Stitching Stories of Love in Fabric and Thread

The sun beats down and the mercury is climbing as I pull my car to a quiet stop behind my niece’s van. It’s going to be a warm one for sure, but we’ve arrived at an early hour for this summertime adventure. As my sneaker-shod feet hit the ground, I plop my wide-brimmed hat onto my head, grab my camera, and approach the van. I can hear peals and squeals of laughter and giggling coming from Caroline and Grace (ages 5 and 2) as their dad slathers them with thick coats of sunblock. When they spot me, their voices ring out with greetings and excitement for what lies ahead. Today, we’re going berry picking!

At the end of our adventure our baskets are brimming, and everyone is chattering about what will we do with all those blueberries! A birthday cake for Meme? Muffins for Grampy and Nana? And of course, plenty to pop into our mouths to savor the memories of summer’s best pickings! Rug hookers have lots of wool strips. Why not weave those strips into a basket on your hooked piece? Take a look at this simple technique I use in my wool appliqué. Perhaps you can add a woven basket to your hooked art!