Out of the ashes

ISSN 2007-001X      28th January 2020

The danger is not over yet, but some areas have had a reprieve,  even some glorious rain!

This Blog contains excerpts from the Facebook pages and emails of Guild members affected by the bushfires. There are many reports on TV and in newspapers, but what follows are unedited reports from those involved.

Miriam Miller was forced to evacuate her home at Narrawilly again on 23rd January – Miriam says:

“Strange things help – Robert planted sunflowers as he always does around my house.  None of them came up this year because of the drought. So there was a bare dry piece of ground in the paddock in front of my garden bed with the roses, which was covered with thick wood chips. If this garden had gone so would my verandah and my house, so thank you drought. “

The view from Miriam’s kitchen window.

Editor:     Unfortunately, this news of more fires comes on the heels of the Good News from Carey-Ann at Robert Miller’s Narrawilly Farm ….

“The good news is that we and the team are safe and uninjured, and the old farmhouse and the dairy plant are intact. The milking herd was well protected although some of the animals in the dry herd are experiencing difficulties associated with drought, bushfire smoke, heat and environmental stress. They are being monitored and, where relevant, treated.”

……  Also from Carey-Ann

 a Timeline of a Fire – at Narrawilly  (photographs, taken by Robert and Carey-Ann), document our growing disquiet morphing into anxiety and then horror as fire arrived on New Year’s Eve and returned, four days later, on 4 January.)

Some of what was experienced by Rob and the team these past few weeks. Photographic evidence of damage done to the farm’s natural and physical infrastructure is also available here

Across the eastern seaboard of Australia, regional communities have been devastated by these out-of-control bushfires. Many people have lost a lot more than we have. Houses can be rebuilt but not everything lost is tangible or replaceable with a credit card. The psychological consequences, for thousands of regional Australians in dozens of regional towns and villages, will persist for years to come. We are very grateful for people’s best wishes, small acts of kindness, and donations — from homemade chocolate brownies through to generous cash donations, and our appreciation will only grow over time, when we have time to reflect on what has happened these past few weeks.

I would also like you to know this: during the course of 24 hours, stretching from mid-afternoon on 4 January 2020 to sunrise of 5 January 2020, Rob and a handful of locals (which included our dairy farming neighbours, the Andersons) worked with basic infrastructure to prevent the fire in the rainforest breaking out of the gully. They fought for hours on end to stop fire and embers from reaching houses on Stony Hill Lane (including Miriam’s timber house) and raging through to Milton village. As an eye witness to what they did that night, I can tell you that they battled that canopy fire alone. They did not have the luxury of evacuating to a safe location. They did not sleep that night or the next. There were no fire-fighters or fire-engines available to protect sleeping residents in Milton and surrounds. What Milton village residents still do not realise is that it was Rob and the Andersons (Brian, Janine, their sons, their nephew and brother-in-law), along with a neighbour’s son, who held that fire in check. If that rainforest fire had not been contained within the gully, nothing in Stony Hill Lane would remain today. Theirs was an act of extraordinary bravery and determination.”

Editor: We are now seeing “Open for Business” reports on TV from the affected areas asking people to return to these country areas so business and livelihoods can return to normal – How can that be when the danger has not passed?   I asked Carey-Ann what her thoughts were on this since there is still such a fire risk and communities are so devastated and she said  ……

“Local newspapers (e.g. see South Coast Register on Kangaroo Valley and Southern Highlands) are writing of the need for resilience (among the victims) and consumption (among the tourists). It is understandable, up to a point, that certain small businesses want tourists back now.

But where is the line between consumption-tourism as a form of support and providing a respectful amount of time for victims to mourn their dead, their losses and their way of life? And who gets to draw that line in the sand?

It should come as no surprise to anyone when bushfire-affected locals, whose houses and streets were incinerated or damaged, react angrily to cars of Instagram-ing strangers snapping photographs of their pain and despair. (We have heard of this happening in Conjola recently.) I wonder if those who promote unrestrained consumer capitalism in bushfire areas have thought of how to handle that potential for grief-related conflict? I wonder if it will entrench divides between Townies and country people? Somehow I suspect that it will be the locals who are told to be “resilient”, appreciative of the tourist dollar, and respectful. When does that become docility?”

Editor: Which brings up the subject of mental health in these areas – we’ve all heard of PTSD, but what about Continuous Traumatic Stress Disorder (CTSD), which is a sub-category of PTSD?

Carey-Ann said “I have spoken to Rob about CTSD among bushfire-affected dairy farming communities. I see signs of it among this particular community. Fortunately, some academics are already thinking and writing about eco-anxiety. I hope they will consider the link between CTSD and out of control bushfires which return again and again.”

Editor: Still in NEW SOUTH WALES – Conditions are similar at Mongarlowe in the Braidwood area; except they have had some rain!  With her permission, here’s some of the images shared on Facebook by Gail Nichols …..

Jan 03: When I think back to how bad we thought things were here in late November, we had no idea what we’d be facing by the New Year.  I keep clinging to a belief that this has to end someday. Surely it will rain again. 

Jan 4: For all my friends and family following my posts on our ongoing fire situation. It’s hard to believe things could get worse but today is forecast as yet another nightmare. If you want the details here is this morning’s ABC news story.  

With massive fires to the north and south of us, into Victoria and even across to Kangaroo Island it’s difficult to know where to start in telling about it this morning. So, I’ll begin with what’s local. We are ok. Apart from putting out a neighbour’s grass fire that ran to our fence, our property was untouched yesterday. That doesn’t mean we weren’t threatened. Fire in pine windrows on property to our west was throwing us flying bark etc. Late in the day the southerly wind change came in like a steam train, blasting that fire to the north toward Mongarlowe village. Today we will be catching up with neighbours and pitching in where we can help. So many other communities in the Braidwood area were impacted yesterday. We are still waiting for the rain that would put at end to this.

Here at home we are prepared to defend yet again, getting well practiced at this. At least we are now well surrounded by burnt out areas and lower fuel loads which should give us some protection. Hoping our locality is spared this time but fearing for what may happen overall.

