First Finish of the Year

I started this rug several months ago and worked on it diligently for awhile. But then, something else caught my eye and it was put on the back burner - you know how that is, right? LOL Anyway, I pulled the final loops on it this morning and it sure does feel good to have it done. It still needs to be steamed and the edges need to be whipped, but I still call it 'done'.

I call this my Portugal rug because I made it to remember the trip hubby & I made to the Azores Islands last July. The friends who we stayed with have about 30 horses so I thought a folk art horse would be appropriate for the center. One of my favorite things about the island was the cobblestone streets and sidewalks - I snapped this picture and used it as inspiration for the corner design.


And here is a close up of the rug so you can see some details. Even though the colors in the background and border look solid, I actually used quite a few different wools to add some texture - maybe not quite enough, but it'll do.


I've already got my next project drawn on the linen, and all the wools picked out. It'll be a small one this time - only 16' x 20". Shouldn't take me long at all!