Hello all, Mary Ellen here.

We should all be recovered from our quilt show by now. So many lovely inspiring quilts. Will I live long enough to make all the quilts I’d like to try? I’m sure that for almost all of us, that answer is no! So which quilt project is next on your list? Although applique is for me almost a four letter word, I admired so many of the quilts which combined piecing with applique. Maybe that will be my next challenge to myself.

But I digress. Have you ever tried locker hooking? I did quite a bit of it a few years back and then moved on to another hobby. I do really like the old fashioned look of mats and rugs made with this technique. I happened to get Ami Simms’ newsletter this week in which she gives a very nice tutorial on how to go about this technique, in very great detail, from start to finish. She is using strips cut from recycled shirts for her rug. I used to cut the last bits of fabrics, and sizable scraps, into the strips needed for the rugs and mats I made. I’ve been wondering how I would use up a stash of oriental fabrics and I’m thinking maybe a rug would do it. I also have quite a collection of homespun fabrics that I could dig into for a different look to a rug. The completed “rug” pieces are a bit cushy and would also make great seat pads in a traditional style home, or hot pads, or mug rugs. For a while there were many books on this art being published. Maybe you’ve got a book or two in your personal library?

Anyway if you are intrigued by rug making, this might be up your alley. It doesn’t need wool, and you’ve probably got much of what you will need. Have a look at Ami’s tutorials to see what you think about this. Click here.