On the 4th & 5th May (2013) rugmaking was again represented at the Mandurah Stretch Arts Festival in Western Australia.
Read more about the weekend and the workshop to be given in Mandurah on Monday 27th May, on the expanded Blog in the Member Area. You must be a Guild member and register to “log-in” to access the expanded Blog in the Member Area
The Rugmakers Guild will have a Stand at the Perth Craft Fair, come and visit with members there. 
Guild President Judith Stephens will give a free workshop/presentation each day from 11:00am – 11:30am on making rugs to match your quilts
Finally! After several attempts to break the “wool ceiling” my efforts to promote Australia’s “lost” traditional craft in Queensland finally generated enough community interest (30+ people) so I was finally able to present a demonstration/workshop through the Beerwah Library on the Sunshine Coast. I rather foolishly assumed that – as is so often the case – only about half the number would actually attend on the day but 25 showed up!
Since I’m an old hand at teaching groups, I tend to plan for “emergencies” so I optimistically pulled together enough materials, frames, tools, fabric and equipment for 25 people and set up the community room with 6 frames, chairs, and fabric/cutting table.
Throughout the session I ran a slide show of some of my projects,and displayed sample materials and small projects. To help people see this craft as affordable, I deliberately brought tools and equipment that ranged from “make it yourself” (dolly pegs, knitting needles, crochet hooks and embroidery hoops) to the more expensive stretcher and lap/floor frames, metal and timber turned hooks/prodders. 
If the noise level of a group is any indicator of a good time, then this group had a great time!
Update:
Feedback to the library was so good that Queensland has its first community group – the “Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters” – who meet at the library two afternoons a month. The two January sessions involved 11 people (with 8 apologies) and over time I hope to have a “core” group of about 8-12 people for each group. (Blogger: Judi Tompkins)
Sue Gilmartin of the United Kingdom will be in Perth conducting two workshops using the rugmaking techniques of her heritage on 17 and 18 of November. See Events for details and contact information.
Great opportunity to learn how to use recycled materials.
For the weekend of 20 and 21 October 2012 the town of Strathalbyn was filled with rugmakers from all over Australia and the world attending and teaching at the RUG EXPO.
Workshop leaders were: Linda Rae Coughlin, USA; Susan Feller, USA; Kris McDermet, USA; Gene Shepherd, USA; Michele Wise, USA; Heather Ritchie, UK, Diane West, UK
The general meeting of ARG was held Saturday evening welcoming the new recipients of the TIGHR Founders Cup (the International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers) JO FRANCO and JUDITH STEPHENS. These two ladies were presented the cup for their dedication to the International Guild and rughooking, having networked their passion for the traditional craft into ARG and hosts of TIGHR for the past three years. The new officers for ARG were sworn in and are listed under Board Members ]
The Stationmasters Gallery concurrently exhibited dozens of hooked, prodded and fiber works by members.
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