Hooked Rug, T78.0006b
It’s April and Spring is finally here! To celebrate Spring and warmer weather, this hooked rug from the Grenfell Mission is the Object of the Moment.
Canada geese start migrating North to their breeding grounds as Spring arrives. The familiar “V” shaped formation and the honking of the geese is an indication of Spring. Amongst other objects of everyday life, the depiction of geese has also been a popular theme of hooked rugs. Rug hooking is a unique North American tradition that arose in response to the need to cover the cold bare floors of pioneer homes. Weaving cloth required long hours at the spinning wheel and loom, but rugs could be made from scraps of fabrics and fibres that were pulled through a burlap base to produce warm floor-coverings to brighten the home. It is rare to find a hooked rug whose maker is known; unlike quilts, which were treasured family possessions, hooked rugs wore out and their history was often lost.
