Oh Don't You Know Rug Co.

Short Version of this post: I finished it. It took almost four years but I finally finished it.


Long Version:

Oh Don't You Know Rug Company was born after a quick trip to my favorite store in Kaukauna. That's right...many of you out there know where you can see my bike or the Topaz many days as you drive through Kaukauna...right outside of the St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store! I love that place and have found many treasures there over the years. Jon Schroeder, my best friend in the whole world can attest to some of the gems I've found. Remember the blue ring, Jon? I have that at home in a safe place...wouldn't want to lose that. Or how about the time we were on a biking trip and I emerged from the store wearing a beautiful golden broach in the shape of the letter "E"? I know you were outside waiting for me but the wait was worth it, wasn't it? I think both pieces cost me a quarter each.

One day, I went to St. Vinnie's to see what sorts of treasures I could find. I started off by searching through the craft patterns and books that were in a box by the door. That's when I found it...an old copy of Better Homes and Gardens Rug Making. It was a quarter and I bought it. That's when Oh Don't You Know Rug Company was born.

After finding a pattern in the book for my first rug I made numerous trips to thrift stores in Kaukauna, Kimberly and Appleton trying to find enough material to actually make the rug. I made friends with an old lady at a thrift store in Appleton who got so excited when I told her I was going to make a rug that she told me, with a wink, that they only put material out on Wednesdays and if I wanted, I could come in before they put it out and have first pick. I informed Jon what I was doing and he donated some old sheets to the cause.

The preparation process for my first rug was fun but tedious. It involved taking every piece of fabric I bought, tearing it into 1-2" strips, tying them all together, rolling the tied fabric into a ball and only then was I ready to crochet. I had lots of help from Jon and my mom.

My first rug was started in Kaukauna and finished in Vermont. It took an entire summer to finish. I remember sitting in our little apartment in Montpelier and working on it at night, surrounded by strips of fabric as Andre read. There were times he would help me sort through and tie the strips of fabric together. He was quite supportive through the whole process, even when he saw me tear out the stitches that had taken me a week to put in so I could start over. As the rug got bigger I would sit in the middle of it and spin myself as I crocheted. I still sometimes wonder how Andre could walk in the door, see me sitting in the sweltering heat, spinning myself in circles as I crocheted a rug and not run like hell.

As the summer drew to a close my first rug was completed. As I packed my car for the return trip to Wisconsin to prepare for my move to Alaska my first rug was packed away safe and sound. After arriving in Wisconsin it was quickly packed into a box and the next time I saw it was after I had arrived in Oscarville.

Because I'm a bit insane and because I like creating things I knew I wanted to start another rug when the first one was done. It was then I started on my next rug, my jute rug.

I had a few days in Wisconsin and I scoured the stores for enough jute to make the rug. I could only find a few rolls and I figured it was enough to get me started while I kept searching. After I moved to Alaska I did a quick eBay search and found a lady selling some jute. Shortly after, two priority boxes full of jute arrived from Winter Park, Florida.

For fours years I've been working on my jute rug. The jute is quite rough to work with and I can only crochet with it for a little while before my hands get sore. I had decided after my first year here to make the rug project something that I worked on twice a year during freeze up and break up. The rug is known in many circles as the Freeze Up/Break Up Rug.

I decided that this year was the year that the rug was going to be finished. As break up approached I sat down and began crocheting like mad. I knew I'd probably only have a few days to finish it so I hunkered down and began the final steps towards the completion of the project.

Here I am connecting the final row...what a long process.

So...here it is. The finished rug. I was going to block it but I don't think I'll have to. I may add a fancier border at some point but I'm going to leave it as is for now.



So much has happened to me in the years I've spent here. Many people have seen and walked on the rug as it was created. So many memories are wrapped up in this rug. So much of myself has gone into it and as it grew I feel I did as well. I'm a much different person now than I was at the beginning of the project. It's amazing how much things can change in a short amount of time.

**I already have the pattern for my next rug!