Jan 08:  RFS crews are getting a lot of well deserved kudos. But note also the work being done by SES (State Emergency Service) volunteers. This crew of 8 from Queanbeyan turned up this morning, felled a number of fire damaged trees around our house, cut up and stacked the bits, all with smiles on their faces. Great work, can’t praise them enough

Jan 09: A couple of refired pots emerged from the ashes and cleaned up ok.

Jan 10: A young red necked wallaby eating pellets from one of my old soda glazed platters. He/she only just emerged from mum’s pouch before the fires started impacting here. What a welcome to the world. As for that singed pine trunk, I know some potter friends who would be jealous of those reds.

Jan 15: Painting with fire – Amongst the gems of the ‘firing’ are these pieces of sheet metal that had been draped over a pile of hardwood logs. It gives a whole new meaning to what I used to call ‘painting with fire’.

Jan 16:  Rain Rain Rain! What a glorious afternoon.

In the midst of all the black, a puddle of water. Will this weekend see these pots finally submerged? Watch this space.

Jan 18: 61mm of rain over the past 3 days and more coming! The puddle in the dam is growing. The Charleys Forest Fire, which was our immediate threat, is under control. Our brigade station is reverting to local use. My rug making gear has returned from its evacuation refuge and is back in the studio. New green grass is making itself visible. Time to start thinking about some normality.

Jan 19: When there’s little grass to be found,carrots, sweet potato and kibble pellets are pretty tasty, and when water is scarce a bowl of it makes a great swimming pool. The condition of local wildlife at our feeding stations has improved noticeably in the past couple weeks.         

Thanks again to the Native Animal Rescue Group for their support.

Jan 20: Nice to see some green happening again

Jan 24: Gail says: The summer is far from over, there are still fires about, and we need much more rain. I am currently having some time off from firefighting as my lungs need a break. But there is so much smoke and dust in the air that’s hard to manage anywhere around here. We just keep hoping for some good extended rain. At least there is green grass appearing so our landscape is not just that devastating black. That’s reassuring.

VICTORIA: There are no reports of damage from members there – fortunately all are safe and out of the fire zones.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA is another matter; Sue Gilmartin arrived in Perth on 10th January and gave firsthand information about her host’s property, in the Adelaide hills, safe but still under threat – however, while there she didn’t have to take refuge in the damp sprout fields which was their planned defense. Friends of her hosts weren’t so fortunate, one family lost everything!  Escaping only with their lives.

Friends on Kangaroo Island  were also affected,  with another family losing everything.

A report in the Adelaide newspaper tells of this King Island resident who made a miraculous escape.

Guild Members  in Strathalbyn – an area visited by many rug hookers (TIGHR 2012) are reported to be safe.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA has also been impacted by bushfires, to the north and south. After New Years Day Sue Gilmartin from the UK set off to cross the Nullarbor (Adelaide to Perth) on a 10 day camping trip with a small tour group – Sue said 3 days in, after having had the most amazing time sleeping in swags under the stars, the organizers were forced to abandon the trip and return to Adelaide, as the border between SA and WA was closed due to raging fires through the southern area of WA.

The only paved road linking the east and west coasts of Australia was closed for 12 days causing havoc with holiday travelers and freight line truckers. Across this area small towns are shown on maps but they’re virtually only petrol(gas) stations with a cafe and in some places very “basic” motel units – none of these “towns” were prepared with supplies (water or food) to support the hundreds of people trapped at each of them, even with supplies being flown in by small planes and helicopters.

West of the SA/WA border the road is widen in places to create a landing strip. It’s a little disconcerting as you’re driving along and you see the “aircraft landing” warning signs makes you wonder how much notice you’d get of an airplane attempting to land?

Highway airstrip in Western Australia – taken on one of our return road trips from Queensland.

Through that 12 day period police strenuously enforced the road closures due to a horrendous situation in 2007 when three truckers were burnt to death in a bushfire after a road closure was lifted prematurely.

They couldn’t say when the road would be opened, so Sue finally resorted to purchasing an airline ticket and spent a week with me in Perth. Her aim was to see as much textile work and visit as many textile groups and galleries as possible.  Unfortunately most of the Galleries were closed for the Christmas Holidays and most groups were on holiday break.  Sue did make it to a meeting of the Wanneroo Rugmakers

and while there visited the “Home” Exhibition on at the Wanneroo Gallery.

Baskets by Courtney Hill-Aaron Koolark Collection (6) Natural fibres, emu feathers, ochre pigment from Country to colour natural fibres.

Totems by Val Shaw.

The Wanneroo Rugmakers first wall hanging can be seen in the adjoining room.

This followed by a visit to Nalda Searles home – Sue and Nalda have mutual friends in Kalgoorlie – so a very pleasant afternoon was spent listening to Nalda tell stories about her work.

We took a boat cruise up the Swan River to the Sandalford Winery which involved wine tasting on the boat, a delicious lunch and more wine tasting at the winery – good job we took the train into town to catch the boat.

Another day was crammed full with a visit to the Goods Shed to view “The Alchemist” and on to Fremantle to visit the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre,  now the home of marionettes donated to the Theatre by Stella Edmundson of the Sunshine Coast Textile Art Group. The Kidogo Gallery was closed so instead we toured the Shipwreck Museum.

QUEENSLAND: This report started about bushfires and ends with reports of floods in Queensland and in CANBERRA, hail the size of golf balls!

Maggie Whyte, Guild Pres. said she was on her way back to Canberra from a trip to the coast when the storm hit, so fortunately missed that experience – an auto insurers nightmare. Images could be seen on TV of carparks full of cars with shattered windows and car bodies peppered with dents where they had been pummelled by the hail.

Through all this wild weather there have been moments of  creative inspiration, friends connecting with friends and help coming from unexpected places – so many people touched by the devastation and others wanting to help.

Now there’s a fine line to tread to support the businesses that are left in tact while respecting the privacy of bushfire victims.

Hopefully, my next post as your Guild Editor, will be less of a weather report, with more emphasis on the art and craft of rug making. 

