Summer Journey Hooked Art

Sometimes, it is hard to remember anything good about 2020. Of course, there was Covid and all the hardships that it brought. But I had many personal difficulties that outshone the pandemic in my life. However, a major wonderful event for us was the birth of our grandson, James. He was born shortly after the shut down began and he was on the opposite end of the country from us. We were in Florida. What is a full time RVer to do?! After much prayer and thought, we decided to cross the country to California to see our new grandson! Along the way, we saw wonderful things in this beautiful country. In fact, you can read about our adventures of 2020 here: Joy Amidst Pandemic, Earthquake…2020 and here: Brutal but Beautiful and here: Rocky Mountain National Park. By mid August, we were headed back to familiar ground and I needed a new rug hooking project. I gathered photos from our trip and started planning.

I told Matt that I wanted to design a piece that would incorporate several amazing things we saw. He figured that I would have several different squares in one hooked rug and each square would have a place we visited. But that was not what I had in mind. I decided to put all my favorite places and sights from our 2020 trip into one landscape. Matt just shook his head and could not envision what I had in mind. He really didn’t think it would work. But I wanted to try! I didn’t know if it would work either, but I made a collage of my photos and began drawing it out. On August 12, 2020, I printed out my pattern and taped it together.

It definitely looked a little crazy and I wondered if it would work. I could almost see it in my mind. But how was I to go from desert to grass? Or from daylight to night sky? Or how about the chilly Rocky Mountains to hot, hot, hot Utah? And I had included places and sights from five different states! I did like the way the drawing had come together and there was really no way to know unless I pulled loops. So I drew the pattern on linen and stared at it. Patterns always taunt me and this one was no exception. It told me I was ridiculous. I told the pattern that I didn’t care and I jumped in anyway.

I always feel better after I’ve started and this time was no exception. The amazing saguaro cacti in Arizona were the first to be hooked. My worm pile had been increasing, so I determined to use as much cut wool as possible. And I was able to hook our RV home with wool worms that I had in a baggie.

A friend had sent me some wool that she dyed from a silk scarf. The colors were perfect for Chimney Rock in Nebraska. At first, I had thought to hook everything very simply and sort of “flat” looking. That is how the hooked Chimney Rock appeared, but I wasn’t sure I liked it. I left it alone for a bit and hooked the piece of land behind it. A bag of mauve colors begged to be used. For land? Well, why not! We had seen lots of yellow flowers in the desert so I included some that would represent all that desert gold. And even though I dislike snakes, I had to include the rattlesnake that slithered right past me while I was relaxing on a chair in our campsite.

Then it was time to add a jackrabbit. I don’t think I had even seen any before this past summer. They are quite large and gangly looking, but this one ended up pretty cute.

I had great time including some of the animals we saw and just had to hook the moose from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. He was enjoying the cool, refreshing water and Matt got a great photo of him for me to work from. He was a lovely brown that reminded me of all those mauve worms I had. So, yeah, he became an interesting color.

I was happy with his beautiful, muscular self, but then I needed to hook his reflection. I had never hooked, painted or even drawn a reflection. And the piece started to belittle me again, but I didn’t let it get to me. Rug hooking is so very forgiving. If I hooked it and didn’t like it, I could always tear it out. I did use my computer as an aid. I took the above photo and flipped the moose. That helped me to see where the highlights should be. I got this far and then stopped. I determined that the ripples in the water might not work out.

I did end up changing the water, but I was happy with the reflection! Overall, throughout this piece, I hooked and didn’t take out until hooking something else. So many times, I thought something wasn’t turning out well, but then when coming back to it later, I loved it. Next I worked on the bristlecone pine trees from California. Those ancient trees were amazing colors, black, brown, tan, gold, all swirled together. I grabbed a few worm bags and just hooked while looked at the photo. I think if I had actually thought more instead of working from intuition, I wouldn’t have done as well. I like it!

After the tree, it was time for the Sego Canyon Rock Art and Delicate Arch from Utah. People seemed a bit confused by my hooked petroglyphs, but I had to include them. They were just amazing.

Next I needed to figure out how to hook those beautiful Rocky Mountains in their “purple mountain majesty”. After suffering for months, my brother Bryan passed away in August. He was the brother closest in age to me. The one I played with the most growing up. The one whose amazing art inspired me. I happened to be at my mother’s house this fall and saw a painting Bryan had done when we were both teenagers. I knew it was just the inspiration I needed for my purple mountains! Here is his beautiful painting.

For these mountains and the glorious sunset we saw in Rocky Mountain National Park, I pulled out and cut wool. I wanted them just perfect!

By this point, it was December and we were back in Florida. I loved taking the piece to hook outside.

Now I was in a quandary. When I drew the pattern, my brother was still alive. And it seemed his condition was beginning to improve. The rainbow I had drawn on the pattern was based on one that we saw in Utah. Bryan had just been hospitalized and was very ill. But I took that rainbow to be a message of hope from the Lord. I knew that God was caring for him. I thought Bryan would be ok.

I had been so encouraged by that rainbow. A promise from God. And yet, a few weeks later, Bryan passed away. I was sad and a bit angry. I didn’t understand. Now it was time to hook that rainbow on my piece and I wanted none of it. I remember talking to a friend about it. She thought I should still include it. My dear hubby reminded me that we need to trust God with these hard things. And in my heart, I knew that God did care for him and that Bryan was happy and well in heaven. I thought I might as well see if I had any colors that would work for a rainbow.

I worried that maybe they would be too bright compared to the rest of the piece. But I couldn’t go to any rug hooking shops or events to shop. Everything was cancelled or closed because of Covid. So, I figured I might as well use it and just trust it would be ok. I did hook that rainbow. I also hooked my hiking buddy and me. And that glorious sunshine that always makes me happy.

Last to hook was the night sky. We had such a lovely view of the Comet Neowise while in Utah and Matt got a great shot through his scope. Since he is an astronomer, I asked for his thoughts about how to hook it. I learned that comets have tinges of green and blue in them. His photo had lovely stars too.

It was all hooked! Time for whipping the edge.

And I always include a label. I had to make the font smaller to explain all that is in this crazy piece!

I finished it in exactly 7 months! All done on March 12, 2021. This piece taught me to follow my instincts. To get in the flow of the piece and let it almost create itself. That sounds strange to me, but I know when I get out of the way and just create, I like the results better than when I overthink it. Sort of like life. When I just live and trust God, I am much happier and things go better than when I think too much and try to take over. For now, it lives on our couch, right where I first photographed the pattern.

I’m so pleased with it and all the wonderful memories it brought back to life. It helped me realize that in a year full of tragedy, there were many, many beautiful experiences too.

Once again, rug hooking brought me much joy. And helped me see that God is working….no matter what.