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Magdalena Briner Eby on TV!

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April 7, 2015

Magdelenas on TV

By RHM Editor Debra Smith

One of our favorite rug hooking stars from the past got some well deserved publicity recently. A local television station from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, got wind of the effort to honor Magdalena with a historical marker somewhere in Perry County, where she lived and hooked and made her folk art. The station decided to feature her as a local historical personality.

The reporter, a personality in his own right, spent time with MBE's descendents, visited the New Bloomfield cemetery where MBE is buried, and stopped in on a meeting of the local Magdalena Rug Hookers group. I'm a member of that group, and we were the ones who brought our favorite local rug hooking personality to the attention of our favorite roving reporter, Chuck Rhodes.

The 2-minute segment gives a glimpse into the world of MBE and her wonderful rugs, which is particularly important these days as we begin to raise money to pay for the historical marker. For our part, the Magdalena Rug Hookers are hooking a rug based on one of the MBE patterns (generously donated by Barb Carroll), which we plan to auction or raffle sometime soon, proceeds to go to the historical marker fund.

But not only did the story feature rug hooking from the past, showing one of MBE's rugs, it highlighted what is happening today. You have to pay attention and watch closely: if you do, you will see a selection of our group's work laid out on the floor in our monthly "throw down," where we share what we have been working on with our fellow hookers. We are proof positive that rug hooking is alive and well, and we are proud to bear the name of Magdalena. We hope we live up to it!

Our rugs look very different from hers, and that is as it should be. We hook what is around us, as did Magdalena. We have a lovely rug showing our local riverboat, Pride of the Susquehanna. We have two renditions of the star barn, a local historical landmark. We hook cats, dogs, and log cabin quilt designs, we hook pieces telling our families' stories. . . . whatever moves us can be hooked into a rug.

Isn't this just what Magdalena did? We like to think that she is watching us and is happy her legacy lives on in Perry County.

A fund has been started to earn money for the MBE marker. For more information, contact Kathy Wright at her website: www.rughookingtraditions.com

Watch the video HERE

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The Rug That Most Inspired Me

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April 10, 2015

Introduction to Rug Hooking

We have a winner of our book giveaway. Congratulations, Corinne! We know you will love this book!

The drawing was random, and the entry question was, "Which rug most inspired you?" We got some great insights from entrants. Here are just some of the ways rug hookers are inspired to take up the hook!

Thanks for inspiring us with your responses!

(And there's another giveaway on the horizon. Keep an eye on Facebook for details.)


The rug that most inspired me was one my grandmother made about 80 years ago that was on the floor of her house while I was growing up.  I now have that rug, but I don’t have it on the floor any more as it is too precious.

—C.G.

I don't remember a particular rug that inspired me, but the artist was Sara Beth Black in NC. She had a space rented in a yarn shop and gave free lessons.  I didn't do too well.  :(

Then last fall I went to the Brandywine Hook-In to pick up some wool applique patterns from the Old Tattered Flag and saw everyone hooking and decided to try it again! I'm now a member of the Woolwrights Guild and still learning and doing much better than on my first try.  :)

—D.B.

I believe everyone inspires me to hook! But probably the most inspiring was Elizabeth Black! I took her class several times and enjoyed her company, her spirit, and her friendship. Everything she hooked came to life!! I enjoyed her animal patterns, her dry wit, and sense of humor! I love being a rug hooker. The friends you meet make your life so much better, and pulling loops makes me exceedingly happy. I feel grateful to be a fiber artist.

D.B.

I am not sure I can tell you the ONE RUG that inspired me, but rather the situation that I was in when I first saw this wonderful art form.  I am a puppeteer by trade. Third generation to be exact. My mom was booked at the Indiana State Fair for a two-week run of shows. I can up to visit her for one of her performances, and we had time to kick around in between shows. We walked into on of the buildings that had all sorts of people demonstrating different crafts. I met a LOVELY bunch of ladies all working on what the called their "hooking" projects! They all had different types of designs. One woman saw my intrigue and let me pull through some loops on her piece. I was immediately HOOKED!  I bought a kit that they had for sale.  When I got I home I worked on it immediately! Since then my life has been super busy and I have always thought about this art form. I recently found my little kit and looked up a local place here that sells wool. I am going to try my first real original piece here this spring!

