That stream

Yesterday, someone commented that the rug (so far) looks very tranquil. I think that's definitely the result of only using two colors. The only movement is, I hope, the directional hooking of the stream. That's my intent.

But this morning, as I was hooking to Jaqueline du Pre playing Elgar, some of that tranquillity came to me. And I had another thought: the whiskey that this stream produces will be smoky and dark. Somehow, the music was working very nicely with the colors of the water and the stillness of the rocks. The cello's tone echoed, at times, the smoky gray in the tweed. I could almost smell the peat fires.

Funny, only yesterday, I was wondering if it would work. Now, I can hardly wait to finish the rug and get it on the floor. The story and mood behind the rug will carry away any little design dissatisfaction of mine.

A beginning

You know how sculptors will say that the shape is already in the stone? That's exactly what happens to me, sometimes, with wool that I get.

I mentioned before that the jacket fabric looked like a mountain stream to me. This image was calling to me to hook it up - and quickly. So I am. I have further challenged myself to use only two fabrics. I have never done this before and not getting out all the colors in the paintbox is quite hard for me. But, resist I will.

The rug is square-ish (approx. 35") with random stepping stones of different sizes which will all be hooked in a lovely Harris tweed. I think it looks like granite. Then the stream part will be flowing and twisting around the stones in a diagonal course across the rug. As I'm hooking the word "skeining" keeps flashing through my thoughts. That's what I'm hoping the water looks like.

And because I began this while listening to a CBC program connecting Celtic music with drink, I know this mountain stream is somewhere in the highlands of Scotland. The peat-colored water flowing quickly to bring water to make the whiskey.