TIGHR – Rughooking Australia

Unusual Times

ISSN 2207-100X 14th April 2020

This surely must have been THE most unusual Easter holiday period ever!

People confined to their homes but connecting with friends and family online in so many creative ways.

Easter church services given in empty churches but seen around the world! TV images of parishioners in the USA, sitting in cars to attend services held at drive-in theatres.

Drive-by Easter egg drop-offs. The Easter Bunny designated as an essential worker in Western Australia and given permission to cross closed regional boundaries preventing travel to areas traditionally a big draw for holidaymakers on the Easter 4-day long weekend – normally a weekend of church services, visiting relatives, sporting activities and that last trip to the beach to soak up the Autumn sun. Except this year in Perth, Saturday was the hottest day on record for this time of the year.

This year “backyard camping” was the big deal. Friends who were looking forward to holidaying in their new travel trailer – moved it off the driveway onto the front lawn so their 10-year-old twins didn’t miss out on a camping weekend.

For those with children this period of isolation has had the benefit of time to spend together. In our area, apart from leaving home to shop for food and visit the Doctor/pharmacy, you are allowed, while maintaining social distancing, to exercise with one other person or members of your household. For those of us lucky enough to live by the beach the forced break in our busy schedules has been a positive – especially with the warm weather, making a daily swim really enjoyable.

However, most Nanas and Poppas are missing being with their grandchildren especially over the holidays and some who live alone and are not connected digitally, are desperate for company and contact with the outside world. This is where screen time, usually to be limited, has becomes so important. It seems all organizations are going digital – from local sewing groups to national museums and art galleries …… We’re stuck at home, but have never been so connected to the rest of the world.

So I’m sharing, images and information about, or from, Guild members, starting with ……

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: These images were posted in a Facebook group by Yvonne Dalton and are shared here with her permission.

Yvonne said – These are the result of a forgotten pot of dye…. forgot I had put cloth into dye…….found pot and felt elated. Cleaning cloth may take some time. Third wash with small scrubbing brush to remove stuck vegetation. Lots of oxidation….cloth scrunched, not tied or bound.

NORTHERN TERRITORY – Finke : Shared by guild member Sue Ware

Tjanpi Desert Weavers

March 27 at 3:08 PM

Ever wanted to learn to weave?? Our brand new tutorial is now live and we could not be more excited!!

While we’re all couped up at home, we thought it’d be the perfect time to share our knowledge and bring some joy into your lives. Our artists often speak about the power of weaving as a form of meditation, calming the mind and allowing stress to melt away. Learn-to-Weave Kits available at

https://tjanpi.com.au/collections/sculptures/products/learn-to-weave-kit

Huge thanks to the talented Mimi Catterns for creating this beautiful little video. We can’t help by smile every time we watch it!! NPY Women’s Council

NORTHERN TERRITORY: The Alice Springs Beanie Festival like everything else, had to be cancelled this year but from their Facebook page we learn that the Beanie Festival organizers are planning an online competition in June… and need to know how many Beanieologists are willing to take part. Maximum 2 beanies, they can be for sale or not. The Festival organizers will share images online and have voting for people’s choice. They’re looking for enough entries to keep going so are saying – go ahead keep creating!!! pass on this message and keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates !!! As of 15^th April the “Head Beanieologist” says

“I’m not sure of the format yet just meeting with the techs. There will be a form to fill in for each beanie, they won’t need swingtags. 2 photos of each beanie anyway you feels best to show the workmanship of the beanie”.

Margaret Stuart a member of the Wanneroo Rugmakers in Western Australia has images of her felted beanie (in Easter Egg colours) ready to go.

Then there’s this from ArtWear Publications – (publisher of Embellish, Textile Fibre Forum, Yarn, Felt and Vintage Made)

Embellish magazine has a great themed postcard swap in each issue, with a $100 AUD prize up for offer.
The current postcard swap is themed “Layers” – you don’t need a Facebook page to enter this. It’s a matter of using any technique or combination of techniques to create a textile postcard. Postcard size approximately 4”x 6” (a quarter of A4 size page). Click here to read full details about this “swap”.

Something fun to create while you are staying at home? Especially something for Mothers Day. Click this link for free patterns in the ArtWear Publications April 2020 Newsletter.

NEW SOUTH WALES – Epping; the group From Rags to Rugs Sydney Rug Hooking were disappointed when the Sydney Craft Fair was cancelled as they had a table booked to show their work and demonstrate.

Expertise Events intocraft newsletter shows it has been rescheduled, Oct 29-Nov 1 – see more

Still in New South Wales – Newcastle: Feeling like you’d like to go somewhere? take a virtual tour through the Newcastle Art Gallery.

