Worktable Wednesday - Hooked Rug in Progress

January 16, 2013
Hooking wool rug

I started this hooked wool rug several years ago at an Asilomar rug camp.  After working on it off and on for awhile I put it away to focus on my jewelry and knitting projects.  

Wool strips and hook

Last winter I completed a few small hooked pieces and found myself thinking it was time to pull out my first project.  I think I stored it away for a couple of reasons.  One was the size (~3'x5') which was perhaps a bit ambitious for a first project.  The second was wondering where I was going to put it.  When I selected the pattern from Charco I mainly picked it because I liked the bold graphics.  After working with my instructor Nancy Miller on colors I decided that it would be a wall hanging in our family room.  I just wasn't all that excited about having it as a wall hanging though.

Hooked rug in progress

This points to a dilemma in starting something that's going to take time to finish.  By the time you finish it you may have become less enamored with having it in its planned place due to color, size, or even style.

Daisy and rug

Daisy promptly decided it was a great new spot to lie down as soon as I laid it out to photograph.

After repainting a spare bedroom a very strong sunrise/sunset color I realized it was going to look awesome on the wood floors by the bed.  The green would cool off the warm wall color and add some graphic art.  Because the color on the wall is so strong I'm going to go with a calmer, perhaps even solid color bedspread like linen.  I will show off the room this summer when it all comes together!  (Hopefully how I imagine it in my head!)

Meanwhile I will hook away in hopes of finishing it in the next few weeks.  Then it will be binding time.

Hooked rug on stand

There is something very satisfying about pulling out unfinished objects (UFOs) and finishing them.  Getting rid of a storage box is one benefit, but more than that it's the process of doing something by hand to completion and not having that nagging UFO around!  

What about you?  What do you have stored away that is begging to be finished?