Rug Hooking with Cindi Gay: September 2008

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Rug Hooking at Cape May

If we have talked about rug camps before, you have heard me say that my favorite rug camp is Rugs by the Sea in Cape May, NJ. I arrived with no idea what I was going to hook. I had a project I had started on my own earlier and blank rug warp.

I taught classes the first week, went to NYC to visit my son over the weekend and spent most of Monday napping. By yesterday, I was ready to start something. I was carrying the picture from the last post and showing anyone who would listen. I decided Jackson was a good subject especially with Sauder's theme next year being "Puppy Love."

Meet Jackson, my new puppy

We went to family reunion in West Virginia. We needed ice so we went to Wal-Mart. In the parking lot was a sign, "Free Puppies." Enough said.

Jackson is part boxer and part so something else. We are still trying to figure that out, but he has been very trainable so far. He meets the trainer Monday.

Current Project

My current project is a room-sized rug, probably ending at about 7' x 9'. The final size has not been determined yet. I am currently hooking the center of the rug and will be adding at least 3 borders. The rug was inspired by oriental rugs with a center design surrounded with several borders. The motifs are casual and simple, more primitive than most orientals. The colors are ones that I love and can live with easily. The cuts I am using are #4 for the Queen Anne's lace up to a #8.5. The backing I am using is 200" wide rug warp. Yes, I am hooking wide cut on rug warp. This is the "old" rug warp and is even more tightly woven than the rug warp currently available from the Dorr Mill Store. Dorr's rug warp is my favorite backing. With the right hook and proper technique you can hook it quite comfortably. I have two cats and I find that they are either very well behaved (not likely) or the rug warp makes the difference because I have never lost a loop to one of them. Now this does not include the in-process work. The littlest one loves to grab a dangling strand and run off.