VICTORIA – Melbourne: the National Gallery of Victoria can also be visited virtually – take a free Drop by drawing class with visual artist Lily Mae Martin – a how-to series on sketching.

VICTORIA (Australia): Trish Johnson’s Australia Diary;- Earlier this year Canadian textile artist Trish Johnson visited a meeting of the Yarra Valley Rugmakers. Trish submitted a journal entry from her Australian trip to the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild and she and Maureen McIlwain, OHCG Multi Media Advisor, have given permission for it to be shared here in the Australian Rugmakers Guild blog.

Maureen, a Member of OHCG, ATHA, RHGNS and The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers says – We’re happy to have our OHCG news travel around the hooking world! OHCG’s 50th Anniversary in 2016 Ontario Hooking Craft Guild and Ontario Hooking Craft Guild/OHCG, on Facebook.

Trish (left in floral shirt) lunching with the Yarra Valley Rugmakers Group, Victoria, Australia.

See more about the Yarra Valley Rugmakers on their Blog and Facebook Group

Washinton State, USA: Stuck at home Michele Johnson Wise shared this in Contemporary Rug Hooking Group – Busy trying my hand at punching wool strips and making face masks –ta-da! I was in a hurry so I will perfect my technique. Definitely will block out the virus..maybe even breathing behind the mask. I will try it out and let you know. Maybe I will do animal noses and mouths like the eyes of Judy Carter. I have been at my shelter maybe a little too long. Boing! Aussie TIGHR members will remember Michele’s creative workshop from the weekend after the 2012 International Guild of Handhooking Rugcrafters, Triennial in South Australia.

CANADA – Newfoundland; Winnie Galvine RHGNL Certified Teaching Instructor offering another avenue to mental wellness through rug hooking – says; I had a large bag of white t shirts that friends and family donated for my rug hooking. I rarely use white. So I reached out to a nursing friend and offered to make scrub bags for her and her coworkers. So simple. Cut off the sleeves. Round out the neck and machine sew the bottom. 40 plus gone off today! Whats a scrub bag? Winnie’s answer; the medical personnel have to change out of their uniforms before leaving their place of work. They can put their scrubs in this bag and throw the whole thing in the washer when they get home.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Perth: Speaking of “scrubs” – some of my sewing friends in Perth really wanted to help the healthcare workers and they are sewing scrubs and caps and bags for them. Volunteers join a private Facebook group and are given sewing patterns to create the items and instructions on where to deliver. The group is in need of more people with sewing skills – if you can help click this link “Get Scrubbed”

TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge; TextileArtist.org – Arts & Humanities Website

Why not try the FREE TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge? For those guild members who don’t “do” Facebook you can still take part watch the video and just click the link above to read more about it.

https://vimeo.com/400278289

WESTERN AUSTRALIA – the team at Vancouver Arts Centre, an active community arts centre and gallery and home to many local arts and craft groups, is staying in contact with the community in Albany through their newsletter advising the closure of the Vancouver Arts Centre due to the COVID-19 restrictions and posting links via Arts Hub of what to do while staying at home – webinars – online courses – gallery tours.

Guild members Jo Franco from Western Australia and Judi Tompkins from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, team members of the Global Textile Hub Team, have been recording “deskside chats” online.

While Judi and Jo were figuring out the “mysteries” of recording their chats about the virtual exhibition “Re-imagined” a Collaboration with a Difference; Kira Mead, the third member of the GTH Team, as part of her “paid” job at Radio Station Triple M, was interviewing business people and community members about how they were handling the COVID-19 situation.

From the Editor: For all those feeling isolated during this time of stress, I hope some of these links will help you to feel connected. Sharing my afternoon beach walk – solo exercise allowed 🙂 I hope you and yours are safe – keep hooking on the creative side.

Rug Hooking and Travel

My overseas travels are usually taken with a fellow rug hooking friend to attend the Triennial Conferences of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR).

This trip I’m in the USA with my husband visiting family, so my rug hooking tools were left at home and I’m doing my best to keep our trip family focused, but somehow rug hooking still creeps in.

I couldn’t resist an invitation by Susan Feller, to lunch at the home she and husband Jim Lilly built themselves in West Virginia.

Ruckman_Mill_Farm_Augusta_W_Virginia

Their log house is amazing – Jim who had no prior building experience, taught himself all he needed to know as he went along, including, how to handle the long timber beams by himself. It took him 6 years with help from Susan who “chinked” (the white spaces) between the logs, to complete this two story house with basement studio.