Christmas Greetings

ISSN 2007-00IX – December 2019

Quillie Christmas tree decoration by Kira Mead, Albany, Western Australia

 

From the Guild’s new President, Maggie Whyte, ACT

 

 

 

I would like to introduce myself but first I would like to thank Judith Stephens our retiring President (2014-19) and co-founder of the Guild in 2008, for organizing three very successful exhibitions in Strathalbyn, South Australia.

 Also, a thank you to all the Committee members who have worked tirelessly to promote Australian rugmaking through the Guild Website/Blog, Facebook and Newsletters as well as the members and the groups who are actively promoting this craft across Australia.

I live in Canberra in the ACT and have been rug making for approximately 18 years. I enjoy trying all types of rug making including hand weaving, felting and knitting.

I joined (TIGHR) The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers when Australia was Host Country (2009-12) There is a new host country every 3 years. In October 2012, I attended the Triennial Conference in Strathalbyn, South Australia,  and have since attended triennial conferences in Canada (2015) and the UK (2018).

It has been so educational and fun to meet rug makers from around the world. I hope to attend the next Conference to be held in Newfoundland, Canada.

If you can manage to get to the conference in 2021 you will have a wonderful, creative experience.

This coming year I hope to meet more of our Australian Guild members, if not in person, then online.  As many of us are scattered across Australia it can be difficult for us to get together in person.

The committee is working towards offering members talks, demonstrations and mini workshops online.

Wishing you a safe and merry Christmas and a prosperous year in 2020.

While there are many solo rughookers around Australia, you can find Australian Rugmakers Guild groups in these locations;

West Australian Christmas tree (Nuytsia floribunda)

QLD:  Kingaroy, Landsborough & Mt Tamborine

NSW: Bellingen, Sydney(Epping), Milton(Narrawilly) & Bermagui

VIC: Warrandyte    TAS: South Hobart & Deloraine

SA: Strathalbyn

WA: Wanneroo

If you’d like to join the Guild, a 2020 Membership Application can be downloaded here

 

 

 

 

It’s a Wrap

ISSN 2207-001X – December 2018

Jo Franco, Editor & Membership Chair, Australian Rugmakers Guild

This is the time of year for reflection and planning – looking back 2018 has been a busy year for many of the members of this Guild. Workshops given, new rug groups formed, solo exhibitions and travel – Miriam Miller and Jacqui Thompson from New South Wales take the award for most distance travelled!

With so much happening where to start? ….. By State – on the East coast, North to South and across to Western Australia.

QUEENSLAND:
In July, two Judiths from Queensland (Judy Brook and Judi Tompkins) along with another Judy and gave workshops at the Kingaroy Regional Art Gallery’s Winter Craft Festival .

In October, Judy Brook travelled to the UK to attend The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) 2018 Triennial in Reeth.
Below, Judy shows a piece  she started in Reeth as she tells members of the Sunshine Coast RugCrafters group about the Triennial and her travels, at the first of the “Palimpsest Studio Days” to be held in Judi Tompkins’ new Studio in Landsborough, on International Rug Hooking Day.


Much of Judi Tompkins time was taken up this year with “Re-imagined” a virtual online Exhibition co-convened with Jo Franco – but that’s another story (Blog).
The “Re-imagined” Exhibition includes works by several members of the Sunshine Coast Rugcrafters.

Judy Owen embraced the Brief, with embellishments required in the Call for Entry, with her original design “Memories of my Father” 

 Annette White has a way with animals. Her Exhibition entry was a hooked elephant hand puppet –  she also hooked and prodded this “bear rug”.

Bea Nitschke added to her butterfly collection with this blue butterfly. Her “Re-imagined” entry was sculptural, a 3D gold butterfly on driftwood.

and Stella Edmundson did more than rug hook in 2018 –  entering “Re-imagined” and completing several commission pieces (her own designs)

Stella won first place in the sport of Tae Kwon Do in both traditional and creative patterns for female black belts over 60 years of age at the Pan Pacific Masters’ Games held on the Gold Coast, in Queensland.

Trees were popular subjects as Exhibition entries – Cynthia Nicklin, Mt. Glorious, QLD entered “The Mother Tree”.  (Mother tree – timber getters’ parlance for a large old tree whose seed resulted in the surrounding forest)

The subject for Cynthia’s original artwork, an ancient flooded gum, stands outside her kitchen window. Cynthia’s artist statement read “It is thought she saw Captain Cook sail along the southern coast of Queensland in 1770. She survived cyclonic winds and rains, droughts, hail storms, severe lopping, insect infestation. She has been a tent support, a cubby house platform, a rubbing post for cattle, a holder of swings and a haven for birds, marsupials, creepy crawlies and native orchids. And yet she still stands, the last of her kind in this area.”

In Brisbane Claudia Forster-Purchase was busy working on an original tree design, embellished with paper bark found in the area where she lives. Unfortunately preparation for a trip to Canada prevented her from finishing it in time to enter. We look forward to seeing this piece finished and framed.

Bec Andersen from Mt. Tamborine held a Solo Rug Hooking Exhibition at Under the Greenwood Tree Bookstore and Contemporary Art Gallery (Aug 10 – Sep 2) and a Make Do & Mend crafting workshops and installation – this link will tell you more about the project created during a series of workshops spanning over three months across Scenic Rim.

These images of Bec and her work were taken at the end of year gathering of Bec’s group, Happy Hookers  posted by Janis Bailey, were reposted on Rug Hooking Magazine’s Facebook coverage of International Rug Hooking Day.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW SOUTH WALES:

Jilliby: Guild Member, Clare Thornley,   www.feltfine.com.au , offers everything for people to start their rug making journey; Oxford Punch tools, three types of backing fabrics, hand-dyed rug yarn and frames. You can contact Clare online or arrange a visit to her studio not far off the M1.