H.S.

One year ago I had never heard of rug hooking, never saw a hook rug.   I was at the Fiber Fest in Irving, Texas, just walking around looking at all that beautiful yarn! Then I look over and OMG, I saw the most beautiful folk art “Welcome” hanging rug (this was the only rug hooking booth there, and I found it). I was in love!!! That was one year and about $2,300 ago!  The same Fiber Fest is coming around again... I'm afraid to go!!! But won't miss it!

G.H.

Not long after I visited China, I saw a hooked rug of a panda bear on a site for a rug hooking shop. I know I just HAD to hook that bear! I called the shop and asked if they sold the pattern.They told me that they didn’t stock it but gave me the name of the hooker who designed it and hooked it.  Unfortunately they did not have her contact info but I tracked her down using Facebook and asked if this was the right person. To my delight, it WAS! She lived about an hour from my home, but we arranged a date and time for me to drop in. Not only did I pick up a pattern of the panda bear that I loved, but we enjoyed chatting about rug hooking and she showed me her studio and many of her completed rugs. What an inspiration! Now I can’t wait to get cracking on my bear, which reminds me of the amazing trip I had to China!

L. H-S.

I am a new hooker. I was inspired by a few rugs at my aunt’s cabin, but the one that spoke to me most was one in a bedroom that she has decorated with a theme of cowboys. She actually designed it with her husband, who has since passed away, which makes it just that much more special.That is when I fell in love with rug hooking and made contact with a lady to have her teach me how.

C.S.

Being Nova Scotian, I always knew about hooked rugs. I even collected a few (one that my husband commissioned of our Golden Retriever in a field of lupins). My mother owned a Grenfell Mission rug that was always on our piano bench when I was growing up (her friend was a nurse at the Grenfell Mission in the 1940s).  I now proudly own this rug.

However, I never had any desired to hook rugs ... the thought never even crossed my mind. I didn't think it was for me. Too linear. Too many rules. Too many straight lines, etc.

Then in 2009, I walked into Deanne Fitzpatrick's studio in Amherst, Nova Scotia (about 20 minutes from our summer cottage) and everything changed. I was so blow away by her artistry and breaking of rules, that I actually said out loud (without realizing it) : "I wonder if I could hook myself."  It so happened that Deanne heard me, walked over to me, and sat me down at a Cheticamp frame and showed me how in a minute lesson. Fifty rugs later, the rest is history. I love rug hooking! And from rug # 1, I have designed all my own rugs. That's the part I enjoy the most!

R.H.

 

The hooked rug that most inspires me is the one, in the future, that sits in my living room. I envision sunflowers upon sunflowers upon sunflowers.  However, I need to learn the technique properly before embarking on that journey :-)

S.B.

My “one rug” was hooked by my Great Grandmother Minnie Hoffman Miller. I inherited it from my grandmother, her daughter-in-law. It’s a large floral, and Minnie took it with her to the nursing home. It managed to survive the industrial washing machine there, and I thought I want to make something that will last as it has and still be beautiful. Her creativity with different kinds of fabric is an inspiration to find the perfect piece or color--even if it’s not wool. I wish I could tell her in person how she has inspired me.

S.L

 

 

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Lumpy Rug Day

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April 27, 2015

Lumpy Rug Thumbnail #RHMLumpyRugDay #LumpyRugDaySo a friend alerted us that May 3 isLumpy Rug Day #RHMLumpyRugDay #LumpyRugDay.

She had us at "rug."

After exhaustive (in Internet time, that's about a minute and a half) research, we discovered that there are two ways of observing this annual event, whose origins appear to have been lost in time (so far as we could tell in that minute or so).

We're guessing that about half of the many millions :-) who observe Lumpy Rug Day celebrate May 3 as an occasion for cleaning, repairing, replacing, or even honoring the history of the lumpy rugs in their homes. (This would be the spring cleaning crowd.)

The other half? They follow the tradition that May 3 is a good time to check out all the things you've tried to "sweep under the rug," get 'em out in the open, and, you know, deal with them.

Rugs. We've GOT to be in on this, right? So here's the approach we're taking:

SHOW US YOUR LUMPY RUGS!

What constitutes a Lumpy Rug? Well, wrinkles, right?

