I’ve been dog tired for the past couple of weeks. I’m averaging about three hours of sleep per night and my brain is beginning to feel like I’m seeing through waxed paper. The other day, I knew things were really off when I meant to top up the pup’s drinking bowl, filled a cup under the tap and proceeded to pour it over one of their beds. It reminds me of the time when I tried to wash a yard of Dorr wool in the toilet bowl, mistaking it for the washing machine after a particularly lengthy stint of insomnia.
There was a time I could stay up all night, dance on tables and see the sun rise on a new day; be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at work and still put out a so-so amount of productivity. Nowadays I’m barely able to string a few cognitive thoughts together if I don’t get eight hours.
What began this reign of sleeplessness was taking on a hooking project with a sharp deadline, one of those no ifs, buts, or maybes, it has to be done. I was intrigued when I first heard about it and with hubby away it was doable. When he’s gone my social life….wait a minute….what social life? The point is when he’s away working; I feel freer to pursue extra things. It’s not anything he demands, I just like to hang with him when he’s home, enjoying the novelty of it all. When he’s away, there’s no one to plan meals around, no obligation to consider anyone’s feelings but my own.
Although this may sound appealing to some, having that omnipresent husband under their feet 24/7, don’t envy me, there are also the negatives of being alone. Sure nothing calls on my time to distract me, but then there’s little social fun and worse, no sailing.
The project appealed to the designer in me and it was a forum to showcase my ability as a rug hooker when I am more known as a designer. And more intriguing I also knew I could experiment with my favourite colours, red, blue and gold, the trifecta of all things exciting in my “primary" focused brain.
A couple of weeks ago, a gal popped into the shop looking to purchase a rug featuring highlights of Nova Scotia, of which I had nothing to offer. She wanted the rug to be given as an award of excellence for an event held by Destination Canada to be explained below, and needed it by September 5th. I thought about it and said that I could design something specifically; the time allowed was too short for a large sized rug, so I offered to do a 14” x 26” piece and would incorporate a few provincial icons. The deadline was Monday, Sept 25, without exceptions so I couldn’t go over the top with detail. The race was on.
The shop is busy, that goes without saying, and then hubby came home unexpectedly, so the design got placed on the backburner for a few days so we could reconnect and get a few things done that needed doing. The pressure was there, the pot boiled over singeing the joy of his return, and then there was the boat. We’d not been sailing at all this summer as he was away, so I was hot to get out there and feel the wind in my hair and stay aboard our sea cottage for a night or two. But although the fun had begun, that design kept niggling at me and I finally had to get with it or let her know it wasn’t feasible. She said she had a backup plan so the pressure was mostly on me, but I’d given my word so I had to follow through.
I worked on the design, which was quite exciting and I started laying loops and let me tell you, I was thrilled with the progress, the colours absolutely glowed on my frame. I was trying to make up for lost time and hooking into the wee hours of the morning every night, I even took the rug on the boat with me once but that was a waste of time as I’m more interested in napping while at anchor, I drift off like a baby in the gentle motion, calling the belly of Catalyst II, a teak womb.
So the deadline is closing in at a fast pace and I think I can do it if I don’t go to work, don’t eat or sleep for the next four days. But, good intentions and all, the clock ran out Monday and I needed two more days of hooking and one day to do the finishing. So I emailed the gal my apologies saying I would love to do it for next year and sent her a photo of my progress. She must have liked what she saw because her reply came back extending the deadline to Friday. I assured her I could and would get it finished.
So that was the end of my sleep. Every night I worked well into the night pulling loops, and Wednesday and Thursday I was still up to greet the sun. I’m a fast hooker but I’m not a machine, I'm a mere mortal with limitations, and didn’t have the benefit of elves sneaking in after I'd crawled into bed to aid the progress.
And don’t think there was an ounce of sleep to be had when my head finally hit the pillow, I was so keyed with adrenalin I saw the sun creep up all the way, squeezing the light of day through the cracks in my blinds, burning through my eyelids to keep me from drifting off. In four days I’d had eight hours of sleep, not enough for anyone to function on.
