Tuesday, June 20, 2017

A nautical hooked rug to love

Some years ago I decided to hook a copy of an antique rug picturing a whaling scene.  Barb Carroll printed it for her pattern collection called "honoring the past" and sent me a pattern as a sweet gift.    She named her pattern "Moby Dick" even though the old rug had a gray whale and not a white one like Moby.  You can order the pattern from Katie now.


Many of us have hooked rugs for years and years, and often we work our rugs in the company of like minded others.  Large workshop groups and smaller less formal gatherings over time have given me a circle I think of as "my rug hooking friend"s.  So friendship is woven into the hooked rugs I live with.   We exchange wools, and ways to bind rugs and color suggestions, but only occasionally do we really work on one another's rugs.  My new rug is one that several friends have worked on.  I began it and felt I would not finish it due to the weight on my hands.  Trisha took it home and worked one of the sailing vessels and more. I added more and more, enjoying the striated background and whale the most, till the rug was barely over half done and there it has sat unfinished for years in a huge basket along with  beautiful wools planned for it.  Last year Debbie came along and offered to complete it for me!  Now she has returned it, having a seamless blend with my original hooking, and binding and finishing the rug superbly!    This six foot long beautiful textile is glorious on the long dining table Jack built for us years ago.  Thank you Debbie, my feelings are beyond words.  warmly, e