We’re sharing this video produced by Kira Mead, as a tribute to Robin, our friend and colleague.
The audio was recorded by Robin earlier in August for the Global Textile Hub.
Judi Tompkins has described Robin as a softly-spoken, reflective thinker who used her extensive professional experience and skills to synthesize fashion design/illustration; etching and silk-screen design into a very personal artistic style that expressed her love of textiles, her passion for colour and the truly satisfying tactility of fibre art.
Robin was an Australian Rugmakers Guild member for many years. Members will be familiar with her work shown throughout the Guild’s website – in fact the profile image on this website and the Australian Rugmakers Guild Facebook page was taken from one of Robin’s rugs.
This mandala, 80cms x 80cms, was designed and hooked by Robin Inkpen, of Donnybrook, Western Australia. It’s framed, without glass, so is quite lightweight.
When Robin started this project her life was in a state of flux with many changes happening in her personal and artistic life. It seemed to me, creating a mandala was a big challenge to take on at that time.However, as I remember, Robin said she was using this project as a point of focus.
and she forwarded this image of her new project with the following comment –
“Mandalas aren’t as easy as they look, they are geometrically exact and you need compass and protractor and ruler to draw them. That’s fine when you are drawing on paper but, as I found when you draw them out on fabric with a warp and a weft it adds another dimension of difficulty because you have to line up the perpendicular and horizontal with the warp and weft grain.”
WHAT IS A MANDALA?I had an idea, but decided to do a Google search anyway – discovering a website which said –
“a mandala is a complex abstract design that is usually circular in form. In fact, “mandala” is a Sanskrit word that means “circle”. Mandalas generally have one identifiable center point, from which emanates an array of symbols, shapes and forms. Mandalas can contain both geometric and organic forms.Drawing and coloring a mandala can be a highly enriching personal experience in which you look inside yourself and find the shapes, colors and patterns to represent anything from your current state of mind to your most deeply-desired wish for yourself, for a loved one, or for humanity.”
This link “Art is Fun” took me to step-by-step instructions showing how to draw a mandala.
From yet another websitecomes these words, with a set of instructions for creating and colouring a mandala and the benefits of doing so;
“observing the mandala allows the busy mind to take a break while the creative mind is allowed to run free”.
Now I understand why focusing on creating a mandala was a way for Robin to centre her thoughts and feelings, also the complexities that arose when she attempted to transfer a drawing to a woven fabric backing.
Robin is about to embark on another mandala, this time on hessian, interested to see how precise she can be with circles and angles on hessian. Her first mandala was hooked on monks cloth.
Robin shown here with one of her earlier hooked creations, says this about the mandalas :
“For the moment, I like the contained and structured space of the design. The only variables I add are the variably dyed fabrics and yarns.
Also, as it is so difficult to be so geometrically exact on a woven fabric I like that each quarter is not an exact replica.”
It would be interesting to know if any other members have attempted to design and hook a mandala. If you have and would like to share, please leave a comment below or send to rughookingaustralia@gmail.com
As always, it’s interesting to see where rug hooking takes us. Jo Franco, Editor
teaching rug hooking in school, is featured in the latest issue of Rug Hooking Magazine with a link to a video on Bec’s website.
While on the Guild Facebook page, there’s now two videos featuring the work of guild members, Judi Tompkins and Robin Inkpen.
Bec’s “11 and Beyond” project was launched on December 4th, 2014, the inaugural International Rughooking Day. During 2015 at Tamborine Mountain State School in Queensland, Bec took a class of 11 year olds through the process of learning how to design their own patterns and to use a punchneedle to hook them.
Members of Bec’s rug hooking group, the Happy Hookers, assisted Bec with these sessions in return receiving punchneedle lesson themselves.
The local Men’s Shed also took part, building the frames for the students to use.
The project “11 and Beyond” was inspired by the shift in Queensland in 2015 when Year 7 students became the first year of high-school and Year 6 (11 year olds) became the leaders of the primary school.
This special issue of Rug Hooking Magazine features article focused on children and rug hooking from Australia, Canada, Japan, England and the USA.
