DONE and Dusted At Last!

"Cat Nap," completed June 2024. 18.5 x 32.5". Textured and hand-dyed wools; hooked in a #6 cut on a mystery background (maybe linen, but donated to me and very hard to hook through). Heavily adapted from a Kelley Belfast design; hers was one cat on a bench with a bee skep and a house or tree in the background. With Kelley's permission, I adapted the pattern by doubling the cats, removing the other background features and adding the two floral arches and a sun. There is a smidgen of punchneedle embroidery outlining the sun (using an Ultra Punch needle on 8 with lace-weight merino wool yarn).

I love this rug because it makes everyone smile.  Kelley Belfast's original pattern was so adorable (one cat lazing on a bench with the words "Cat Nap" up above--see more details of the rest of her pattern in the caption above).

I knew I had to hook it but wanted to make  changes.  After managing to contact Ms Belfast early in 2023, I got her gracious permission to adapt her pattern and draw a different version; you see the result above. 

Thank you Kelley!  I hope it's different enough to not be a clone, but similar enough that you can say you're glad you gave me permission to do my own version.

There were times I despaired of getting this rug finished.  Between preparing to teach at Sauder Village last summer and then shortly after that, diving into 6 months of meditation teacher training, I was so busy I was cross-eyed.  Pretty much everything else fell by the wayside--not much drawing, Zentangle®, and certainly almost no hooking.  I am so relieved to have finished this.  And now on to creating a label and sewing it on.  Don't you just love Kelley's cats?