 

Sydney : Martha Birch – represented ARG at this year’s Sydney Craft Fair in Darling Harbour – members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers came up from Milton to assist. There was much interest in the colourful display and Martha has formed a Facebook rug hooking group open to the public,  From Rags to Rugs, Sydney Rug Hookers https://www.facebook.com/groups/387146415123046/

Martha has also given well received beginner rug hooking workshops and started regular group meetings in the Sydney suburb of Epping 26 Stanley Rd at the Epping Creative Centre .

In 2019 the group will meet on the 2nd Saturday from February to November – from 10.00am to 4.00pm – Tuition is available.   Here are images from those first workshops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Milton is home to a couple of intrepid travellers Miriam Miller & Jacqui Thompson who in 2018 travelled the Australian East coast then around the world. In July they drove north on the west side of the Great Dividing range to Cairns and back down the coast – catching up with family and rug hookers along the way. A distance of approximately 2,652k (almost 1,648miles)

Miriam Miller, Judi Tompkins and Jacqui Thomson at Judi’s new home in Landsborough, Queensland.

Immediately after their return they went up to Sydney and helped Martha talk rug hooking to people at the Sydney Craft Fair in Darling Harbour.

Then began their BIG trip – starting in Milton at the local bus stop – where at 6.00a.m. they caught the bus to Sydney – flew to the UK and visited with family in the south of England – sharing in daily journal entries, emailed to interested family and friends by Miriam’s daughter Robyn,  many images of places, rug hookers and their impressions of the different countries they visited.  Many of the images from their travels were shared on the Guild Facebook page.

Their itinerary went like this – from Brighton, UK, to the Isle of Guernsey – across to France to stay with the family of a rug hooker – back to the UK to attend the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth where they stayed with Heather Ritchie. Miriam and Jacqui couldn’t get over how much was planned during the Conference, they will be recounting stories from this event for months to come.

There were new friends to be made at the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth as well as many old friends to catch up with – including Marg Arland and Susan Sutherland who have visited Miriam and Jacqui at Narrawilly in Milton.

On the return trip they were Artists in Residence in Corris, North Wales – then travelled to Ireland to met up with Neville Smith the maker of the Irish (Hartman) Hook and his family.

From Ireland they flew to Iceland to take a knitting tour in the company of Heather Ritchie, back-tracking through the UK to Canada. First visiting Newfoundland, then Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, staying with rug hookers who introduced them to members of their groups and their many rug hooking friends, generally touring them all over, even though the weather had definitely turned to winter.

While staying on Cape Breton, NS, Cathy, their hostess, took them on a special tour of Les Trois Pignons – Museum of the Hooked Rug and Home Life in Cheticamp – here is just one of the many large finely shaded rugs hooked by Elizabeth La Fort, click the link above to see all the rooms filled with amazing rugs in this museum.

The travellers arrived back home to Milton just in time for the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers annual Fashion Parade with group members modelling and purchasing the garments donated by a local Op Shop to be cut up and used to hook with. Proceeds from this event goes to Heather Ritchie for her Rug Aid project.

With much work, from this pile of donations evolved a Fashion Parade

BERMAGUI:   Early in the year members of the Narrawilly Proggy Ruggers visited Dawn Hollins to see her new craft room and from Dawn comes the following news;

“The Bermagui & District U3A Rug Hooking Group held its Christmas lunch gathering in my craft cabin in Cobargo on Wednesday 12 December. We have been meeting once a month during term time at the home of Lindsay Potter, our teacher. Since completing the wall hangings for the Bermagui Surf Club two years ago we have been working on our own projects and have welcomed new members. A new cafe in Bega dedicated to using recycled materials has asked us to make hooked covers for all their stool cushions – a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase our craft!”

BRAIDWOOD:  Gail Nichols has had a very busy year – beginning with her entry “Stepping Out” on exhibit in the  “Re-imagined” virtual Exhibition

Followed by  “Rug Up for Winter” a Workshop given with Maggie Hickey to the Braidwood Regional Art Group.

 

 

 

 

 

and an Exhibition –  “In transit” at the Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and yet another Exhibition “Landscape”, which opened 17th November at Narek Gallery in Bermagui featuring “Wallace Street”


Gail was also a finalist in Rug Hooking Magazine’s Celebrations 2018 – this work “Temple fish” was published in the Celebration of Handhooked Rugs 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

ACT – CanberraMaggie Whyte was one of nine Guild members from five Australian States, who attended The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) 2018 Triennial held in the UK at Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales.

Earlier in the year Maggie gave a Braided-in Workshop at Narrawilly in Milton and was on hand to help with the recent Narrawilly Fashion Parade filling in for Jacqui Thompson who due to ill health was unable to attend and was missed by all at the event.

VICTORIA:  Warrandyte – Anne Schafer also attended the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth and along with Maggie Whyte, Canberra and Janet Tayler-Henry, NSW visited Miriam & Jacqui at their Artists in Residence in North Wales.

Anne Schafer snuggled up under a rug knitted by Miriam Miller

Anne will be entertaining the Victorian group, the Yarra Valley Rugmakers, for some time with tales of her travels ….  the knitting tour and sightseeing in Ireland as well as all the wonderful events she took part in at the Triennial in Reeth, UK.

In her absence Robyne demonstrated rug hooking at the Melbourne Show where she started this rug. You can see what inspired her, how she planned the “No name” proggy rug and follow her progress from start to finish on this link

 

 

 

 

Yarra Valley Group members take turns to gather in each other’s homes, travelling between Lily Dale (Post Code 3140) a suburb 35k NE of Melbourne to Loch (Post Code 3945) in South Gippsland, 106 k SE of Melbourne and Warrandyte (3113) 27k NE of Melbourne.

For those wanting to learn rug hooking who live West of Melbourne in the Ballarat (3350) area you’ll find an instructor 30 minutes away, in Lal Lal (3352) Marcia King is a solitary rug maker who also gives workshops, locally and further afield.

Marcia will be teaching an Intro to Rug Hooking at Opendrawer, 1158 Toorak Rd, Camberwell  Opendrawer.com.au

on January 22nd, 2019 – 10am to 4pm

 

Marcia enjoys recycling – this work in progress, a floor mat, is being hooked using T-Shirts some she has re-dyed using Procion dyes to get some nice vibrant colours. The backing is a piece of wool fabric, found in a discount bin at the Creswick Woollen mill many years ago.

