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!
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
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.
2018 – off to a good start – locations of the growing number of Rugmaking Groups around Australia were updated and are now detailed on the Current Events page.
A Tyger by another name – girl washing the stripes of a tiger. Designed and hooked Waldoboro style by Judi Tompkins“Murphy” designed & hooked by Judi Tompkins QLD Australia
At the Winter Craft Festival June/July 2018 to be held at the Kingaroy Art Gallery, Judy Brook from the Red Earth Rugmakers and Judi Tompkins from the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters will demonstrate rug hooking and Judi T will give a “Waldoboro” rug hooking workshop.
Waldoboro is used to describe rugs hooked in a sculptured or 3-dimensional style. It’s a traditional technique named for the town of Waldoboro, Maine, on the north-east coast of the USA where rugs hooked in this sculptured technique (usually with floral designs) date back to the 1870-80s. Using the same technique and different materials, Judi has used this 3-D effect on many of her rug hooking projects depicting animals.
News from the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters …. Claudia from Brisbane recently visited a Sunshine Coast Group meeting at the Beerwah Library, seen here showing Stella her Emma Lou Lais pattern hooked on Monks cloth, and a “Memory Rug”.
Hooked by Claudia for the 8 yr old daughter of her nephew, whose sister, Lacey (Claudia’s niece) was killed in a car accident two weeks from her 20th birthday. The rug is designed to include Lacey and all the things she loved. This was a special rug hooked with love.
Speaking of “special rugs”
Gail Nichols from New South Wales has had EXCITING NEWS …. notification from Rug Hooking Magazine that her rug, ‘Temple Fish‘ was selected as a finalist and will be published in Celebrations 2018. See more of Gail’s amazing tapestries here
Temple Fish 2017 – new & recycled fabric hooked on hessian backing 164x115cm by Gail Nichols NSW Australia
Also from New South Wales; Maxine’s group in Bellingen was featured in Miriam Miller’s recent newsletter, “Connecting Us”.
Jane with first rugPhornthips starting a rug for her grandsonAnna
Ann with one of her many large rugs hooked using recycled blankets.
Closer to home …………………… Miriam reports the Milton Show was held on 2nd & 3rd March – The Theme this year was “Milk and Meat”. Janet and Elke, were stewards in the Proggy and Hooky Rug Section and arranged a roster of Rugmakers to demonstrate rug making and talk to the public during the two days of the Show.
Sheila Capel, Christine Alexander, Judy Thurecht, Bev Latta, Elaine Kitchner, Ilka Landahl and Jacqueline Thomson were all awarded prizes in the various rug hooking categories.
All issues of “Connecting Us” can be found on the Guild website
Also, in New South Wales;
Margaret hooked images of her two Granddaughters from photographs of the girls. Margaret said …….
“FINALLY FINNISHED! these are my beautiful granddaughters. I have included the photos which inspired me to hook these pieces. I hope my work shows how beautiful the girls are, both inside and out – I love them very much.”
BIG rugs seem to be all the rage in New South Wales – in Braidwood Maggie Hickey finished hooking this large rug (2metres x 2.2 metres) comprised of eight separate pieces sewn together. The rug was designed and commissioned by artist Alison Alder, to fit her living room. Alison requested it be made in wool for durability.
Maggie said: “I planned it in 6 pieces but subsequently we decided it was going to be too short for the space. It was decided to add strips of lime green to either end. I used some wool yarn and some strips of wool blanket, dyed to obtain the required colours”
ACT – Canberra: Maggie Whyte, Australian Rugmakers Guild Vice Pres & Secretary, will be one of a group of Aussie Rugmakers traveling to Reeth, UK, to attend The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers’ (TIGHR) 2018 Triennial in the Yorkshire Dales village of Reeth, home of well known rug hooker Heather Ritchie, current President of TIGHR.
Maggie, a felter as well as a rug maker, is interested in many textile techniques.
Examples of her creations using a “Chunky Rugmaker” are shown with Maggie’s permission in the Technique pages of “Re-imagined” a Challenge with a Difference.
All 12 rug making techniques can be seen here. (Images are shown with permission of artists and photographers.)
Swap n Sell– this website page has been re-arranged so it’s easier to compare items. If you’re looking for wool fabric to hook with, a new member from Victoria has a huge stash which she’d like to sell. See more of the wool fabric available on this link.
