Finally Finished!

It only took 3 years, but the rug for the head of our bed is finally finished — and in place. Don’t have a photo of it above the bed yet, but here’s the original digital drawing I started with so you can see how far I’ve come:

The date in the corner originally said 2002! Here it is on my studio floor after final blocking:

And the rest of the specs:

Dreams Rug

Begun: January 2003
Completed: February 24, 2006 (finally!)
Design: mine
Finished size: 56.5” long by 18.5” high
Backing: primitive linen, 60” wide
Wool: natural Dorr wool (from Highland Heart Hookery in Halifax, NS) hand-dyed in 14 colours by me with washfast acid and Telana dyes. #8-cut.
Hook: Primitive hook made by Cindy Hartman
Whipping: Quebecoise 2 wool yarn, one strand each black and navy blue
Binding: natural cotton dyed green with Procion MX
Mounting: wood carpet nail strips

Comments:
This rug is meant to be used as a headboard for my bed. It took much longer than it should have to complete because I completely ignored it for about 2 years! I finally got inspired to finish by visiting the Silk Purse Gallery show of the local rug hookers recent works. The words are based on a lyric from a Beatles song (though I accidentally got “me” and “you” reversed!) The comet is Hale-Bopp from 1996/97 and based on a real photo specially colour-enhanced. The moon is inspired from those times when you can vaguely see the outline of the whole circle when only a sliver is lit. The stars are deliberately primitive. We had to move our bed lamps slightly on the wall to accommodate the rug. I guess I should have thought of that when designing it but I tried to make use of the full width of the linen without cutting it. The stuff is too expensive to waste. I hope it inspires a good night’s sleep for both of us!

It feels so good to get something off the UFO list that’s been there for so long. That was a biggie. Next!

Tomorrow I have a Dye Day with my last beginner spinning class. I’m all ready for them with yarns and rovings and dyes and notes. Whew! Bring ‘em on! We’ll make some rainbows together.