Lumpy Rug #RHMLumpyRugDay #LumpyRugDay

But even more fun, rugs with adorable creatures under them. Peeking out. Like so.

Kiri
Kiri, companion of Winifred Steele, Yorkshire, England, submitted by Evelyn Lawrence.

So you've got a wide range here: actual lumpy rugs, and the "cute overload" variety. Take your pick.

Bottom line: You ARE the rug hooking community. What would Lumpy Rug Day be without you?

Start sharing now!
Use the hashtags #RHMLumpyRugDay, #LumpyRugDay.


Post on our FB Page now through Monday, May 4. Let's have some Lumpy Rug fun!

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Remembering . . . Celebration VI

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Celebration Cover VI"This is not an art exhibit," Patrice Crowley wrote in her editor's introduction to the 1996 edition of Celebration.

"Examine the photographs; see what the fiber artists have to say about their subject matter, color selections, and hours of effort. It soon becomes clear that what we have here is a heart exhibit—a presentation of each person's love for something.

"That love could be for a family pet, a childhood memory, or a hobby such as fishing or furnishing dollhouses. A rug can serve to preserve the flowers that have long faded or a passion once shared by a husband and wife now separated by death. These rugs portray another love as well—the love each artist has for rug hooking. For them, nothing compares to the delight they feel when a newly dyed piece of wool turns out to be the perfect color or when the last loop is put in place."

Let's celebrate the artists of 1996!

Jasmine

Benjamin

Paisley Garden

 Cathi

Boronkay

Rug for a Weaver

 Grace La Rue

Campbell

Imari Plate

Val

Carter

Lion and Lamb

Claudia

Casebolt

Casebolt House 1982

 Lucy

Clark

Earthly Delights

 Marjorie

Clinton

American Express Train

 Barbara G.

Crawford

All Creature Great and Small

 Emily

Erickson

Salute to Kennebunkport

 Patti

Farrell

Merrie Christmas

 Janice

Ferguson

Scottie with Crawford Tartan

 Marilyn

Gibbs

Tapestry

 Susan Folk

Gilkey

Freestone Trout

 Mary Ann

Goetz

Red Delicious

 Leona

Gregory

Vegetable Still Life

 Della

Griffiths

Glynis

 Edie

Hadle

My Mother's Geese

 Carol

Harvey-Clark

Teacup

 Virginia

Heisey

Victorian Flight

 Sarah

Henderson

June Night Porch Light

Bernice

Howell

Attic Windows

Carol

Kassera

Eye to Eye

 Sarah C.

Ladd

Isis Hunts

 Judy

Lundberg

Wild Flower Trellis

 Terry

Lybrand

Peaceable Kingdom

 Prudence

Matthews

Searchlight Cruise in the Thousand Islands

Wanda

McCracken

The Three Wise Men

 Lea

McCrone

Bringing the Pigs In

 Patricia

Merikallio

Toby

Sandra

Paine

Hagley Bird

 Rosalie

Powell

Melanie

 Lana

Roske

Victorian Dollhouse

 Carol Ann

Scherer

Savonniere

 Jule Marie

Smith

Bird in Hand

Nancy

Vander Pyl

Daddy?

Faith

Webster

Eye to Eye

Barbara

Westwood

Sunflowers

Patty

Yoder

J Is for Joseph

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Remembering . . . Celebration VII

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May 11, 2015

Celebration Cover VII

Celebration has had the honor of working with many, many wonderful judges over the years. While we were looking through this issue for our blog post, we discovered that color expert Maryanne Lincoln was one of the 1997 judges. And we are calling attention to her, in particular, because this year, Sauder Village will be highlighting her work in a Featured Exhibit August 12-15, during Rug Hooking Week!

Let's celebrate these rug hooking artists whose work appeared in Celebration VII!