From 2006-2009, with half a world between us and a 12-hour time difference, Susan and I worked together on The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR). We cemented our friendship as she continued to manage the TIGHR website for the period Australia was host country, 2009-2012. During this time Susan also mentored Judi Tompkins and myself as we struggled to learn how to set up this Australian Rugmakers Guild website.

When it came to passing on TIGHR’s Founders’ Cup, awarded in South Australia 2012, to Judith Stephens and myself, there was no doubt as to who it should go to – Susan had given TIGHR so much of her time as historian and virtually taking the organization into the digital age by herself. The cup’s now prominently displayed in Susan’s studio.

In our many Skype conversations I caught glimpses of the room around Susan so it was great to finally to see her actual workspace. What a wonderful studio she has – places to exhibit her work,

all manner of storage, a dye kitchen and even a “behind a screen” messy work area.

I could have stayed all day studying and admiring Susan’s creations which I’d seen illustrated in Rug Hooking Magazine. They look good on the pages of the magazine, but seeing them hanging, they look so much bigger, brighter and the detail, WOW!

This group, each a combination of different techniques.

In their previous life Susan and Jim were in business, owners of a picture framing gallery – The Church Door Gallery.

Susan now describes herself on her blog as, artist, educator, author, farmer. Jim is also an artist so it’s easy to see how there can be so many interesting and unique pieces decorating the walls of their home, even door frames with quirky collections of door knobs. In fact, there’s just so much to look at, it’s easy to be distracted from the conversation.

I took time to admire Susan’s current work but missed the opportunity to photograph it. As an educator, Susan shares her thoughts about this project on her blog as well as blog and follow-up about her 2015 project.

All in all it was a great day, we sat over lunch and talked the afternoon away – reluctantly leaving late afternoon as we knew there was a long drive ahead of us.

Goodbyes were said, (above Ted, Jim & Susan) and Susan introduced me to Nora and “the girls”; chicken image is for Judi Tompkins, creator of the “Chook Folly”

This visit in W Virginia, wasn’t my first rug hooking diversion on the trip. While visiting friends in Asheville, North Carolina, I mentioned how rug hooking had basically taken over my life and my friend thought she might like to learn to rug hook.

We googled rug hooking teachers in her area and came up with the name of Sara Beth Black of www.mountainwool.com

I was disappointed I didn’t have time to either teach my friend or go with her to visit Sara Beth, but was pleased to see a good “how to” video on Sara Beth’s website. With Sara Beth’s permission, I have copied a link to it here and will attempt to post it on the Guild Facebook page.

The video can be seen on her website or found on YouTube along with the following description –

Rug Hooking Tutorial with Sara Beth Black, fiber artist and owner of Mountain Wool: http://www.mountainwool.com/ Sara Beth’s rug hooking supplies and kits are also available for sale at the Friends and Fiberworks store in the Biltmore Mall in Asheville NC; at the Boarding House of the Historic Johnson Farm in Hendersonville, and at The Design Gallery in Burnsville. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I am working at Friends and Fiberworks from 2pm to 6pm. The first Saturday of each month will find me at the Historic Johnson Farm doing a “study group” for anyone interested in hooking. If you are already hooking on a project and have some questions, or are a beginner, or just want a social area to meet other fiber artists, come join us. The cost of attendance is $5.00, payable at the class. To sign up for a “study group” please contact Ruth Howe @ (828) 458-0738 or by e-mail at Ruth272nc@aol.com. If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail at sarabethblack@mountainwool.com.

Sara Beth’s description of her rug hooking activities indicates, that as we do in Australia, she too spends much of her time sharing her knowledge of rughooking in an informal, inexpensive social setting in an attempt to create more interest in this craft …… and it’s working! Jo Franco; Editor

Return to the roots of this craft

Welcome to TIGHR’s Hooking Matters !

You’ve been invited by the Board of

The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers, (TIGHR)

now based in the UK

to read about their initial plans for the next three-year term (2015-18)

in the first edition of their members newsletter – Hooking Matters Vol 23 Issue 1

The TIGHR mission statement reads:

The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers is a global organization of creative people who come together in friendship to share ideas, and to explore the different techniques of the art of rugmaking using a variety of fibres.

This image “Admiring the rug” says it all –

Admiring_the_Rug_designed_and_hooked_by_Diane_Cox_UK

Admiring the rug (39” x 32”) was designed and hooked by Membership Chair Diane Cox, who says ….

“I designed this rug to show the enjoyment in showing your latest rug to a friend, over a cup of tea, while it is rainy and grey outside! Hooked and prodded it with a mix of recycle fabrics on hessian.”

The newsletter contains interesting articles, and the images of the scenic Yorkshire Dales, will make readers who hail from these parts, and those of us who have already visited, long to return.

