Grandma's bench

My next project is to hook a new cover for our computer bench. It was a bench that belonged to my Grandma Larson so I figured it should have something that reminded me of her. 

Three things came to mind right away, chocolate chip cookies, geraniums and lady bugs. A stool that you sit on did not seem like the best place to hook large brown circles with black spots (cookies). I drew a blank about a design with a geranium so I knew it had to be lady bugs. This rug below is one of my all time favorite hooked rugs made by one of the women in my California Chapter- I LOVE IT! 


I wanted to use this idea but taylor it to a stool. I took a sketch book to karate and sketched out several rugs... but this was my favorite.

I drew it on poster board and played with different color options for the background.

Traced the pattern on to red dot and then onto monks cloth.

I did not have any greens that I liked for this project so Maralou invited me up to her house yesterday to look through her wool (I was in heaven... she has GREAT wool). I came home with everything I needed to get started. 

Although I had tons to do today I did manage to get a little hooked and I'm loving it! I think my background may be a little light so I tea stained some of it to make it more interesting. After the kids go to bed I am hoping to make some serious progress.

Just what I needed

I have been so busy with my kids social life living here in suburbia that hooking has unfortunately taken a back seat.

On Tuesday I pulled into my driveway to find a local hooker on my doorstep with a basket of peaches for me (from her yard).  I had never met her before but had found her through a rug hooking online forum. Within 2 minutes I felt like I had known Mara Lou forever. 

Yesterday she called and invited me to go Monika Jones's house to see her rugs and wool. I was so excited I couldn't wait. After hearing Mara Lou say so many wonderful things about Monika and looking at her web site here... I couldn't wait to go.  

So today we drove about 45 min out to Monika's home.... deep breath.... she had the most beautiful rugs all over her floors! Please forgive me for not taking photos, I was too busy absorbing every second. I learned SOO much in 2 hours.  Here are a few of the big ah ha moments for me:

She hooks with a 10 cut and it looks amazing! I never dreamed of going over a 8!

She makes HUGE rugs. I had not even considered making a rug that large, but in a 10 cut (I have been using a 6) it seems less threatening. 

She and Mara Lou both use linen backings exclusively and swear by them. I have only used monks cloth, but bought some linen from Monika today. They may have converted me.  

She hangs her rugs on the wall with those wood carpet strips. - brilliant! I used like 7 nails to hang my rug. 

She uses her rugs on the floor! Kitchen, bathroom... they were everywhere and looked great. I know this sounds ridiculous to even mention, but most rugs I have seen hooked are not used on the floor. When you consider the time and money it takes to make one, I had to put it on the wall... but my next one (after the stool) is going on the floor!

I came home from her house so inspired and ready to hook, it was seriously just what I needed.