Blog

A Wrap-Up from Strathalbyn, SA

ISSN 2007-00IX   November 2019

The last Blog finished with promise of more to come from the Guild meeting held during the StrathMatters Exhibition weekend in Strathalbyn October 5 & 6 2019.

Your new committee has held a virtual meeting and put plans in motion for a survey of members seeking input as to what sort of events might be planned to bring guild members together. The survey, a tick the box variety, was sent to all by email, it should have taken only a few minutes to complete and submit right there online. We’re hoping by the next Committee meeting on 22nd November we’ll have received some ideas.

If you’re a member or past member and  didn’t receive the survey – please contact rughookingaustralia@gmail.com and a link to the survey will be emailed to you.

Meanwhile, I’d like to introduce you to the new Committee –

President: Maggie Whyte, ACT.  Maggie lives in Canberra and has always been interested in textiles, from embroidery to felt making.  For 10 years she taught various forms of hand embroidery preferring freestyle. From 2005-2008 she was President of the Canberra Region Felt makers and exhibited in their Exhibitions.

In 2001 Maggie was inspired by Miriam Miller to become a rugmaker and since that time has produced rugs and wall-hangings.   Portraits and abstract wall-hangings are of special interest to her and she often uses handmade, hand dyed felt in her work.

Maggie is a member of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers Group, the Australian Rugmakers Guild and the International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers and regularly writes articles for both Guilds.

Vice President:  Martha Birch, NSW.  Martha lives in Clovelly, Sydney, and has always been interested in textiles, from an early age.

10 years ago, she was given a frame, rotary cutter and hooks by her American mother-in-law, a retiring Rug Hooker. At this time, she was also given a rudimentary lesson and introduced to the local group in Northfield, Vermont. The wooden frame broke in transit to Australia so was replaced with a Puritan frame, purchased just before the company closed.

In 2015 Martha retired from her professional work and searched for Rug Hooking in Australia. Through the Guild, she contacted Miriam Miller and visited her for lessons, starting her first project. Miriam put her in touch with another Rugger in Sydney and when their meetings ended, Martha decided to stir up some interest. With the Guild and Miriam’s assistance, and support from the Narrawilly Group, a Guild stand was held at Expertise Events Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair in 2018. There was a bit of interest, so Martha ran a class for 10 women and they formed a group who continue to meet with Martha at the Epping Creative Centre.

This group, with the Guild and Miriam’s support again, held another Guild stand at the 2019 Expertise Events Craft & Quilt Fair with overwhelming response. Martha has now taught 5 classes at several venues on the outskirts of Sydney and will follow them up in the hope more groups will be formed.

Martha is working on a series of chair pads (2 down, 4 to go) using the floral paintings by Margaret Preston for inspiration and has made a couple of heat pads from a friend’s designs.

Her group have been invited back to the 2020 Craft & Quilt Fair, where an exhibition and workshop space will be provided. There is also discussion of a Demonstration Day at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, the setting up of a Competition Category for Rug Hooking to follow this.

 

Treasurer: Tricia Thacker, WA, was new to rug hooking when she became  a member of the Wanneroo Rugmakers group.  Her textile interests are varied and include knitting, crochet, macrame and weaving.

Not one to give up, Tricia resurrected a “UFO” –  circular weaving project from a workshop many years ago and without the aid of directions, since misplaced, managed to figure out how to finish the woven beret, modeled here. The beret was sent off to the Alice Springs Beanie Festival where it was sold for a large amount of money which surprised Tricia.

Miriam Miller, rughooking instructor, NSW Australia_photo, Gillian Lett Milton Ulladulla Times

Secretary:  Miriam Miller, NSW.  Miriam a talented rug maker and Author of Proggy and Hooky Rugs has pioneered the revival of proggy and hooky rugs in Australia.

She has also inspired many others to share her passion and has transformed the traditional craft of rag rugging into a new form of artistic expression.  Miriam’s work has appeared in exhibitions in Wollongong, Nowra, Braidwood, with solo and joint exhibitions in Sydney and Milton, NSW.

Miriam was the first Presidsent of the Australian Rugmakers Guild from 2008-2014.  Now President Emeritus, Miriam has accepted the nomination of Secretary.   Miriam is a member of The International Guild of Hand Hooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) – President of that organization for three years (2009-2012).

Editor/Membership Chair:   Josephine (Jo) Franco; Co-Founder of the Australian Rugmakers Guild.

Jo was introduced to traditional rug hooking while living in the United States and became an accredited teacher with the Pearl K. McGown Hookcrafting Guild.

Jo travelled to the UK and the USA to attend rug hooking conferences as a member and panel participant and to give workshops.

On her return to Australia Jo has become interested in the use of recycled fabrics and creating her own designs for wall hangings, wearables and three-dimensional pieces.

As Editor for the Australian Rugmakers Guild she is working to create an interest across Australia in rug hooking techniques and has been instrumental in setting up  community rug hooking groups, while playing a key role in supporting isolated rug hookers across the country with her knowledge and skills of this craft.

Jo is a member of the International Guild of Hand Hooking Rugmakers and was Editor of the International Guild’s “Hooking Matters” when Australia was the host country. (2009-2012).

Webmaster: Judi Tompkins

Judi says – I grew up in the “big snow” area of Northern Michigan (USA) in a time of when thrift, recycling and traditional crafts – the philosophy of “passing it on” was the norm.  I watched my grandmother and her sewing circle of friends patiently recycle unwanted fabrics into hooked and braided rugs, art quilts and other practical creations.

When I retired from my career as a consultant (2007) I had time to focus on my interest in fibre, in particular, Rug Hooking.

As an educator, the concept of sharing knowledge “passing it on” is important to me, so I joined the growing Australian Guild of Rug Crafters working to save and revive this traditional craft.

My interest with fibre means that I have come full circle and suddenly feel part of my grandmother’s “quilting bee ladies” and the artisans I’ve met over the years.

The unhurried nature of the craft takes me on a journey that gives me time to reflect on both the subject and my work and the materials I use.   I enjoy every step of the way.

Back to the Strath Matters weekend Exhibition …..

The Committee’s two Judiths  ……….  Judith Stephens retiring President (Co-Founder of the Australian Rugmakers Guild) and Judith Tompkins, Webmaster,

The two “Judith’s” Judith Stephens, Retiring President with Webmaster Judi Tompkins discussing the rugs on display.
  • and the two Jacquelines ………

On Saturday morning, during Yvonne Dalton’s presentation, two tourists visiting the area stopped into the Town Hall to see what was happening.  Both ladies were from France, only one spoke English and was enthralled listening to Yvonne tell how she was taking her fabric, eco dyed (using a tree-wrapping process) in another direction, creating collages with fabric and her handmade paper and also using the dyed fabric to develop three dimensional works.

Yvonne told a humorous story involving a group of young women who bared all on Yvonne’s work-table to allow her to make a mould of their torso’s which Yvonne then used to create 3D sculptural work.

The second lady spoke no English and when she spotted Jacqui Thomson’s name tag, indicating herself, said “Jacqueline” – where upon Jacqui nodded in agreement – after some more “hand signals” it was discovered the visitors name was also Jacqueline. 

