It’s exciting when you know your piece shipped from Australia has arrived safely in Canada. My 3D hooked Australian Witchetty Grub is to be included in the Magnificent Bugs in Rugs exhibition.
Magnificent Bugs in Rugs will be a travelling exhibit of artistic, hand-hooked rugs and a children’s book. Profits will go to creating programs aimed at kids, promoting the traditional craft of rug making to a new generation.
MEET THE CURATORS: When Canadians Yvonne Iten-Scott and Leslie Knight met in an online rug hooking workshop, they instantly realized they had lots in common. Not only were they passionate about rug hooking and all things fibre art but their farms were only 15 minutes apart. They quickly became friends, and started traveling to rug hooking events together, joined the current board of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers and realized they both wanted to curate a global rug exhibition that would appeal to the next generation of rug hookers.
Leslie and Yvonne hope you will follow along to meet the inspiring and innovative rug making artists who will be creating Magnificent Bugs in Rugs! https://www.instagram.com/magnificentbugsinrugs/
After the Grand Opening in August of 2024 the bugs will be traveling to Niagara Falls, Ontario. They will be displayed from August to October @niagarafallsartgalleryto coincide with the 30th anniversary conference of @tighr24where many of our participants will be in attendance.
If you’re in the area visit this hands-on learning environment and, to learn more about TIGHR (The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers) visit www.tighr.net
This list of the participants includes rug hookers from Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, UK & USA.
The danger is not over yet, but some areas have had a reprieve, even some glorious rain!
This Blog contains excerpts from the Facebook pages and emails of Guild members affected by the bushfires. There are many reports on TV and in newspapers, but what follows are unedited reports from those involved.
Miriam Miller was forced to evacuate her home at Narrawilly again on 23rd January – Miriam says:
“Strange things help – Robert planted sunflowers as he always does around my house. None of them came up this year because of the drought. So there was a bare dry piece of ground in the paddock in front of my garden bed with the roses, which was covered with thick wood chips. If this garden had gone so would my verandah and my house, so thank you drought. “
The view from Miriam’s kitchen window.
Editor: Unfortunately, this news of more fires comes on the heels of the Good News from Carey-Ann at Robert Miller’s Narrawilly Farm ….
“The good news is that we and the team are safe and uninjured, and the old farmhouse and the dairy plant are intact. The milking herd was well protected although some of the animals in the dry herd are experiencing difficulties associated with drought, bushfire smoke, heat and environmental stress. They are being monitored and, where relevant, treated.”
…… Also from Carey-Ann
“a Timeline of a Fire – at Narrawilly (photographs, taken by Robert and Carey-Ann), document our growing disquiet morphing into anxiety and then horror as fire arrived on New Year’s Eve and returned, four days later, on 4 January.)
Across the eastern seaboard of Australia, regional communities have been devastated by these out-of-control bushfires. Many people have lost a lot more than we have. Houses can be rebuilt but not everything lost is tangible or replaceable with a credit card. The psychological consequences, for thousands of regional Australians in dozens of regional towns and villages, will persist for years to come. We are very grateful for people’s best wishes, small acts of kindness, and donations — from homemade chocolate brownies through to generous cash donations, and our appreciation will only grow over time, when we have time to reflect on what has happened these past few weeks.
I would also like you to know this: during the course of 24 hours, stretching from mid-afternoon on 4 January 2020 to sunrise of 5 January 2020, Rob and a handful of locals (which included our dairy farming neighbours, the Andersons) worked with basic infrastructure to prevent the fire in the rainforest breaking out of the gully. They fought for hours on end to stop fire and embers from reaching houses on Stony Hill Lane (including Miriam’s timber house) and raging through to Milton village. As an eye witness to what they did that night, I can tell you that they battled that canopy fire alone. They did not have the luxury of evacuating to a safe location. They did not sleep that night or the next. There were no fire-fighters or fire-engines available to protect sleeping residents in Milton and surrounds. What Milton village residents still do not realise is that it was Rob and the Andersons (Brian, Janine, their sons, their nephew and brother-in-law), along with a neighbour’s son, who held that fire in check. If that rainforest fire had not been contained within the gully, nothing in Stony Hill Lane would remain today. Theirs was an act of extraordinary bravery and determination.”
