 other new designs I have ready to go, but know that soon my time will be limited as spring approaches.  I am still seeing mountains of snow, but those mountains are getting smaller every day, thankfully.  With that though I know I will be able to open the windows and get outside....FINALLY!!  With the rough winter we have had here and the fact that we were gone for more than a year, our yard has suffered.  I think all the flowers will breath a big sigh of relief when the piles of leaves are raked off and the bushes all need trimming.  Isn't it wonderful to see everything come back to life and to hear the birds chirping?? I just love spring time!!

I've gone on long enough today, but come back soon and I'll show you some of the goodies the ladies brought over on Thursday for show and tell...

Until next time....