Welcome …..

Jo and Judi setting up for a day of rug hooking demonstrations in Perth, Western Australia.

All set up and ready for visitors in the morning – just hoping the weather will be kind and we won’t need the ceiling fans – it’s been the warmest spring (Sep-Nov) on record and the hall is not air-conditioned. It’s also been the driest Spring in 5 years.

Alexander Park Craft House – where WAFTA meets

What a difference a day makes ….

The next morning a storm blew in – wild enough to cause the City of Perth to cancel the Christmas Parade. Wind and pouring rain kept people off the roads – except the intrepid Wanneroo Rugmakers who headed in to Alexander Park Craft House to demonstrate various rug hooking techniques.

Below Yvonne explains how she hooks without a frame.

here are some small examples of Yvonne’s work

and Kath’s latest proggy rug is the centre of attention here

while Jo discusses her Rittermere rug hooked with wool yarn (carpet wool hand-dyed by Judith Stephens)

This rug pattern is a classic – the design is printed on hessian and it was imported from Canada about 40 years ago before there were any other names added to the company then called only “Rittermere”.

Also in this picture is one of Robin Inkpen’s rugs which she hooked with recycled fabrics.

Jo had begun work on this rug when she received the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine featuring orientals in wide cut and bright colours. While tempted to switch to “brights“, Jo continued with the colours in keeping with a large rug already in her living room.

Below Robin helps a beginner rug maker who was pleased she braved the wet roads to come and learn about this craft. Judi Tompkins had started her morning off with instruction in the basic rug hooking technique.

Kath was also pleased to receive some artistic help from Robin to adjust the colour plan another classic Rittermere rug she is working on.

and …. yes, there was yet another Rittermere rug on show – the peacocks below.

The rug pattern may have been old but Anna decided to go her own way with her colour plan – no desire for “realism” here.

All these old Rittermere rugs were purchased last year at a weekend hooking retreat in South Australia, from a rug hooker who had given up hooking and was “downsizing” in preparation to move house. She had taken lessons years ago from a teacher who had immigrated to South Australia from the UK via Canada in the late 50’s – and for over 30 years held a monthly meeting at her house for her students. During that time she imported all the patterns and tools for her students from Canada.

At previous rug hooking events in Perth we’ve had the pleasure of the company of Kira Mead from Albany – she always has something different and exciting to show – she couldn’t make the long drive this time – but sent an image of her latest creation.

Who’d have thought of 3-D Quillies

What a fabulous and colourful way to “wind-up” the year.

In the New Year we will bring you more news from other groups around Australia, until then

Greetings and Best Wishes for a healthy and safe New Year to all our members and their families.

Keep on Happily Hooking – Jo

Community Art Installation

“Piece by Piece for Peace”

(Designed & created by Bec Andersen)

Report by Jo Franco – still in Queensland;

I had a free afternoon last Friday 7th August and Bec Andersen had an open spot on her Calendar so I drove alone, up Mt. Tamborine to Bec’s studio/workshop. I hadn’t been there before; knew it would be in the hills, but didn’t realize I was going to be traveling up 22ks of winding road with hairpin bends and 12% grade – and me afraid of high places! My eyes were glued to the road ahead but occasionally I’d glimpse amazing vistas through the trees.

It was worth the trip and I’d really like to go back another time with someone else at the wheel so I could take in the views.

I didn’t have any trouble finding the address and when I looked down the drive and saw the open veranda door to her studio I recognized it immediately from images in her newsletters.

Bec is putting the finishing touches to a community art project. She says it’s easy, fun and joyous – I was wishing we weren’t leaving on the 13th – as it sounded very interesting and I would have liked to have taken part.

Below, I’ve added my comments to information and images taken from Bec’s newsletter:

If there’s anyone in the area who’d like to be in the fun and help, this is the last week to join in – she needs; knotters, sewers, bead makers, threaders and tea pourers.