Editor: We are now seeing “Open for Business” reports on TV from the affected areas asking people to return to these country areas so business and livelihoods can return to normal – How can that be when the danger has not passed? I asked Carey-Ann what her thoughts were on this since there is still such a fire risk and communities are so devastated and she said ……
“Local newspapers (e.g. see South Coast Register on Kangaroo Valley and Southern Highlands) are writing of the need for resilience (among the victims) and consumption (among the tourists). It is understandable, up to a point, that certain small businesses want tourists back now.
But where is the line between consumption-tourism as a form of support and providing a respectful amount of time for victims to mourn their dead, their losses and their way of life? And who gets to draw that line in the sand?
It should come as no surprise to anyone when bushfire-affected locals, whose houses and streets were incinerated or damaged, react angrily to cars of Instagram-ing strangers snapping photographs of their pain and despair. (We have heard of this happening in Conjola recently.) I wonder if those who promote unrestrained consumer capitalism in bushfire areas have thought of how to handle that potential for grief-related conflict? I wonder if it will entrench divides between Townies and country people? Somehow I suspect that it will be the locals who are told to be “resilient”, appreciative of the tourist dollar, and respectful. When does that become docility?”
Editor: Which brings up the subject of mental health in these areas – we’ve all heard of PTSD, but what about Continuous Traumatic Stress Disorder (CTSD), which is a sub-category of PTSD?
Carey-Ann said “I have spoken to Rob about CTSD among bushfire-affected dairy farming communities. I see signs of it among this particular community. Fortunately, some academics are already thinking and writing about eco-anxiety. I hope they will consider the link between CTSD and out of control bushfires which return again and again.”
Editor: Still in NEW SOUTH WALES – Conditions are similar at Mongarlowe in the Braidwood area; except they have had some rain! With her permission, here’s some of the images shared on Facebook by Gail Nichols …..
Jan 03: When I think back to how bad we thought things were here in late November, we had no idea what we’d be facing by the New Year. I keep clinging to a belief that this has to end someday. Surely it will rain again.
Jan 4: For all my friends and family following my posts on our ongoing fire situation. It’s hard to believe things could get worse but today is forecast as yet another nightmare. If you want the details here is this morning’s ABC news story.
With massive fires to the north and south of us, into Victoria and even across to Kangaroo Island it’s difficult to know where to start in telling about it this morning. So, I’ll begin with what’s local. We are ok.Apart from putting out a neighbour’s grass fire that ran to our fence, our property was untouched yesterday. That doesn’t mean we weren’t threatened. Fire in pine windrows on property to our west was throwing us flying bark etc. Late in the day the southerly wind change came in like a steam train, blasting that fire to the north toward Mongarlowe village. Today we will be catching up with neighbours and pitching in where we can help. So many other communities in the Braidwood area were impacted yesterday. We are still waiting for the rain that would put at end to this.
Here at home we are prepared to defend yet again, getting well practiced at this. At least we are now well surrounded by burnt out areas and lower fuel loads which should give us some protection. Hoping our locality is spared this time but fearing for what may happen overall.
Jan 08: RFS crews are getting a lot of well deserved kudos. But note also the work being done by SES (State Emergency Service) volunteers. This crew of 8 from Queanbeyan turned up this morning, felled a number of fire damaged trees around our house, cut up and stacked the bits, all with smiles on their faces. Great work, can’t praise them enough
Jan 09: A couple of refired pots emerged from the ashes and cleaned up ok.
Jan 10: A young red necked wallaby eating pellets from one of my old soda glazed platters. He/she only just emerged from mum’s pouch before the fires started impacting here. What a welcome to the world. As for that singed pine trunk, I know some potter friends who would be jealous of those reds.