TASMANIA:   Deloraine – A rug hooking group meets every week on Monday morning at Art as Mania; a Shop, Studio and Gallery space located in the heart of Deloraine Tasmania showcasing the works of talented artists, craftspeople, wood and metal workers and artisans.

Art as Mania, is at  20-22 Emu Bay Road, Deloraine – you can also find them on Facebook.

 

Hobart:   Hobart Rag Ruggers         a new Facebook group – open to all –

you’ll find them here .

Emma Gunn is the administrator, and in August organized a get together at the South Hobart Community Centre (in the D’Arcy St Playground).  Emma has also been travelling this year,  checking out rugs and rug makers in the USA and Canada.  For more information about meet ups, contact her  via the Facebook page or this Blog.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA;  Strathalbyn
The StrathMatters  rug group started 2018 in a new home  and have been busy since, with a trip to the Australian Tapestry Workshop in Melbourne to view the Gordian Knot – these photographs by Malcolm Edward-Cole.

Outside the Law – Hookers and Police?

 

 

 

 

 

They also visited the National Gallery of Victoria to view the large interactive rug installation acquired by the Gallery – “Santa Cruz River” by Alexandra Kehayoglou, a Buenos Aires–based artist and designer who uses hand-tufted wool rugs to draw into focus landscapes under threat of irreversible change.

Their Annual weekend retreat, held  this year at the Normanville Jetty Caravan Park from Friday 26 to Monday 29 October, involved surprise workshops. The main event was a demonstration and try-out of Tapestry Weaving with guest craftswoman Betty Wolf.

A surprise workshop – button necklaces
Results of the button necklace workshop

 

 

 

 

 

The StrathMatters also entered rugs in the Adelaide and Strathalbyn shows.

One of the members travelled even further afield – Kathy Saint went to the TIGHR Triennial in Reeth like all the visitors, carrying a rug for display. The small town of Reeth was covered in “hooking” with over 100 members arriving from around the world bringing hooked items to be displayed along with the work of the UK members. The interior of the church and buildings throughout town were “adorned”. The  rug, shown below, that may have put Kathy over her airline baggage limit, was designed by Judith Stephens and hooked by both of them. On the way to the Conference Kathy took a textile tour in  Italy where she was introduced to an unusual lace making technique

SAVE THE DATE!    1st weekend in Oct 2019   –  It’s over 10 years since the Guild was formed in Strathalbyn and more than 2 years since the last Guild meeting was held at the 2016 Coast to Coast Exhibition in Canberra

 its time for a coming together of Australian Rugmakers!

Information on the event will be published early 2019 – it’s mentioned here so you can plan holidays and time off.
Suggestions for workshops or events to take place on this weekend are welcome.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:  The Wanneroo Rugmakers meet at the Library and Cultural Centre in Wanneroo every Saturday from 10.00am to 1:00pm to work on community projects and their own hooked creations and share many different textile techniques including felting … here are some of Peta Korb’s delightful Aussie critters

Robin Inkpen  visited from Donnybrook in the States South West and showed how she made the coils for her entry in “Re-imagined” the virtual Exhibition

“Warning! Bleached coral in a plastic sea” 2018 by Robin Inkpen 68cm x 65 cm Photograph by Skip Watkins

after Robin’s visit Kath Smith created a wrapped rope basket to go with cushion covers she made using the Canadian smocking technique.

Beanies were made, entered and sold in the Alice Springs Beanie Festival

Tricia Thacker wearing a beanie 10 years in the making – a circular weaving project put away as a UFO and finally finished this year!

The main focus for the group this year has been on the construction of rug hooking frames. The current models are being made of PVC pipe and started with plans kindly made available by Judy Taylor of Little House Rugs(USA) who has also featured as rug maker of the month on her website two Australian rugmakers Judi Tompkins and Judith Stephens. Images of their rugs are shown in Judy’s new book “T-Shirt Treasures”

Wanneroo group members continue to re-design and refine the frame design and have finally come up with a way to keep the backing drum tight without having to import metal gripper strips not available locally.

This year, travel was on the agenda for several of the groups members.  Peta visited her son in Canada and took the opportunity to take more textile workshops, sharing some of her new found knowledge on her return. She is currently traveling in Europe with her other son sending back inspiring images of extraordinary architecture and works of art.

Sharen Smith is back in the fold after a trip to some interesting places in Europe – while the weather was cold, the decorations for the Christmas season made for magical photo opportunities.

Jo Franco gave up on her planned trip to TIGHR when she was invited to attend the Opening of  the virtual Exhibition “Re-imagined” at the annual Rug Hooking Week in Sauder Village, Ohio USA – a huge event with several featured Exhibitions, many vendors, and open to the public – think Australian Craft Fairs on a bigger scale. Workshops – daily and residential are booked out as soon as they open at the beginning of each year.  “Re-imagined” the virtual was seen on a big screen TV by many, as over 4,000 people go through the event during the week. There was much interest in the “virtual” concept, and the “Textile Tessera” installation, with visitors wanting to know why only  work from the Southern Hemisphere was featured – wishing they’d had a chance to participate. They will – there’s to be another virtual exhibition in 2021, coinciding with the next TIGHR Triennial in Newfoundland, Canada, and that virtual exhibition will be open worldwide.  Watch this space for more to come!

From the Editor:  This is an extremely long post but it doesn’t begin to cover all that’s happened this year in the rug hooking world in Australia.   I hope you will take the opportunity to follow the links to read more about the different groups and events. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to All. 

 

 

Deconstructed Fibre: It’s a Puzzle

ISSN 2207-001X  March 19 2017

This Puzzle was hooked by the Australian Rugmakers Guild Webmaster Judi Tompkins from Queensland who shared her ideas and progress with Editor, Jo Franco, in Western Australia via Skype.

Now the ambitious project’s complete (even has it’s own special storage box with a hinged lid and an image of the completed piece on the inside of the lid) Jo asked Judi if she would share with the members, the techniques used and problems encountered.

