Hooking for Joy

I was trying to decide whether this post should be called "Looking for Joy" or "Hooking for Joy". Decided to go with this one.

As things have gotten increasingly horrible in the world, my joy has taken a huge hit. I am one of the happiest people I know, and the weight of everything that is going on right how has really taken its toll on my joy. Two wars, freak of nature incidents all over the world, politics completely paralyzed around the globe through polarization and politicizing of everything. Add to that my incredibly slow crawl back from Covid and my heart and head both hurt from the hopelessness everywhere. 

But this week I had an idea for a project that might bring some joy while I look for joy. 

Don't get me wrong. I have a wonderful life. I am an incredibly lucky human to have the existence that I do. The loving family that I have. And the comforts that I enjoy. But it just gets heavier and heavier to process everything that is happening to those much less fortunate than me. And I am burdened by the weight of it all. 

A few years ago, I drew a pattern on a huge piece of rug warp. It was supposed to be for some crazy multi-fibre yarn that I bought. But the yarn didn't work, so the pattern got shoved aside. I even turned it over and drew something on the back, but this week, it is getting a second life.

I just found the original post - which was 05/06/2018. And the original plan was for it to be a headboard, which is why it is the shape it is. 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9152499513632375208/280184271176479569

Fast forward to this week. I started to think about all those swirls and how they represent the whirling  in everyone's brain all the time. And right now, trying to process the horrible state of man's inhumanity to man, those whirls are dark and joy-less. I think I may have found a concept to help me find the joy. I  am hoping that hooking for will help lift me from the dark swirls as I search. 

Here is the pattern, with more swirls added. And I hooked a few swirls in the bottom. 

Here's a closer picture, so you know it's not all black. And gradually I will make my way to the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I am not often a concept hooker - I usually work from photos - so this is a big leap of faith for me. It may not be what I want it to be, but I already have enjoyed hooking a few swirls, starting with the darkest ones.

In my mind, there is a dark section at the bottom, a mid value section as I hook my way to the joy, and a lighter section when I get to the end of this journey. 

To try to show what is in my head, I put some worms on the pattern to show the transition from dark to mid to light values. (Oh, forgot to say that I intend to hook most of this from my worms.) I am sure I will have to add as I go. 

I also did think about the middle section, and decided to try straight line hit-and-miss, using the same colours that are in the swirls. That section will also transition from dark at the bottom to light at the top. Here's a picture of the beginning of that section - outlined with some black and white beading. I think I will like this. 

The background (between the swirls) will remain an unknown for a while longer. A few ideas are in the back of my head, but I think I will keep hooking the swirls and see where that takes me. The teacher in me is yelling "You have to have a colour plan for all of it". But the joy seeker in me is saying, "Wait, it will come to you in time."

Already, ,just through the motion of sitting at the frame, pulling these loops and letting my mind wander, I am lifted a bit. I realize that nothing on this project is going to solve any of the problems of the universe. BUT, if it helps me deal with them in a "more me" way, that is all I can ask for.

Some folks have "worry stones". I think I am a rug hooker who has "worry worms".  And pulling a thousand loops a day, using the worry worms, seems to be a good thing right now. 

Stay tuned.