Our Daily Bread - Preparedness

Our Daily Bread - A State Of Preparedness -  

The Welcome Mat - July 30/20013

• Posted by Wanda Kerr on July 30, 2013 at 7:09am in Uncategorized
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I'm hooking away on my challenge rug in stolen moments. Do you know about the Challenge?

I think the title explains it all:

"I'll Hook With Anything Challenge." Go here to see about it. I see by the letters many are done but you still have time to join in if your are intrigued. I'm trying not to look yet until I get mine done.

I had trouble getting started on it for a couple of reasons.

I had a lot of other things calling screaming my name.

I wasn't ready, pattern not drawn, materials not gathered, a deficit of ideas of what to hook with.

I thought about gathering stuff on my way to Asheville to hook it.  A found source rug.

I thought about how I'd rather shoot myself in the foot.

I thought about what it might be like to hook the bags my cats food comes in, originality!!!

I thought there will be better days for that, saved the washed cat food bags for other inspired madness.

I was only able to think about these things because I was up against many demands.

But I snuck down one night and drew up my pattern and left it on the TABLE on a FRAME with HOOK and SCISSORS atop it.

This is a state of readiness.

Now that the dust has settled I was able to look around my studio for things to hook with I had not tried. Everything my eye touched on was a vanquished hero, already tamed and tested by the fire of my hook. What to do? I plopped down in my Captain Picardesque sewing chair.

The view from this vantage point directed me to new perspectives.

Every time I sew a garment, there are two things that happen. I have leavings from cutting them out, and I have tailings from my serging to sew them up. (Oh, I think there are three things, I get something new to wear ... DUH)

I'm using both tailings and leavings to create my challenge rug.

Of course I love it because I love the fabrics, the cottons are cut on the bias because I sew on the bias a lot of the time and the rest are delightful knit fabrics which are the bomb to hook with.

I made a pile of prospective candidates and laid those on top of the frame and let curiosity do it's trick, I just couldn't wait another minute longer to see what those fabrics might look like hooked up. Sometimes I'm using the right side, sometimes the wrong, but it is all fun!

This state of preparedness let me snatch 45 minutes last night and now it is 2/3 finished.

I believe my project is the land where polka dots are harvested.

How do you employ or enjoy a state of preparedness in your hooking or life in general?

Does it help you get more hooking done?

Excitement Stirs for Hooking

So let's say you already hook with everything but wool flannel, how can the "I'll hook with anything challenge work for you?"

It seems the undercurrent of this "I'll hook with anything challenge " is walk on your wild side.

So for those of you who never or rarely use wool flannel your challenge will be to do so.

It's not so bad! Look at how pretty it can be!

It is a season for exploration, bug bites and campfires.

The wide world of outdoors. See what kind of spirit from this season you can lay down in that project!

Everyone joining in is revved up and excited to get going.

I love thinking of the Go Your Own Way  pattern being turned upside down or on it's end or even cut on thirds, scrambled and reformed. So many things to do with one idea!

I love hooking outside the lines and just plain hooking outside in the good old steam bath air of Wiarton, in the shade of course, with a tall ice filled soda tinkling away beside me and the company of a few good women and men.

I hope you are getting some hooking in!

I just started a little quickie hooking to be published in RHM using wandering wool.

It's owly and spirited. I was inspired by a early grecian owls that looks remarkably woodland artist like. 

The house of invention has many rooms to visit by all cultures but they all visit the same house!

Spirit Owl will soon be the Welcome Mat free pattern of the month.

Nothing like a little pressure!

Oh it feels good to be squeezed in a certain direction, just like a good pair of spanks.

I'll Hook With Anything Challenge

• Posted by Wanda Kerr on July 15, 2013 at 10:33am in Play Day
• Back to Play Day Discussions

This is a teeny, tiny challenge.

With an easy, peasy pattern.

Your job is to use all kinds of stuff to hook it, prove you will hook with anything.

You can add to this simple landscape and make it your own, day or night, dull or bright, you do the colouring.

Try to make a list for us of the many things you included.

This is an 8"x 11" pattern which you can reduce to 4 x 6 if you like.

( this pattern is on the Mat) 

It is called "You can go your own way" Print it out on an 8 x 11 sheet of paper. The paper edge is the edge of the pattern, sorry there was a glitch.

Make of it what you can or wish, abstract it, plant trees or add flying monkeys.

It's your day to play!

Deadline: August 18th, 2013

Join up here if you are in.

This includes you, even if you are not a member of The Mat, for $30 you can take part in this sparky challenge, light a fire under you frame or arse whichever needs it most and get hooking.
If that wasn't enough for your $30 you'll get the wonderful added benefit of all the Mat has to offer for a whole year, new dye formulas, patterns and the presence of many expert hookers with tons to offer, the list is endless, so many wonderful videos and articles archived... it's a hooker's treasure box.

I'll be right there during the challenge to answer questions, offer support and help you if needed during this exciting exploration.

I've hooked with dang near everything possible and some impossible, I've got the street cred.

Let's have some fun!

Petticoat Junction!

I've been having great fun making petticoats aka slips.

They have a rayon skirt and all manner of folderal attached to the bottom.

Beats a tricot binding, riding high static inducing tube any day!

The purple one I made for Janet as a gift.

I overdyed a variety of silk shirts, one striped , one overshot  and silk jacquard and ribbon for the trimmings.

They are so wash and wear and so much fun to wear!

There is a chance!

It is your lucky day perhaps... I have two openings for a student(s) in my classes in Asheville NC.

One available spot in Aug. 8 and 9th class and the Aug. 10 and 11th class.

You can attend both classes if you wish.

We will be working on expanding your use of colour. I will attend to you personally to help you get where you want to go.

 No colour "theory" allowed... just hands on hooking fun!

All you need is a bag of strips and a piece of backing, this class is for building your skills.

You can fly there, take the train or drive. The class is held within walking distance of wonderful varied priced hotels, shops and restaurants in Biltmore Village.

Each class cost $270. 

Half the size of a regular hooking class

Only 8 students per class 

Lunch and beverages provided.

$50 down payment required

Write me if you are up for some good fun in August. 

wlm@bmts.com