Want a membership form and having problems with the one attached to the newsletter ?You’ll also find a membership form on the TIGHR website www.tighr.net

Aussie Rugmakers visit Canada

Aussies@TIGHR_Conference_Canada_FrontRow_Elke_Smith-Hill_Anne_Schafer_Judith_Stephens_Miriam_Miller_Maggie_Whyte_BackRow_Jo_Franco_Jenny_Andersen_Jacqui_Thomson — Font: Elke Smith-Hill, Anne Schafer, Judith Stephens, Miriam Miller, Maggie Whyte Back: Jo Franco, Jenny Andersen, Jacqui Thomson

This happy band of Aussie Rugmakers attended the 2015 Triennial Conference of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Their travels took them literally around the world.

Maggie left first headed to Montreal to spend time with her son and then on to Toronto where she used to live to visit friends.

Miriam and Jacqui had an adventurous time staying with friends in Israel, famiy in Belgium, more friends in Uist in the Outer Hebrides off the Scottish coast and continuing on to family and friends in the USA before arriving in Victoria by ferry and walking a short distance to the Conference Hotel.

Anne took a coach tour of Nova Scotia which included Cheticamp and Prince Edward Island and a visit to Deanne Fitzpatrick’s shop/studio in Amherst, New Brunswick and

Elke and her husband took an Alaskan cruise and mountain train ride before their arrival at the Conference.

The three “Js” Jo, Judith and Jenny met in Vancouver and travelled by car and a series of ferries on a four day tour up the Canadian Sunshine Coast across to Vancouver Island taking in the scenery (wonderful Fall colours) and visiting fibre artists along the way.

Yvonne Stowell’s FibreWorks Gallery in Madeira Park was their first stop. TIGHR member Michelle Sirois-Silver, who gave the Keynote Presentation (“Intersections” the place where the hooked surface and contemporary art meet) at the Conference Luncheon, was one of 25 BC textile artists sharing their stories through creative expressions of their version of mending in “mended” a travelling exhibition of contemporary textile art (Surface Design Association BC+Yukon)

Yvonne’s gallery is housed in a complex of yurtz – these buildings are a modern take on the felted dwellings originating on the Mongolian steppes. To read more about these simple, elegant and portable buidings check out Yurtz by Design. The manufacturer’s claim that these affordable buildings are durable holds up as Yvonne’s complex had been in place for nine years in a area that normally receives a relatively high rainfall – plenty of moss on the trees but none on the yurtz, inside or out.

Yvonne, a spinner & weaver, graciously treated the trio to a tour of her workshop and studio. All those wonderful yarns spun with silk, alpaca and merino wool which she dyes using natural dyes were irristable. Being knitters as well as rug hookers they just had to purchase some of her beautiful yarns.

This plant growing in pots around the yurtz caught everyone’s attention. Yvonne explained it was Japanese Indigo which she uses in her dye pot – apparently its very easy to grow – Judith was taking careful notes, so it will probably show up in her garden soon. Yvonne sells yarn, gives classes and hosts a spinners and weavers group but doesn’t sell knitting needles. Everyone was eager to start knitting with their newly purchased yarn, so she directed the travellers to Great Balls of Wool, at Powell River, for the needles and patterns needed. If you’re traveling in this area FibreWorks is a “must stop”, you’ll find Yvonne most hospitable and very knowledge.

Visiting Great Balls of Wool proved interesting for the three “Js” – they’d travelled half-way around the world to be asked if they’d like to attend talks and workshops by an Australian knitter! Jude Skeers, currently the resident artist at the wool shop. My online search indicated Skeers was previously associated with the TAFTA Forum in Orange.

Reading more about TAFTA Orange Forums I came across this article in a local newspaper . Apparently a main feature of that event was Perth artist Martien van Zuilen’s Mongolian yurt, used as a time-out and meeting place for the students. What a coincidence – I’d heard Martien give a presentation on yurtz at a WAFTA Talk in Perth a few years ago, and here I was now so far from home coming across yurtz and Martien’s name again.

There was more to this trip than just textiles – heading for a couple of nights in Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the travellers heard about the Salmon Run on the Stamp River near Pt. Alberni. A walk in the woods with the sun shining through the drifting golden leaves alongside the fish ladder where the salmon could be seen swimming upstream, was magic. Although there were a few disquieting thoughts about bears maybe sharing the area, as there had been reports that morning of bear sightings on the riverbank opposite the main area of town.

And in Ecluelet, a small fishing village not far from Tofino, a very pleasant hour or more was spent speaking with the Polish owner of Rubio a family owned jewellery shop, learning all about Baltic Amber and how this family came to be in business there.