The knotted rug looks very much like proggy (proddy).

Actually, the long ‘paper bead’ making is done! When I arrived at her Studio on Friday afternoon I found Bec up a ladder attaching long lengths of fishing line threaded with beads to a frame.

In all 11,000 papers beads have been made to create a circular curtain which will hang above a 3m diameter shag pile rug, estimated to take 24,000 knots and a whole lot of sewing.

Bec is planning to restore and reupholster (with upcycled denim jeans or skirts) this ‘found’ rocking chair – if you have any jeans to donate please take them along.

Helping her to work on this project is a really good excuse to get together, drink tea and make things, and share Make do and Mend stories – which she is collecting for the installation.

Do you have any stories? What did your mum or granny used to do to save pennies? Bec’s nana used to save up all the old bits of soap and melt them down to make larger cakes when the jar was full.

There will be two more of these fun filled get-togethers to help make, and to drink tea;

Thursday Aug 13 and Saturday Aug 15

from 9:30-12:30

at 8 Griffith St, North Tamborine

These morning teas will be followed by an installation at The Centre in Beaudesert on

September 19, coupled with an even bigger morning tea!

Even if you can’t make a working sessions, mark your calendars for

the Opening and The Long Morning Tea

Click here for Bookings and more information for the September event.

What a fantastic afternoon I spent with Bec – sharing our rughooking experiences, visions for the future of rughooking in Australia, and learning about her past projects and 100% wool yarn dyed using natural dyes sourced from around the world.

Bec teaches punch-needle rug hooking using the Amy Oxford punch-needle hooks. She also encourages her students to create their own designs and helps them with design concepts.

To turn her own designs into commissioned rugs, Bec uses an electric tufting gun – see some of her creations on her website

Colour! Colour everywhere –

Following a post featuring the colourful works created by the Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters, these images of recent creations from Western Australia reflect the use of colour in Aussie rug making.

Australian rughookers have an affinity for bright colours – it must have something to do with the climate, wide open spaces and blue skies plus the number of hours of sunshine each day, especially in Western Australia, even though it’s winter here.

Robin Inkpen has just finished designing and hooking another wonderful carpet bag, destined for sale in an upmarket boutique.

Robin’s carpet bags are unique, each is “personalized” with it’s own identifying name and tag (shown above) which contains a description, i.e.

My name is Belinda, I am a carpet bag.

Robin decided to name me because I am unique. I cannot be reproduced or mass produced. The designs, colours and yarns Robin hooked into me are totally random and inspired as she works;

I am a totally hand made piece of art.

Robin hopes that you enjoy me as much as she enjoyed making me.

* * * *

Kira Mead has taken the product of recent workshops where she demonstrated the making of her quillies and participants “had-a-go” – and created this colourful chair cover

“le tourbillon derrie’re” (the swirl behind).

A close up of the chair pad surface

The images below show how these small demo swirls grew into this wonderful chair pad.

Starting with swatches of recycled wool dyed with food colour ;-

Above – the beginning swirls

Below – Some of the swirls created in the workshops

*** * * ***

Rug hooking with a difference

Recently the Yarra Valley Rugmakers Group showed an interesting video on their blog of a rugmaker, Meg Little, who lives on the USA Eastern Seaboard and creates rugs using an electric tufting machine. It’s great video – click the following link and take a look

http://www.victorianrugmakers.blogspot.com.au/

Also mentioned is Bec Andersen, a member of the Australian Guild, who creates rugs using this ‘electric’ tufting technique, as they say “taking punch needle rug hooking to a different level”.

Bec hosts a rug hooking group who meet regularly at her studio in Mt. Tamborine, south of Brisbane in Queensland. She also gives workshops in traditional rug hooking and various rugmaking techniques and works in the community on textile projects. You can contact Bec by email at info@becandersen.com

Below is a video showing Bec using this tufting technique and creating the

“Wishing Chair”

The Wishing Chair was featured in the Australian Rugmakers Guild News and TIGHR’s Hooking Matters a few years ago. It’s amazing to see her breath new life into a dilapidated old chair left by the roadside for a rubbish pick-up.

