It's was too damp and cold to work outside so instead, I worked in my dye kitchen. I boiled some onion skins and dyed some wool to be used as flesh color in my new rug. It felt a little strange at first as I've forgotten how to dye with onion skins. I need to dye some blue wool, next.
I strained the onion skin juice and poured it in a clean jar and put some more water in the pot and put my wet wool in and simmered for about 20 minutes. Some pieces that I wanted lighter were removed first.
Notice the 4th piece from the left is two tones. I dipped the end in a stronger dye bath to give me graduation of color on the same piece.
This is what I hooked this evening. I need to do some major tweaking or surgery as it seems that the features have grown and no longer look proportioned. I had forgotten how more difficult it is to do hook a face that looks sideways. I should have chosen an image that was looking straight. This one is challenging as there are so many highlights on the face. I like to look at the image on the computer to see what needs to be changed.
I wasn't going to show my work until it was more presentable but anyone who has hooked rugs, knows that sometimes, things don't always work out as we plan and we have to rip up the work and try again. Anyway, it's a work in progress and it's been so long since I've picked up the hook. Lauren, Saundra, and Cathy are putting me to shame.
One thing I've noticed is that when I hooked my last rug, I used this monk's cloth and hated it. I was used to hooking on Linen backing and did not enjoy working with monk's cloth. This time around, it didn't seem to bother me.
I chose this image of the Virgin Mary and Child from the public domain. I doubt that I can do it justice. Anyway, I'm willing to meet the challenge head-on.
After the hard work, I treated myself to a small piece of pumpkin pie.
Thanks for your visit and comments. Stay well and keep positive. Some people have bigger problems with all the flooding and landslides in British Columbia on the west coast.
Julia
