Hooked Rugs from the Past

While looking through some of my photos, I came across some rugs from the past. I hooked this rug in 1999. Back then I was selling rugs on ebay and sold this one. I wish I still had it as it is still one of my favorites. It is fun to look at older rugs and study them to see how or if your hooking has evolved throughout the years. Ten years ago, my favorite colored background was still the dark wool with motifs in brighter colored wools. Today, I still hook mainly with a dark background but my wool selection for motifs is a little more muted or primitive than in this photo.

I love this version of my lazy sheep pattern. Isn't it just great? Karin Manuel of Ohio hooked this rug. The colors she used in the rug are just wonderful. And Black sheep are my favorite. After I'm done finishing the BIG rug (tease, tease)I'm working on, I'm going to hook the Lazy Sheep similar to this one. Enjoy the weekend and Happy Hooking. Maria

A few of my favorite things!

I'm working hard on a new rug to show everyone but it is so big that I fear I will never finish. In the meantime, I thought I would share a few of my favorite pieces of folkart and antiques I have around the house...You know, the pieces that make you smile everytime you see them. And this just happens to be one of my favorite pieces of folkart. Last summer, I stumbled across this folk artist who makes pieces of art out of tools and such. This cat is made out of a hammer, screwdriver, funnel, spoon, piece of leather for the ears, and his head is a piece of wood that came from a campfire. Just delightful! Behind the cat is a fun little bike wheel. Love the graphic element that it adds to the decor.


Here you can see the hammer, screwdriver and spoon holding his head up!
Happy Mother's day to all. Maria

Playing in the Dye Pots

Well that is not something I do very often! But I needed some purple wool.....yeah, Kelley, I said purple wool, so I had to dye some today as I have none. I'm rather pleased with the wonderful colors I achieved. One batch did turn out as planned. As you can see it is a little too blue but I'll still use it. Aljo and cushing dyes were in the dye pots. Now why do I need purple wool you ask? Well, think purple, orange, green and maybe some black.....hmmmm, nice colors for a fall rug! Yeah, I'm working on a huge Halloween rug that I hope will turn out really cool and very whimsical......I'll post some pics in progress.....or maybe I'll keep it a surprise til I'm done. Maria

Creative Bliss while in France

I just wanted to share with you the Bayeux Tapestry which is located in Bayeux, Normandy. When the leader of our group told us we were going to go see a tapestry, I was not thrilled. What kind of tapestry would be worth traipsing 27 kids to see? Well, boy was I wrong. As I was unable to take my rug hooking or needlepunch with me on the trip, this visit to see the Bayeux Tapestry filled my creative void that I was definitely feeling.

The Tapestry, which is one of the most famous tapestries in the world, was most amazing. The Tapestry, made of a long piece of linen, stretches 231 feet long and about 20 inches wide. It is embroidered with eight colors of woolen thread. The colors are so wonderfully primitive. The embroidery looks more like needlepunch to me and was incredible because of the colors and the way they manipulated them. The maker of the tapestry also gave depth to the embroidery by embroidering in different directions within a figure (horse) to give it such depth. Studying the tapestry certainly would provide creative ideas for rug hooking.

The tapestry has 72 individual scenes,including more than 1500 figures, of the Norman Conquest. The tapestry depicts the consequences of Harold’s failure to honor the oath, he gave at Bayeux recognizing his cousin William’s right to succeed Edward the Confessor. The tapestry was more than likely made in England soon after the conquest. It was first displayed in public around 1476, Bayeux Cathedral Bayeux. The Bayeux Cathedral is only a short distance from the D-Day invasion beaches of Omaha and Gold and luckily was not bombarded during the historic invasion.
Here are a couple of pictures to whet your appetite.



I've included a link for you to view individual pictures of the tapestry. For some reason, I can't put the link in so you will just have to cut and paste. Sorry about that. After viewing this tapestry, I was one happy gal as it filled my creative void while on vacation. Enjoy the pictures.

http://www.hastings1066.com/baythumb.shtml
Here is another link to read all about the tapestry.
http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/