Bec Andersen “Rug Wishes” from Thor Andersen on Vimeo.

Queensland – Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters

LIBRARY PROJECT A SUCCESS !

The Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters raised over $700 in support of the

“Friends of the Beerwah Library” with their original triptych of “Under the Sea”.

The three pieces were won by people on Bribie Island, Glass House Mountains and Beerwah so the “word” is beginning to spread across the Sunshine Coast.

Over 25 people attended the brief talk and Q & A session offered by Judi Tompkins and the members of the Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters and there was a great interest in the craft with questions about “How do you do it?” and “How can I learn?” ……. as a result we have 10 new members who want to join the group which means the July sessions will be very busy. Report by Judi Tompkins

( Left) Setting up a display of the groups work at the Library.

(Below) Early days of the project – some of the groups members working on their “Undersea” pieces.

Note the use of small scale stretcher frames

Annette from NSW has relocated to QLD and joined the Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters – her Three Wise Men were on display at the Library. Shown here is a close-up of the hanging system she used for this piece.

The Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters groups meet the second Monday and third Tuesday of each month from 3-6pm at the Beerwah Library.

As a community group there is no fee to attend; afternoon tea is available.

For more information contact Judi Tompkins at judi.tompkins@bigpond.com and read more about Judi’s rug hooking on her personal website http://www.rugcraftingaustralia.com.au and https://www.facebook.com/rugcraftingaustralia

A Weekend of Rugmaking Workshops

In Western Australia on the weekend of 6th & 7th June there were rug hooking workshops with a difference.

Participants paid to attend morning or afternoon sessions in two locations, north and south of the city, and rather than signing up for a specific workshop, spent their time watching and taking part in the various on-going hands-on demonstrations.

Things were quiet as we set up – once the doors opened there was a buzz of activity as the participants moved from table to table and gathered close so as not to miss anything.

The techniques advertised were:-

Locker Hooking;

Robin Inkpen “in full flight” explaining this technique is quite different from traditional rug hooking.

This group of quilters were deep in thought about the possibility of putting their left-over quilting stash to use!

Locker hooking uses the same “canvas” backing as “latch hooking” however the tool is different. The hook, similar to a crochet hook with a needle eye at the opposite end, is used to thread a length of yarn or string through the long strips of torn cotton fabric hooked into the backing with loops at the front, rather than the short pieces of wool yarn used for latch hooking.

Below is a table mat made by Robin using sari silk off-cuts.

Shown below, is an excellent example of “Australian Locker Hooking” (the term given to pieces where fleece, instead of fabric, is used to hook up through the backing) discovered by Robin at the second workshop venue, Alexander Park Craft House in Menora.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Here Robin shows Kath the ends of the fleece on the back of this piece

Naalbinding or Toothbrush Rugmaking;

Judith Stephens with samples of all manner of bags, baskets and bowls she’s created from torn doona covers and sheets made with a tool modified from – yes…. a toothbrush!

The most popular items were the bags, some with a flap, made to hold iPads. These bags were created in “one piece” – absolutely no seams – no sewing required even the handles of the bags were worked into the same piece.

Some of the baskets had a built in base giving them stability to stand and more carrying capacity – also with no stitching required.

Quillies (standing wool rugs);

Kira Mead’s quillies have gone viral – everyone was anxious to have-a-go at this technique, new to all.

At the Craft Fair, after looking at Kira’s “Reef” wall-hanging, a visitor expressed an interest in the shaped sea creatures and signed up for the workshop hoping to ask Kira how to create a bird shape to represent her pet pink & gray galah. She was thrilled to find Kira had created a small kit in the shape of a bird and already had one made up in pink and gray (shown above on the table)

The construction of “Aurora” a large wall-hanging, is featured in an article by Kira in the current issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

From over-size to ……..something small, this brooch is Kira’s most recent project.

