There are folks out there that call me clever; some have gone so far as to tell me I’m brilliant, but I don’t know if I deserve such accolades. Sure I like to dabble in designs and be creative in my rug hooking, but am I a genius?
I’ve been known to land on a decent idea now and then, either accidentally or prompted by those around me who think more outside the box than I do. I’m pretty crammed into my own personal square, my arms and legs are contorted, folded in tightly around my torso with my head tilted hard to a shoulder so it doesn’t stick out and destroy any attempts to stay within the lines. I’m comfortable in my box and don’t see leaving it in the foreseeable future but I do occasionally entertain moments of inspiration where I amaze myself but other times I come away with a blown mind by someone else’s incredible vision. At those times my inner voice wails, “WHY didn’t I think of that!?”
The book I’m writing for “The ABC’s of Rug Hooking” inspired by the Alphabet I’m hooking was only supposed to be a fun, colourful poster until someone more insightful suggested it would make a lovely book. A lightbulb moment for me, why it never dawned on me is one of those mysteries I’ll take to my grave, or at least to the publisher. Ideas are always so darn easy once someone plants a seed. But for this scenario perhaps I am a genius; keeping people in my entourage who are smarter than me.
This morning is a perfect example. My hubby, my biggest supporter and fan, is a genius. The fact that he married me pretty much proves it, but I digress. I heard words come out of his mouth this morning and couldn’t believe it hadn’t dawned on me before. I mean, really, because it’s so bloody obvious I must be dull and dim-witted to miss it. It concerns the Nautical Riser project I’m working on that we were discussing as we were looking at the new pattern stretched across on my hooking frame. He says, “Why don’t you put rope across the top of the first riser and at the bottom of the last riser so it is a continuous link of rope that stops the eye from drifting off the landing.”
My eyes weren’t quite open at that point, I hadn’t had a coffee yet, but hearing this they flew open and I sat up from my whiny, I didn’t sleep much last night inclined sofa position, and cried “OMG, that’s a fabulous idea!”
So I will be designing an end and beginning pattern for my Nautical Riser collection. In the meantime I’ve started on my next installation, pattern number 9 with 7 more to go. This one is two stylized fish flanking the name and design of our boat. CATALYST II, Nonsuch 33. The center is left open for those who wish to add their family surname or boat name as I did, and I should add we would love to put on for those that buy the pattern. I have toyed with the colour plan but haven’t fully decided where the reds will be, it being the constant that runs throughout my hooked riser rugs.
I finished my Paddles yesterday and was very happy with the way they turned out. That little #3 line of Antique Red under each paddle makes it pop, as if they were hanging on a wall in the boat shed. I used a Blue Ombre (pictured above) for the background and cut it down the various shades from a soft blue to a brown, graduating them so the darker bits were on the bottom. I really like this one and it takes its place on the risers fitting in beautifully with its predecessors.
I have also bought Velcro strips to attach to the rugs to the wood riser. In the past they were stuck on with packing tape and kept falling down to trip anyone on walking up or down the stairs. Then we had a leak from the a rain a week or so ago and hubby thinks he has fixed the problem so after the next rain to be sure there’s no more water getting in, I’ll place them back on the stairs.
I’ve been known to land on a decent idea now and then, either accidentally or prompted by those around me who think more outside the box than I do. I’m pretty crammed into my own personal square, my arms and legs are contorted, folded in tightly around my torso with my head tilted hard to a shoulder so it doesn’t stick out and destroy any attempts to stay within the lines. I’m comfortable in my box and don’t see leaving it in the foreseeable future but I do occasionally entertain moments of inspiration where I amaze myself but other times I come away with a blown mind by someone else’s incredible vision. At those times my inner voice wails, “WHY didn’t I think of that!?”
The book I’m writing for “The ABC’s of Rug Hooking” inspired by the Alphabet I’m hooking was only supposed to be a fun, colourful poster until someone more insightful suggested it would make a lovely book. A lightbulb moment for me, why it never dawned on me is one of those mysteries I’ll take to my grave, or at least to the publisher. Ideas are always so darn easy once someone plants a seed. But for this scenario perhaps I am a genius; keeping people in my entourage who are smarter than me.
This morning is a perfect example. My hubby, my biggest supporter and fan, is a genius. The fact that he married me pretty much proves it, but I digress. I heard words come out of his mouth this morning and couldn’t believe it hadn’t dawned on me before. I mean, really, because it’s so bloody obvious I must be dull and dim-witted to miss it. It concerns the Nautical Riser project I’m working on that we were discussing as we were looking at the new pattern stretched across on my hooking frame. He says, “Why don’t you put rope across the top of the first riser and at the bottom of the last riser so it is a continuous link of rope that stops the eye from drifting off the landing.”
My eyes weren’t quite open at that point, I hadn’t had a coffee yet, but hearing this they flew open and I sat up from my whiny, I didn’t sleep much last night inclined sofa position, and cried “OMG, that’s a fabulous idea!”
So I will be designing an end and beginning pattern for my Nautical Riser collection. In the meantime I’ve started on my next installation, pattern number 9 with 7 more to go. This one is two stylized fish flanking the name and design of our boat. CATALYST II, Nonsuch 33. The center is left open for those who wish to add their family surname or boat name as I did, and I should add we would love to put on for those that buy the pattern. I have toyed with the colour plan but haven’t fully decided where the reds will be, it being the constant that runs throughout my hooked riser rugs.
I finished my Paddles yesterday and was very happy with the way they turned out. That little #3 line of Antique Red under each paddle makes it pop, as if they were hanging on a wall in the boat shed. I used a Blue Ombre (pictured above) for the background and cut it down the various shades from a soft blue to a brown, graduating them so the darker bits were on the bottom. I really like this one and it takes its place on the risers fitting in beautifully with its predecessors.
I have also bought Velcro strips to attach to the rugs to the wood riser. In the past they were stuck on with packing tape and kept falling down to trip anyone on walking up or down the stairs. Then we had a leak from the a rain a week or so ago and hubby thinks he has fixed the problem so after the next rain to be sure there’s no more water getting in, I’ll place them back on the stairs.
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