Need a little inspiration?

Every once in a while I  google

“hooked rugs” and look at the images that come up.

After hooking for 12 years, sometimes I just need a little inspiration.

I’ve been feeling very uninspired lately when it comes to my hooking.

So much so that I’m even selling a lot of my older rugs on eBay…..I’m simply

tired of looking at them!

I feel like my “hooking past” is holding me back from my

“hooking future”…..maybe I’m just going through a mid-life crisis?

Here are a few things that caught my eye this morning.

(image from the Beauport Blog)

Sometimes I think I’m tired of looking at “primitive” rugs, but that is

really not it, because this one above is primitive in the style, but I love

the more cottage-y colors in it….very soothing.

(image from www.primitiverughooking.typepad.com)

This one is also primitive and what I love about it is how

there is a bird on a branch, but you really have to squint to see

it.  Obviously this rug hooker was just using what they had,

something that I admire in older rugs….making do.  I often think

that as “modern day” hookers we have so much access to so much

wool that we overthink things and often rugs come out looking

like they were purchased from a store….just a little “too perfect” if

you ask me….this is something that I’m striving for in future rugs…

letting go of perfections and expectations and just letting rugs

flow into existence.  I’m not saying “make ugly rugs” or “don’t

think about what colors you are using”, I’m simply saying don’t

over think things…..you might end up with something unexpectedly

lovely.

(image from American Hooked Rugs)

There are so many things that appeal to me about the rug above.

Number one, the size! It’s 7’3” x 10’

Number two, the colors….that special mix of light and dark,

bright and dull, and there seems to be a fair smattering of pink

in it as well.

Number three, the wonkiness of the squares, it makes me

dizzy to look at it and I just love it!

I also came across this rug…..

(images from James Wm. Lowery Fine Antiques and Arts)

It says it is hooked wool on burlap, and perhaps it is,

but I’d love to find out the technique that this artist used….

I’m intrigued!

Have you found that you’ve lost interest in rug hooking

as the years have gone by or are you more enthusiastic as ever?