ISSN 2207-001X 10th April 2017
The April issue of Miriam Miller’s newsletter “Connecting Us” has arrived in my email inbox, in it some interesting news about visitors to the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers group in Milton – shared here with Miriam’s permission.
On the last Rug day (7th April) they had several visitors. Miriam said they were thrilled that Maggie, Guild Vice President, accompanied by Sonja and Janet from Canberra made the 3 hour journey each way to join in for the day….. that’s the “near”.
From a further away came Irene Bruninghausen, who lives in Darwin, in the Northern Territory, but spends some of the year in Sydney. Irene brought her nearly completed first rug.
Irene said –
“My Rug was conceived in Ormiston Gorge Central Australia, physically commenced under Miriam’s tutelage at Milton N.S.W. Contributions were made at roadside stops in Queensland and it was almost completed in Darwin N.T. Now back at Milton trying to get a lesson in corner edging. It’s been a scenic journey for us. One thing I have learned about rugging you have to be comfy. In hot sweaty Darwin, I stripped down to a cossie, and set the stretcher frame down on a day bed. Then set up an enormous pedestal fan behind me. Fantastic – it blew all the loose threads and scraps all over the house.”
And from very FAR away ……. Sally Gilbert from New Hampshire USA, came to visit and met with some of the Narrawilly group on Saturday 11th March. Sally draws inspiration from her travels for her rug designs, she hooked this rug (21in x35in ) after returning from a trip to see the puffins in Maine. She used #4 & #6 size strips of new and repurposed 100% wool.
Chair pads designed and hooked by Sally using a combination of new and repurposed 100% wool strips – show the Australian influence which Sally says “is very strong in our house!”
When asked about her rug hooking in the United States, Sally said –
“I hook with the Wolfeboro Rug Hookers, a sub group of the Wolfeboro Newcomers Club. There are usually 6-8 members who come regularly and several other “sometime hookers”. Some are brand new to the craft, others have been hooking many years. We meet once a week in a local church, and welcome all who are interested. Occasionally we go on a trip to a rug hooking supply shop either in Maine (Camp Wool, Kennebunk, Maine) or western New Hampshire to Dorr Woollen Mills.”
Sally (second from the left) with members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers;- Sue, Sally, Miriam, Miriam, Margaret, Christine, Judy and Janet and
Jacqui & Sally
Miriam’s newsletter contains more news and images of rugs made by her friends from overseas and around Australia, it can be seen in full archived under the BLOG on this website.
Thanks Miriam for sharing your news
Jo Franco, Editor 
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