Here’s the storage box sitting on the puzzle with a couple of the puzzle pieces on top.

and here’s the finished decorated lid of the storage box.

lift the lid and you have an illustration to follow

Here’s what Judi had to say about the process;

This was supposed to be an “easy” project when I first started thinking about it, I mean after all, I was merely going to produce 16 small rugs that would nest together neatly and create a large colourful mat with some beads and bling.  

     Hah!     Just goes to show how the best laid plans can change directions rather quickly.

(Please Note: some of the videos in this post are slow to load)

So, for any of you wishing to try a similar project, here, not in any particular order, are some observations and things I learned along the way. 

 Glue is not my friend! And believe it when they say “hot” glue – You betcha it is!

It took me a while to figure out a few things about hot glue: 

         You don’t have to touch it immediately (and in fact you shouldn’t) … give the glue 3-4 secs to lose the immediate heat before you manipulate your fabric or embellishments.

         After burning my fingers eleventy-two million times I discovered that some crumpled up oven paper/baking type works as a great substitute for your finger. The glue won’t stick to it and you can use it to push and adjust the fibre. You must use it crumpled though … then it acts as a buffer between you and the hot glue. 

Glue is still not my friend but we have come to an “understanding” at this point.

 Make your design easy to cut apart. I left space between my pieces but I think more would have been better. Just think about how you will cut the shapes once you are ready to glue the edges and how much space you will need to manipulate the glue gun.

 Once I finished hooking the pieces I used PVA glue to stiffen the edges a bit and to pull the stray fibres out of the way of the cut line.  

 If you are making a puzzle or some such thing that needs to be reassembled in a particular way … number your pieces on the backing and TAKE A PHOTO OF IT!

Then when you finish the pieces I suggest that you put the corresponding number on the back of each piece (ie. 4/16…piece 4 out of 16) so you can match them up yourself …  believe me you will be very glad you did this!    

 Because I am so bad with glue, I “over glued” the edges with hot glue before I cut the pieces apart. So … my suggestion is that if you have already used PVA glue to secure the bits … cut your pieces apart and then hot glue the edges & backing.  Believe me cutting through “set” hot glue is an ugly job and I broke a pair of scissors trying to do it! 

 I don’t hook in neat straight lines and I tend to use a lot of different fibres so my work tends to be lumpy and shaggy. That works well for hiding the rough edges but I found that I still needed to “outline” each piece with some 8ply rug yarn to clean up the edge. I would be interested to see how this looks if the pieces were hooked with cut wool strips and a consistent loop height (which I can’t seem to do!).  I think the pieces would nest together better than mine do.

 Never, never, never, never, ever use self-adhesive backing on your pieces! Ahhhhhhggggg! What a nightmare! When trimming the edges of this stuff my scissors were gummed up within seconds and I had to constantly stop to wipe them off with turps! And an exacto blade was even worse!

Awful stuff …. but again … it’s a “glue” thing with me perhaps? 

This is an extra puzzle piece included in the box as a “mystery” piece just to give people something to think about …..  “now where should it go?”

(it goes nowhere because it’s piece No. 17 of a 16 piece puzzle).    Hah!

 Good luck to all who try this … I’ll be interested to see your results! 

 Let me know if you have questions.                           Judi Tompkins

 

Members of the Sunshine Coast Rugcrafters group attempt to put this puzzle together for the first time – it looks like it would be fun!

Thanks Judi for sharing your thoughts as you worked through this process.

Jo Franco, Editor

 

Sculptures by the Sea Cottesloe

ISSN 2207-001X   March  2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kerrie Argent’s entry in Sculptures by the Sea at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Western Australia, is created from recycled jumpers (sweaters) donated from friends in Esperance, Albany, Perth and Lake Grace.

Kerrie, a member of The Western Australian Fibre & Textile Association (WAFTA), lives in Lake Grace 345k (214 miles) south east of Perth. Here is what she had to say about her 2017 installation:-

        “I’m actually trying to make us think about better use of our textiles or a second use  …….. the two lots of jumpers received from Esperance and Albany were destined for land fill. People had donated them to charity groups but as most of them were out of fashion or had moth holes or stains on them they couldn’t even be given away … there is no second life for second-hand knitted fabrics … not even the rag bag. *(see Editors note)

All the recycled fabric has had a rust dye put over it to give it the glowing golden tone and neutralise the colour tones so they are all tonal now.

While pulling 4 hand knitted jumpers to bits to recycle the wool for stitching I felt like a criminal – all that beautiful knitting, but again they were thrown out and destined for land fill. So why couldn’t we make homes for the homeless from them like the yurts of the Mongolians instead of mountains of unloved unwanted fashion waste.  Australia produces 6000kg of fashion waste every ten minutes.    

This image was posted on the 1 Million Women Facebook page

What started off as my work became a community project when I shifted into the Lake Grace Regional Art Space to use as my studio, a much bigger area. I had friends dropping in to see what I was doing and then offering to help … how can you say no. So it became quite a social event during the day, after work or on weekends, to come  stitch, chat and relax. I couldn’t keep them away, one lady drove into town 25 km every day to work on the stitching, and my 87 year old diehard helper I used to have to kick her out in the evenings otherwise she might have forgot to go home and sleep. Our locum Dr came one weekend to help, even bought pancakes and maple syrup for morning tea. And people stuck in town because of the floods ended up coming and stitching to fill in some time. How lucky am I to get all this awesome support, and they had a lovely time doing it.

Here are some images of the project underway   ………….

Helpers

Stitched pieces

Rubber gloves cut off make great finger protectors and much better grip on needles”

Last of the covers finished with some of my helpers

Covers finished rolled and ready to go

Trailer packed with supports ready for transport to Perth

 Installed on Cottesloe Beach

(Images were provided by the artist with permission to publish)

  Kerrie said she would be giving artist Spotlight talks to students, if people were interested they could come and listen and if they wanted to talk after she will be there.