Tuesday morning as I lay awake, frustrated and as tired as an old dishcloth, the Nova Scotia tartan idea was born for the two side borders. An excellent afterthought where I had imagined a hit and miss would go. I even toyed with printing NOVA on the left and SCOTIA on the right in vertical lettering but there is a part of me that doesn’t care for souvenirs that boast the name of the location they come from. The change was designed and hooked on Wednesday. Once the drawing was down, filling in the colours came quickly and being a repetitive pattern it practically hooked itself. There was a lot of three cut to squeeze it all in but I never shy away from a fine cut when the detail is paramount.
The whipping went quickly in the mindless fashion it usually does, which was great because by then I could barely rub two thoughts together, but the darn sewing of the rug binding and the little custom label I had took forever. It was all small stitches, needle pricks, blood and swearing under my breath as not to disturb any of the sleeping pups and hubby. It took two hours to sew it all on, two hours! I’d glance at the clock seeing the minutes tick by as my needle stitched away, I might not be fast but I’m good, you can’t see a bit of thread on the back and that kind of effort takes time. I’m nothing, if not a professional hooker!
It all came together and I sent it off Friday, whipped and steam pressed. I enjoyed it so much I’m considering hooking it again for the studio, this time of course at a realistic pace. I think a rug of our beautiful province would be very happy in the studio, taking its place among the other hooked rugs of the shop.
The ordeal took me three days to recover from. The stress and anxiety, the panic and the pressure took its toll. So then you might ask, “Why did you do it Christine?” You never sell your rugs; you like to look at the creations that come out of you, keep them around like old friends. Why invite that kind of pressure, especially when dealing with an ill pup and a busy shop?
Well good question, I don’t have a clue why I put myself through that wringer, but I have to say the rug that resulted from the effort was brilliant. In my humble opinion that is.... And if I had the chance to do it all again would I? Your darn tootin I would, cause I love to create and tell a good story!
Once it was packed up and taken away, I felt let down and kind of empty. The rug had been a very intense focus for so many days that I felt lost. I went home Friday evening and sat in my hooking chair with nothing to work on and I twitched uncomfortably, got up and paced the floor. It’s like a spring had been wound really tight and now it was unwinding and I didn’t quite know what to do with myself. That feeling lingered for the weekend as I faded in an out of sleep. Now it all seems like a dream and if not for the photo I could convince myself that I imagined it all.
Although seeing the rug go was difficult, I try to balance those emotions with the knowledge my rug will be given to someone in a foreign country that will appreciate it, perhaps hang it in an office or place of honour. It would be too sad to think it was put it in a closet or trunk to be forgotten. I can’t control any of this but I sure like to think the receiver was gob smacked when he was presented with it. We received a phone call saying my Nova Scotia Treasures rug is going to be well traveled, taken all the way to Australia by writer Max Anderson. Wow!
A lit bit about the event my rug was featured in:
This year Nova Scotia is thrilled to host Destination Canada's Go Media Canada Marketplace 2017 in Halifax, October 1-5. Go Media is a signature networking event bringing together top media and travel journalists from across Canada and around the world to meet with marketing and communications professionals from various tourism organizations across Canada. Media attendees include domestic and international applicants representing top-tier print, broadcast, radio and online outlets. Internationally, media are invited from the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Mexico, Brazil and India.
Each year, Destination Canada celebrates the best in travel and tourism storytelling by presenting the Explore Canada Awards of Excellence to celebrate stellar content creation from the tourism industry and travel media. Part of the event includes the presentation of awards to 5 selected travel media in recognition of their contributions towards helping to promote Canada as a travel destination. Nova Scotia is responsible for providing these "awards" which are to reflect the destination and be a "memory" of their achievement.
We would like to purchase one of your hooked rugs as one of the awards. We are looking for something that represents Nova Scotia in look/design. We would provide recognition during the awards presentation with verbal acknowledgement of the gift, recognition on signage / digital displays and a one-page information sheet for the award recipient telling the story behind your Nova Scotia inspired gift. Delivery would be required no later than September 25.