Proggy and Traditional rug hooking;

All the participants were new to rugmaking – Anna’s brightly coloured proggy rug, (left – shown with the backside folded over) attracted much attention and a mini-stretcher frame was used by those who wished to try their hand at proggy, while a selection of locally made lap frames were used for the traditional rug hooking demonstrations.

The advertised “5 techniques” became “7”

with demonstrations of Stick weaving and the Chunky rugmaker.

Above Gay is working on a toothbrush rug mat as Nita sets up some stick weaving.

The length of firm fabric “cord” formed by stick weaving makes an excellent bag handle or it could be wound and glued or stitched to make a mat.

Nita and Gay also demonstrated the use of the Chunky rugmaker – used by Maggie Whyte (ACT) to create Fabric Necklaces and a different twist on typical mats.

Below, this happy trio participated in a recent workshop making Fabric Necklaces at Wanneroo

Books & Magazines;

A selection of rug hooking books were available for participants to view and copies of Miriam Miller’s book “Proggy and Hooky Rugs” with it’s clear illustrations and “how-to” descriptions, were available for sale.

Copies of Rug Hooking Magazine were also available.

Following the workshops

Complimentary comments have been coming in from participants – here are just a couple –

Anne who attended in Mandurah emailed to say

“thanks to all the instructors for their help at the workshop on Saturday in Mandurah – Dawn and I thoroughly enjoyed our time – never knew there were so many ways to use all kinds of materials to craft and create.”

After Menora – Beth said –

“thank you so much for yesterday – it was a marvellous time. I loved it!”

International Rug Hooking Day

…. 4th December 2014 ….

This inaugural event was organized by TIGHR

(The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers)

Events around Australia – starting on the East Coast …….. and finishing in the West

Queensland:

Here are some happy snaps of Judi Tompkins group (Sunshine Coast RugCrafters) who met at her Studio on Dec 4. The group celebrated International Rughooking Day and worked on setting up some new projects so they can stay busy over the holidays.

More about the Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters on Judi’s website Rug Crafting Australia.

Still in Queensland …… Project “11 and Beyond”

Bec Andersen (Artist in Residency Jan-May 2015) held her Project Launch

Dec 4th at 10am at the Tamborine Mountain Library

to celebrate International Rughooking Day

Bec is collaborating with Tamborine Mountain State School to work with Year 6 children to develop a fibre project from digital design to production.

This project is inspired by the cultural shift that occurs in Queensland in 2015 where Year 7 children will become the first year of high school and Year 6 children will be the leaders of the primary school.

and in Kingaroy, QLD …………..

Judith Brook, long time member of TIGHR, is originally from New Zealand, and is a founding member of the Australian Guild. Judith is part of a local arts group in Kingaroy with access to exhibition space where she promotes rug hooking. She also has pieces in the local craft gallery and says the rugs always make a hit. There are a number of people in the area eager to learn this craft so she will be organizing a rug making workshop in the New Year. For information email judylbrook@gmail.com

Earlier this year Judith exhibited this wall hanging to commemorate

“100 Years of ANZACS”

names from the Roll of Honour at the local war memorial of all the men from the area who died in the 1st World War are hand-written on the flag which is the backdrop for this piece. Your can read more about how this piece was created in an earlier post.

New South Wales:

The Narrawilly Proggers celebrated International Rughooking Day at their Christmas Lunch on Dec 5th at Miriam Miller’s Rug Room in Milton.

Bev Latta, Sheila Lucas, and Christine Alexander catch up on the verandah outside Miriam’s Rug room. Sheila came up from Bermagui (south of Milton) with Dawn Hollins and Kathy Cannirs members of the Bermagui & Dist. U3A Rug Hookers.