Jan 15: Painting with fire – Amongst the gems of the ‘firing’ are these pieces of sheet metal that had been draped over a pile of hardwood logs. It gives a whole new meaning to what I used to call ‘painting with fire’.
Jan 16: Rain Rain Rain! What a glorious afternoon.
In the midst of all the black, a puddle of water. Will this weekend see these pots finally submerged? Watch this space.
Jan 18: 61mm of rain over the past 3 days and more coming! The puddle in the dam is growing. The Charleys Forest Fire, which was our immediate threat, is under control. Our brigade station is reverting to local use. My rug making gear has returned from its evacuation refuge and is back in the studio. New green grass is making itself visible. Time to start thinking about some normality.
Jan 19: When there’s little grass to be found,carrots, sweet potato and kibble pellets are prettytasty, and when water is scarce a bowl of it makes a great swimming pool. The condition of local wildlife at our feeding stations has improved noticeably in the past couple weeks.
Thanks again to the Native Animal Rescue Group for their support.
Jan 20: Nice to see some green happening again
Jan 24: Gail says: The summer is far from over, there are still fires about, and we need much more rain. I am currently having some time off from firefighting as my lungs need a break. But there is so much smoke and dust in the air that’s hard to manage anywhere around here. We just keep hoping for some good extended rain. At least there is green grass appearing so our landscape is not just that devastating black. That’s reassuring.
VICTORIA: There are no reports of damage from members there – fortunately all are safe and out of the fire zones.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA is another matter; Sue Gilmartin arrived in Perth on 10th January and gave firsthand information about her host’s property, in the Adelaide hills, safe but still under threat – however, while there she didn’t have to take refuge in the damp sprout fields which was their planned defense. Friends of her hosts weren’t so fortunate, one family lost everything! Escaping only with their lives.
Friends on Kangaroo Island were also affected, with another family losing everything.
A report in the Adelaide newspaper tells of this King Island resident who made a miraculous escape.
Guild Members in Strathalbyn – an area visited by many rug hookers (TIGHR 2012) are reported to be safe.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA has also been impacted by bushfires, to the north and south. After New Years Day Sue Gilmartin from the UK set off to cross the Nullarbor (Adelaide to Perth) on a 10 day camping trip with a small tour group – Sue said 3 days in, after having had the most amazing time sleeping in swags under the stars, the organizers were forced to abandon the trip and return to Adelaide, as the border between SA and WA was closed due to raging fires through the southern area of WA.
The only paved road linking the east and west coasts of Australia was closed for 12 days causing havoc with holiday travelers and freight line truckers. Across this area small towns are shown on maps but they’re virtually only petrol(gas) stations with a cafe and in some places very “basic” motel units – none of these “towns” were prepared with supplies (water or food) to support the hundreds of people trapped at each of them, even with supplies being flown in by small planes and helicopters.
West of the SA/WA border the road is widen in places to create a landing strip. It’s a little disconcerting as you’re driving along and you see the “aircraft landing” warning signs makes you wonder how much notice you’d get of an airplane attempting to land?
Highway airstrip in Western Australia – taken on one of our return road trips from Queensland.
Through that 12 day period police strenuously enforced the road closures due to a horrendous situation in 2007 when three truckers were burnt to death in a bushfire after a road closure was lifted prematurely.
They couldn’t say when the road would be opened, so Sue finally resorted to purchasing an airline ticket and spent a week with me in Perth. Her aim was to see as much textile work and visit as many textile groups and galleries as possible. Unfortunately most of the Galleries were closed for the Christmas Holidays and most groups were on holiday break. Sue did make it to a meeting of the Wanneroo Rugmakers
and while there visited the “Home” Exhibition on at the Wanneroo Gallery.
Baskets by Courtney Hill-Aaron Koolark Collection (6) Natural fibres, emu feathers, ochre pigment from Country to colour natural fibres.
Totems by Val Shaw.
The Wanneroo Rugmakers first wall hanging can be seen in the adjoining room.