There was a time I could stay up all night, dance on tables and see the sun rise on a new day; be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at work and still put out a so-so amount of productivity. Nowadays I’m barely able to string a few cognitive thoughts together if I don’t get eight hours.
What began this reign of sleeplessness was taking on a hooking project with a sharp deadline, one of those no ifs, buts, or maybes, it has to be done. I was intrigued when I first heard about it and with hubby away it was doable. When he’s gone my social life….wait a minute….what social life? The point is when he’s away working; I feel freer to pursue extra things. It’s not anything he demands, I just like to hang with him when he’s home, enjoying the novelty of it all. When he’s away, there’s no one to plan meals around, no obligation to consider anyone’s feelings but my own.
Although this may sound appealing to some, having that omnipresent husband under their feet 24/7, don’t envy me, there are also the negatives of being alone. Sure nothing calls on my time to distract me, but then there’s little social fun and worse, no sailing.
The project appealed to the designer in me and it was a forum to showcase my ability as a rug hooker when I am more known as a designer. And more intriguing I also knew I could experiment with my favourite colours, red, blue and gold, the trifecta of all things exciting in my “primary" focused brain.
A couple of weeks ago, a gal popped into the shop looking to purchase a rug featuring highlights of Nova Scotia, of which I had nothing to offer. She wanted the rug to be given as an award of excellence for an event held by Destination Canada to be explained below, and needed it by September 5th. I thought about it and said that I could design something specifically; the time allowed was too short for a large sized rug, so I offered to do a 14” x 26” piece and would incorporate a few provincial icons. The deadline was Monday, Sept 25, without exceptions so I couldn’t go over the top with detail. The race was on.
The shop is busy, that goes without saying, and then hubby came home unexpectedly, so the design got placed on the backburner for a few days so we could reconnect and get a few things done that needed doing. The pressure was there, the pot boiled over singeing the joy of his return, and then there was the boat. We’d not been sailing at all this summer as he was away, so I was hot to get out there and feel the wind in my hair and stay aboard our sea cottage for a night or two. But although the fun had begun, that design kept niggling at me and I finally had to get with it or let her know it wasn’t feasible. She said she had a backup plan so the pressure was mostly on me, but I’d given my word so I had to follow through.
I worked on the design, which was quite exciting and I started laying loops and let me tell you, I was thrilled with the progress, the colours absolutely glowed on my frame. I was trying to make up for lost time and hooking into the wee hours of the morning every night, I even took the rug on the boat with me once but that was a waste of time as I’m more interested in napping while at anchor, I drift off like a baby in the gentle motion, calling the belly of Catalyst II, a teak womb.
So the deadline is closing in at a fast pace and I think I can do it if I don’t go to work, don’t eat or sleep for the next four days. But, good intentions and all, the clock ran out Monday and I needed two more days of hooking and one day to do the finishing. So I emailed the gal my apologies saying I would love to do it for next year and sent her a photo of my progress. She must have liked what she saw because her reply came back extending the deadline to Friday. I assured her I could and would get it finished.
So that was the end of my sleep. Every night I worked well into the night pulling loops, and Wednesday and Thursday I was still up to greet the sun. I’m a fast hooker but I’m not a machine, I'm a mere mortal with limitations, and didn’t have the benefit of elves sneaking in after I'd crawled into bed to aid the progress.
And don’t think there was an ounce of sleep to be had when my head finally hit the pillow, I was so keyed with adrenalin I saw the sun creep up all the way, squeezing the light of day through the cracks in my blinds, burning through my eyelids to keep me from drifting off. In four days I’d had eight hours of sleep, not enough for anyone to function on.
