I like the idea that my first rug of 2017 has the message of love, doves and hearts! Doves Ascending is a hopeful way to begin the year don't you think!
The scrolling hearts were the original idea that brought me to my sketch book, the doves came later. However, for over a year now I have wanted to do a primitive style rug featuring doves, and some how, some way, the doves insisted on being part of this design.
Interestingly enough, last year, my first 2016 rug, was an antique reproduction that featured a dove. My new design, doesn't look anything like the antique one. My intent was not to copy the motifs of the antique rug, rather I wanted to recreate the feeling of peace with doves, and the feeling of motion by how the background was hooked. I had found those elements so inspiring in the antique rug.
The color plan is a simple complimentary color plan with reds, dirty greens and neutrals.
The doves, the "love" motif, and background are hooked with an 8 cut. The scrolling hearts are hooked with a 6 cut as is the background within the hearts.
I really enjoyed hooking each part of this composition.
I like how the doves seem to be flying upward, with the background "movement lines" hooked with the wool loops at an angle, seeming to push the doves along.
I hooked the doves in dirty whites and light to medium grey.
The word "love", seems grounding and significant placed at the bottom of the rug. I like to think, that the doves are carrying that message aloft, upward and onward. Notice how the red outline of the word, disrupts some of the flow of the inner part of the letters. I did that accidentally, but later chose to leave it like that because, well,...love isn't perfect.
The earthy green/brown background was the ideal foil for the red hearts. I found that hooking them in a 6 (or smaller cut could work too) was the best way to not have everything get too squished. There are three different, close in value reds that I used. Each line of the heart is a different red. That helped me not get confused as to what line continued where, as they scrolled and circled around to create the connecting hearts.
A friend suggested I offer three different variations of the rug. So there is the original design, Doves Ascending, that is 11" x 30". Two other variations feature the top half of the rug, Scrolling Hearts and Dove. Another variation, Love, Dove, and Hearts, with the lower half of the original rug. Those two designs measure 11"x 17 1/2". (See the listings at my ETSY)
Hooking this rug was very therapeutic for me these past few weeks. What can be better than practicing your craft, creating a rug, or wall hanging in which the colors, the motifs, the hooking technique all come together to make a design that sends out a positive, love-filled message.
I feel blessed!
Please visit my ETSY shop to see these new designs, or other hooking related items.
Also, I'm excited to say I will be teaching this September in Fredericksburg, Texas at Two Stars In Texas Rug Camp. Come hook with me!