This followed by a visit to Nalda Searles home – Sue and Nalda have mutual friends in Kalgoorlie – so a very pleasant afternoon was spent listening to Nalda tell stories about her work.
We took a boat cruise up the Swan River to the Sandalford Winery which involved wine tasting on the boat, a delicious lunch and more wine tasting at the winery – good job we took the train into town to catch the boat.
Another day was crammed full with a visit to the Goods Shed to view “The Alchemist” and on to Fremantle to visit the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, now the home of marionettes donated to the Theatre by Stella Edmundson of the Sunshine Coast Textile Art Group. The Kidogo Gallery was closed so instead we toured the Shipwreck Museum.
QUEENSLAND: This report started about bushfires and ends with reports of floods in Queensland and in CANBERRA, hail the size of golf balls!
Maggie Whyte, Guild Pres. said she was on her way back to Canberra from a trip to the coast when the storm hit, so fortunately missed that experience – an auto insurers nightmare. Images could be seen on TV of carparks full of cars with shattered windows and car bodies peppered with dents where they had been pummelled by the hail.
Through all this wild weather there have been moments of creative inspiration, friends connecting with friends and help coming from unexpected places – so many people touched by the devastation and others wanting to help.
Now there’s a fine line to tread to support the businesses that are left in tact while respecting the privacy of bushfire victims.
Hopefully, my next post as your Guild Editor, will be less of a weather report, with more emphasis on the art and craft of rug making.
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
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.
“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.
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 onlinebefore 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 whichI 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 ofwhich 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 cushionAn 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
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.
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.
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 theBallarat (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 –
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 necklacesResults 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.
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.
From the Wanneroo Rugmakers in WA (Western Australia) comes news of a first rug, designed and hooked by Daleen, on a PVC frame made for her by friend Kirsty from instructions for a “Playing Hooky” frame by Judy Taylor of WA, (State of Washington), USA. Could be confusing, both locations using the abbreviation WA!
Daleen had a wonderful time hooking her original cat face design using a mix of brightly coloured, upcycled fabrics. While hooking was under way, the cats face wasn’t easily discernible. The finished piece was turned into a cushion cover by another friend. Now, from a distance, the face jumps right out at you – especially the eyes, hooked high and sculpted – they seem to follow you as you walk past the cushion on the chair.
Daleen and her friends first encountered hooked rugs when they visited a Wanneroo Rugmakers Open Day at the Wanneroo Library. Impressed with the array of different types of rugs on display they were eager to start work on their own and couldn’t wait for gripper strips to be ordered and a frame made up – so Kirsty made one. She said she’d copied it from the internet ….
Oh No! is there going to be copyright problem – will the frame have to be dodged when taking group photos?
Kirsty gave me Judy Taylor’s blog and website address and said there was a note on the website to say the instructions could be copied and used for personal use (not to manufacture for sale). When I visited the website I discovered Judy lives in the State of Washington, not far from where I would be staying with my son and his family after I’d spent a week in Sauder Village Ohio at Rug Hooking Week.
An email to Judy confirmed her address and that she would be at home during the time I was in Washington. Judy also mentioned her latest book, hooking with T-shirts, about to be published and asked if any of our Aussie members hooked with T-shirts – what a question …. I told her T-shirts were used almost the exclusively by rug hookers in Australia. She asked if I could send images. As I was preparing to leave on my trip I put the word out to the Guild and several members sent photos directly to Judy who received them in time to show in her new book – “T-Shirt Treasures – Creating Heirloom Hooked Rugs from the Humble T-Shirt”.
Arriving at Judy’s house the first thing I saw were her Jacob sheep and Angora goats, raised to provide the wool she spins – so it was obvious why wool yarn was her choice of hooking material and the subject of her books.