The visiting Jacqueline spoke several languages, including Spanish – so with our Jacqui’s smattering of French and yours truly’s use of fractured Spanish – the three of us were able to hold conversation.  The visitor looked excited, and I believe that might have gone down in her travel journal as a special moment.

Betty Wolf’s tapestry weaving demonstration followed. With Betty’s permission,  I attempted to record her demonstration on my phone.  In the large space full of chattering visitors it was quite a challenge, but Kira Mead has been able to work her magic. Here is the video which wasn’t shown in the earlier Blog.

The Guild President also the leader of the Strath Matters had her hands full, not only with the weekend rug exhibition but also organising the Strath Matters entries at the Strathalbyn Show.  Behind the scene, Jenny B was quietly keeping things running smoothly in the kitchen – with tea/coffee and cake available to the visitors and presenting drinks and nibbles to members after the Guild meeting.

Winding up this successful weekend it was hard to to believe it’s been over 10 years since the formation of the Guild in Strathalbyn, South Australia during the StrathMatters very first Exhibition.

Pictured below at the end of the 2008 Exhibition are members of the ARG Committee, seated – Judith Stephens, Vice President, Jo Franco, Editor along with the newly elected President, Miriam Miller – three very tied rug hookers.

Judith Stephens, Jo Franco & Miriam Miller, Strathalbyn 2008

Unfortunately, this year’s Exhibition did not end well for Miriam – who was returning to Milton via Canberra with Maggie Whyte and the Canadian visitors, Susan Sutherland and Karen Kaiser.

While driving from Canberra  back to Milton it was obvious Miriam was not well so the hospital was their first stop when they reached Milton. The Doctors decided she needed to be in ICU immediately, which meant a helicopter ride to Sydney.  Miriam said it was noisy and cold and she was in so much pain she couldn’t enjoy the exciting experience.

From the Editor:      I’m pleased to say Miriam has made a good recovery and is back at home at Narrawilly in Milton.  While still recuperating, she is happy to respond to emails from well wishers, but has not been able to publish her newsletter –  so watch for an end of year wrap up from her.

Looking forward to bringing you more news from the Survey.   Happy Hooking

 

Presentations and Demonstrations

ISSN 2007-00IX   October, 2019

The Town Hall, High Street, Strathalbyn, South Australia, was the place to be on the weekend of the 5/6th October.

An interesting array of rugs was displayed and presentations given by local and international fibre artists.

Guild President Judith Stephens and Communications Chair, Judi Tompkins discussing some of the rugs to be displayed.

It seems many rug hookers also have an interest in “woven” rugs. Aussie Guild members were in for a treat during the weekend in Strathalbyn

 

Betty Wolf Artist, Tapestry Weaver, Teacher (Dipl.Arts, M.Ed.)

travelled from her home in Normanville, South Australia to demonstrate Tapestry weaving at the Rugmakers Revelation exhibition in Strathalbyn.

Betty took up tapestry weaving as a hobby in the 1980’s while working in a busy job as Healthcare Educator in a Dutch Cancercentre.

The relaxing slow process of tapestry weaving and “playing” with colours has been a trustworthy companion during all transitions in her life ever since.

Passionate about sharing her skills with others, she taught several tapestry weaving workshops in Scotland where she lived in the 1990’s.

Having moved to remote rural South Australia in 2001 she enrolled in a six-year part time diploma course in Visual Arts/ Tapestry weaving at South West TAFE. This course offered a wide range of subjects that broadened her mind towards designing for tapestry. Part of the course was also a work placement where she was able to teach weaving and other art forms to people with mental health problems.

After finishing her course Betty was eight years involved in an “Art and Reminiscence” project for people with dementia in Murray Bridge, South Australia and conducted weaving and art workshops for people with mental illness.

As a member of the Murray Bridge Regional Art Society she participated regularly in art exhibitions with her tapestry weaving.

Betty moved to the Fleurieu Peninsula in 2016 and is now a member of the Yankalilla & surrounds Community Art Collective, represented by Gallery 88 in Yankalilla where she exhibits her woven tapestries.

As her passion is still, to share her skills with others, with a special interest in art and well-being, she offers workshops in “Weaving for Wellness” to community centres and small groups on request. At the moment she conducts weaving – and creative expression workshops as a volunteer for Aged Care.”

You will see in this video, the frame Betty used is simple and compact, Betty said that some of the larger tapestries are woven on a larger (wooden or metal) frame, but still a similar simple construction, just a larger size. They also have a simple “tension adjustment” system to tighten the warp strings as you go (no more than two screws) Contact Betty by email; bettywolf_56@live.com.au

Yvonne Dalton; Textile Artist & Eco Dyer  

on Saturday, Yvonne talked about her Eco dyeing (wrapping of trees) Eucalyptus and Acacias

 

also her Solar dyeing and … where she has taken her dyed fabrics – using them for the making of clothing, quilts, and combining with her handmade paper to create collages and sculptural works.

 

 

Yvonne had the audience in stitches describing how she destroyed several kitchen appliances in her attempts at paper making and now makes her paper from plant material in a cement mixer!

On Sunday we were treated to an interesting demonstration of Yvonne’s sculptural/3D work and the combining of organics and textiles, using crochet and stitch which she shares in this video.

Yvonne says “Reuse and re-purpose is at the heart of what I teach …  most of my current workshops are out of ‘recreate’ which is a part of Mt Pleasant Natural Resource Centre. Mt Pleasant, South Australia. I work in primary schools and kindergartens usually. I also work with groups of adults at the centre and I do travel some distances at times to give workshops.

Some of the skills I cover are crocheted rugs and vessels, stitched vessels, stitched grasses …. also wire work and simple cold joining metal construction and beginner’s mosaic.”

Yvonne Dalton’s “sketch books” for her ideas, inspiration and records, are created from reused sample books from a flooring manufacturer.

Karen Kaiser – Textile Artist – Ontario, Canada

What makes an effective design?

SIMPLICITY, CONTRAST & BALANCE

Karen discussed her approach to design:

Karen says;“I think each piece should be a work of art and have its own appeal and wow factor. The roots of my designs vary with each rug…. but the goal in each one is to evoke emotion and a reaction. I try to coordinate the colours and line or flow with that emotion…. I love to surprise the viewer with colour, line and depth.”

The designing of a rug is a series of decisions.

In this video Karen talks about the design decisions and and then the process of coming up with a pleasing design.

Susan Sutherland – Rug Hooker, Textile Artist – Ontario, Canada

spoke to the “200 Hooked Cushions for my 200th” project and showed images of some of the many cushions she has photographed. Involved were over 120 cushion makers, with cushions sent in from across Canada, USA, UK, Scotland, Europe, and as far away as the UAE.

Organizer,Rémi Lévesque said he was surprised to see the success of a local community project that went global. The cushions will be permanently exhibited on the old wooden church pews.

The project started with a request for cushions to be made for the celebration of the 200th year of the Barachois Historic Church, in New Brunswick, Canada, now a local museum, art gallery, and summer concert venue.

As the posts of the finished cushions went up on the 200 Hooked Cushions Facebook page and were mentioned in Guild Blogs – many rug hookers from around the world were disappointed they hadn’t heard about this project earlier so they could have participated. Susan said they are still accepting cushions and would love to have some sent from Australia. If any Australian Guild members are interested in participating,  Susan has offered to accept hooked pieces and take care of the rest; assembling cushions (adding sides, stitching, stuffing) and delivery to save on the expense of postage.

