By Special Request

Rug hooker friend and blog follower (Lisa) asked me to post pictures of rugs I've hooked.  Since all of us had to crawl before we could walk think I should start from the beginning.  

With cheap hook, burlap and re-purposed wool clothing I began practicing pulling loops using a round wooden embroidery hoop.  No design in mind, just practicing to see if I could actually form loops without them falling back down.

I'd purchased a Kindred Spirits booklet with a small pattern inside which would be my first project.  That was around 2001.  Unfortunately it was given away to a budding new hooker ~ wish I  had it back to show how uneven my loops were.  However, I made more of them and they sold well at shows.  Hmmm, maybe there is one or more of these in my future before next Christmas, they would make great gifts and I'd like to have one for me.

That same year I hooked several purses as it was a way to practice my loops and they were selling at shows. The star purse on the far left was gifted to my friend Shari.  The photo was taken in the sun and colors washed out.

The other two sold at a show so made a couple more in 2001.

Then 2002 The Wool Street Journal offered a free pattern of a cat to the first number of folks who responded.  We were to have it hooked by a certain date with photos submitted for the cover of a future issue.  Below is my submission ~ hate that awful backdrop, plus the colors are washed out on Max the cat.

Here is Max in progress back in 2002 with more true colors.

That same year I began my first rug, Sam's Hats, which is a Woolley Fox design and hooked on my own.  It was a Christmas gift to my son and wonderful daughter-in-law Cathy.  

Back then most of my time was spent making dolls and hooking smaller items to sell at shows.  

On eBay there was a Penny Circles and Crows kit which I ordered and hooked on my own.  This one remains with me on display in my sewing room.  It is a design by Jan Patek and published in a Pat Cross book named Purely Primitive.

In 2003 hooking rugs increased and even attended my very first rug camp.  At that time I felt the cost of camp was insurmountable so decided it would be my first and last camp.  Intentions were to find out what I was doing wrong and learn how to hook properly.  

My teacher was wonderful and patient Mary Lou Bleakley.  Not having the confidence to color plan myself I had Mary Lou do that.  The rug below is named Heritage, a Charco design.  It was at my front door for 13 years.  Still have it but it is rolled up and out of harm's way.

Never say 'never'.....that April rug camp was NOT my last rug camp.  A few months later I attended Rugs by the Sea rug camp in Cape May.  My teacher was the late Patsy Becker.  I hooked a design by Anne Hallet called Eat Crow.  Even attempted my very first dye experiment on the Indian Corn recipe provided in an issue of The Wool Street Journal.  That wool is in the eye of the crow, the wavy hooked line in the border and in the corn.

While in Cape May I found a Patriotic Angel kit which I hooked on my own at home and  later gave to my daughter-in-law.  Sadly the photo is washed out, it was taken in the sun on my back deck.

Notice that I'm gaining a little momentum in hooking rugs.  This same year I hooked a design by Fredericksburg Rugs.  This is also out of the way in my sewing room.  This was the first and LAST rug I will hook on monk's cloth.  

Sadly the ends of the rug are weakened, pulled apart and repaired.  Perhaps had I not shaken the rug it wouldn't have suffered.  But I have shaken rugs hooked on linen and they remain strong today.  

The above hooked pieces span a period of 3 years but future posts on my rugs may be just one year at a time.  That is IF you don't get bored.  Believe I've posted photos of my rugs before but forget there are new people joining my blog all the time who have not seen them.....Lisa is obviously one of them.  

Thanks for taking the time to visit; comments or questions are always welcome.

Saundra