It's been a while since my last post because honestly, I've had nothing to share. However, things are now buzzing in my journey to become a full-fledged hooker. First, I bought a new hook, and it was pretty darn exciting.
It's a brand spankin' new Hartman hook.
And it's mine. ALL MINE!
I tried the ball shaped handle and the pencil-style handle, but I have sort of long hands, and I found that my pinky finger and ring finger wanted something to hold on to. It was really a window into my controlling tendencies. ALL FINGERS MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO DO! Hopefully I'll get over that, and I would imagine that in time I will get the other styles of hook as well. I can already see the direction this new hobby is going.
The other exciting thing is that a hooking instructor, Lori Rokusek from Dubuque, is coming to the Bee Line Townsend facility to teach a group of us to hook! Wow, the sacrifices I make for my job! She'll be here at about 10 a.m., we're giving her a plant tour, and then she's going to give a mini-hooking demonstration in our conference room for our employees. Most of the guys are interested in learning the mechanics of how rug hooking works, and why the cutter and cassettes are an important part of the final projects, but there is a handful of us who are excited to learn how to start actual projects.
My first project is going to be our company mascot, Bucky Bee.
I'll probably stay away from the words in the logo, since everything I read about lettering in Rug Hooking Magazine, Wool Street Journal, and ATHA seems to indicate that it can be tricky, and I do have the tendency to bite off more than I can chew.
Lori Rokusek from Dubuque came to the BLT plant last week to teach us beginning rug hooking. A lot of the guys in the plant came in to see the mechanics of hooking, the history, how to do it, etc. A number of them actually hooked a row, and they weren't half bad! I have the frame with the sample piece on it outside of my office, and I've caught a few guys coming over to try it again. I only got to do a few loops because I wanted the other people to have their chance, but Lori is coming back tomorrow and I plan to monopolize her time.
This weekend I get to travel to Lenexa, Kansas with the wonderful Katie Lane from Townsend, where we will attend Marilyn Schmidt's Hook In - I'll be excited to bring a project with me!
What hooks do you use, and which is your favorite?
Lori Rokusek from Dubuque came to the BLT plant last week to teach us beginning rug hooking. A lot of the guys in the plant came in to see the mechanics of hooking, the history, how to do it, etc. A number of them actually hooked a row, and they weren't half bad! I have the frame with the sample piece on it outside of my office, and I've caught a few guys coming over to try it again. I only got to do a few loops because I wanted the other people to have their chance, but Lori is coming back tomorrow and I plan to monopolize her time.
This weekend I get to travel to Lenexa, Kansas with the wonderful Katie Lane from Townsend, where we will attend Marilyn Schmidt's Hook In - I'll be excited to bring a project with me!
What hooks do you use, and which is your favorite?