The Narrawill Proggy Rugmakers also held their annual Fashion Parade – where members of the group model a selection of garments from those given to them by a local Op Shop to cut up and use in their rugs. After a rather hilarious fashion parade compered by Jacqui Thomson, the guests then bid on the garments. According to Jacqui “it was load of fun, as always, with temperamental models, at great expense”

Bidding is spirited as they all know the money raised goes to support Heather Ritchie’s Rug Hooking School for the Blind in The Gambia.

This year Jacqui’s actions were somewhat curtailed, as a few weeks ago she slipped, fell and broke her ankle. However being the trooper that she is, she filled her usual role decked out in her “moon boot” complete with Christmas bow.

Jacqui talking here with Maizie Bennett, said “Carol Treloar did the great boot decorations. Nothing escapes her”

ACT :

Maggie Whyte from Canberra and friends from Braidwood & Milton, New South Wales, celebrated International Rughooking Day on the 22nd & 23rd November while exhibiting rugs and demonstrating rug hooking at the Airing of the Quilts in Braidwood, NSW (approxiately an hours drive from both Canberra and Milton). (Pictured here are Maggie’s proggy Christmas trees.)

Read more about this annual event on June Weatherstone’s website – June, the founder of this event in Braidwood, is a member of the Narrawilly Proggy Rugmakes and the Australian Rugmakers Guild.

The “Coffee Shop” rug below was hooked by Maggie Hickey, who is shown here demonstrating rughooking

Despite sweltering heat over the weekend, the event was a great success with members of the public showing much interest in the rugmaking techniques and having a try at both hooky and proggy.

This colourful “Beach Huts” rug was hooked by Janet Walker.

There was truly an international connection at this event with a visit by Ruth Hassall who has been living in Switzerland. Ruth helped to hang the rugs – below is an unfinished cow rug designed and hooked by Ruth.

Victoria :

Living in country Victoria, at least an hour apart, the Yarra Valley Rugmakers travel a long way to get together. Some of their faithful members were missing at their Nov meeting and with Christmas fast approaching they decided to make their 13th Dec meeting a special Christmas celebration day and to also celebrate International Rug Hooking Day.

They’ll share with each other their personal and internet experiences with rugging friends around the world. As well, they’ll talk about how they can spread the word about rug hooking to other Victorians.

Click here to read more about this very enthusiastic and hospitable rug hooking group.

(Left) Katherine, a Canadian rug hooker, was headed for Australia – she searched the net for rughookers and found Miriam Miller in New South Wales and with husband Alan, visited Miriam at her Rug Room. Their travels were taking them on to Victoria so Miriam gave them Chris’s address –

and Chris invited Katherine & Alan to spend time with her family.

In 2012 at the TIGHR Conference in South Australia, Chris took a class from Heather Ritchie, learning how to adapt a hooking design from a photo. Chris has since created some wonderful wall hangings of hooked faces inspired by photos of her grandchildren.

Last October Chris returned to Strathalbyn to the 2014 Rumaking Expo as a teacher of this technique.

Below are images of the latest “Grandson” rug in the planning and hooking stages:-

Tasmania:

The Happy Hookers will be celebrating International Rug Making Day at their Christmas luncheon on Thursday 11th December at the British Hotel in Deloraine.

They have been hooking together for a decade in the Deloraine community and welcome new members and visitors to meet them over a cuppa at the British Hotel in Deloraine on Thursdays (10am – midday). Find them on Facebook.

South Australia :

On Dec 4th, after arriving home from an overseas trip on Dec 3, Judith Stephens gave a presentation on the craft of rag rug making to a huge (300+) craft group . She had to do the talk twice because the group was too big for one venue. Next year Judith will be giving rug making classes to people from this group.

