Cape May or Rather No.

Cape May–A wonderful rug pattern that has been hooked in many different colorwaves. I have often heard it got its name because Ruth Hall and Joan Moshimer found the antique rug in Cape May, NJ or that Ruth Hall loved Cape May and named the rug that—well both stories could have merit but Cape May started it’s life as No. 104. Now No. 104 is exactly Chanel No. 5 so most likely that is why the pattern name changed.

No. 104 was actually a Ralph Burnham pattern (one of my heroes in rug hooking) and first came into one of his catalogs in the very late or very early 1900’s. Here is a picture of the front and back of one of his early catalogs.

Upon Ralph’s passing, his wife sold part of their rug patterns to Mrs. Ruth Hall of NH who happened to have a good friend and antiquing buddy, Joan Moshimer. Ruth Hall had her own business for many years before selling it to her friend, Joan Moshimer.

From Ruth Hall’s notebooks are these early pictures of many different colorwaves of No. 104

Joan Moshimer first introduced No. 104 as Cape May in 1975 in her original book The Complete Rug Hooker. In the book the Cape May pictured is described as a very old rug dating back to the early 19th Century. When the second printing of the book came out, Cape May was the back cover.

Cape May appeared in Rug Hooker News & Views March April 1984 featuring a rug and color plan hooked by Ruth Russell.

From the beginning, Cape May was a popular pattern in different colorwaves. A large rug 37 1/2 x 67 but not “room size.” Rug hookers today customize the pattern to suit their individual color palettes and needs.

Here are some of the more recent Cape May’s

This one was hooked by Ann Tillman for a special young lady going off to college. Most like the first time “Sparkle” wool was used in Cape May!