Canadians, Susan Sutherland and Karen Kaiser, Sydney, Australia

It is important the cushion measurements are correct, particularly the depth of the seat (from the backrest to the seat front). The benches are 78-80 inches long – the length of the cushions is not critical. However the depth is given as 12-13 inches.   You don’t have to worry about the height of the cushion Susan will add the sides, just be sure and leave enough backing for her to work with. For more information on this offer, contact rughookingaustralia@gmail.com

Traveling Rugmakers:  Miriam Miller, Jacqui Thomson (NSW) & Maggie Whyte (ACT)                       

Australian Guild members; Miriam Miller, Pres.Emeritus, Jacqui Thomson and Maggie Whyte, spoke of how much they enjoyed their experiences at TIGHR in Reeth. Susan Sutherland and mutual friend Marg Arland, also went to Reeth, so  as the Australians spoke, Susan projected images of their visit to The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers 2018 Triennial Conference held in Heather Ritchie’s home town of Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales, UK.

Jacqui Thomson & Miriam Miller setting off at 6:00 am from Milton on a 3-month journey to UK, Wales, Ireland, Isle of Guernsey, France, Iceland, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
Marg Arland, Miriam Miller, Jacqui Thomson & Susan Sutherland at TIGHR, Reeth, UK

Judith Stephens, Guild President and leader of Strath Matters, the rug making group hosting the weekend Exhibition,

had her work cut out, as members of StrathMatters also had many of their rugs on display in the Strathalbyn Show being held on the same weekend, so …….. two lots of rugs had to be gathered, sorted and delivered.

Judith still made time to present a “how to” demonstration on Twining, a technique very similar to tapestry weaving, only using strips of fabric instead of the fine yarns.

As well as organizing the Presenters for the weekend  and sales tables of rug hooking materials and tools and rugs to be display in the hall, Judith also had some of her own rugs on display.

Judith creates her own designs for her hooked and proggy rugs, the bulk of her hooked works are politically and socially engaged art focused on the drought, mismanagement of water resources and Australia’s treatment of refugees.

“Jacaranda Spirit” was in response to refugees in detention. The design was drawn on a wall in the city – only up for a few days, Judith took a photo or it before City workers washed it off. Left alongside the drawing on the wall was an open letter from a refugee – a typed copy is shown alongside the hooked art work.
This work depicts an image seen on TV of a dam surrounded by lush green rice and cotton fields, below the dam the land was just brown and parched. The fish represent a second news item about the state of the dwindling river, with water being pulled off for irrigation – it showed masses of dead fish caught up on a floating branch – Judith said it was a horrific scene!
On a lighter note – a whimsical “Gecko in the Ginka Leaves” designed and hooked by Judith. This piece was sold during the weekend.

Trish Carter, also a member of the Strath Matters group is a person of many talents; quilter, crafter and taxidermist.

Trish demonstrated how to make various types of bowls and rugs using inexpensive rope which she dyes.

Judi Tompkins – Textile Artist – Queensland, Australia

Judi likes to work BIG and often with the 3D rug hooking technique of Waldoboro, her art works are too big and elaborately framed to put in a suitcase to transport or mail.

I was in Queensland this year and saw what a huge undertaking it was after Judi’s solo exhibition to pack up the work from two rooms of the Gallery .

 

 

This has  prompted Judi to think about creating some smaller pieces.

Below is “Alley View”, the beginning of a series. From up-cycled items Judi has created a shuttered window which can be opened to view a hooked alley embellished with colourful vessels and fabrics.

The creation of this piece was well documented and will no doubt be the subject of another of Judi’s books

 

There wasn’t a video of Judi’s presentation because the Guild meeting was to follow and Jo Franco was busy setting up her laptop and connecting online with Guild member Kira Mead in Albany, Western Australia. Jo had taken “impromptu” video footage throughout the weekend and shared with Kira  to pull into something interesting to show Guild members who could not travel to the event, .

Jo Franco & Judi Tompkins – “Networking – Textiles and IT”

opened the weekend activities talking about the success of their virtual  mixed media Exhibition (2018) and how it lead to the virtual Global Rug Hub in August 2019.  The success of this virtual format of people with similar interest being able to come together in real time spurred them on to work out how the Guild could come together to hold meetings and events, see workshops and socialize without having to travel. Businesses do it all the time in “webinars”.

To work on these virtual events, the three Guild members, Jo Franco, Judi Tompkins and Kira Mead, have set up a  group called the Global Textile Hub. An email invitation was issued to all Guild members and a handful of  members attended virtually from ACT, QLD, NSW, and WA.

This meeting was another “first” and there were some teething problems with equipment preventing them sending a link to all the members to watch at a later date if they weren’t able to join the meeting at the designated time. Having spoken to those who did sign up, the consensus was it worked well, the members said they felt as though they were there. In future members viewing online will be able to participate in the conversation.

Nominations for the new Committee were accepted and they are;  President, Maggie Whyte, ACT;  Vice President, Marth Birch, NSW; Secretary, Miriam Miller, NSW; Treasurer, Tricia Thacker, WA; Editor/Membership Chair, Jo Franco, WA; Communications Chair, Judi Tompkins, QLD.

From the Editor: There were several items brought up for discussion at the meeting and more images from the weekend to share ….. enough for another Blog!

A big “Thank You” to all the presenters who allowed us to record and show their presentations, even though the person behind the camera is an amateur. Recording live without proper equipment is definitely a challenge, but we are doing all we can to bring members together and inspire.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rugmakers Revelations

ISSN 2007-00IX   12 September, 2019

Out of the past and  into the future – a weekend of talks and demonstrations in Strathalbyn on the

5th & 6th of October, 2019

presented by the Strath Matters rugmaking group.

FREE ENTRY  –  ALL WELCOME

A Guild General Meeting  is to be held Saturday 5th October at 4:00 pm after the days activities at the Town Hall on High Street, Strathalbyn.  Members have been notified by email and nomination forms sent out – if you are a member and did not receive the email, contact rughookingaustralia@gmail.com

The program for the weekend is full of presentations and demonstrations by local, national and international artists.

 

Local textile artist from South Australia Yvonne Dalton will give a talk and demonstration on Saturday and Sunday. India Flint introduces Yvonne in this article in“Hand Eye” magazine.

 

 

International visitors; Canadians, Karen Kaiser  and Susan Sutherland, will give presentations – Karen on “Design” and Susan will talk about how the “Barachois Hooked Cushion” project came to be and her involvement in it.

Some of the cushions have been “on tour” – Rob Thomson in “The Buzz”,  Prince Edward Island’s Guide to What’s Going On, a free monthly magazine featuring community events and local art, music, theatre, books, food & drink, film and more – describes the project on display at the Kirk of St. James in Charlottetown, PEI, in mid-September   …….

They come from Barachois Historic Church in Grand-Barachois, New Brunswick, near Shediac  – 250 cushions, covered in a kaleidoscope of hooked-rug fabric and colour created by rug hookers across Canada and the United States and from places as far away as Scotland and the UAE, They are the result of a project to celebrate two historic events: the 2019 World Acadian Congress, and the upcoming 200th anniversary of the church in 2026.