Victorian Guild member, Marcia King, and rug hooking instructor, will be demonstrating rug making on the 28th April at the Off the Grid Living Festival
in Eldorado, a town in the foot hills of the Alpine Ranges, between Wangaratta and Beechworth, just 3 hours from Melbourne and a little more from Canberra.
Also in Victoria, the Yarra Valley Rugmakers continue to meet in each other’s homes and hook rugs even on the hottest days of this past summer.
Chris said …. “Joy finished her third Psalm 23 stair tread ‘In the Valley’ and started whipping her rugs, being 3/4 finished on one rug by the end of the day. It’s amazing what you can achieve in a day.” You can read more about this group and contact them through their Blog
Tasmania: The Happy Hookers have been posting some interesting latch hooked rugs on their Facebook page The group has a new meeting place; ART AS MANIA on Emu Bay Road, Deloraine
We’ve also been following artist Alyson-Jean’s progress creating a large latch-hooked rug of her own design – shown here with the artists permission.
“Magic Carpet” Click this link to see Alyson-Jean’s video.
South Australia; the Stationmaster’s Red Hen is the new home of the StrathMatters rug group in Strathalbyn. The Red hen is a renovated train carriage sitting on the tracks next to the Stationmaster’s Art gallery housed in an historic railway building.
The Rug Group meets on the 1st & 3rd Friday of the month. All look very comfortable in their new home – you can see more of their rug work on their blog
Currently showing in the Stationmaster’s Art Gallery, is “Threads” – a fabric exhibition which includes furniture, wall hangings, AND rugs – this one designed and hooked by Judith Stephens, Guild President.
Japanese Geometry 1
Gail shared a successful mending project ….. her rug made of polar fleece strips on latch hook backing had been damaged by a chair leg. A new piece of backing was spot glued onto the back and rehooked, mainly with the old strips. Gail was disappointed she couldn’t use recycled polar fleece but wanted specific simple colours; the blue/green – throws from Ikea and the yellow bought by the metre from Spotlight. All sliced with a rotary cutter.
Designed & hooked by Gail, a member of the StrathMatters Rug Group, Strathalbyn, South Australia
Western Australia; Learning a new technique at the Wanneroo Rugmakers group – Melissa who’d lived in Japan for many years showed how to make Kanzashi (folded fabric) flowers, Margaret, the crafty gardener, caught on quickly (shown here) similar flowers are to be added to a “Re-imagined” Challenge creation.
Robin Inkpen, visiting from Donnybrook in the South West of WA, demonstrated how to make coiled mats and vessels and displayed some of her creations. She also gave the group a punch needle hooking lesson on the newly constructed large punch needle frame with “plastic teeth” – both a #9 and #10 Oxford Punch needle were successfully used. It was thought that maybe the frame is too large? Amy Oxford has provided us with some helpful information which you can see on her FAQs page.
Sharon introduced the Wanneroo Group to the Uthando doll project supported by knitting and sewing groups across Australia and showed a basket of dolls made by a group of teenage girls she supervises – helping others helps the girls. These images posted on the Guild Facebook page have created interest from as far away as Mexico.
“Re-imagined” a Challenge with a Difference update …… 30 April 2018 is the deadline for submission of images of completed entries. Participants will be emailed a link through which they can upload their large images or videos, rather than send as email attachments ……… please make sure your email address is on file with rugcraftingaustralia@gmail.com to receive further emailed information.
There have been many inspirational posts on the “Re-imagined” Facebook page including images of examples by guild members, of the different rug making techniques listed on the Call for Entries.
A question asked recently “what techniques can be used in this Challenge?” the following answer was posted on the Facebook page ….
“Your entry can be created using whatever textile technique you desire, however, it must in some small way, include; have attached to; sit on or hang from; one of the rug making techniques listed in the Call for Entries.”
To refresh participants memory all 12 pages featuring examples of; braiding, quillies, coils, toothbrush and chunky rugmaking, proddy, stick weaving, traditional, punch needle, latch and locker hooking and tufting were shown together and can be seen on this link.
From the Editor: Because of increased rug making activity across the country, this report was lengthy – I do hope you took the time to scroll to the end. In the future, Blogs will be shorter about specific groups or events. It’s hard to not mention all the groups rug making activities and gratifying to see where this traditional craft is taking members. Keep on sharing your creativity.
A rughooking instructor in Australia, a student in Holland – how does that work?
By using a Skype connection on computers.
