Lizzie

I enjoy trying different materials in every rug I hook. I first saw this pattern at a class taught by Gail Dufresne. I wasn’t immediately drawn to it, but years later, I saw the pattern again in another class with Gail, and it clicked. I was looking for a Christmas gift for my daughter who loves geckos, which made me look at it in a completely different light.

I chose the materials to bring a unique texture and depth to the piece. The combination of shading and shine can be incredibly effective in mimicking the look of reptile skin, especially when the materials allow for both depth and a reflective surface. Selecting these materials helped me push my own creative boundaries.

The raised part of the gecko is my favorite part of the rug because it adds dimension. I was working on this piece during a class hosted by Cindy Irwin, and she suggested stuffing the main part of the body to add an extra layer of depth. This brought the gecko to life and made the rug feel less flat, providing a unique look.

The background was a challenge. I drew it out on paper first so that I could visualize how it would interact with the gecko. I then laid the gecko material on top of the background to test the impact and see if it would blend too much or stand out in a way that enhanced the gecko.

After I was done hooking, I whipped the edges and used wool as my binding material to finish the rug. This piece taught me how to hook geometrics using only two colors (black and white).

Lizzie, 42″ x 28″, #8-cut wool and various alternative materials in various widths on linen.
Designed by Gail Dufresne and hooked by Margaret A. Wenger, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 2023.

Margaret A. Wenger
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

Margaret started hooking in 1987, and she enjoys all types of rug hooking, as well as trying new materials and styles. She loves to make “ordinary” into “exciting” and “wow”!