The dates for these talks are Thursday 16th 12.00-1.00, and Friday 17th 10.45- 11.45

Kerrie’s also giving a Spotlight talk at 10:30-11:30 Tuesday 7th, however is not available to talk after this session, because she is going to East Butler Primary School to talk to the students as they received one of her cows from the City of Perth Cow Parade, and she’s headed up to see where it’s going to live. 

*Editor’s Note:  I must introduce Kerrie to rugmaking, where you can make use of old hand knitted sweaters, as you can see by these images;   [Images Courtesy Tasmanian Wool Centre]

TWC2016-2_RansomRug_2230mmx1400mm

Courtesy_Tasmanian_Wool_Centre_TWC2016-2_RansomRug_detail_topview

Courtesy_Tasmanian_Wool_Centre_TWC2016-2_RansomRug_detail_underside

Sculptures by the Sea is on now until 20th March, 2017 – don’t miss this fantastic Exhibition  (and its free)

Think about your next rug hooking project ……… how can you incorporate recycled items?

Happy Hooking –  Jo Franco, Editor

                                                                                         

 

Canberra Retreat and Exhibition

Designed_&_hooked_by_Maggie_Whyte_ACT_Australia_sheep

Call for Entries :

 It is now less than 4 months before the Australian Rugmakers Weekend Retreat & Exhibition in Canberra, ACT at the Woolshed in Strathnairn.   Planning is now well under way.

There will be a Guild General Meeting on Saturday 3rd Sept and the Exhibition will be opened by Nancy Tingey on Sunday 4th Sept.

I am sure our members are busy making amazing rugs, big and small.  (Entry Forms). 

It is going to be a very special event with talks by guest textile artists and how-to demonstrations, plus meeting up and enjoying the company of rug makers from around the county.  

I can’t wait to see all my rug friends and their work very soon.      Maggie

Maggie_Whyte_V_Pres_Secretary_ARGMaggie Whyte, Curator,  CANBERRA, EXHIBITION AND RETREAT, 

SEPT 4th to 25th, 2016

 

Pod in old gum tree StrathnairnEditors Note: Maggie’s already had work on display at Strathnairn; this hooked pod was photographed in the grounds.  Maggie made the felt, dyed it and then cut the felt into strips and hooked the strips into hessian.   

Look for more or Maggie’s very creative works on the Guild Facebook page.    

Jo  Franco, Editor/Membership Chair

Elusive grey blankets

Looking for elusive grey army blankets
Looking for elusive grey army blankets

  Can you help?

Maxine, leader of the Bellingen Rugmakers group, says “this grey rug is being made by Ann, it’s about 12 x 8 feet and made with up-cycled grey woolen blankets. Ann has run out of a pale grey army type blanket with only about 5 circles to go, so we are all looking for that elusive grey blanket. The denim one beside it is made from jeans and woven.”

(If you can help in Ann’s quest to find one of these blankets, please contact rughookingaustralia@gmail.com)

Anne's_rug_almost_complete      “The grey unfinished rug and the grey one Ann is now working on are both 12 feet by 8 feet.

Ann designs her own rugs and uses a linen /cotton mix for her backing. She has sewn the pieces together with her first rug and with the second has used iron on fusible hemming on the cut sides, it sits much better and stays in place.”

From Ann – This photo shows how much is left to do.   Anne's_rug_detail

    The close-up photo shows a complete circle. The grey I need is the third colour of the petal shape and the double row within the diamond shape. It seems to be the lightest colour of the old service blankets.

But as you know any shade of grey is appreciated by me as other shades can be used for the rug I am working on now.

Here is more of what Maxine had to say …..

We have a very enthusiastic and lovely group who look forward to meeting the 1st Friday of each month.  

Maxine, Aishwarya, Lyndal, Phornthip, Ann, Anna_Bellingen_Rugmakers_NSW_Australia
Bellingen Rugmakers Group:  (Right to Left) Maxine, Aishwarya, Lyndal, Phornthip, Ann, Anna.

At the end of August last year the group went to Gleniffer about 20 miles from Bellingen to demonstrate rag rugging at the Gleniffer Quilt show.  Gleniffer was once all dairy farms and is such a pretty area, nestled at the bottom of the Dorrigo mountains there is a Church and a hall. The proceeds of the Quilt Show helps maintain the hall. There is a small river running beside the hall and Church and just a couple of hundred yards further on is the Promised Land it is really a lovely area.

From the Editor:    While Ann works in shades of grey, the other members of this group, all relatively new to rug hooking, are drawn to colour as you will see in images of their work below – undoubtedly inspired by the vibrant colours in the surrounding landscape.

Bellingen_NSW_Rugmaker_Aishwarya
Aishwarya
Lyndal

 

 

Bellingen Rugmakers

Bellingen_NSW_Rugmaker_Anna
Anna

 

Bellingen_NSW_Rugmaker_Aishwarya
Aishwarya
Bellingen_Rugmakers_NSW_Australia - Phornthip
Phornthip
Bellingen_Rugmakers_NSW_Australia - Merle
Merle
Bellingen_NSW_Rugmaker_Maxine
Maxine

 

Update:  Immediately this was posted word was received from QLD that a grey army blanket is available there and a couple of blankets were located in WA.  Also images just came in from Chris and Anne from VIC who have blankets available –

grey blanket (minus the pink tinge, its on the photo not the blanket) from Chris-VIC

Grey blankets from Ann-VIC
Grey blankets from Ann-VIC

Textile Exhibitions coming up in West Australia

Currently;    in Albany –

Kira Mead has her work on exhibition at a pop-up gallery

Smiths_cottage_Albany_Western_AustraliaSmith’s Cottage (1887) 34-36 Stead Rd, Albany (Open by appointment) Call: 0429 418 192   or email:  kira.goldmx@westnet.com.au

Hand_dyed_wool_fat_quarters

Also available for sale, 

kits and

Fat Quarters of a different kind …. 

Hand dyed Wool Blanket Fat Quarters.

  Still in the South West; 

 WAFTA’s Memory & Commemoration on exhibit from March 5 to April 4 2016

in association with the Lake Grace Regional Artspace,  25 Stubbs St, Lake Grace. 

