What a difference a hook makes.........

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”
― Coco Chanel

 

My big project sat on the side lines this weekend. Should finish it up today.

Instead I was working on a more portable project involving bullion stitches. Well on Saturday evening I decided to revamp the whole design. Which meant starting over. Couldn't quite face it that evening so set it aside and just finished the night working on the big project.

Sunday morning we decided to go hit the big swap meet in Mesa. There is a yarn shop in there that I always visit when we cruise the meet. They are nice people that run it.

Well I noticed she had some older Susan Bates hooks so I snatched them up. The new ones I had bought a while back just didn't seem to be working as well for the bullion stitches as I remembered. OH MY! What a difference. Now the bullion stitches are so easy to do I don't even have to really think about doing them. So the project that I started over is going so much smoother and much faster.

It just amazes me the difference the right tool makes. It also makes me sad that the quality of the hooks being made these day is so much less than they used to be. It's not just the Bates hooks but the Boye hooks also. I now scour the yard sales and thrift stores for the older hooks so if I ever have to replace a hook I have a quality hook to use. Sad but true.

But I am such a happy camper and so glad I picked up those hooks. They will go in my special spot for my bullion stitch hooks and be jealously guarded. Because the right tool for the right job is essential......

Oh and I noticed that the yarn shop had a copy of my Irish Crochet book, So I asked the owner if she would like me to sign it in the hopes that it would make it more attractive as a sell able item. She thought that was wonderful. So I signed it and offered to put it back on the shelf, and she said NO WAY. The book was now going home with her...... Made me feel good.

Today I am going to pick a good movie or two and get this afghan done. 4 rnds and it will be done. the are long rnds  so it might take 2 movies.

Saturday we did spend a good part of the day having a good time. Bowling in the morning and hiking in the afternoon. Will be posting lots of pictures this week of flowers and the actual hike.  It always takes us a while these days to do our hikes as we are so busy stopping and taking pictures. But the desert has a short period of time that it blooms and it changes each week as to what it offers us. So we try and capture everything we see that inspires us while we can. I will have more flower shots the next time I post.

 

Marv took this picture. Talk about striking. I just love it.

Natures perfection at it's best

I am still enjoying my camera. Like how this one came out. Love the colors in this flower.

These are a small flower that you don't even realize how beautiful they are until you get up close and personal with them.

I was amazed that I could talk my camera into this shot.

 

We only found this flower in one spot of our hike. Down in the canyon sheltered from the elements.

Of course daisies are always a bright spot in the flower world.

I liked the contrast of the lupine against this rock.

Marv can capture the really small flowers so much easier than I can. These are so delicate.

Most of the flowers we find in the desert are small but beautiful. These are no exception.

Marv captured these

And another group of the same. I just love the colors here.

These are just starting to bloom and we only found a few that were starting to strut their stuff.

Marv caught these for me.

I love the shadows on this flower. You can almost tell it's late afternoon from the colors and the shadows.