Judy’s frame was in pieces when I arrived, she wanted to show me how simple it was to assemble her new “De-lovely” frame (patent pending). She has also shared instructions for making this “neck saving” frame for personal use. We discussed the fact that not all of the joints were glued, as she prefers to be able to change it from a lap frame to a standing frame. Judy was interested to hear of Kirsty’s modification – replacing the use of plastic clamps. To help hold the backing in place, all of Judy’s frame designs have rubber non-skid material (shelf liner) glued around the PVC pieces which make up the frame face (Note: PVC 3-way joiners are hard to find in that giant hardware warehouse! locally they were found in a smaller shop selling irrigation supplies)
Instead of the plastic hand clamps Kirsty used pool noodles on all four sides, making Judy’s frame design as effective to use and less lethal (on both hands and hooking) than the traditional gripper strip frames. With a couple of twists, the backing fabric is pulled drum tight across the frame and work area, and the “noodles” canbe used over previously hooked work.
Discussing rug making and viewing Judy’s rugs, the afternoon went all too quickly. I told Judy about my trip to Rug Hooking Week at Sauder Village and the opening of the virtual exhibition and before I left we’d had an “exchange”; Judy gave me copies of her books on “hooking with wool yarn” and I gave her one of the remaining pieces of the Textile Tessera, No 7.
Before we knew it, her husband was home and we adjourned to the deck for coffee and cake and conversation about travel. Taking care livestock in the Seattle climate Judy goes through a lot of wellies and has found a good use for the castoffs.
Here are photos I took of some of Judy’s rugs, my favourite is the Gordian Knot rug into which Judy hooked a poem written by her son when he was only 18 years old.
More images of Judy’s rugs can be seen on her website and blog. She is still in search of images of rugs hooked with T-Shirts so if you have any to share, connect with her through her website and blog.
From the Editor: How serendipitous was this, to learn of someone with similar interests, living so close to where I would be staying half way around the globe. Thanks Judy for a lovely afternoon.
2008, 11th & 12th October, a Rag Rug exhibition in Strathalbyn, was billed as the “First Rughooking Exhibition in South Australia” It wasNot so!
Shown here, Judith Stephens, President of the Australian Rugmakers Guild and Joyce Emery, a founding member, discussing the rug hooking supplies Joyce can no longer use as arthritis is preventing her from continuing to rug hook and she would like to advertise them on the Guild website. The box Judith is holding is full of Cushing dyes. There’s also some patterns and a Fraser cutter to be sold.
At almost 90 years of age Joyce still makes lace and spins and doesn’t hesitate to drive herself, along with her well dressed passenger, from her home in Elizabeth, South Australia to Strathalbyn an hour and a half drive.
Back in 2008, early on the morning of Saturday 11th, the day the Strathalbyn Rag Rug Show was to be Opened, Joyce read about it in the Adelaide newspaper and called Judith to ask if she could enter some of her rugs. After the long drive from Elizabeth to Strathalbyn Joyce arrived with a car load of rugs and news that this wasn’t the “first” – there had been many rug exhibitions in South Australia, in the late 1960’s and 70’s. Joyce proceeded to give Judith her knowledge of the history of rughooking in South Australia
Joyce: “American style rug hooking started in Elizabeth in the late 60’s when a lady from Canada came to live here. She was Pam Whitehead, she had been making rugs in Canada for some time and had done a course at the Rowan studio.
I was teaching in the Elizabeth Girls Technical High School at the time and found out that Pam was holding evening classes there. The original members ofthat class stayed together as friends and met at Pam’s house on the first Sunday of the month for over 30 years. During those years all of us passed on our craft to others. Pam had classes in the evenings in Elizabeth, Salisbury, the Barossa and the Hills.
I taught groups in Eudunda, Gawler, Salisbury, Spinners & Weavers Guild, Stansbury and demonstrated all over the State during the 150th celebrations.
I have made over 50 rugs and wall hangings both floral and geometric. I have also made 2 large pictures depicting special activities in the sky. Haley’s Comet and Jupiter. I have only ever sold one rug when I was helping to set up an exhibition at the institute in Lyndoch. Every Easter our group put a collection ofour rugs, made in the previous year, in the hall for the Vintage Festival.
