Rug Hooking Class

I am fortunate indeed to take class with Julie Smith twice a month. Our winter session began last Tuesday, and the topic of the class was "a rug a month." Her challenge to us was to hook a 10" square a month (over the course of a year) and try to relate the rugs to a certain theme. Could be color, subject, etc. The ideas flew around the room. One hooker is going to hook a "quilt square" rug each month. Julie talked about doing an abstract piece each month and assembling them together on a black fabric background to form a single piece of art.

I came home and started thinking about what I wanted to do. Here are some of my ideas:

• word art
• bird eggs
• birds
• hearts
• milagros
• book title art

I finally settled on some less detailed aboriginal animals that I've been wanting to do. I have wool that will suit these small rugs nicely. First up, a kangaroo!

What ideas can you come up with?

Finished projects

Here are two recently finished knitting projects. I've made many, many pairs of socks through the years, but rarely make a pair for myself. These, I'm keeping!

They were knit on size 2, double-pointed needles using a yarn from Opal.

This scarf was made using a domino style of knitting. The yarn (which I love) is Quasar by Berrocco. Promptly went to the local yarn shop and got some more in another colorway.

The wind is howling here, and knitting and rug hooking is on the agenda for today. Stay warm.

Happy Holidays One and All!

I confess. I am a very bad blogger. It's not that I don't have ideas to post. It's just the time to sit down and do it. I'm sure one of my resolutions this coming year will be to post more often.

Here is my Santa rug for this holiday. Done in wool strips and yarn, it was part of my rug hooking groups "Santa Challenge." I worked on it over the summer in some very warm temperatures, and now am posting it under very cold temps.

The Santa himself is a design done by my sister years back. I added the other elements when drawing this rug.

Here is another Santa I did that is also a design by my very talented sister. This Santa is called "St. Nick in Slippers." I was very honored to have this rug appear in an issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

And lastly, I leave you with Silent Night.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season, and a happy and healthy new year!