Several people have asked me if I designed the pattern for my hall rugs, or if it was a commercial one I bought. I always reply, saying it is  adapted from a design by Pearl McGown called Queen Mary (actually I may have said Queen Anne….but I see now it is Queen Mary…I plead old age for such errors).  However, when I was putting my pattern together I was completely in the dark as to its origins. I had borrowed a book from the Sunshine Hookers library, which had a section with patterns for use in the back. These were un-named, and crudely drawn outlines on  graph paper.  I enlarged two of them, cut them up, and re-arranged them (using parts, discarding some) to create the two related patterns of the right sizes for my rugs. (below is a picture of the patterns I ended up with- these were then transferred to the backing – I discussed the details of that  process in the very first blog -scroll down, choose #5 and scroll down to the end if you are interested)

Some time later, when the rugs were actually underway, I was leafing through an old copy of RHM (June/July/August 2003) and to my great surprise…there was the original rug.

It had received second place in the “Commercial designs or adaptations” category of Celebration XII. It was done in a 4 cut, by Cheryl Meese of Duluth Minnesota, with terrific detail  and shading. I was really excited to see the ‘original design’. I must admit I then referred to this picture a number of times to determine  details that were missing on my sketchy outline, but many of my motifs bear little resemblance to Pearl McGown’s.

The McGown pattern is perfectly symmetrical, while mine does not repeat in the centre section.  The central looping vines however are unmistakable.