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.
