Rug of the Month: April 2018

This month’s Rug of the Month is a project from a few years ago. This project emerged from Ania’s desire to create a sampler of her shimmer wool. The pattern is designed by Ania, and inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is called the “Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass.” It is hooked in #4 strip wool, and it’s dimensions are 10″ x 10″.

Read the rest of the post below to learn more about this project, and be sure to take a close look at the images to see the shimmer wool in action!

The completed “Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass” rug.

What inspired you to create this pattern and take it on as a project?  

I’m a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright. One of the things that appeals to me most about his designs is his use of simple lines and symmetry. I designed this small pieces with that in mind. You can draw a line down the middle of this pattern, and everything on the left is a mirror image of the right. There are no curves, only straight lines.

I also knew that his architectural designs often included stained glass windows. I decided to use my shimmer wool in this pattern, to mimic the effect of light shinning through a real stained glass window. I wanted to have a project that really showcased how my shimmer wool can be used in a rug, and this pattern was perfect for that.

The other reason why I like this pattern, is because it looks a little bit like an “M,” which is the first letter of my eldest daughters name. It makes me think of her!

How did you color plan this project?

The background was going to be white, like glass. Then, I decided I would use three colors: yellow, blue, and green. Two primary colors (yellow and blue) and the secondary color (green) that is equal parts the two primary colors.

I tried to create dimension through my hooking wherever I could. For example, in the diamond section directly above the green, I hooked the top and bottom diamonds from left to right, and the left and right diamonds from right to left.

I like to play games with colors within my rugs. In this rug, there is a pattern with the greens and yellows through the middle of the piece. On the left side of the rug I hooked color 1, color 2, and then color 3. On right side I used the same colors but started with color 2, color 3, and then color 1.

In this image you can see numbers highlighting the pattern in the yellow and green wool.

What are you most proud of about this project? 

The majority of it is made with shimmer wool. There are only four colors that are not shimmer (two of the greens, one of the yellows, and the black wool). The iridescence it presents and the visual simplicity it offers are so lovely, I think. Despite all of the bling, it’s very simple.

The shimmer wool in this project really catch the light.

Is there anything else of interest about this project?

Whenever I create something, I do so through numerical sequences and symmetry. I try to break everything down to the smallest symmetrical unit. That’s something that goes back to my chemistry training around molecular structures.

If you have any questions about this rug or Ania’s shimmer wool, feel free to leave them in the comments below!