The first documented hourglass dates from the 8th century CE. But it was not until the 14th century that the hourglass was seen commonly. The fact that the hourglass also used granular materials instead of liquids gave it more accurate measurements for a ship while sailing. It would take exactly one hour for the sand to flow from one bulb to the other. Hourglasses were commonly seen in use in churches, homes, and work places to measure sermons, cooking time, and time spent on breaks from labor. Because they were being used for more everyday tasks, the model of the hourglass began to shrink. The smaller models were more practical and very popular as they made timing more discreet. After 1500, the hourglass was being replaced by the mechanical clocks but the smaller versions can still be found in homes today. The hourglass image on the gravestone of Ollie Leonard in the Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh provided the rug hooking pattern design. Biography Fritz Mitnick has always done needlework from the time she could hold a needle. She found rug hooking in 1997 and took an early retirement in order to hook more rugs. She is a McGown accredited teacher and a member of the local McGown Guild. Her rugs have appeared in Rug Hooking Magazine, The Wool Street Journal and ATHA and McGown periodicals. Fritz designs many patterns and some are available from Honey Bee Hive Rug Hooking Patterns.