While their leader was away, the Strath Matters had a change of venue and view – they held their meeting and celebrated International Rughooking Day in advance at Jenny A’s house

Marion is hooking a Stuart Pea (State Flower of South Australia);

below – Irene’s proggy rug, Jenny A’s crocheted rope bowl and Maggie’s cushion with the hooked frogs leaping around the proggy waterlilies.

At the October 2014 Rugmaking Expo in Strathalbyn, Trish Carter of the Strath Matters, purchased an old SEMCO pattern from Faye, who was selling off her stash of rug patterns on Scottish Hessian. Faye must have stored her rug hooking supplies well, because the Hessian patterns were in excellent condition even though some were at least 30 years old. Jo Franco purchased one with a “Rittemere” only on the label – that is going back a ways.

You can tell Trish is a “horse person” – although there was no accompanying photo with this pattern Trish has done an excellent job depicting movement and the anatomy of the horse.

Western Australia:

Jo Franco also returned from overseas on the 3rd Dec and on the 4th, joined members of the Wanneroo Rugmakers at the Burns Beach Cafe for their Christmas Lunch and to celebrate International Rughooking Day, at a rug hooking session in the sunshine on the beach.

Members of this group recently entered their rugs and wall hangings in competition at the Wanneroo Show (County Fair for our US readers). The organizers of the Show have now created a separate category for Rug Making – and pieces are judged depending on the rugmaking technique used.

INTERNATIONAL :

Susan Feller, TIGHR Webmaster,

was instrumental in setting up this global event

seen here Skyping with Jo Franco (Western Australia) & Judi Tompkins (Queensland) on the evening of 4th Dec (USA time).

Events around the Globe were captured on TIGHR’s Facebook.

A big “Thank You” to Deb Smith, Editor, Rug Hooking Magazine, and her crew for promoting this event and setting up a Facebook page where events could be posted by rughookers themselves.

Welcome …..

What a difference a day makes ….

Who’d have thought of 3-D Quillies

Greetings and Best Wishes for a healthy and safe New Year to all our members and their families.

Keep on Happily Hooking – Jo

Share this:

“Piece by Piece for Peace”

(Designed & created by Bec Andersen)

The knotted rug looks very much like proggy (proddy).

the Opening and The Long Morning Tea

Share this:

Following a post featuring the colourful works created by the Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters, these images of recent creations from Western Australia reflect the use of colour in Aussie rug making.

My name is Belinda, I am a carpet bag.

I am a totally hand made piece of art.

* * * *

Kira Mead has taken the product of recent workshops where she demonstrated the making of her quillies and participants “had-a-go” – and created this colourful chair cover

“le tourbillon derrie’re” (the swirl behind).

* * * *

Share this:

Recently the Yarra Valley Rugmakers Group showed an interesting video on their blog of a rugmaker, Meg Little, who lives on the USA Eastern Seaboard and creates rugs using an electric tufting machine. It’s great video – click the following link and take a look

“Wishing Chair”

Share this:

LIBRARY PROJECT A SUCCESS !

The Sunshine Coast Rug Crafters raised over $700 in support of the

“Friends of the Beerwah Library” with their original triptych of “Under the Sea”.

Share this:

In Western Australia on the weekend of 6th & 7th June there were rug hooking workshops with a difference.

Locker Hooking;

Naalbinding or Toothbrush Rugmaking;

Quillies (standing wool rugs);

Proggy and Traditional rug hooking;

The advertised “5 techniques” became “7”

Books & Magazines;

Following the workshops

Share this:

…. 4th December 2014 ….

This inaugural event was organized by TIGHR

(The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers)

Events around Australia – starting on the East Coast …….. and finishing in the West

Queensland:

Still in Queensland …… Project “11 and Beyond”

and in Kingaroy, QLD …………..

New South Wales:

ACT :

Victoria :

Last October Chris returned to Strathalbyn to the 2014 Rumaking Expo as a teacher of this technique.

Tasmania:

South Australia :

Western Australia:

INTERNATIONAL :

Share this:

*** * * ***