The design for “Flower Basket” was inspired by 19th-century New England hearth rugs. In order to activate the background, I used directional hooking in varying shades of blue following the silhouette of the floral arrangement. To mix things up a bit, I hooked the flowers in random directions, and the basket using alternating horizontal and vertical loops (a technique learned from Sara Burghoff). The mat under the basket was made with quillies (another new technique to me). See details below. Despite the historical precedent, it is unlikely this rug will ever be used on our hearth:)
About the Artist:
My beloved grandmother, Constance Clark, was a rug hooker. After she died, I retrieved her unfinished hit or miss rug along with her wool scrap bag with every intention of finishing it. It took 30 years, but after joining the Brattleboro Rug Social in 2018, I finally learned how to hook and finished it. Since taking an inspirational class in Impressionist Landscapes with Davey DeGraff in 2019, I’ve enjoyed exploring various hooking styles and techniques.
artist sent other detail images to add.