The current Guild members’ newsletter contains an article by Judi Tompkins, Communications Chair, who was contacted via her personal blog by a woman in Holland with “how- to” questions about rugmaking.
After a few emails back and forth, it didn’t take long for a friendship to bloom.Thea, in Holland, a potter with a good eye for colour and design, was enthusiastic about her new-found craft. Finding it cumbersome to explain about tools and stitches in emails, Judi suggested they “hook up” through Skype.
Thea worked first on an embroidery hoop and then ………. after seeing the different frames Judi was using, and with the help of Miriam Miller’s book, included in an exchange package sent by Judi (no fees were involved for these online workshops, however a friendly barter took place) Thea‘s husband built her a frame.
Thea began to hook up a storm and has made pillow covers and floor rugs with the new floor frame – here are a couple of examples.
Judi and I have frequent Skype conversations in order to keep this website up and running, during which, we have impromptu rughooking Show-n-Tell to discuss our current projects.
In Milton, New South Wales, on rug days, members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers often talk on Skype to rughooking friends in the USA and Canada who have visited their group or who they have met while attending Triennial TIGHR Conferences. The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers is hosted by a different country for a three year term, culminating in a Conference to handover the reigns to the incoming Board of the next Host Country . Strathalbyn, South Australia was the Conference location in 2012, with a good turn-out from overseas rugmakers.
Judi and I would like to encourage Guild members, especially those isolated solo rugmakers to give these “virtual rughooking sessions” a try. If you have a laptop or computer, Judi has volunteered to help you set up a Skype connection – her email is judi.tompkins@bigpond.com so,
Take advantage of what your Guild membership has to offer,
DAWN HOLLINS has been named BEGA VALLEY’S SENIOR CITIZEN of the YEAR
Photograph provided by Bega Valley Shire Council
While following the Bermagui Surf Life Saving project we’ve read much about Dawn’s “abundant enthusiasm” and dedication to making a difference in the community.
An article in the Bega District News – “A Lifetime of Service Spanning the Globe” gives an instight into Dawn’s early family life and her involvement with orphaned and abandoned children throughout Asia, increasing her own family of 3 to 6 with adoptions from Thailand, Sri Lanka and South Korea and her work with the Adoptive Parents Association.
How, after moving to the Bega area 20 years ago, this background as an organizer saw her become an active member of the Rural Women’s Network and a key member of the Bega Valley team hosting the 2005 Rural Women’s Gathering.
As reported in the Bega District News article, Dawn’s passion for learning and teaching led her to the Bermagui and District Branch of the University of the Third Age – a group that looks to create and foster educational opportunities for people in retirement. In this group Dawn helped broaden the variety of courses to 80 subjects available through local presenters.
One very active Bermagui and District U3A group, the rug hookers created seven amazing rug panels now hanging in the Bermagui Surf Club.
Dawn Hollins and Bermagui & District U3A Rug Hookers with Bruce McAslan President, Bermagui Surf Club. Photographer Ben Smyth Bega District News
After the hanging and dedication of the hooked panels on the 15th December, 2016, we decided to create a Guild Video of this impressive project.
On learning Dawn was to receive the Australia Day award, it was decided to wait until 26th January, Australia Day, to publish the video – to honour Dawn’s leadership on the day of the award.
Bermagui & Districts U3A Rughooking Group members describe Dawn as a shining example of the ideal that one person can make a difference.
Congratulations Dawn
from the members of the Australian Rugmakers Guild
Have you noticed the number in the top right-hand corner of the Rug Hooking Australia blogs? This number was assigned by the National Library of Australia and means Blogs can be deposited in the National Gallery of Australia archives.
Speaking of archives, information gathered by members about Australian Rug hookers prior to the formation of the Guild in 2008, is now posted in an Australian History Section on the Guild website. Readers are encouraged to contact us to add, or correct any of the information shown.
Included in this Section you’ll find information about Australian Rugmakers, listed by Name and State; information on museums with collections of early rag rugs (hooked or prodded) and articles about and by, Australian rugmakers and in some cases a link to the article.
With the publishers permission, there is a link to the full article written by an Australian and published in a 1990 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine(USA). The author comments on the history of rug hooking in Australia from early settlement, describing how the craft was carried into modern times and mentioning contemporary rughookers, in particular, Textile Artist, Isabel Foster of Victoria.
