AMETHYST "ROCK RUG"

If there is one thing I have learned through doing studio tours and shows it is to have smaller items available. Right now there are quite a few larger items in my studio ready to hang for the Toe River Studio Tour in June, but there is a need for some smaller items. I like to have something different every year and this year I will be mixing local gems and minerals with rug hooked mats.

Amethyst "rock rug"  Lori Laberge  2012

I really enjoy working on these pieces. They give me a chance to search through my stash of strips leftover from other projects and use them to create something new. The purple of the amethyst led to a double compliment color sheme with purple, yellow, turquoise and red-orange. White was added in as a neutral to give a contrasting space for the amethyst rock to be placed on. The piece would have been too busy and distracted from the rock if I had brought too much color into the center area.

Close-up of whipped edge

The photo above gives a good look at the whipped edges. The piece goes from lighter values in the middle to darker values on the edge. I chose turquoise and purple in darker values for the whipping and used some leftover Paternayan yarn to go with the outer edge of the hooking.

This photo gives an idea of how the rug mat looks in situ.

One person saw these pieces and said "Every rock needs a rug." I love this, it reminds me of when I was a kid and we all had pet rocks. 

Enjoy the little things in art and life and have a great day.