Other discussions with international interest will be with Australian Rugmaking Guild members who traveled to the UK for The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers 2018 Triennial Conference and their travels before and after the TIGHR Conference – including  an Artists in Residence in Wales, a Knitting Tour in Iceland and meeting rug hookers on the Isle of Guernsey and in Normandie, France.

A tapestry weaving demonstration will be presented by Betty Wolf and local Guild members will demonstrate associated fibre techniques, crocheted rope baskets, toothbrush rug making, and twining, another weaving technique.

Jo Franco, Editor and Membership Chair and Judi Tompkins, Communications Chair for the Australia Rugmakers Guild have ventured into the “online” world with a virtual textile exhibition in 2018. More recently, along with Kira Mead the third member of their team, they presented the Global rug Hub webinar which brought rugmakers together from around the Globe.

Jo and Judi will talk about this experience and show the video’s produced by  Australian Guild member Kira Mead.

The Strath Matters rugmaking group and the Australian Rugmakers Guild Committee hope you will join us for this weekend of interesting events.

 

A Tribute to Robin Inkpen

ISSN 2007-00IX   August 30th, 2019.

We’re sharing this video produced by Kira Mead, as a tribute to Robin, our friend and colleague.

The audio was recorded by Robin earlier in August for the Global Textile Hub.

Judi Tompkins has described Robin as a softly-spoken, reflective thinker who used her extensive professional experience and skills to synthesize fashion design/illustration; etching and silk-screen design into a very personal artistic style that expressed her love of textiles, her passion for colour and the truly satisfying tactility of fibre art.

Robin was an Australian Rugmakers Guild member for many years. Members will be familiar with her work shown throughout the Guild’s website – in fact the profile image on this website and the Australian Rugmakers Guild Facebook page was taken from one of Robin’s rugs.

Vale Robin  – You will be missed.

Josephine Franco, Editor

Vale Robin Inkpen (Donnybrook, WA)

If you’ve looked at the ARG site you will notice that a number of the rugs featured were made by the late Robin Inkpen.  We just thought it was fitting to mention Robin’s passing in a note here.

Vale Dear Robin…you were a great friend, a wonderful artist, and a committed humanitarian.

You will be missed.

You will be remembered.

We will celebrate your life.

Emily Dickinson once said “My Friends are my estate”….Robin left a very wealthy estate.

A poem that we believe reflected Robin’s worldview.

Farewell My Friends

It was beautiful
As long as it lasted
The journey of my life.
I have no regrets
Whatsoever said
The pain I’ll leave behind.
Those dear hearts
Who love and care…
And the strings pulling
At the heart and soul…
The strong arms
That held me up
When my own strength
Let me down.
At the turning of my life
I came across
Good friends,
Friends who stood by me
Even when time raced me by.
Farewell, farewell My friends
I smile and
Bid you goodbye.
No, shed no tears
For I need them not
All I need is your smile.
If you feel sad
Do think of me
For that’s what I’ll like
When you live in the hearts
Of those you love
Remember then
You never die.

– Rabindranath Tagore

Farewell Robin…you live on in our hearts.

All our sympathy to Skip and the family.

An Online Interview with Gail Nichols

ISSN 2007-001X   –  August, 2019

“Tipsy Tango” new and recycled fabric hooked on primitive linen, 160 x 100 cm by Gail Nichols, NSW, Australia

       Following her exhibition, ‘Viewpoint‘, at Suki and Hugh Gallery, 38A Gibralter St. Bungendore, New South Wales, Gail Nichols made an appearance at Rug Hooking Week in Sauder Village, Ohio, USA – a virtual appearance that is, in the Global Rug Hub video, a world-wide gathering of rug hookers, textile artists and media representatives.

Kira Mead, interviewed Gail when producing the Global Rug Hub video, shown during a virtual hook-in, a new experience for many rug makers.  They were surprised to find they could sign-in from wherever they were at the time;  a gas-lit stone cottage by a windswept tarn on the edge of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria north of England,  from high in the hills of Scotland or the Australian desert west of Alice Springs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members of the Global Textile Hub, Kira Mead, Jo Franco and Judi Tompkins, were represented in the USA at Sauder Village, Ohio, by their associate Susan Feller, Art Wools, West Virginia. Susan and participants of Rug Hooking Week watched on a large screen TV as viewers from around the world were connected via a video meeting link, operated by Kira Mead in Australia.

Susan Feller, ArtWools, West Virginia, USA & Liz Marino, McGown Guild, webmaster.

Many of the rug hookers in the audience at Sauder Village are well-known to Australian Guild members. As are those interviewed for the Global Rug Hub  video or who had sent in voice/video clips and images of work from their groups.

In the case of one rug hooker from Norway,  Håkon Grøn Hensvold, information was taken (with permission) from Tamara Pavich’s book  “Rug Hooking Journeys – Finding the Maker in the Rug”

Håkon Grøn Hensvold. Norway

So much information was gathered  from around the Globe, for this event, it was just not possible to use it all – however, it will be used in future Blog posts.

Unfortunately, some of those registered were unable to make a connection. While it was indicated you could register and sign-in, not only via a lap-top and PC but also on a digital device – i.e. iPad, iPhone or Android – it wasn’t clear that if using a digital device you had to first download the ZOOM app.

Next time this wont be a problem  ……..  and there will be a next time as the inaugural interactive event was well received and more were requested.

The live session was recorded, so if you missed it you can see both the Global Rug Hub video and the discussion that followed on Kira Mead’s YouTube channel – you’ll also see videos Kira has made about other Guild members and events. When you visit Kira’s YouTube channel look for  “SUBSCRIBE”.  By subscribing to Kira’s YouTube channel  you’ll be advised by email when she produces new videos.

 

 

 

Something New – a Virtual Global Hook-in

Three members of the Australian Rugmakers Guild, Judi Tompkins, Kira Mead and Jo Franco, have come together to hold a virtual Global Hook-in online

Wednesday, 14th August 2019 – in the USA it will be still be the evening of 13th August.

 

The question is ….. “How do I register to view this virtual event?”
Answer: instructions will be shared on various Facebook pages and posted on this Blog.
Images, video and voice recording clips have been submitted by rug makers from around the Globe, hence the name of the video  “Global Rug Hub”.
During the virtual Hook-in session, those registered to view, will see the video and via a text box, can ask questions, and chat with others who have registered. The video has been made to “stand alone” and will be available for viewing after the virtual Hook-in.

Keep watching this Blog for more information on the virtual Global Hook-in and follow the team, Judi, Kira and Jo on their new Facebook page set up for this and future virtual events.  https://www.facebook.com/GlobalTextileHub

Josephine Franco, Editor/Membership

 

Taking traditional craft into the world of technology  – see you online in August!    

 

Updating the EVENTS page for 2019

ISSN 2207-001X – 2nd April 2019

The Calendar page of this website is being updated as news comes in from rughookers around Australia … it looks like 2019 will be a busy year!
Continuing the recent coverage of  news from Queensland and New South Wales, scroll down for reports from Tasmania, Victoria, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.

TASMANIA:  Emma Gunn from Hobart came to my attention in 2018 when I discovered  this rug she’d posted as “inspiration” in a public online group she’d started, to bring together those keen to use up-cycled materials in craft projects. It’s a  public Facebook group anyone can join; https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrootas/

Emma said this vintage rag rug, probably made in the 1930s at a guess, is made from old jumpers and has lasted pretty well. It belongs to a friend but lives in her spare room

Emma’s second rug. Recycled wool from old clothing cut into wide strips with scissors and hooked through latch hooking canvas – before she discovered and moved on to “proper” hooked rug backing!