As I write this, I’m reminded of the first (new format), Rughooking Australia Blog which featured Isabel Foster and told of several guild members, myself included, who travelled from Western Australia and South Australia to Victoria in January 2014 to meet a Victorian group, the Yarra Valley Rugmakers, and attend TheChallenge of Colour, Isabel Foster’s 50 Year Retrospective. What a wonderful experience that was.
Isabel Foster (centre) at the Burrinja Exhibition, Victoria, AustraliaJudith (SA), Robyne (VIC) and Jo(WA) listening to Isabel tell of her love of colour and textiles.Leanne, Joy, Jen & Renate – all of Victoria, Australia
Sarah Squire Todd – Hobart, Tasmania (1861-1959) and her granddaughter Mary Ransom, were mentioned in the same magazine article.
Sarah Todd, a famous Australian wood-carver, was forced to give up wood-carving in favour of embroidery, needlework and rug-making inher advancing years. More details of her life and art can be found [here]
Courtesy of The Tasmanian Wool Centre, Ross, Tasmania, Australia
The Tasmanian Wool Centre in Ross, Tasmania, has a rag rug in the Museum’s collection made by Mary Ransom born in Tasmania c 1915. It is not currently on display but can be viewed by appointment.
The list of places where rugs are found to be archived is growing.
Added to the Pioneer Women’s Hut in Tumbarumba and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, both in New South Wales, is the Migration Museum in Adelaide, South Australia.
Corinne Ball, Curator of the Migration Museum, provided images and has given permission to show these rugs which she thinks were made in the Depression era or thereabouts:-
Courtesy of Migration Museum, Adelaide, South Australia HT90.143Courtesy of Migration Museum, Adelaide, South Australia HT90.141Courtesy of Migration Museum Adelaide, South Australia HT90.142Courtesy of Migration Museum, SA HT86.404 – Community Banners project 1986 “Memories & Dreams”
The Museum is located in Adelaide, South Australia at 82 Kintore Ave (08) 8207 7570 …… Open Daily 10am-5pm Mon-Fri and 1pm-5p Weekends, Admission is Free.
More information on this Banner is available on the Museum website and there’s also an image, provided by Faye Godfrey of South Australia, of the Banner along with the group who made it, in the Guild’s History Section.
If you would like to include information about an Australian rugmaker, please email rughookingaustralia@gmail.com with details and permission to publish.
This history project is like a giant jig saw puzzle – it’s interesting to fit the pieces together as information comes to light. Who knew there was so much to report about rug hooking in Australia.
I encourage you to read the History section and look forward to your feedback. Jo Franco, Editor
Created by Judi Tompkins, 2016 “Palimpsest” Landsborough, QLD
According to Wikipedia : In architecture, a folly (French term folie – meaning foolishness) is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or appearing to be so extravagant that it transcends the range of garden ornaments usually associated with the class of buildings to which it belongs. 18th century English gardens and French landscape gardening often featured mock Roman temples, symbolizing classical virtues.
In English, the term began as “a popular name for any costly non-functional structure erected to enhance the natural landscape”.
Hence the terms use for Judi’s installation which to date, has not stopped growing in the middle of her living room!
Having made several wall-hangings using the 3D Waldoborough technique (in the extreme)
Judi had a desire to make a full size 3D hooked project.
This ladder no longer in use, and her interest in birds and fowl, was the catalyst for the chook project.
First the pattern for the chook (Bertha) was drawn onto hessian
Then begain the hooking using novelty “Eyelash” yarn, the finished shape was stuffed with wool.
The ladder was bought into play and the chook perched upon it.
At this point Judi’s creative sense went into over-drive; the chook needed a nest and if it was going to have a nest shouldn’t there be some eggs?
And as eggs tend to do – they started to hatch
Chick with a face only a mother could luv!
Members of Judi’s rug hooking group who’d seen this installation starting to take shape felt they too wanted to be involved.
Bea showed up with a two specimens of fowl she’d created in a pottery class
and along with Judi Owen and Ann Naisworth (NSW) they started to collect feathers for the project
… by this time it had grown to include a mat beneath the ladder into which realistic grass and plants had been hooked and other birds and birds nest from Judi’s collection had been placed.
Rooster and hen
The circular mat is a massive art work in itself 15 feet (458cm) in circumference and weighing over 6kg.
A video of this huge rug hooking effort was made by Kira Mead using the outline of my blog, with voice over by husband Warren. With the addition of some funky Chicken song music, it created something that made us all smile.
