My Mum and I have just started a new project together. I sketch & she's a rug hooker... so we've put it all together and she'll be hooking a rug for me based on the Mermaid. I've started an album for the rug on Flickr and as things progress I will be posting process photos there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sew_luvli/sets/72157605856633573/ 

Here's the design I came up with...

The finished dimensions will be approximately 40" x 40" 

You've given him the best of both worlds!

What an undertaking! Looking forward to seeing what it looks like all finished.

There are a few things that my mom's finishing up before she starts hooking. But in the meanwhile I'm still working a few things out...

My biggest question, which perhaps people here can help me with is how to colour the more conventional of the two mermaids... trying to decide between using the cd cover colours or the song's suggestion of "hair as green as seaweed" and skin "blue and pale"

...opinions, anyone?

Finally got most of the prep work done!

I've still got to work out how the body of the sister is to be shaded... the way it is on the cd cover won't translate well to hooking, its too painterly.

It`s been decided that the mermaid is to be blue with green hair. Here`s a photo of the proposed shading on the template.

Here are a few photos of the wools sorted for each part of the rug...

Mermaid Skin & some Tail

Mermaid Hair & Tail

Sister-fish body

Sister fins

Sister shoes

Sailor Séan

More to come shortly... visit the flickr album for more process photos as they become available. 

Wow!  That's going to be one masterpiece!

Love, Columbine (talk about fresh fish) 

I really like the breeches on the fellow; they look like what we wear for reenacting the Revolutionary War down here in the south!

This is going to be beautiful.  I'm a great big fan of hooked rugs.  Post pics as it comes along!

While I was away at school for my last exam, my mother finished a good portion of the mermaid. I had seen the hair before I left, but she finished the body over the last two days... its lurvli!

Her hair was Green as Seaweed...

 Her skin was Blue and Pale...

Her face it was a work of Art...

Mom is going to be working on the tail this weekend... Sailor Séan is next! 

Wow!  I think that one should be shown in a museum in Newfoundland when it's done!  She looks very otherworldly.

Love, Columbine 

What an amazing piece of art!!!!! You are both very talented!!!!!

I'm enjoying the pics of the progress!!!! Helps to appreciate all the work that goes into it. 

Thanks so much for the feedback. Mom keeps asking me "have they said anything else yet?" so I can tell she's enjoying it too.

There are a few updates today... Tail & Sailor Sean

 "I love that girl with all my heart But I only liked the upper part I did not like the tail"... (no accounting for a man's taste... I love this tail

"So over I jumped and she pulled me down Down to her seaweed bed And a pillow made of a turtle shell she placed beneath my head"... (okay, there's not tortoise shell, but here's the boy.)

Mom is working on the Sailor Sean's shirt and legs today. She can't believe the progress she's making (an neither can I. The rug is 43"x43" and we had expected it would take until Christmas. The background may take a while, but she's said that because the figures have been so fun / rewarding that they've popped up almost over night.

Here is a view of the shading diagram of Sister Fish... didn't have crayons to match her colours so she looks a little psychadelic, but it gives an idea of what's going to happen. 

Keep in mind that these are Sister Fish's colours:

That is truly a work of art. And I like the tail! And siste fish is adorable. It's exciting to see the progress. The background won't be nearly as fun to hook, you'll have to contract on working a set number of hours a day or a weekend. LOL!

Keep it up and keep us posted!

Anne

 Here's an update on Sailor Séan... he's got legs! & such cute little feet!

Here's the beginning of Sister Fish... she's got shoes... in every bride's maid's favorite colour... Seafoam!

Mom's cut the wool for the fish body. She wants to get it started before I move to NS next week so that we can collaborate on the shading. Its not likely that she'll be completely done by the time I leave on Monday, but she'll be well under way.

Here is the cut wool waiting to be hooked into the fishy... body on the left & below, legs to the right.