Author: RugCrafters australia

Rug Hooking Art or Craft?

The Exhibition brief called for a sculptural piece – how could one enter a 2-D rug?          …………. add a basketry element!

Installation Handing it On
“Handing it On” installation by Jo Franco,  Blender Gallery, Joondalup – Walking with Totems April 2013. http://theblender.org.au/2013/03/26/walking-with-totems-exhibition-5-19-april/

I’ve been involved for a couple of years with a group that came together to hook rugs for community projects. The members are from diverse backgrounds and different age groups – it’s been interesting to see the camaraderie develop as they come together and learn more about rughooking – it’s truly a revival of an old craft.

The structural elements of this piece represent the arms and hands of rug hookers past and present holding antique and modern tools. The rag rug on the right was made in the depression era from recycled well-worn clothing. The new, brightly coloured rug was hooked using “up-cycled” fabrics (silk sari off-cuts) and hand-dyed woolen and novelty yarn.The design inspired by an aerial view of coastal North West Australia and the shape of the arms and hands by Boab trees growing in the North West.

This question “is rughooking and art or craft” is often discussed on online rughooking website. I’d like to thank Guild members –  Judi Tompkins, Sue Gilmartin and.Susan Feller who encouraged me to enter this juried exhibition.  It was fun figuring out how to create this project and satisfying to see it take shape.   Jo

 

 

 

 

 

More on large rugs

The post “Finished at Last!”  about Judith’s large “William Morris” rug created a great deal of interest – the question asked by many was, where do you find a large frame to make such a rug?

Adjustable Floor Frame
Adjustable Floor Frame

A large frame is not necessary Judith’s rug was completed  on the frame shown here – the workspace in the face of the frame is 14″ x 18″.  To begin with the backing was held to the frame with small clamps – as the rug progressed it’s own weight held it down.

Finished at Last!

Finished at Last! Judith Stephens of Strathalbyn, South Australia says her rug –  “Minty Morris” an adaptation of a William Morris design with the addition of one of her own border designs.  The rug measure  6′ by 6′ (180cm x 180cm) and was completed using hand-dyed 100% woollen carpet yarn, hooked on linen.

The rug was “underway” when the image below was taken by Gene Shepherd at the Strathalbyn Rug Hooking Expo (Oct 2012) and displayed on his Internet Rug Camp blog.

Beginning of rug adapted from William Morris
“Minty Morris” Underway at Strathalbyn 2012

Now finished and in place, the colour-fastness of the yarn (dyed with Queens food colouring) will be tested, as the rug is in front of glass french doors in the music room.      At the opposite end of the room another rug completed with wool yarn sits beneath the piano stool – Gene’s Miss Weigle design which Judith started at Cambria, June 2011 and finished just a few weeks after her return to Australia.

Miss Weigle in the Music Room
photo(11) adaptation from William Morris design
“Minty Morris” completed Jan 2013