Rag Rugs and Reminiscence

Remember my big fabric yarn balls from two posts ago?  Well, they became two rag rugs.

My Great Aunt Hazel had made the balls of various fabric (a majority being wool I believe), presumably to be used for braided rugs, years ago.  After she died in 2005, at age 93, my mom got them (along with one of her table looms), and they've just been sitting in a bag.

I thought it was about time to do something with them, and Mom wanted a couple of new rugs to put beside her bed.   With a size Q hook I chained 32, then single crocheted 31 for about 50 rows.  I changed colors the regular way so there weren't any knots, single crocheted around the edges to give it a more finished look, and then wove in all the ends with the help of my size J hook.  It went surprisingly quick, and was quite satisfying as it was a little bit of an arm work out!

I couldn't help but feel like Aunt Hazel would have done something much more amazing with them, like this braided rug she had made for my mom so long ago.  She was such a talented woman!

I just can't get over the amount of work that goes into these rugs!  First the fabric has to be cut into strips, then sewn together, then braided, and then sewn together!!  (This is going on my list of "some day!")

She was an incredible weaver as well!  She had floor and table looms.  These are a few of the place-mats that she had made my mom.  (Perhaps weaving could go on that list too...)

Here's one of the last quilts she made for my mom.  It's a bit wrinkly, but isn't the hand applique just beautiful?  She could knit as well, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some of the other crafts she excelled at.

As well as being incredibly talented, she was a really nice and funny lady.  My only images of her are of her smiling and laughing.  I really wish she were still here; she'd be a blast to craft with and learn from.

While I was crocheting these rugs I was reminded how crafting is a great way to connect with and remember women of the past.  All these handcrafts have been passed down from generation to generation.  It really is pretty amazing to think about while crafting yourself.  Especially in today's high tech world, to be doing something that women were doing hundreds of years ago... But then again, I'm such a sucker for sentimentality...