About hooked rugs

About this time I began to realize that dyed materials were very necessary to secure an artistic effect in a hooked rug.

I interested my friend Hattie, who painted and had a flair for color, in dyeing swatches, so that in one grouping of colors you would find all the gradations of hue, or accents of color necessary to make a rose, a tulip or some other particular flower. But where could I keep these new swatches?

Separating the different hues required space and more space.

There was nothing to do but sacrifice my dressing room for a swatch room, so these walls too were lined with shelves reaching to the ceiling. They made a pretty sight!