Kai's Jack

Dimensions: 30" x 55"
Materials: #4-, 6-, and 8-cut wool on linen
Adapted from a traditional playing card and hooked by Kathleen Harwood, South Hadley, Massachusetts, 2014. Photo by Van Zandbergen Photography.
Featured in: Celebration XXV

"My oldest grandson, Kai, has been fascinated by cards and card tricks since he was young (he's 18 now). Having decided to make a rug for each of my grandchildren, I asked him if he had a favorite card. Without hesitation, he said, yes, the Jack of Diamonds. And so I began to imagine a rug for him; bold and ornate and literal seemed like the way to go. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed hooking this rug; the decorative elements were challenging and fun, and creating the mirror images was exacting and rewarding. I was intimidated by the faces (I had never hooked faces), but they came to life smoothly and I loved them. Kai was surprised and delighted by the rug, and it lives on the floor in his room. Recently he asked me to show him how to take care of it, which I regard as a very good sign!"
- Kathleen Harwood, Celebration Hall of Fame 2018