Emma was invited to join the Guild, she did so and then went off to visit a relative in Canada also traveling to the USA. On this trip her interest in rug hooking increased – she’s now definitely hooked!   Here is what she had to say ….

In late August last year, I was fortunate to travel to Canada to visit my daughter who was completing an internship at the University in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Whilst in Canada, I was keen to further my interest in rug-hooking, which I had experimented with over the last few years. Researching online before I booked my itinerary, I found very few contacts for rug-hooking in Quebec and realised that rug-hooking was a lot more common in Nova Scotia.

So, my itinerary included Halifax in Nova Scotia and on one of my days in that lovely city, I hired a car and drove down to Mahone Bay, admiring the wonderful scenery on the way. Mahone Bay is a picture-perfect town and while there I visited both Encompassing Designs and Spruce Top rug studios in both of which I was warmly welcomed. I couldn’t indulge myself too much as I would have liked as I was travelling by plane, train and bus for 2 months in total but managed to stash three patterns and a new hook at the bottom of my suitcase.

On the way back to Halifax I also visited the Hooked Rug Museum of North America and viewed the amazing collection of rugs that is held there, some of which were room sized. All in all, it was a dream day for a novice rug-hooker!

Back in Montreal I was longing to start hooking, but as I usually repurpose old woollen clothes and blankets for this purpose this didn’t seem practical given that I was travelling. Then inspiration struck – maybe just this once I could hook using wool yarn! I looked up knitting shops and found that there was one within walking distance – a very pleasant riverside walk too. Once there, a very helpful lady helped me find appropriate wool to at least hook the design part of the pattern and so I could start. I think I may have been the only person to ever come into the shop looking for wool to hook a rug.

By an amazing co-incidence, shortly after this I saw a notice on one of rug-hooking websites about a book written by US rug hooker Judy Taylor about hooking with yarn, so I looked up her website for some reassurance that what I intended would work.

The resultant cushion cover was hooked on the train across Canada, in Calgary and Canmore in Alberta as snow fell outside, in Seattle, Washington, Flagstaff Arizona, Yosemite and San Francisco, California. It was finished at my home in Hobart, Tasmania where I hooked the background with wool that I bought locally. The backing is, true to my usual practice, an old felted sweater sourced from an op shop.

It now sits on my Jimmy Possum chair, which I made at a workshop using recycled timber to copy vernacular furniture made by an itinerant craftsman from northern Tasmania at the end of the 19th Century.

Every time I look at the cushion, I remember my travels and the colours of late summer and early fall on the other side of the world.
Emma Gunn

VICTORIA:
Melbourne; There’s a new Guild member in the metropolitan area, Anna Martin from The Studio in Camberwell.

Anna gives Punchneedle hooking workshops to adults and children. Anna learned the technique from Clare Thornley, Jilliby, NSW who sells raw materials and tools to fibre artists through her online shop FELTFINE. Beside Oxford Punchneedle tools/backing you can purchase lovely yarn and spinning and weaving supplies. 

Yarra Valley; The Yarra Valley Rugmakers are still taking turns traveling to each other’s homes to meet up once a month. Their last meeting was in Warrandyte on 23rd March. Visit their Blog to check out when/where future meeting will be held and to see what they’re currently working on – here’s Robyne’s Magpie rug being used as a chair pad on one of her Hubby’s willow chairs. She says, the fox pelt was road-kill.

NORTHERN TERRITORY:  Rughooking in the Outback

Sue lives and works in an Indigenous community in the Outback, north and west of Alice Springs, off the Larapinta Dr, close to Papunya. You can see by these images shared from the Facebook page of Empowered Communities – the  NPY Region,  is really isolated.


However not all the area is flat – a couple of hours drive away is Haasts Bluff, also known as Ikuntji, another Indigenous Australian community in the West MacDonnell Ranges. Read more

Sue made contact through the Guild Facebook page to say she was interested in rug hooking so I sent her a copy of Miriam Miller’s book Proggy & Hooky Rugs – she’s now definitely “hooked” and is going to introduce rug hooking as a craft to the people in the community but is waiting on some supplies of material. They have some Hessian backing but need fabric and would welcome any donations as they do not have money for this resource. If you or your group could help out you can contact me through rughookingaustralia@gmail.com and we can arrange to get the fabric to her. 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

Members of the StrathMatters enjoying the extra space at the CWA Hall in Strathalbyn, South Australia.

The Strath Matters have a new meeting place – their previous meeting place, the Little Red Hen, a converted railway carriage, was just not big enough to accommodate the numbers of the growing group. You’ll find them now in the CWA Building, behind the Town Hall which is located on the High St. in Strathalbyn.

Much interest has been shown by the group in tapestry weaving, so a tapestry workshop is to be given on 12th April by Betty Wolf – it will run from 10:00am to 3:00pm –  This article introduces Betty, who has a background in social sciences and education and a diploma of visual arts, specialising in tapestry weaving, and is an active member of the local arts community in the near by town of Murray Bridge. There are a couple of spaces still available – if interested contact Judith Stephens studioblue20@gmail.com

Here are a couple of members of the group with their finished projects –

Angela and her cushion
An Op Shop Find, rug pattern designed by Claire Murray, USA and hooked by Judith Stephens, South Australia is to be raffled.
Chris and her bag which began as a mat.

A celebration of the founding of the Australian Rugmakers Guild in Strathalbyn, October 2008, will take place in October 2019  with an event hosted by the Strathmatters group

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th “Rugmakers Revelations – out of the past, into the future” will take place at the Town Hall on High Street in Strathalbyn.
This event will be FREE and open to the public with hands on demonstrations and conversations about different forms of rugmaking and the global travels of rug hookers.

SAVE THE DATES – more information to come.

On Saturday 5th October after the days events, there will be an Australian Rugmakers Guild General Meeting in the Town Hall, Strathalbyn. It is a long weekend in South Australia and on Monday 7th, the StrathMatters group will have their rugs displayed in the Strathalbyn Show.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

The Wanneroo Rugmakers continue to meet in the Library at Wanneroo every Saturday morning from 10:00am to 1:00pm. New members come and go, joining a core group of ruggers who have been together since 2010. The group works on a community project each year as well as bringing their own projects for show and tell. Meeting in a space open to the public creates much interest, with passers by stopping to see what’s happening. Newcomers to the group are taught proggy(proddy) and started off being shown how to make a Christmas tree – examples of these can been seen on the group’s website.

Most of the “regulars” also belong to other textiles groups – knitting, various forms of crochet, lace-making and felting are represented so there are often impromptu demonstrations given. This explains the knitted and crocheted beanies being prepared for the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. I had such fun volunteering there in 2017 other members of the group are headed to the Festival this year.

Sharon found this picture, but no instructions. She liked the beanie and asked one of her knitting friends to create the pattern for her and was thrilled with the result.