Tuesday morning as I lay awake, frustrated and as tired as an old dishcloth, the Nova Scotia tartan idea was born for the two side borders. An excellent afterthought where I had imagined a hit and miss would go. I even toyed with printing NOVA on the left and SCOTIA on the right in vertical lettering but there is a part of me that doesn’t care for souvenirs that boast the name of the location they come from. The change was designed and hooked on Wednesday. Once the drawing was down, filling in the colours came quickly and being a repetitive pattern it practically hooked itself. There was a lot of three cut to squeeze it all in but I never shy away from a fine cut when the detail is paramount.
The whipping went quickly in the mindless fashion it usually does, which was great because by then I could barely rub two thoughts together, but the darn sewing of the rug binding and the little custom label I had took forever. It was all small stitches, needle pricks, blood and swearing under my breath as not to disturb any of the sleeping pups and hubby. It took two hours to sew it all on, two hours! I’d glance at the clock seeing the minutes tick by as my needle stitched away, I might not be fast but I’m good, you can’t see a bit of thread on the back and that kind of effort takes time. I’m nothing, if not a professional hooker!
It all came together and I sent it off Friday, whipped and steam pressed. I enjoyed it so much I’m considering hooking it again for the studio, this time of course at a realistic pace. I think a rug of our beautiful province would be very happy in the studio, taking its place among the other hooked rugs of the shop.
The ordeal took me three days to recover from. The stress and anxiety, the panic and the pressure took its toll. So then you might ask, “Why did you do it Christine?” You never sell your rugs; you like to look at the creations that come out of you, keep them around like old friends. Why invite that kind of pressure, especially when dealing with an ill pup and a busy shop?
Well good question, I don’t have a clue why I put myself through that wringer, but I have to say the rug that resulted from the effort was brilliant. In my humble opinion that is.... And if I had the chance to do it all again would I? Your darn tootin I would, cause I love to create and tell a good story!
Once it was packed up and taken away, I felt let down and kind of empty. The rug had been a very intense focus for so many days that I felt lost. I went home Friday evening and sat in my hooking chair with nothing to work on and I twitched uncomfortably, got up and paced the floor. It’s like a spring had been wound really tight and now it was unwinding and I didn’t quite know what to do with myself. That feeling lingered for the weekend as I faded in an out of sleep. Now it all seems like a dream and if not for the photo I could convince myself that I imagined it all.
Although seeing the rug go was difficult, I try to balance those emotions with the knowledge my rug will be given to someone in a foreign country that will appreciate it, perhaps hang it in an office or place of honour. It would be too sad to think it was put it in a closet or trunk to be forgotten. I can’t control any of this but I sure like to think the receiver was gob smacked when he was presented with it. We received a phone call saying my Nova Scotia Treasures rug is going to be well traveled, taken all the way to Australia by writer Max Anderson. Wow!
A lit bit about the event my rug was featured in:
This year Nova Scotia is thrilled to host Destination Canada's Go Media Canada Marketplace 2017 in Halifax, October 1-5. Go Media is a signature networking event bringing together top media and travel journalists from across Canada and around the world to meet with marketing and communications professionals from various tourism organizations across Canada. Media attendees include domestic and international applicants representing top-tier print, broadcast, radio and online outlets. Internationally, media are invited from the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Mexico, Brazil and India.
Each year, Destination Canada celebrates the best in travel and tourism storytelling by presenting the Explore Canada Awards of Excellence to celebrate stellar content creation from the tourism industry and travel media. Part of the event includes the presentation of awards to 5 selected travel media in recognition of their contributions towards helping to promote Canada as a travel destination. Nova Scotia is responsible for providing these "awards" which are to reflect the destination and be a "memory" of their achievement.
We would like to purchase one of your hooked rugs as one of the awards. We are looking for something that represents Nova Scotia in look/design. We would provide recognition during the awards presentation with verbal acknowledgement of the gift, recognition on signage / digital displays and a one-page information sheet for the award recipient telling the story behind your Nova Scotia inspired gift. Delivery would be required no later than September 25.
Max Anderson. The recipient of my rug being presented.
He's Australian and pretty darn good look'in.
He's Australian and pretty darn good look'in.
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