Memmory_Commemoration - Copy

 In conjunction with this exhibition Robin Inkpen   will be giving a locker hooking workshop Locker_hooked_sari_silk_by_Robin_Inkpen_West_Australia

Sunday March 20th – Get Hooked at Lake Grace with Robin INKPEN

To book and for a full workshop description go to Current Calendar of Events on this websites.

The Exhibition will travel from Lake Grace to 

Busselton

Art/Geo Gallery,

April 9 – May 15, 2016

Exhibition Opening, Saturday April 9th with Pop-Up Market Stalls between 1-4pm.

Eventbrite links for Booking & Payment will be active closer to the date for the following workshops:

Sunday 10th April  –   Fabulous Ferrous with Kerrie Argent

Saturday 16th April  –  Making Felt in the Third Dimension with Martien van Zuilen

Sunday 17th April  –  Reconstructing Fashion with Lorelie Smit

Saturday 30th April  –  Plants and Sacred Geometry with Pauline Melrose White

Sunday 1st May  –  Get Knotted with Rowan Rovere

WAFTA_website_montage

 While in the Perth Metro Area during March/April ;

comes the following from Jan Holland’s News at WAFTA;

Anne William’s first solo exhibition  Through the Singing of my Hands will be held at Mundaring Arts Centre, in Gallery 2

March 19th to April 17 2016

Anne_Williams_Western_Australia_entry_WAFTA_Memory_Commemoration_2015 - Copy

Anne Williams – Artist statement ‘Housewives’ (sewing kits) were standard army issue for the ‘Nashos’ of the 1950s. They have been carried into battle zones all around the world. This one was issued to Pte. Ian Williams in 1956/7.

Concurrent with this exhibition, Gallery 1 is showing an exhibition for the Mundaring Shire Acquisition Award on the theme of Migration and Settlement. The Gallery is a great venue to visit with a gorgeous shop full of wonderful work by WA artists and crafts folk. Well worth the trip up the Hill.

Read about Anne’s journey into textiles in a very interesting interview by Louise Wells

 Also in News from WAFTA is

“Improbable Returns”

Elisa Markes-Young (mixed-media/textiles)

& Christopher Young (photo-media)

Heathcote Museum & Gallery,

Swan House, 58  Duncraig Rd, Applecross

Opens Friday March 4 2016

 The exhibition will continue through to April 10. Gallery will be open Tues to Fri 10-3 and Sat/Sun 12pm to 4pm   Closed on Mondays

To preview the exhibition    see http://www.zebra-factory.com/returns

                 

Calendar of Events 2016

Events for 2016  have been added to the Calendar on this website – with more still to be entered.

The first for 2016 will be in Queensland – 19th & 20th February – Punchneedle hooking with Bec Andersen

Sally, from Brisbane, who introduced us to the gripper strips substitute available in Australia (shown on a frame in the recently published Guild newsletter) has taken a punchneedle class with Bec and recently sent these images ……… here is what Sally said –

This is a photo of the piece I did in Bec’s “Intro to Punchneedle”  class. I drew the design based on some of the source material that Bec had available in the class.   All of the wool yarn is hand dyed by Bec.

 Designed_and_Punch-hooked_by_Sally_Randal_QLD_Australia  

  The photo below shows preparing our backing, drawing designs and choosing wool, for the punchneedle class with Bec in her studio.

Designing_punch-hooked_piece_at_Bec_Andersens_QLD_Australia

I would strongly recommend Bec’s classes as she has a way of presenting information that is fun, and she was really well prepared for the class.”

Be sure and check out the Current Calendar & Events page for more workshops by Bec and workshops around Australia by other Guild members.

Guild Newsletter & Benefits of Membership

The question often asked  – “What are the benefits of Guild membership?”  

From the Editor:

The first issue for 2016 of the Guild’s newsletter “In the Loop”   is almost ready to be sent out to Members. As I look at the articles included, one of the main benefits of membership is obvious, that is, members can advertise (free of charge) on this website their events, projects and any rug hooking items they may want to sell.

For example a Guild Member from Victoria (Aust) has found a very creative way, using the  etsy.com  online  website,  to publicise the Chris_Noorbergenhooking_rug_Design_by_Rittemerework she does to raise funds for  a charitable organization and to sell the tools needed for the project.

Chris has combined her love of rug hooking with a fund raising opportunity and as a member of the Guild, Chris also has coverage of her project and sales on this website.

 

 

 

Here in Chris’s own words , as posted on her etsy.com site,  is how her project came about :

From Rugs to Rug Tools

I became a ‘Rug Maker’ about five years ago. I fell in love with wool, but being an Australian resident, there were no workshops in the whole of Victoria. So online I went and what a treasure trove of websites, YouTube videos, online classrooms and blogs I found.

I soon learned how to hook rugs, dye my own wool and make some of our much needed tools, for example I needed a table frame for my current project – an oriental rug and an ambitious project to say the least and since the postage from the US was far too expensive I had to make my own, with the help of hubby off course.

Cheticamp_style_frame_made_by_Chris

In 2012  I attended a Rug Making Expo in Sth Australia and met some like minded women and before you know it we started a group, now known as the Yarra Valley Rugmakers, member of the Victorian Rug makers and the Australian Rug Makers Guild.

Tools are not too easy to find in Australia and us Victorian ladies had to send for them either from interstate or overseas.

This year I have started giving Rug Making workshops from which all the fees will go to overseas missions, namely Uganda and India. I therefore needed hooks, so this lead me to look into importing hooks from overseas and I now sell beautiful handcrafted hooks, made in Ireland but sold from Australia, thus “Rughooks for missions”

Irish_rug_hooks_from_Australia_to_the_world_rug_hooks_for_missions

With our Australian currency being low, it is very viable for rug hookers from overseas to buy my hooks. I hope you will support me and leave favourable reviews and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 

Comments or questions for Chris can be added below, or if you’d like to send her a personal message you can contact her through this website –

email:   rughookingaustralia@gmail.com         and your message will be forwarded.