From the original group new groups formed as we moved within the State. A large group was created in Mt. Gambia by Rene Moss. Faye had a group in the Grenville Centre in Elizabeth and I had a group in Salisbury, each one meeting every week. Now all these have closed as people have got older and our craft involves patience and time and there are no people interested any more in working to make rugs. I have been showing how to make cushion covers out of wool, spun wool is not is not good as rugs as it will wear.
Of course when we started, the classes were done through adult ed. and the Education Dept so we never had to worry about getting people to learn, we always had good numbers and people in the country could get a teacher to go to them to run a class.”
“The Rowan Studio, in Canada (mentioned by Joyce) was run by Margaret and Ted Rowan. It became Rittermere and then Rittermere-Hurst and is now the rug hooking supply store of Rittermere-Hurst-Field.” This information was taken, with permission, from the website of Deb Merriam(Canada) http://sustainableslow.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/traditional-rug-hooking-resources-rug.html
Pam Whitehead’s son Peter came across his mother’s name on the Guild’s website and gave this update: Pam moved to Australia in early 1950’s married his father in Goondiwindi, Queensland in 1953 and went to Canada in 1955 arriving back in Australia in 1969 and lived in South Australia until her death in 2006.
Peter said “my mother was involved in many crafts but Rug Hooking was her passion. She would have been so happy to see it continue to flourish in Australia.”
In 2008 we worried about having enough rugs to fill the exhibition space. At that time, you could count the number of Australian rug hooking instructors on one hand; Judith Stephens, South Australia; Miriam Miller, New South Wales; Judy Brook, Queensland and me, Jo Franco, Western Australia. There may have been more rughookers around the country but therein lay the problem, not only were rughookers separated by vast distances, they were mostly in small country towns so there was no way to “connect” and the general population was not aware that this craft was being practiced.
The Internet and Social Media has changed all that!
In 2008 Miram, nominated as the Guild’s first President, had just published “Proggy & Hooky Rugs” also a first, the first (and only) Australian rug making book. Miriam had been giving rugmaking lesson to friends and neighbours for some time and in 1994 her friend Jacqui Thomson encouraged and helped her to form The Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers. They meet at Miriam’s Rug Room in Milton and the groups been growing in number ever since.
Miriam Miller, rughooking instructor, NSW Australia_photo, Gillian Lett Milton Ulladulla Times
We shouldn’t have worried about having enough rugs to show – there were over 100 hooked and prodded pieces to be displayed that weekend and we three were tired when this picture was taken late Sunday.
Following the inaugural Guild meeting in 2008 the next “General Meeting” took place in 2010 in Milton at the same time Gene Shepherd was giving workshops in Miriam’s Rug Room.
In 2012 the TIGHR Triennial Conference was held in Strathalbyn – Judith & Jo having submitted a nomination for Australia to be the Host Country, even before the Guild was formed. Some of the international instructors attending the Conference stayed on to give a weekend of workshops.
This was followed in 2014 by another weekend retreat and General Meeting in Strathalbyn and the
Coast to Coast Exhibition and General Meeting in Canberra, ATC in 2016.
The next General Meeting of the Guild will take place in South Australia in 2019. Hopefully it will coincide with the weekend of the Strathalbyn Show which now has categories for rug hooking. Here are some of this year’s entries
In the meantime if you’re in South Australia you might like to arrange a visit with the StrathMatters in their novel meeting place.
With so many of the Australian rug makers travelling overseas to rug hooking events this year there will be much to share at the next meeting.
As soon as dates have been set Guild Members will be notified by email so holidays can be planned for next year.
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hand-hooked rugs and a children’s book. Profits will go to creating programs aimed at kids, promoting the traditional craft of rug making to a new generation.
common. Not only were they passionate about rug hooking and all things fibre art but their farms were only 15 minutes apart. They quickly became friends, and started traveling to rug hooking events together, joined the current board of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers and realized they both wanted to curate a global rug exhibition that would appeal to the next generation of rug hookers.
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