Saturday on the way to Victoria, Jo, Judith & Jenny followed the Polka Dot Trail in Chermainus Valley. Val Galvin’s rug studio was their first stop

followed by a visit to Colleen Wilke’s Sage House Rug hooking Studio and Lorraine Taylor’s studio to see her colourful silk scarves. By mistake we visited Fred Law’s wood workers studio where Jo purchased a fantastic wooden spoon – it’s to be hoped it will get through Customs in OZ

By they time the 3 Js arrived in Victoria the rest of the Australian contingent was there and much swapping of travel tales began.

With so much to see and do in Victoria and so many old and new rug hooking friends to connect with, it will take me another blog or two to report on the actual Conference and the great time had by all. Jo Franco

Visiting Canadians

The Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers recently enjoyed a visit from a top Canadian Rug Maker.

Karen Kaiser, of the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild, and her husband Kurt, from Belleville, Ontario, were visiting the Milton-Ulladulla area and while at Narrawilly Karen held two workshops. On design and colour in rugs and the other, dyeing and backgrounds.

(Above) Karen, preparing dye 1 Miriam_Miller_Australia_Karen_Kaiser_Canada_Jacqui_Thomson_Australia pots and

(Right) Karen with Miriam Miller and Jacqui Thomson who organized the workshops in Miriam’s Rug Room at Narrawilly

Both workshops were attended by enthusiastic rugmakers who were pleased to have the opportunity to learn from an international instructor.

Local rugmakers were amazed to hear the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild has over 1,000 members and fascinated to hear about the differences in their rugmaking.

Canadians and Americans tend to use new wool fabric, whereas most Australians use recycled fabrics. While recycled fabrics make rugmaking very inexpensive, it is sometimes a challenge to find just the right colour to create the desired effect.

(Left) Maggie Whyte (Canberra, ACT) and Elke Smith-Hill (NSW) are members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers and also The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers. (TIGHR) Images of work by both Maggie and Elke are shown on the TIGHR website along with a translation into German by Elke – “Why Join TIGHR“.

Karen, Miriam and Jacqui are also TIGHR members.

(Below)Setting up Karen’s rugs for display at the workshop; note Poppies by Karen on the back wall.

If you are interested in seeing some of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers work, they are holding a rug exhibition as part of Milton’s Artfest during the weekend of 27th/28th September, 2014 from 10a.m. to 4p.m.

The Venue: “The Rug Room” 35 Stony Hill Lane, Milton

2013 ATHA Biennial, Long Beach, CA – USA by Jo Franco

Judith Stephens and I are at the 2013 Biennial of the Assn of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA), being held in Long Beach, California with members attending from across the United States and Canada with the addition of two Aussies and one member from Japan.

Yesterday we gave a “tote bag” workshop, the design incorporating the circles or coils used in many of Judith’s hooked creations. The pattern is designed to be hooked with wool yarn rather than fabric strips. For most in the class this was the first time they had hooked using wool yarn. Here are just a few of the 15 participants –

By lunchtime everyone had completed a circle and was ready to have the bag pattern transferred to their backing – then the fun began, attaching the circle and starting to hook.

Jo & Judith with the Aussie Tote Bag Class participants

Many members of ATHA are also members of

TIGHR (The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers).

Last evening there was to be a reunion of those TIGHR members who had attended the 2012 Triennial in Strathalbyn South Australia. The group swelled in number as there were many TIGHR members here who had planned to visit OZ but for one reason or another were unable to attend. All the conversation between the travelling rug hookers created much interest and I noticed TIGHR membership applications were being passed around. The next venue – Victoria, BC, Canada will make the event accessible to more US members.

Australia Day celebrated by International Guild

The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers acknowledged Australia Day with a post on their site at http://www.TIGHR.net/2013/01/25/in-celebration-of-australian-members-january-26 . Several of our members created exchange mats for their conference held here in South Australia last Fall.

Here are some of our works:

Anne Callison, ARG member — Anne Callison

Rug Expo International Success

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

Sue Gilmartin from the UK working on an artjournal from Michel Wise’s workshop

Folk Art Designs from Susan Feller workshop on pattern making

Founders Cup presented by Linda Rae Coughlin to Jo Franco and Judith Stephens

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.

Rug Hooking Demo 10 October 2012

Judith Tompkins will be representing the Guild in her home state of Queensland.

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Welcome to TIGHR’s Hooking Matters !

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This happy band of Aussie Rugmakers attended the 2015 Triennial Conference of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

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The Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers recently enjoyed a visit from a top Canadian Rug Maker.

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