
We were busy beavers one and all. Charlene was repairing a rug, Pam finished her grand-baby's heirloom; the baby came a month early so the rug is a bit late, although technically it’s right on time. Anne is plugging away on Alice and I hooked the ‘P’ in a pretty pink wool. This Initially Yours pattern is going to be sizzling with brights. Honey joined the group and got in a few licks and hugs. She’s a snugly girl! She likes to be up on the table where the action is.

She likes to keep the cost down for the customer because if she has to dye wool and go through the process of a perfect match, the price would go up. Most people don’t want to spend a lot of money for the use of a rug they paid pennies for at an auction or yard sale. Usually people just want a practical fix so they can utilize the rug in their home and partake in its beauty for the rest of its days.
Charlene’s repairs are very meticulous with hand sewn patches and she hasn’t had an unhappy customer yet. She always brings in the rug she is repairing to show me a beauty of the past. I am always amazed how wonderful these older rugs can be when the rug hooker had limited resources for materials. It shows our ancestors were clever artists being able to make a purse out of a sow's ear using grandpas’ old long johns and thread bare cast offs with simple dye techniques using plants and vegetables. Now-a-days we are spoiled with the availability of unlimited choice. Great Granny today would do headstands visiting a rug hooking shop with all its wools and colour.
This beautiful rug was well worth repairing. I love the design and the faded charm. The back is really not much deeper in colour so the materials used had been a bit faded to begin with, probably all kinds of recycled bits from around the home. As for the design, sometimes the simplest patterns are the most eye fetching. This is basically a hit and miss but with angled ends and a wider pattern and is absolutely charming. I would love to have this treasure in the upstairs hallway of my home. It reminds me of something you would see in a grandma's bedroom with the waft of Avon talc in the air, surrounded by floral wallpaper and a bed full of faded, well washed linens........this rug is so soft and inviting like a hug from a nanna……