Sharing their own works creates many learning opportunities when problems arise, or someone just wants to add something extra to their current work. A Waldoboro session was given recently using one of Judi Tompkins(QLD) teaching examples – a ladybird. Brenda has finished her ladybird and when asked what would be hooked alongside it, she said she didn’t know – she is going to let her 9-year-old grandson draw something? It’s to be finished as a hooked cushion to go in his room. He has shown an interest in other crafts she’s worked on so I think she has an ulterior motive – there may be a future rug hooker in the family.

Editors note: Some interesting contacts have been made through this website – besides helping people find rug hooking supplies, groups and instructors, a couple of our members have repaired rugs and I answered a call right before Christmas from someone wanting a rug kit hooked up –  here is the end result –

it’s a Claire Murray design from the USA.  The kit was purchased 20 years ago and can you believe the various “tagged” colours were all still there – wouldn’t have happened at my house – they would have been raided for other projects along the way.  It came with a numbered colour chart; I didn’t think I’d like “hooking by numbers” but it was actually a bit of a challenge and fun and much easier than having to colour plan and then source the right fabric – besides being wool yarn there wasn’t any cutting involved.   I’m pleased to report, the owner is pleased with the result –   Happy Hooking  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better Late than Never

ISSN 2207-001X  –  12thMarch 2019

An update to the Guild website caused the formatting of the Blog to change and your Editor could not cope with something “new” – thankfully Judi Tompkins, Guild webmaster, has sorted it out for me and I’m back to reporting on rughooking activities around the country.

Starting in Queensland –

“Caught” a hooked piece lashed into a driftwood frame, featured in a Sunshine Coast Daily article titled “From Rags to Riches in Rughooking – a Rag Rug Mini Expo”, held in Pomona, Qld on  March 9th.

Judi Tompkins accompanied by Bea, Judy O and Anne,  members of the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters travelled north to Pomona, about an hours drive from Beerwah where the group meets, and gave demonstrations of different rug making techniques at the event organized by Beany Palmer. Below the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters demonstration tables are set up ready for visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

Articles created and displayed by the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters group showing examples of the different rug hooking techniques created much interest.

One of the  visitors, Valerie Willy, a sculptor and creator of raku ceramics , was particularly taken with the Locker hooking display. Valerie studied the literature, and before long was explaining it to another visitor.

 

 

 

 

 

and then began teaching more visitors.  The locker-hooked placemats seen in these images were made by Judi Tompkins. There is a found example of “Australian locker hooking” created with rovings and surprisingly on a Hessian backing.

Eager to give it a try, many  people reused this small piece of backing found in Judi’s tool box.

Judy Owen a Sunshine Coast RugCrafter, gave a hands-on demonstration of traditional rugmaking utilizing a long stretcher frame so more people could have-a-go.

Here’s Judy, peeking in to see how the new rug hookers are managing.

Beany, organizer of the event, taught Toothbrush rugmaking (Narlbinding)

and here is a demonstration of the all important “starting point” for the toothbrush rugmaking – this is the tricky part, the rest is simple. These rugs resemble crocheted rugs.

By the end of the day 60 people had done the rounds of the demonstrations and been amazed at what can be created using the various rug hooking techniques, and  “upcycled” fabric.

Still in Queensland …..

Mt. Tamborine, south of Brisbane –  February 15th was the Official Launch at Tamborine Mountain Library of the “Sew Local Sweat Shop”, a public art event, which actively engaged the community to sew shopping bags in a factory production line setting.

The Project concept – a Sewing Production Line – an interactive Performance, was designed by Bec Andersen August 2018, and took place in a vacant shopfront at Flame Tree Plaza, Main Western Road Tamborine Mountain, March 5th – 10th, providing educational and community building opportunities to the participants and audience and the opportunity to engage passers-by to inspire and uplift, to educate and share and commune.
The plan was to teach sewing skills to new people, inform them about sustainability and produce hand sewn shopping bags as a by-product, the bags to be distributed March 11th.
The aim of the “Sew Local Sweat Shop” was to educate the community about a whole series of current issues as well as the skills required to create the bags:
• Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion
• Overuse of plastics in the Environment
• Cutting, sewing overlocking and printing.
• Upcycling Fabric into useful shopping bags
General Waste not Want not education.

Kudos to Bec for another successful community event.   (This report was taken from Bec’s website www.becandersen.com and Facebook invitation.)

Further south in NEW SOUTH WALES  ….

There is a new rug hooking group in the Sydney metropolitan area, formed by Martha Birch –  they meet the 2nd Saturday of the month in Epping. You can find them on Facebook – their open group is called “From Rags to Rugs, Sydney Rug Hookers”  –   https://www.facebook.com/groups/387146415123046/

Theresa attended one of Martha’s first workshops in 2018 and here she shows her finished first rug, started at the end of last year.

There are some old hand made rugs archived in museums around Australia, but you don’t see any still in use as you do in the Northern Hemisphere.  This rug was bought to the Epping group for “show n tell”  – it was made forty plus years ago from recycled fabric and looks like a SEMCO pattern.

The Sydney group was formed after much interest was shown in rug hooking last year at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Show in Darling harbour.

Martha will have an Australian Rugmaker’s Guild table at Craft Fair again this year – you can check the link to sign up for Fair News and purchase tickets.

 

Milton, New South Wales   ….

Tidy shelves, of recycled fabrics used by the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers – the work of Christine and Jacqui.

Things have not exactly been quiet around Miriam’s Rug Room – the Narrawilly Proggy Rugmakers met twice a month, even through the holidays.

However, Miriam and Jacqui have been away again – they met up with Anne from Victoria at Jindabyne ski resort and had a few fun filled days, spinning, knitting, talking, walking, and sharing ideas, plus catching up with friends from other areas.
Miriam has not missed a beat – her newsletter “Connecting Us” has gone out every month since she and Jacqui returned home in December.

with images of rugs made by the many friends she made at TIGHR and in their travels getting to and from the 2018 Triennial.
One of her friends from Canada, Nancy Simpson, is looking to connect with rug hookers in Quebec City – Nancy  has a friend who lives in the Quebec City area who wants to meet up with other hookers and also find out where to purchase materials. If  any of our Canadian readers are from that area Miriam would love to hear from you. You’ll find all of Miriam’s newsletters archived on this website under the Blog drop down menu

There is still much more to say about rug hooking in Australia – but it will have to wait until next time (soon now the computer problem is sorted)  starting with Tasmania and working across the south coast to Western Australia.

Happy 2019 and RugHooking to all –

 

 

 

It’s a Wrap

ISSN 2207-001X – December 2018

Jo Franco, Editor & Membership Chair, Australian Rugmakers Guild

This is the time of year for reflection and planning – looking back 2018 has been a busy year for many of the members of this Guild. Workshops given, new rug groups formed, solo exhibitions and travel – Miriam Miller and Jacqui Thompson from New South Wales take the award for most distance travelled!

With so much happening where to start? ….. By State – on the East coast, North to South and across to Western Australia.

QUEENSLAND:
In July, two Judiths from Queensland (Judy Brook and Judi Tompkins) along with another Judy and gave workshops at the Kingaroy Regional Art Gallery’s Winter Craft Festival .

In October, Judy Brook travelled to the UK to attend The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) 2018 Triennial in Reeth.
Below, Judy shows a piece  she started in Reeth as she tells members of the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters group about the Triennial and her travels, at the first of the “Palimpsest Studio Days” to be held in Judi Tompkins’ new Studio in Landsborough, on International Rug Hooking Day.


