People ask: what do you do for fun? My answer: arraiolos. And I have Rachel to thank for introducing me to an art that has become a hobby, a conversation starter, and a source of contentment for me for the past decade.
Rachel served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Lisbon, Portugal, in the late '90s. While she was there, a woman she taught taught her how to rug. Years later, as we were watching General Conference on tv, I pulled out my crochet project and Rachel pulled out her arraiolos rug sampler. I was entranced.
Thus began my quest to learn more. I borrowed a pattern from Rachel and set out to find equivalent materials to try it out. Guess what I quickly learned? You can't get authentic materials (evenweave jute and speciality triple-ply wool rug yarn) at JoAnn's - or any other craft store in the U.S. So I made do with 10-gauge needlepoint canvas and acrylic yarn. More on how that worked out later.
Next I went on a search for information on technique for working arraiolos rugs. Rachel sent me home with a small square of jute and a 1-inch sample of the long-legged cross-stitch. That's the primary stitch for fill, but I had a lot to learn about technique - travelling stitch, order of construction, finishing techniques, etc. I find a couple of blogs which confirmed my suspicions of just how little information is out there.
I found a Portuguese supplier (Serranofil) and learned that Patricia Stone had written a book -- in English! -- about Arraiolos 50 years before. Alas! The book was out of print. Hooray! I was able to find a copy on eBay for a mere $80 - it was worth every penny. A hint: Amazon Marketplace usually has a dozen copies for sale ranging from $7-$170. See my link on the side bar.
A few weeks later, I finished a sampler (which serves me well as a piano bench cover today) and knew I had found a lifelong love.
Thanks, Rach!
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