Hooked Rug Bench Makeover

    

     I found this bench at an estate sale last summer. It's a nice little size for the bedroom and very solid and sturdy. The moment I saw it, I envisioned replacing the upholstered cover with a hooked rug. I really didn't mind the orangey-red color of the bench, but it was hard to work with, so I painted it with Annie Sloan's chalk paint called French Linen, (leftover from our bathroom vanity redo). This neutral color allowed a lot more leeway in whatever colors I decided to use in my rug. I finished hooking the rug a few weeks ago and I finally got around to having Steve help me staple it onto the board backing. I'm pleased with how it turned out. The rug pattern is called "Dianne's Basket" by Holly Hill Designs. I hooked it in #6 cut on linen backing using mainly textured wool plus a couple of hand-dyed pieces for the pinks. I had to extend the background on the sides of the rug to fit the bench seat, which was very simple to do. Just hook more of the black!
     One of the things that continually comes to mind when I hook or look at patterns is the way the background, especially a black background, makes the colorful patterns pop. It reminds me of the Psanky Easter eggs we make. Intricate and colorful designs are dyed onto the egg with the final color being black. Once the process is complete and the beeswax is wiped off the egg, the colorful designs pop out from the black background. Same thing! I love it.