The biggest UFO yet.

A while ago, I purchased a 4 x 6 Kilim rug from someone who realized that she was not going to finish it. It was an absolute steal and I felt a little guilty getting the pattern and wool for as little as I did, but I convinced myself that knowing that someone would finish it would make her feel good.

As if I didn't have enough UFOs of my own, I had now inherited the mother of all UFOs - considerably larger than anything else in my stash. The pictures above show what I have managed to get done and what is left - YIKES!

Most of the colours that were chosen for the rug were perfect at the cottage, other than the red, which was a little too blue for my liking. So I started Saturday morning with a dye experiment to see about warming up the red. I used yellow - figuring that either it or orange would do the trick. Although it looked as if there wasn't much difference at first, after it was dyed and dried, it was just enough.

Then I needed to take out the little bits of red that were already hooked. (Another lucky little thing about this mat, the previous owner had done one horizontal strip of the pattern across the rug, so the colour placement was already decided.)

I cut new strips in a 4 and replaced them, realizing they may have been a 3. There were not many cut strips with the mat, so I am happy to trade up a size.

As does every rug we touch, this one will have lots of lessons to teach. Already there's been a dye lesson. And I'm back to a small cut and straight line hooking, which is always a reminder of how tension gets out of whack on big looped projects. A little discipline is a good thing.

Another challenge presented by this rug is finding someone to make me new, longer rails for my Cheticamp frame, so that I can set this rug up at the cottage and leave it set up.

Rather than having them shipped from the east coast by bus, I have found a dear friend who has the most amazing dust-free workshop ever - and he has offered to make them for me. I will barter a hooked sign for him in exchange. Another win-win situation.

For whatever reason, in recent weeks, there has been lots of talk of UFOs - how many we have and the recurring New Year's Resolution to finish a couple. Jennifer (Fish Eye Rugs) even had a contest for the best, oldest UFO story and gave away a UFO as a prize - very ingenious!

So now I feel like the Queen of the club. This is a big, wonderful one that I hope will not remain one while in my keeping. If it stays up north and becomes the dedicated project there, I can continue with the smaller, faster projects in the city.

And somehow that will be fitting. Fast and furious in the city. Long and slow in the country.