A giant high-top sneaker embellished with golden scissors floats in a polka dot sky along with the surprising motto, "Run With Scissors." Hooked rug maker Jill Cooper explains, "The older I get, the more I don't follow 'the rules.' This rug was a way to share my belief that you must take every chance you can to enjoy all the beauty of life."

Taking chances with hooked rugs -- those cozy accessories of hearth and home -- is just what members of Vermont's Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild do best. They tackle unconventional subjects, delight in using unheard of fibers, and love the challenge of designing their own contemporary work. At the same time, they are experts on "traditional" rugs and can replicate hooked pieces from the 1800s with uncanny precision. The guild's annual exhibit in 2006 featured more than 900 wonderful rugs, of which half are presented here and half in the companion volume. Feast your eyes on winners of the coveted Viewers' Choice Awards, rugs in Oriental designs, florals, abstracts, animals, architectural designs, and delicate miniature rugs smaller than a credit card. Rugs by one of the show's three honorees, Pat Merikallio, are featured here, as are rugs made by children, rugs illustrating "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and over 100 pieces depicting the theme "Strong Women." This book is a delightful, inspiring look at what can be accomplished with the versatile and exciting medium of hooked rugs.