So the video, even though it was only a trial effort, was posted on the Guild Facebook page. For those of you who may not have seen it, here it is the link
Congratulations to Judi on such a creative effort and to Kira for being clever and persistent and conquering the digital battle of learning how to bring it all online.
I have certainly enjoyed being Judi’s sounding board through the construction of this installation. Jo Franco, Editor
The Yarra Valley Rug Makers had a meeting with a difference on the 9th April.
It was a busy day for them. Here is what Chris Noobergen had to say …….
Only three of us were present at the Westernport Craft Fair, run as a yearly fundraiser by the local Hastings Uniting Church. Many people came passed the Yarra Valley booth where Anne (pictured below) and I demonstrated the genteel craft of making a hooked rug.
Some had a go a pulling loops, two young girls just loved it and got the hang of it very quickly. Children were a delight to teach and catch on quickly.
Anne’s lovely sunflower proggy rug attracted a lot of attention with it’s colour contrasts.
As most of us rug hookers have discovered many people confuse what we do with latchet hook rug making.It was a long day and we were glad to go home at the end of it. Chris
Editors Note: It would have been a very long day for the Yarra Valley Rugmakers, as Westernport is about a 140k round trip from the Yarra Valley. You can read more about the Yarra Valley Group on their blog where you’ll see more images of their work, like this rug designed and hooked by Chris,
and a proggy rug being created by Robyne, a member of the group, on a frame purchased on a visit to Miriam Miller’s Rug Room in Narrawilly, NSW.
Robyne says: I’m really enjoying doing this rug. It’s slow work, takes tons and tons of cloth, is terribly messy, gives me a sore neck but it’s fun! Obviously, it will need some trimming later. I bought the frame via Miriam Miller at Narrawilly Rugs. It sits on a couple of old trestle legs in my sewing room so I can pop in and do some every day. I signed up for a ’10 minute a day pledge’ on Rug Hooking Daily, which is good because you invariably do way more.
As I struggle to keep wool for the two different projects I’m working on separated, this idea sent in by Judith Stephens (Guild Pres.), is just what I need. The only problem is, I don’t have time to stop and make up the baskets, so I’ll continue with my tangle of yarn/strips in the dreaded plastic bags. Then ………………. I’ll get organized! (I’m modelling Margaret’s hand-knit Beanie, to be decorated with quillies, destined for the Alice Springs Beanie Exhibition – my beanie is still under construction.)
Here’s what Judith had to say …….
I decided that I should use up the rather large bucket of ‘bits’ that I have accumulated over the past year or two! Whenever I dye some wool, I tie the skeins with about half a metre of yarn which also gets dyed in the dye bath.
These I collect – just because I am too stingy to throw them out! And of course, there are always little leftover pieces of yarn from my projects.
Anyway, I needed to keep the colours in some kind of order, so I needed some baskets. I bought some gutter guard plastic
and made the baskets
Because they come in a long length, I can make the ‘basket’ as big as I need. There is no base in this basket, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
So now, the colours are sorted, and I started on the rug
It’s nearly finished, but it still leaves me with a very large bucket of bits to use up……..
That all sounded so simple but I just had to ask Judith about the “bottomless” basket – her answer was ……
I have half-a-dozen of these ‘baskets’ and they sit on my hooking trolley. If I need to move the basket, then I just put my hand under the basket and the bits don’t fall out. What’s good about these, is the fact that I can make them as big as I need and they are easily stored flat, so don’t take up much room. I’ve also locker hooked one length and have it around a pot plant – I’ll take a photo of that tomorrow morning when the sun is shining! I do have another plan to use up the bits!
Locker hooking on plastic grid – that sounds like an interesting project. Beats having to search for the locker hooking mesh which isn’t readily available, although there is an online supplier on the Guild SWAP n SELL page.
Maybe I’ll find a local supplier at the Perth Craft & Quilt Fair in a few weeks. The Fair runs from 18th to 22nd May at the Perth Exhibition & Convention Centre.
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Having made several wall-hangings using the 3D Waldoborough technique (in the extreme)
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As I struggle to keep wool for the two different projects I’m working on separated, this idea sent in by Judith Stephens (Guild Pres.), is just what I need. The only problem is, I don’t have time to stop and make up the baskets, so I’ll continue with my tangle of yarn/strips in the dreaded plastic bags. Then ………………. I’ll get organized! 
Maybe I’ll find a local supplier at the 
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