I think I may be developing a new mini obsession with hand woven rugs. Funny that this could happen since rugs to me were something older people bought and collected from their travels, usually a little dark and dreary, intricately patterned, in mostly burgundy, navy and gold. It might just be that nothing had ever really caught my eye before my stay at that Fenelon Falls cottage or I’ve officially crossed the threshold into being “older”.

Yesterday I found these mini hand woven wool rugs in the basement of a fabric store. They are tiny. Most of them measuring less than 1′ x 1′ and some of them a little wonky in shape. I was told they are from Morocco or India, but they seem more Moroccan to me, judging from a quick Google image search. I was also told they are used as placemats. Some more research is probably in order. For now I would like to think they are mini rugs perfectly sized for stuffed animals, or they’re some old form of trading card that kids would collect and trade. You know, in some far away place where kids are really into rugs. Or maybe they are starter/training rugs for twenty-somethings to build an appreciation. Some may even call them gateway rugs . . . okay, sorry that was horrible.

In Montevideo I picked up a kilogram of this beautiful, super soft wool from Manos del Uruguay.  No idea what I want to make with it, but I think I’m going to dye it.  Back in October I took a natural dyeing class at The Workroom and learned the basics of natural dyeing, after some very haphazard, experimental dyeing with plants in the summer.  In the second photo is a racerback tank I made with some of the dyed fabric in the colour I’d like the wool to be.  Hopefully I don’t end up with 2 giant felt balls.