Author: RugCrafters australia

Rughooking makes for good friends …….

Following the ATHA Conference in Long Beach, California, Judith and I travelled to Seattle to visit my family.

We were fortunate to have a day free to catch up with Michele Wise and husband Jay, who’d been in Australia for the TIGHR Conference in Oct 2012.  Driving south and across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge onto the Olympic Peninsula, we traveled some considerable distance before taking a left turn at Bremerton towards the Hood Canal.  Armed with an address which included a directional reference of “W” and a GPS which would only show an address with “NW” for that Road, we finally “reached our destination”.Michele's house - View of Hood Canal - Copy What a treat it was. Those of you who have met Michele know of her creative rug work. Well, she has been equally creative with the decoration of the family home which is full of rugs and wonderful eclectic collections and like her studio has panoramic views of Hood Canal.

Michele in her studioMichele's house

 

 

 

 

We toured house, studio and garden and lunched on sandwiches and salad made from vegetables fresh from the garden that morning.

Jay & Michele at home in Holly-Seabeck, WA, USA - CopyMichele's studioWe talked rug hooking, and rug hooking events, checked our Michele’s considerable wool supply and Jay’s workshop where he makes musical instruments.  In a corner of the living room was a spinning wheel obviously in use. Jay is the spinner and had purchased the spinning wheel locally after taking lessons from Miriam Miller during their visit to her studio in New South Wales last October.                                            Much of the talk this time was about the next international event in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, BC,  Canada in 2015.

There is something special about making friends at rug hooking events and later traveling to visit them in their homes.     Now that the Guild in Australia is growing, more members will have this opportunity – don’t pass it up! It is such fun, as it seems all rug hookers love to talk and share their knowledge.   Happy Hooking   ……..        Jo

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 –

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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.

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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.

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Rughooking on Exhibition in Western Victoria

Judi Tompkins of QLD recently submitted her hooked creation “Caught”

Caught

for exhibition, until 25th August, 2013, at the Red Rock Gallery in Victoria,

Judi’s piece is now up on their website!  If you’d like to see it “hung”, and learn more about their upcoming exhibitions and view previous exhibitions go to: http://www.redrockarts.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=13

Rug Making Events Around Oz

Since the last newsletter was published mid-June, several rug hooking events have take place around Australia.  This is just a quick round-up  by   Jo Franco, Editor.

In QLD Judi Tompkins facilitated a workshop for a group of members to discuss and learn how to go from design to the completion of the project;  design their own rug, choose fabrics, colours and finish techniques.   This was an all-day event held over a shared lunch and I’m told was very successful and enjoyed by all.    To read more click on  http://www.rugcraftingaustralia.com.au/

Pat, Judy, Michelle, Peggy and Phyl...finding their artistic muse!

Judi also hosted a rug hooking visitor from Canberra – Maggie Whyte.  I would like to have been a fly on the wall as these two creative rug hookers talked about projects they’ve recently finished and are planning to do.Judi-with-Maggie-Whyte-150x150

 

Bec Andersen held a workshop on Saturday 13th July.  Go to Bec’s  website http://www.becandersen.com/ and contact her for details about her regular rug days and details for future workshops.

Primitive Rug Hooking Workshop

 

NSW: Rugmaking will be a little difficult for Miriam Miller of the Narrawilly Proggers for a couple of months – while hiking  with her son up Mt. Bushwalker to the head of the Miller Falls named for Miriam and her husband, she slipped and broke her wrist.   Miriam tells me this spectacular view (image taken on a mobile phone) is enough to encourage anyone to keep walking.

Mt Bushwalker resized

Miriam at top of Miller Falls - Copy
For information1 Narrawilly Proggers about the Narrawilly Proggers and Miriam’s rug hooking studio click  http://www.shoal.net.au/~narrawilly/

 

VIC:  The Victorian Rugmakers July meeting was at Chris Noorbergen’s home in Lock.  The group is overcoming their travel distance by rotating their monthly meetings at members’ homes.  It seems as though rughooking and good food goes hand in hand as you will read on their blog……  http://victorianrugmakers.blogspot.com.au/

Rug Group July 13 019

SA:  Strath Matters rug group took a break from rug making in June and hired a Murray River houseboat – besides the scenery, they too enjoyed good food and wine and knitted ponchos. Here they model their weekend’s work.

Hookers Housboat - Ponchos

On the INTERNATIONAL SCENE  –  South Australian rug maker Yvonne Dalton is featured in the current  issue of Fiber Art Now.   A full-page picture of some of Yvonne’s eco dyed fabric graces the lead in to the article.   Yvonne is shown here wrapping eucalyptus trees to create the interesting results on recycled cotton, wool and silk fabric and garments.

mumsy

More of Yvonne’s work can be seen in the last issue for 2012 of The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers newsletter and in an article by India Flint at  http://handeyemagazine.com/content/wrapping-trees

WA:  Following the interest generated in this craft at the May Craft & Quilt Fair, several workshops have been held in the Perth metropolitan area and also in the South West of the state.  The most recent was a workshop with a difference – children’s school holiday workshop held last week.  Sixteen girls and boys aged 7 – 12 busily created prodded baskets using pretty fabrics and WA football colours.  The creations were completed in the morning session and all went home very pleased with their new found skill. Some of the baskets were put to a different use.

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Newsletter Issue No.2 now online

The current issue of the Guild’s newsletter is now available in the Member Area.         Log-in and read  Miriam Miller’s article  “Inspiration for Making Rugs”.

Miriam's rug to match Jacqui's chair

and ……   just so you don’t miss any items of interest before the next issue of the Newsletter comes out in September; scroll down to the “Subscribe” box  (half-way down the  screen on the right-hand side)  add your email address and click [Subscribe].  Then anytime there is a blog update you will be notified by email.

REMEMBER – to get information out to other Guild members through this website – email text to me at rugcraftersaustralia@yahoo.com.au       –   Cheers     Jo

Members – Gallery Images

Just a reminder to all Guild members to forward images of their current projects and a short description of the work to be included in the Gallery.  Please send attached .jpeg images (large or medium web size)  to  judi.tompkins@bigpond.com

Below is a rug  created by Trish Schulz from WA  “Funky Leaves and Flowers”  hooked with hard-wearing 12ply rug wool.

Funky Autum Leaves with rug wool very heavy

Success at the Perth Craft Fair

Goodbye from the Australian Rugmakers Guild stand at Expertise Events Perth Craft & Quilt Fair 2013
Goodbye from the Australian Rugmakers Guild stand at Expertise Events Perth Craft & Quilt Fair 2013

 

The Rugmakers Guild stand at the recent Perth Craft and Quilt Fair created much interest.

Many people stopped by to watch the demonstrations and ask not only about the techniques but also, where they could find rugmaking groups and classes.

 

 

If you would like to form a rugmaking group in your neighbourhood, email rugcraftersaustralia@yahoo.com.au     for some helpful suggestions that might get your group up and hooking!

 

 

Mandurah Stretch Arts Festival

Mandurah Stretch Fest

On the 4th & 5th May (2013) rugmaking was again represented at the Mandurah Stretch Arts Festival in Western Australia.

Read more about the weekend and the workshop to be given in Mandurah on Monday 27th May, on the expanded Blog in the Member Area.  You must be a Guild member and register to “log-in” to access the expanded Blog in the Member Area