Much of Judi Tompkins time was taken up this year with “Re-imagined” a virtual online Exhibition co-convened with Jo Franco – but that’s another story (Blog).
The “Re-imagined” Exhibition includes works by several members of the Sunshine Coast Rugcrafters.

Judy Owen embraced the Brief, with embellishments required in the Call for Entry, with her original design “Memories of my Father” 

 Annette White has a way with animals. Her Exhibition entry was a hooked elephant hand puppet –  she also hooked and prodded this “bear rug”.

Bea Nitschke added to her butterfly collection with this blue butterfly. Her “Re-imagined” entry was sculptural, a 3D gold butterfly on driftwood.

and Stella Edmundson did more than rug hook in 2018 –  entering “Re-imagined” and completing several commission pieces (her own designs)

Stella won first place in the sport of Tae Kwon Do in both traditional and creative patterns for female black belts over 60 years of age at the Pan Pacific Masters’ Games held on the Gold Coast, in Queensland.

Trees were popular subjects as Exhibition entries – Cynthia Nicklin, Mt. Glorious, QLD entered “The Mother Tree”.  (Mother tree – timber getters’ parlance for a large old tree whose seed resulted in the surrounding forest)

The subject for Cynthia’s original artwork, an ancient flooded gum, stands outside her kitchen window. Cynthia’s artist statement read “It is thought she saw Captain Cook sail along the southern coast of Queensland in 1770. She survived cyclonic winds and rains, droughts, hail storms, severe lopping, insect infestation. She has been a tent support, a cubby house platform, a rubbing post for cattle, a holder of swings and a haven for birds, marsupials, creepy crawlies and native orchids. And yet she still stands, the last of her kind in this area.”

In Brisbane Claudia Forster-Purchase was busy working on an original tree design, embellished with paper bark found in the area where she lives. Unfortunately preparation for a trip to Canada prevented her from finishing it in time to enter. We look forward to seeing this piece finished and framed.

Bec Andersen from Mt. Tamborine held a Solo Rug Hooking Exhibition at Under the Greenwood Tree Bookstore and Contemporary Art Gallery (Aug 10 – Sep 2) and a Make Do & Mend crafting workshops and installation – this link will tell you more about the project created during a series of workshops spanning over three months across Scenic Rim.

These images of Bec and her work were taken at the end of year gathering of Bec’s group, Happy Hookers  posted by Janis Bailey, were reposted on Rug Hooking Magazine’s Facebook coverage of International Rug Hooking Day.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW SOUTH WALES:

Jilliby: Guild Member, Clare Thornley,   www.feltfine.com.au , offers everything for people to start their rug making journey; Oxford Punch tools, three types of backing fabrics, hand-dyed rug yarn and frames. You can contact Clare online or arrange a visit to her studio not far off the M1.

 

Sydney : Martha Birch – represented ARG at this year’s Sydney Craft Fair in Darling Harbour – members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers came up from Milton to assist. There was much interest in the colourful display and Martha has formed a Facebook rug hooking group open to the public,  From Rags to Rugs, Sydney Rug Hookers https://www.facebook.com/groups/387146415123046/

Martha has also given well received beginner rug hooking workshops and started regular group meetings in the Sydney suburb of Epping 26 Stanley Rd at the Epping Creative Centre .

In 2019 the group will meet on the 2nd Saturday from February to November – from 10.00am to 4.00pm – Tuition is available.   Here are images from those first workshops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Milton is home to a couple of intrepid travellers Miriam Miller & Jacqui Thompson who in 2018 travelled the Australian East coast then around the world. In July they drove north on the west side of the Great Dividing range to Cairns and back down the coast – catching up with family and rug hookers along the way. A distance of approximately 2,652k (almost 1,648miles)

Miriam Miller, Judi Tompkins and Jacqui Thomson at Judi’s new home in Landsborough, Queensland.

Immediately after their return they went up to Sydney and helped Martha talk rug hooking to people at the Sydney Craft Fair in Darling Harbour.

Then began their BIG trip – starting in Milton at the local bus stop – where at 6.00a.m. they caught the bus to Sydney – flew to the UK and visited with family in the south of England – sharing in daily journal entries, emailed to interested family and friends by Miriam’s daughter Robyn,  many images of places, rug hookers and their impressions of the different countries they visited.  Many of the images from their travels were shared on the Guild Facebook page.

Their itinerary went like this – from Brighton, UK, to the Isle of Guernsey – across to France to stay with the family of a rug hooker – back to the UK to attend the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth where they stayed with Heather Ritchie. Miriam and Jacqui couldn’t get over how much was planned during the Conference, they will be recounting stories from this event for months to come.

There were new friends to be made at the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth as well as many old friends to catch up with – including Marg Arland and Susan Sutherland who have visited Miriam and Jacqui at Narrawilly in Milton.

On the return trip they were Artists in Residence in Corris, North Wales – then travelled to Ireland to met up with Neville Smith the maker of the Irish (Hartman) Hook and his family.

From Ireland they flew to Iceland to take a knitting tour in the company of Heather Ritchie, back-tracking through the UK to Canada. First visiting Newfoundland, then Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, staying with rug hookers who introduced them to members of their groups and their many rug hooking friends, generally touring them all over, even though the weather had definitely turned to winter.

While staying on Cape Breton, NS, Cathy, their hostess, took them on a special tour of Les Trois Pignons – Museum of the Hooked Rug and Home Life in Cheticamp – here is just one of the many large finely shaded rugs hooked by Elizabeth La Fort, click the link above to see all the rooms filled with amazing rugs in this museum.

The travellers arrived back home to Milton just in time for the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers annual Fashion Parade with group members modelling and purchasing the garments donated by a local Op Shop to be cut up and used to hook with. Proceeds from this event goes to Heather Ritchie for her Rug Aid project.

With much work, from this pile of donations evolved a Fashion Parade

BERMAGUI:   Early in the year members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers visited Dawn Hollins to see her new craft room and from Dawn comes the following news;

“The Bermagui & District U3A Rug Hooking Group held its Christmas lunch gathering in my craft cabin in Cobargo on Wednesday 12 December. We have been meeting once a month during term time at the home of Lindsay Potter, our teacher. Since completing the wall hangings for the Bermagui Surf Club two years ago we have been working on our own projects and have welcomed new members. A new cafe in Bega dedicated to using recycled materials has asked us to make hooked covers for all their stool cushions – a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase our craft!”

BRAIDWOOD:  Gail Nichols has had a very busy year – beginning with her entry “Stepping Out” on exhibit in the  “Re-imagined” virtual Exhibition

Followed by  “Rug Up for Winter” a Workshop given with Maggie Hickey to the Braidwood Regional Art Group.

 

 

 

 

 

and an Exhibition –  “In transit” at the Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and yet another Exhibition “Landscape”, which opened 17th November at Narek Gallery in Bermagui featuring “Wallace Street”


Gail was also a finalist in Rug Hooking Magazine’s Celebrations 2018 – this work “Temple fish” was published in the Celebration of Handhooked Rugs 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

ACT – Canberra – Maggie Whyte was one of nine Guild members from five Australian States, who attended The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) 2018 Triennial held in the UK at Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales.

