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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Chicken Rug Progress...

Well, I'm back, and after five days of "mostly" R&R, tons of fun with our kids, and two days of laundry...I am going to show you the progress of the "Chicken Rug" that I told you all about in my last post.

I have to be honest...I am NOT happy with the progress.

I have wanted to hook this rug for some time now, so when I saw the pattern for it last week, I decided to go ahead and purchase it so I would have something to take along with me on our trip up north.

Sadly...(and this is only MY opinion), when I brought the pattern home and took it out of the package, the drawn design didn't looked very much like the picture that was included with the pattern. The picture was of the original antique rug, and the pattern was definitely the designer's (whom shall remain nameless) own "version" of this rug, but to me, as nice as it was...it wasn't what I thought I was purchasing.

I thought, OK...no problem...I will just take out my trusty Sharpie and tweak the pattern a little more to my liking...it was better, but the chickens themselves were still not what I wanted. Since there wasn't enough room on the linen for me to widen the pattern and I couldn't "tweak" any further, I decided to just go ahead and start hooking anyway, because I was reeeeally itching to get started.

It is with much reluctance that I am showing you these pictures, but I really need some advice from all of you professional hookers out there!!

I am liking the chicken's coloring pretty much, but I am NOT LIKING the background!! I love the colors of wool that I chose to hook with, but for some reason I am just not getting it right!!!!! Maybe I am just over-thinking it too much, but...

Here...take a peek for yourself...

This picture was taken without the flash. You can see all of the scribblings here where I tried to "re-shape" the chicken...and UGHHH...THAT BACKGROUND!!! :{

This picture is with the flash on. For some reason, the colors look more true here.


Below is the picture that came with the rug, and the drawn pattern before I did any tweaking.

Maybe it is because I wasn't able to get the chickens tweaked just right, but I think mostly, it is the way my background is turning out...or maybe it is a combination of both...I don't know, but I want to just throw the whole thing in the trash and start over!!!

I think that I will put it away for a couple of days and work on something else. Sometimes all you need to do is step away from a project for a while, am I right???

Well my friends, I am going to go watch a taped episode of "My Three Sons" now and try to forget about this rug for a while.

Take care of yourselves, and as always...thanks so much for stopping by!!

Tina


9 comments:

  1. I often do what you are doing.... that is to put a piece I'm not sure I'm liking aside for a while and then go back.... most times I find I don't mind it as much as I thought I did.... I don't hook (although I sooooo wish I knew how!), but I do cross-stitch.... and sometimes I think I just get tired of looking at a certain piece too much.... A little time away is good for me!
    That being said, I am liking your rug very much! And I think your tweaking is working!
    Have a good evening!

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  2. Well I think your tweaking is awesome but I know If it's not what you had in mind it's hard to be exctited about working on it. Maybe you can finish this one and draw up your own some day using the picture of the antique one for inspiration. Hugs, Lori

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  3. I'm not a rug hooker , but I see the colors in the background in the picture look like rust which I think would look better with some more color than what you already have. I know it's disappointing when you have one thing in mind and it turns out different. Good luck Blessings...Linda

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  4. Except for the combs, I think they look pretty similar. Sorry I can't help since I'm not a hooker, but I think it looks great. I like the contrast and color in the background. You certainly got a lot done!

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  5. It's funny how we try to "improve" on the folk art from so long ago, but what's hard to see is how our view of proportion, color, etc. has been influenced by the wide access to the "correct" shapes drawn by professional artists. So the old chickens, the one you liked from the photo of the original, has these goofy, endearing birds, and the actual pattern has birds that are technically more correct, but not really true the original. I see this in attempts at folk art dolls that aim for the old primitive feel--either they age the thing to death or they make it too cute.

    For what it's worth, I think you're making a beautiful rug in its own right...and the back ground is a gorgeous blend of colors!

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  6. Holy cow I need more coffee. Forgive all the typos in that. :~)

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  7. Tina, For my 2 cents I think the hooking looks really good.But I think I know what the problem is because it would be my problem too. I too have always loved this rug and have wanted to hook it. In fact I even clicked on the link you gave on your last post of the store where you bought it,looking for the pattern. I didn't see it on the website. You're disappointed that the pattern really isn't what you thought you were buying and you really just can't get into it and I would feel the same. BUT what you've hooked looks really great!!! I can't see anything that would need changing. You're just not into this "wrong" rug right now.Maybe if you put it away for awhile you will be at another time,cause I think it really looks good.
    Sherry

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  8. Hi Tina,
    I think your rug is wonderful! Your tweaked chickens are very handsome. Maybe because the comb color is more saturated than the other colors the contrast with the background is not as subtle as with the antique. The chicken pops...so you don't see the pretty background as much...and the background is gorgeous. Put the rug across the room and stand back and squint...see if you like the "blend". But then, what the heck do I know? It's going to be a gorgeous rug...keep at it.
    Robyn

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  9. Hi Tina,
    I think you have received some very good comments here...I too think your chickens are wonderful...it's really too bad that the designer didn't have the actual design in the kit but I think you have a wonderful design going on there.
    Stay focused on your work and not what is on the picture and you will love what you have in the end...I've been there with similar things and in the end I like my version and my work better.
    Glad you had a wonderful time with family...always so needed isn't it!
    Karen

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