There’s an article by Gene Shepherd (Calif. USA) Education Chair of ATHA featuring young rug hookers and an easy and safe dye experience designed by him especially for kids.
As always, this edition is packed full of interesting articles. The magazine is available in Australia by subscription. I’m always delighted when my copy shows up in the post box as it did today.
now mobile & iPad friendly, includes an updated Events Calendar, additions to the SWAP n SELL page and another Book Review by Miriam Miller.
Miriam Miller received a copy of ‘A Lifetime of Rug-Hooking‘ by Doris Eaton, from the TIGHR member who received Miriam’s hooked Friendship Square at the 2015 The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers Triennial Conference in Victoria, BC Canada.
Speaking of Canada – Miram and the Narrawilly Proggers enjoyed a visit from a group of Nova Scotia ruggers who were on a South Pacific cruise. Miriam (second from right) said ..
“it was brief a day and a half. but we managed to fit in many things. Walks on the beaches, a progressive dinner then a rug day, a visit to the milking for Cindy who comes from a dairy farm, and to see the kangaroos at the Conjola Caravan park, they come out each evening for the grass. Even a short bush walk to Granite Falls.”
I’m sure there’ll be more about this visit in the next issue of Miriam’s Narrawilly newsletter “Connecting Us“.
Miriam Miller, rughooking instructor, NSW Australia_photo, Gillian Lett Milton Ulladulla Times
Miriam has also recently hosted a rug hooker from Darwin – who came on a Thursday for a private workshop and stayed overnight to take part in the Rug Day, held in the Rug Room at Narrawilly on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month.
On the Guild’s SWAP n SELL page you will find a new frame with “substitute” grippers. These frames have been used by several guild members and reports are, the substitute works well. The frame is available on both the East and West Coast.
A very different frame made in South Australia and featured on Swap Sell was sold to a rughooker in Nova Scotia. Who’d have thought frames would be going from OZ to Canada when there is so much available in the way of rug hooking equipment over there.
“NETWORKING” – it’s happening on the Guilds Facebook page –
the post about a search for grey army blankets to finish off a large rug generated much interest. As soon as the post went up five members from across the country answered the call about the elusive blankets. After Ann’s had a chance to contact them I’ll let you know if any were suitable.
As you’ll see from a stack of her rugs shown here, Ann from Bellingen doesn’t only work with muted greys and blues.
Most of Ann’s rugs are hooked, however like the denim rug shown some are woven and there’s even a crocheted rug in the stack.
Queensland:
Judi Tompkins not only gives workshops at her Shed studio in Landsborough, QLD, she now has a student in the Netherlands – giving her rughooking lessons via Skype.
Read more about Judi’s background and her creations on her website.
And then there’s the Chook Follyor maybe it’ll become Judi’s Folly – more about this project in another blog.
Western Australia:
Another interesting online happening; the colourful works of Kira Mead from Albany Western Australia, were featured on Folt Bolt an inspiring website worth following.
Some of Kira’s recent pieces, will be displayed at Expertise Events Craft & Quilt Fair in Perth including this large wall hanging shown below – the oranges and tree created with quillies and the leaves crocheted.
Colour Abounds in WA :-
Robin Inkpen has been giving locker hooking workshops in the South West.
More workshops are scheduled and participants will be making this tote bag from a kit prepared by sold by Robin.
It’s not as elaborate as her bespoke carpet bags, but is an easier project for beginners.
From the Editor:
Don’t forget to click or tap on Current Events to see what’s happening in your area. Be sure and let us know if you have an event planned, or if you know of an upcoming associated textile event. Send details to Jo at rughookingaustralia@gmail.com
Until next time – Happy Hooking – Jo Franco; Editor/Membership
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 – 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.
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.
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.
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the inaugural International Rughooking Day. During 2015 at Tamborine Mountain State School in Queensland, Bec took a class of 11 year olds through the process of learning how to design their own patterns and to use a punchneedle to hook them.
when Year 7 students became the first year of high-school and Year 6 (11 year olds) became the leaders of the 
primary school. 
the post about a search for grey army blankets to finish off a large rug generated much interest. 
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