Who is Orange Sink?

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Rice Lake, WI, United States
My home town is Rice Lake, a small town in northern Wisconsin. I own Red House Wool Studio~ an in-home wool and rug hooking business. I enjoy collecting and decorating with antiques and primitives. Orange Sink Blog is a journal of my interests and ramblings about life. Cathy Greschner

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Friday, September 12, 2014

The Anatomy of a Rug


I love looking at other people's rugs.  Getting close up to the hooking.  Looking at the back of the rug... examining each loop.   What intrigues me the most  is looking at the colors of the wool they used. 
When I'm hooking on my own rugs I often wonder what someone, perhaps a hundred years from now will think of my color choices.  Not that it makes one iota  of a difference what colors I choose now because I use what I like. 



I use what makes sense to me... my eye.  


That being said...  I think there has to be some sense of what colors look good next to each other.  That may be what keeps me so passionate about rug hooking.  With each rug there are new discoveries. Being surprised, delighted and downright flabbergasted at how a certain wool looks hooked and how it can change the look and color of the wool next to it! 




So far I have used 17 different wools in this rug. I have to remember to stack them all up tomorrow and take a photo in the daylight. 


There are browns, solids, plaids, eggplant, corals, antique rose.  Dirty sheep, creams, taupes, silver gray.  A gorgeous rusty, orangey, pumpkin plaid that I wish I had a bolt of!!


( rug design by Maggie Bonanomi~ Tulips and Peonies)


All along I am thinking about the outside border that I've added to make this rug larger.  My  drawings,  of which you can see around the outside edge will probably not make the cut. I have a couple of different ideas brewing. One is a simple wavy line in the Dirty Sheep wool and filling in with all the wools I've used in the rug. Hmmmmm.... I'm waiting for the rug to speak.  I will hear it... no matter where I am.  Sometimes I hear them call to me when I am in the shower... "Hey you... I would like the horizontal stripes in corals, browns and rusts for my border!  Are you listening?"
Oh I hear you rug... just hold your peonies... time will tell.   Let me get the rest of those funky leaves and stems hooked tonight and we shall talk!

Cathy G.

13 comments:

  1. Cathy, this rug is gorgeous. You hae chosen beautiful colors that are so warm and inviting.
    Rose

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  2. Cathy I am glad I am not the only one that is amazed with the different combinations of wool colors that take your rug in a whole direction! I just struggle to control which direction it will go. I love your rug and the colors , hugs Cheri

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  3. Cathy, Absolutely delicious. I'm in awe of your color sense.

    Saundra

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  4. It looks beautiful as usual like all of your other work.
    Cathy

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  5. Cathy, no wonder you have real good color sense , you listen to what your rugs says. I must try to listen to my rugs more. If I ever get one on the frame that is.
    Your colors are really pleasing to my eyes. A great post about color. I'm looking forward to seeing all the wool you used in this rug. What a great teacher you are.
    Hugs for a great weekend.
    JB

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  6. I wish I lived close to you. I need to work on my color sense. While I'm sure it can be improved, my gut says you have it or you don't. You are truly gifted Cathy.

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  7. Oh Cathy! This rug is so absolutely awesome! Between the colors and your style of hooking... it's simply breathtaking!!!! Looking forward to seeing more of it! :-)

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  8. Yes, yes, yes! I fell in love with the freedom of creativity in rug hooking. The colors I in vision the direction of the loops being determined as I go. And yes they do speak to you. Can't wait to see what she tells you. Love your "hold your peonies!" Hehehe.

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  9. Your sense of color and use of texture are complimented by your sense of direction that you hook. Thanks for the great pictures.

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  10. I always enjoy seeing the rich colors you use. Your skill at that makes a rug pop. No matter how hard I try I can never get the depth of a rug that you can Cathy.
    That is a beautiful rug you are hooking.

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  11. Love the colors you are using, beautiful contrast and rich shades.

    Debbie

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  12. So rich and warm. Wonderful color choices.

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  13. Wow...love how this is coming out. great choices on colors.

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