Si/See Project

This traditional rug hooking project was started in June 2006. Throughout Marcela's five years as an Interventionist she saw a gap in the services being offered to the Latino community in the Boulder area.

Most parents she met with, (specifically mothers) felt isolated and lost when it came to what to do with their time at home. They wanted to be productive and contribute financially to their household but felt that the only way of doing this was to find a job cleaning houses, or working in a restaurant. For many this was not an option since they had small children at home, but most importantly, these were not jobs that addressed their loneliness and desire for community. Many of the women she spoke with had creative skills they felt were useless in this country.

Marcela began to develop the possibility of a group to offer a service that would address skill building, self-esteem, and a sense of support for these women. Marcela spent the spring semester of 2006 speaking with interested mothers at Manhattan middle school about rug hooking, and in June 2006 began meeting once a week.

The group has been meeting every week since then. The women involved have finished their first few rugs. They have been invited as visiting artists to talk about rug hooking, and showed their work to a middle school art class in the spring of 2007. While hooking, the group has supported each other through difficult personal issues, feeling a sense of camaraderie and pride. The project has been inspirational, a lot of fun, and a success.

As 2008 begins, the Maitri Project will be sponsoring a second Si/See group. Both groups will be contributing their hook rug art to a Maitri Project sponsored event that will allow the artists to sell their beautiful rugs and give donors the opportunity to support this very important program.

Hooking rugs grew from the idea of combining cultural skills. Hooked rugs are a North American tradition that has gotten lost with the development of machine made rugs. Today hooked rugs are mostly found in antique shops, and were made in the 18th and 19th century. The rugs were originally made out of necessity, using old wool clothing in order to cover cold floors. Made mostly by women, they were time consuming but allowed for creative expression and coming together. They were durable, colorful, and told personal stories.

Latino women have also been weaving and crafting for centuries. Teaching them a traditional craft from this country seemed like a good way of joining cultures in a positive way.

The rugs are being made in much the same way they were originally made with the exception of using a frame to stretch the fabric. In addition to meeting 3 hours a week, twice a month we meet and go around to different second-hand shops in town and in Denver in order to buy wool sweaters that can be felted and cut into strips to make the rugs. At present the group includes seven women, each making a small rug. We hope to expand the group as we are able to buy more frames and supplies.

To donate materials or funds toward this projects endeavor, please contact Marcela Ot'alora at 303-818- 1419.