Monday, February 3, 2014

And Now, Something Completely Different

Uh oh, this looks like a new project. During our pre-Christmas visit with Chris and Kris, I got to see Kris' latest project: punch needle rug hooking. This is a type of rug hooking where you work from the back of the cloth, punching the yarn to the front using a special needle. Middlebury, VT, where C&K are currently living, is the home to the Amy Oxford School of Rug Hooking and between Kris taking classes there, and her affiliation with The Ruggery on Long Island, she is a wealth of knowledge about this craft. Here is my foray into this new art form: 

First Kits have arrived.

 Getting the pattern stretched onto the hooking frame. I had to build the frame, using stretcher bars and carpet tack strips. Then you pull the monks cloth taught, using the tack strips to hold the fabric in place. I stapled old quilt batting scraps over top of the tack strips to keep from lacerating myself as I work on the hooking. 

 Reading the directions. 

Ready to start hooking. 

Beets!

Stay tuned…more to come!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Adventures in Glass

It's been a few years since Caitlin and I have taken our yearly lamp working class with Stephanie Maddalena at Hudson Beach Glass.  We spent two days in January making glass beads using a propane torch and some low temperature glass rods. Here are the results. 

Just out of the kiln. From upper left, clockwise:
Encased silver foil over black and blue; tiny jelly fish aquarium; blue encased swirl; medium jelly fish aquarium with green frit and encased with clear; implosion with green frit

Blurry close up of Jelly Fish aquarium

 Necklaces and bracelets. Original lamp worked beads, and commercial beads. Silver beads and findings. Strung on waxed cord. 

Close-up.