Absence makes the critic grow stronger.

It's interesting how, when you haven’t focused on a project for a while and then go back to it, you see things differently. Maybe being close to it for a long time, you get used to things the way they are. Sometimes you need to back away to gain perspective.

This weekend, because my Hook-in projects are finished, I had time to spend with Totem 40. Once I finished hooking the sky, I knew there were some things I wanted to change. I had actually made notes as I sat with the project, so I wouldn’t forget. I knew I wasn't happy with the noses on my kids. At the time, I wasn't sure what the problem was or how to fix it. But this weekend it became pretty clear.

When I hooked the faces originally, I did Matt first, Laura second myself third and Rick last. My face turned out best, and I think I realized it was because most of the lines on the nose were vertical and it made the shape and the shading look better, and I looked more like me.

Both Laura and Matt's noses had more horizontal loops in some spots, so when I did them over again, they were definitely better. And once the shape was corrected, they both looked more like themselves.

There are lots of ways to check your work. I have been using a minimizing glass/peep hole on this rug, since it is quite large. I have been taking lots of digital shots and looking at them on the computer. And I have been taking breaks from it, and looking at it with fresh eyes.

I'm sure I'm not done tinkering yet. I will continue to find things every time I look at it. That’s what I like – the ongoing lessons to learn.

Now is I can just figure out the best way to frame it….