Tehran/ An old pattern with a modern twist.
Designed by Rittermere-
7ft x 5ft
Colour planned and hooked
by Chris Noorbergen from Australia
On a hessian/ burlap
backing with new, hand dyed wool in #6 cut
I purchased this old
pattern at the Strathalbyn Rug hooking exhibition in South Australia, in 2014
and started planning almost immediately when I arrived home back in Loch,
Victoria.
I researched this pattern
for a long time but found very little documentation, although a rug hooking
group in Sth Australia did hook this very pattern back in the late 1970s, early
80s. I managed to get some photos of them, but they are vastly different from my
colour choices.
Firstly, the colour
planning and dyeing. This important step took me many hours.
I looked at many oriental
rugs online and studied their colour combinations, contrasts, dulls and
brights, dark and lights.
I changed my mind on a number
of occasions even after dyeing.
Finally I came up with the
colours you now see before you and I am still extremely happy with how they
work together.
Enough dull to tone the
rug down, balanced with brights, darks and lights.
I am very happy with the
neutral background, swirled with the same colour but several shades darker. I
feel this combination sets the tone for the whole rug.
When I finished the
internal section inside the intermediate border, I had to then repeat the same
colour ways in the border. This was a real challenge for me as the pattern on
the whole did not repeat in the border, except for a couple of the motives. It
was an entirely different section and I needed a bit of help with assigning the
colours to the border pattern. The dear ladies from our Yarra Valley Rug Makers
came to my aid with suggestions and I took their advice and you see here the
finished product.
The rug is hooked with mostly
all new wool which I dyed in combinations of three primary colours plus black.
[I don’t like to have a lot of dyes on- hand]
It took me approximately
293 hours to make. This includes the many hours of colour planning and dyeing
processes.
Overall, I have to say
that I am happy with it. Will I keep it? Who knows.
I raise funds for a
Mission in Uganda, called Amina House Christian Mission.
My friend Trish is a
Missionary there and does amazing work in the town of Pallisa.
If someone should offer me
a sum I can’t refuse, I might just be able to part with it.
In the meantime it graces
my lounge room floor.
