By Guest Blogger Heather Gordon
Rainbow Village....17 1/2" x 26 1/2" Although the word sounds complicated, the basic principle of tessellations is simple. Some experts describe tessellations as geometric patterns created by repeated shapes or patterns that completely cover the surface without gaps or overlapping motifs. Think of a basic quilt block or a simple geometric hooking pattern. If you replaced all of the plain background areas with a second design motif that interlocked with the first, you would have a tessellation.
If you want to see tessellations at their finest, check out the works of M. C. Escher. His advanced tessellation prints will blow your mind. If you want to try your hand at tessellations without going crazy, try a beginner workshop. Since I am always looking for new techniques and projects where I can experiment with colour and designs, I took the easy way out and signed up for summer rug camp with the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador. One of my friends and teaching colleagues was giving the workshop, so a group of us decided to torment her and attend en masse. We had a wonderful time and she was still smiling at the end of the third day so we didn’t do any permanent damage.
After I returned to Nova Scotia, I did some internet research. It’s a good thing I went in ignorant because advanced tessellations have a rather complicated mathematical basis and math is definitely not my strong suit. There is a lot of truth in the saying that ignorance is bliss. However, it is possible to play with tessellations and complete a simple pattern in a week or two. As proof, refer to the picture of the Rainbow Village.
The Rainbow Village is not what I had planned. Having an abundance of brown tweeds, plaids, checks and solids in my stash, I envisaged a warm, antique-looking log cabin design. It didn’t take long to figure out that the workshop house design didn’t look remotely like a log cabin. What to do? Since I still felt that the house was the best beginner motif for me, the only viable option was to change the colour. Then I spotted a piece of Ombre wool – off the bolt, no dyeing necessary. It had most of the colours of the rainbow. If I couldn’t go with the antique look, might as well go to the other end of the spectrum.
I finished the piece in a couple of weeks and enjoyed every minute. What could be easier than 8 cut and straight line hooking? Everyone loves it so we have planned an introduction to Tessellations in a 1 day workshop at Encompassing Designs. Christine is stocking up on various colour combinations of the Ombre wool. I’ll show you how to cut it to achieve the rainbow effect. Of course, you can use your own colours if you wish. We will also cover how to modify the templates and motifs to create the project size and shape of your choice. You can make a table runner, chair pad, pillow or floor mat – whatever your heart desires.
Join us on Saturday, November 2 for a fun day in Mahone Bay.
Heather Gordon
- Certified teacher with the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador - RHGNL
- Director, South Shore Region of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia - RHGNS
*A portion of the proceeds will go to the RHGNL
Click here for details of the workshop http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/workshops.html
If you want to see tessellations at their finest, check out the works of M. C. Escher. His advanced tessellation prints will blow your mind. If you want to try your hand at tessellations without going crazy, try a beginner workshop. Since I am always looking for new techniques and projects where I can experiment with colour and designs, I took the easy way out and signed up for summer rug camp with the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador. One of my friends and teaching colleagues was giving the workshop, so a group of us decided to torment her and attend en masse. We had a wonderful time and she was still smiling at the end of the third day so we didn’t do any permanent damage.
After I returned to Nova Scotia, I did some internet research. It’s a good thing I went in ignorant because advanced tessellations have a rather complicated mathematical basis and math is definitely not my strong suit. There is a lot of truth in the saying that ignorance is bliss. However, it is possible to play with tessellations and complete a simple pattern in a week or two. As proof, refer to the picture of the Rainbow Village.
The Rainbow Village is not what I had planned. Having an abundance of brown tweeds, plaids, checks and solids in my stash, I envisaged a warm, antique-looking log cabin design. It didn’t take long to figure out that the workshop house design didn’t look remotely like a log cabin. What to do? Since I still felt that the house was the best beginner motif for me, the only viable option was to change the colour. Then I spotted a piece of Ombre wool – off the bolt, no dyeing necessary. It had most of the colours of the rainbow. If I couldn’t go with the antique look, might as well go to the other end of the spectrum.
I finished the piece in a couple of weeks and enjoyed every minute. What could be easier than 8 cut and straight line hooking? Everyone loves it so we have planned an introduction to Tessellations in a 1 day workshop at Encompassing Designs. Christine is stocking up on various colour combinations of the Ombre wool. I’ll show you how to cut it to achieve the rainbow effect. Of course, you can use your own colours if you wish. We will also cover how to modify the templates and motifs to create the project size and shape of your choice. You can make a table runner, chair pad, pillow or floor mat – whatever your heart desires.
Join us on Saturday, November 2 for a fun day in Mahone Bay.
Heather Gordon
- Certified teacher with the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador - RHGNL
- Director, South Shore Region of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia - RHGNS
*A portion of the proceeds will go to the RHGNL
Click here for details of the workshop http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/workshops.html
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