Earlier in the year Maggie gave a Braided-in Workshop at Narrawilly in Milton and was on hand to help with the recent Narrawilly Fashion Parade filling in for Jacqui Thompson who due to ill health was unable to attend and was missed by all at the event.

VICTORIA:  Warrandyte – Anne Schafer also attended the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth and along with Maggie Whyte, Canberra and Janet Tayler-Henry, NSW visited Miriam & Jacqui at their Artists in Residence in North Wales.

Anne Schafer snuggled up under a rug knitted by Miriam Miller

Anne will be entertaining the Victorian group, the Yarra Valley Rugmakers, for some time with tales of her travels ….  the knitting tour and sightseeing in Ireland as well as all the wonderful events she took part in at the Triennial in Reeth, UK.

In her absence Robyne demonstrated rug hooking at the Melbourne Show where she started this rug. You can see what inspired her, how she planned the “No name” proggy rug and follow her progress from start to finish on this link

 

 

 

 

Yarra Valley Group members take turns to gather in each other’s homes, travelling between Lily Dale (Post Code 3140) a suburb 35k NE of Melbourne to Loch (Post Code 3945) in South Gippsland, 106 k SE of Melbourne and Warrandyte (3113) 27k NE of Melbourne.

For those wanting to learn rug hooking who live West of Melbourne in the Ballarat (3350) area you’ll find an instructor 30 minutes away, in Lal Lal (3352) Marcia King is a solitary rug maker who also gives workshops, locally and further afield.

Marcia will be teaching an Intro to Rug Hooking at Opendrawer, 1158 Toorak Rd, Camberwell  Opendrawer.com.au

on January 22nd, 2019 – 10am to 4pm

 

Marcia enjoys recycling – this work in progress, a floor mat, is being hooked using T-Shirts some she has re-dyed using Procion dyes to get some nice vibrant colours. The backing is a piece of wool fabric, found in a discount bin at the Creswick Woollen mill many years ago.

TASMANIA:   Deloraine – A rug hooking group meets every week on Monday morning at Art as Mania; a Shop, Studio and Gallery space located in the heart of Deloraine Tasmania showcasing the works of talented artists, craftspeople, wood and metal workers and artisans.

Art as Mania, is at  20-22 Emu Bay Road, Deloraine – you can also find them on Facebook.

 

Hobart:   Hobart Rag Ruggers         a new Facebook group – open to all –

you’ll find them here .

Emma Gunn is the administrator, and in August organized a get together at the South Hobart Community Centre (in the D’Arcy St Playground).  Emma has also been travelling this year,  checking out rugs and rug makers in the USA and Canada.  For more information about meet ups, contact her  via the Facebook page or this Blog.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA;  Strathalbyn
The StrathMatters  rug group started 2018 in a new home  and have been busy since, with a trip to the Australian Tapestry Workshop in Melbourne to view the Gordian Knot – these photographs by Malcolm Edward-Cole.

Outside the Law – Hookers and Police?

 

 

 

 

 

They also visited the National Gallery of Victoria to view the large interactive rug installation acquired by the Gallery – “Santa Cruz River” by Alexandra Kehayoglou, a Buenos Aires–based artist and designer who uses hand-tufted wool rugs to draw into focus landscapes under threat of irreversible change.

Their Annual weekend retreat, held  this year at the Normanville Jetty Caravan Park from Friday 26 to Monday 29 October, involved surprise workshops. The main event was a demonstration and try-out of Tapestry Weaving with guest craftswoman Betty Wolf.

A surprise workshop – button necklaces
Results of the button necklace workshop

 

 

 

 

 

The StrathMatters also entered rugs in the Adelaide and Strathalbyn shows.

One of the members travelled even further afield – Kathy Saint went to the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth like all the visitors, carrying a rug for display. The small town of Reeth was covered in “hooking” with over 100 members arriving from around the world bringing hooked items to be displayed along with the work of the UK members. The interior of the church and buildings throughout town were “adorned”. The  rug, shown below, that may have put Kathy over her airline baggage limit, was designed by Judith Stephens and hooked by both of them. On the way to the Conference Kathy took a textile tour in  Italy where she was introduced to an unusual lace making technique

SAVE THE DATE!    1st weekend in Oct 2019   –  It’s over 10 years since the Guild was formed in Strathalbyn and more than 2 years since the last Guild meeting was held at the 2016 Coast to Coast Exhibition in Canberra

 its time for a coming together of Australian Rugmakers!

Information on the event will be published early 2019 – it’s mentioned here so you can plan holidays and time off.
Suggestions for workshops or events to take place on this weekend are welcome.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:  The Wanneroo Rugmakers meet at the Library and Cultural Centre in Wanneroo every Saturday from 10.00am to 1:00pm to work on community projects and their own hooked creations and share many different textile techniques including felting … here are some of Peta Korb’s delightful Aussie critters

Robin Inkpen  visited from Donnybrook in the States South West and showed how she made the coils for her entry in “Re-imagined” the virtual Exhibition

“Warning! Bleached coral in a plastic sea” 2018 by Robin Inkpen 68cm x 65 cm Photograph by Skip Watkins

after Robin’s visit Kath Smith created a wrapped rope basket to go with cushion covers she made using the Canadian smocking technique.

Beanies were made, entered and sold in the Alice Springs Beanie Festival

Tricia Thacker wearing a beanie 10 years in the making – a circular weaving project put away as a UFO and finally finished this year!

The main focus for the group this year has been on the construction of rug hooking frames. The current models are being made of PVC pipe and started with plans kindly made available by Judy Taylor of Little House Rugs(USA) who has also featured as rug maker of the month on her website two Australian rugmakers Judi Tompkins and Judith Stephens. Images of their rugs are shown in Judy’s new book “T-Shirt Treasures”

Wanneroo group members continue to re-design and refine the frame design and have finally come up with a way to keep the backing drum tight without having to import metal gripper strips not available locally.

This year, travel was on the agenda for several of the groups members.  Peta visited her son in Canada and took the opportunity to take more textile workshops, sharing some of her new found knowledge on her return. She is currently traveling in Europe with her other son sending back inspiring images of extraordinary architecture and works of art.

Sharen Smith is back in the fold after a trip to some interesting places in Europe – while the weather was cold, the decorations for the Christmas season made for magical photo opportunities.

Jo Franco gave up on her planned trip to TIGHR when she was invited to attend the Opening of  the virtual Exhibition “Re-imagined” at the annual Rug Hooking Week in Sauder Village, Ohio USA – a huge event with several featured Exhibitions, many vendors, and open to the public – think Australian Craft Fairs on a bigger scale. Workshops – daily and residential are booked out as soon as they open at the beginning of each year.  “Re-imagined” the virtual was seen on a big screen TV by many, as over 4,000 people go through the event during the week. There was much interest in the “virtual” concept, and the “Textile Tessera” installation, with visitors wanting to know why only  work from the Southern Hemisphere was featured – wishing they’d had a chance to participate. They will – there’s to be another virtual exhibition in 2021, coinciding with the next TIGHR Triennial in Newfoundland, Canada, and that virtual exhibition will be open worldwide.  Watch this space for more to come!

From the Editor:  This is an extremely long post but it doesn’t begin to cover all that’s happened this year in the rug hooking world in Australia.   I hope you will take the opportunity to follow the links to read more about the different groups and events. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to All.