Robyne Melia's Vintage Rugs

A tiny, finely worked (possibly) Doll's House rug. Worked with quite fine wool on hessian. From the Murray Walker collection (bought at auction)

My 'Korean Wrapping Cloth' style ship sails lamp on a rag rug sea. Rug also from the Murray Walker collection.
(Murray Walker collected Australiana including old kerosine tin furniture, hessian aprons and Australian art. My One True and I purchased a box of textiles and a Shulim Krimpler lounge suite) from his downsizing auction. These rugs had been produced in the traditional methods for his book, Old Colonial Crafts, published in the 70's.)

My one and (so far) only attempt at rug hooking (well... kind of). From a vintage picture. I have embroidered the mouth. Now that I look at it again, I do like it a lot. What put me off at the time (20+ years ago) was the fineness of the woollen yarn. It would be good in woollen fabric strips instead. Hmmm...

Back and front of another from Walker's collection. It has been worked with a needle, I think? There is one section that is looped, as if the rest has been worked thus, then cut? The yarn is very fine, probably abour a 3 ply. Pretty though.

I purchased four of these rugs almost 30 years ago (above back and front pictures), at St. Andrews market, for $20 each. Sadly, I divorced and had to relinquish two! They have been made using all sorts of cloths... Crimpelene, t-shirting, anything! They are not soft and lovely to stand on, but are extremely warm and sensible. So Very Sensible.
There were quite a few more I could have bought, but funds were limited. An old lady had made them some years previously and her husband was selling off junk. He seemed surprised that I valued them and I suppose saw them as utilitarian objects, which they were and are.