Guest blogger: Heather Gordon
PHOTO #1
When my father saw or learned something unexpected that changed his mind, he used to say “Now that is a horse of a different colour.” When I saw Christine’s first 2014 calendar rug design, I knew that I had to hook it but, it would be hooked a little differently. I, too, prefer a horse of a different colour. Perhaps this is because I like to break rules and put my own touch on things, sometimes jut to be different. Doing things in the prescribed or expected manner is a little too boring.
This is the year of the horse and this is my year. For that reason, I knew immediately that I wanted my horse to be permanent and not tied to the year 2014 alone. I was born in 1942 in the year of the horse. This Chinese zodiac sign honours the bravery and loyalty of the ancient Chinese war horse. It is reliable, intelligent, friendly, and – wait for this – independent. I think they got it right.
My first impulse was to hook the horse like the ancient bronze statue on which the design is based so I gathered some rich bronzy golds that looked marvelous with the deep blues that are scattered through my house. Photo 1 represents the plan. Then, I decided to use Dorr hookable wool as a backing and chose the one with a little gold speck to pick up the tones of the horse. Then I found a small skein of hand-spun yarn that had a soft blend of grey-blues and golds. I think I picked it up in Newfoundland a couple of years ago, based on the theory that if you love something, you will eventually find a project where you can use it.
Photo 1 – original fabrics and colour palette
I started with the dark blue mane and found that it needed an outline to accentuate the flowing lines. Rather than using a solid colour of Briggs & Little yarn, I tried the hand-spun. Then, I wondered whether it would work as an outline for the body. It looked so beautiful alone against the wool background that I decided not to hook the horse at all. The piece needed more blue so that went into the Chinese characters in the corners. Since I only had about ten inches of the hand-spun yarn left, I turned to other aged bronzy tones from Briggs & Little used them in the hooves, the cloud under the horse’s hooves and to outline the corner characters. Then, I made it into a pillow cover, using the same hookable wool for the back.
Photo 2 – the finished project.
Time and time again, my projects evolve and take on a life of their own. I did end up with a horse of a different colour. This time it has no colour at all, but it works and I can enjoy it through all the seasons of all the years ahead.
This is the year of the horse and this is my year. For that reason, I knew immediately that I wanted my horse to be permanent and not tied to the year 2014 alone. I was born in 1942 in the year of the horse. This Chinese zodiac sign honours the bravery and loyalty of the ancient Chinese war horse. It is reliable, intelligent, friendly, and – wait for this – independent. I think they got it right.
My first impulse was to hook the horse like the ancient bronze statue on which the design is based so I gathered some rich bronzy golds that looked marvelous with the deep blues that are scattered through my house. Photo 1 represents the plan. Then, I decided to use Dorr hookable wool as a backing and chose the one with a little gold speck to pick up the tones of the horse. Then I found a small skein of hand-spun yarn that had a soft blend of grey-blues and golds. I think I picked it up in Newfoundland a couple of years ago, based on the theory that if you love something, you will eventually find a project where you can use it.
Photo 1 – original fabrics and colour palette
I started with the dark blue mane and found that it needed an outline to accentuate the flowing lines. Rather than using a solid colour of Briggs & Little yarn, I tried the hand-spun. Then, I wondered whether it would work as an outline for the body. It looked so beautiful alone against the wool background that I decided not to hook the horse at all. The piece needed more blue so that went into the Chinese characters in the corners. Since I only had about ten inches of the hand-spun yarn left, I turned to other aged bronzy tones from Briggs & Little used them in the hooves, the cloud under the horse’s hooves and to outline the corner characters. Then, I made it into a pillow cover, using the same hookable wool for the back.
Photo 2 – the finished project.
Time and time again, my projects evolve and take on a life of their own. I did end up with a horse of a different colour. This time it has no colour at all, but it works and I can enjoy it through all the seasons of all the years ahead.
PHOTO #2
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