Jan BahrLa Parisienne
Georgianne BugdalHibiscus, Hibiscus
Susan BuswellBrook Trout
Pat CookShanghai
Linda Rae Coughlin100% Pure Virgin Wool
Barbara CrawfordFloral Fantasy
Sherri Hieber DayHorse Heaven
Gail DuFresneSunflowers
Emily EricksonChelsea Garden
Nancy FisherHere Comes William
Judy FreskArizona
Jan GassnerThe Flying Hare
Laurice HeathFredericksburg, Texas
Susan HigginsFerns
Marilyn HiltonZereh
Phyllis HooverAurora Rose
Bernice HowellBackyard Feeder Friends
Charles W. IdlerFlying Geese
Carrie JacobusThe Ladies
Lorraine JosephIndian Pots
Bette LarterSamarkand
Shelly LechleiterMy American Gothic
Judith M. LeVanSpanish Village
Chris LewisGentleness
Terry LybrandAt Home in Cribyn
Lea McCroneTaylor
Patricia MerikallioAlexandra & Stuart
Diane MooreSwirl
Ruth NewmanArctic Family
Dorothy PopeM. Monet in His Water Garden
Lucinda PrattFollow Your Dream
Annie SpringSucha
Cynthia SweeneyWinter Looks Down on Spring
Abby VakayJust North of Scranton
Nancy Vander PylBunny's Heaven
Diane YudinChampagne Sail


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Woolrich Factory Tour

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May 12, 2015
by Gloria McPherson
Guest Blogger

There’s just something about the smell of wet wool! There was lots of wet wool at the Woolrich factory when we went on a tour on a recent Saturday afternoon—piles of woven yard goods that had not yet been cut to blanket-size, all a bit damp. It was amazing!

Woolrich Finishing Room

Handhooking rugs is a traditional craft or art form, and it was a special pleasure to tour this factory that also holds much of tradition even as it adapts to modern technology. We went up and down stairs and through a maze of rooms, up  and down and all around in a factory building that has grown over the last 180 years to meet the needs of the business.

Woolrich Winding the Warp

 The Woolrich factory is vertically integrated, which means that the entire manufacturing process takes place in one location, from the shorn wool to the completed blanket. We saw bales of raw wool, which is blown through large pipes to various machines as it is made into threads and then woven into blankets.

Woolrich Unspun Wool

 Woolrich Warping the Loom

 Woolrich Woven Plaid

 Think of the fuzz you have when you cut worms for a project, and then imagine the fuzz as a loom weaves threads back and forth across the warp. I’m glad I’m not the one who cleans the loom between colors!

Although some blankets are woven in multiple colors, we learned that the ubiquitous buffalo check wool is always woven in black and white. Then, as all you dyers know, the white checks take up added colors to achieve red and green and blue.

Woolrich Buffalo Plaid Warp

Woolrich Signature Buffalo Plaid

One part of the process made me chuckle. After a length of wool is woven, it is ironed flat. But as rug hookers, after we purchase wool we wash and dry it to full it, so that it is no longer so flat. Of course, we also buy those perfectly good yards of wool and proceed to cut them into narrow strips! Go figure.

Woolriich Woven Stripes

Speaking of purchasing, admission to the free factory tour included a $10 coupon to use in the Woolrich store, so you know I came away with some wool. I will enjoy using this wool, knowing I have seen where it was manufactured.

Woolrich Wool Reading for Warping

Of course, I will have to wash it first . . . which brings us back to the wet wool with which we started.

Happy hooking!

Your roving correspondent,
Gloria

 

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Remembering . . . Celebration VIII

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May 15, 2015

Celebration Cover VIII

"An idea becomes a sketch, becomes a pattern, becomes a color plan, becomes a rug; a piece of wool turns into a patch of sky or a person's eye; a hook, strips of fabric, and patient skill create a portrait, a pictorial, or a memory preserved. This is what rug hooking is all about ..."

That's from the introduction to the 1998 edition of Celebration.

Still true? Now, some 17 years later, what would you say rug hooking is all about?

Regardless of how we describe the art, we recognize the "best of the best" when we see it! Let's celebrate these worthy artists of Celebration VIII!

Carol AndersonHooked on Austin
Mary ArringtonDutch Treat
Pris ButtlerOur Captain Stood
Victoria CaluGabbeh
Betty ConleyNovember
Linda Rae CoughlinMy Ropes
Linda CraneLilac Time
Gail DuFresneThanksgiving
Robin GallagherNavaho Yeibichai
Susan Folk GilkeyCalvin Feeding the Ducks
Lucinda HeptingAngelic Vision
DeeAnn HoopesLaddie
Bernice HowellEthel Hanevold (My Mother), 1898
Charles W. IdlerThe Great Conewago Presbyterian Church
Theresa JackKing Tut and His Queen in the Garden
E. Germaine JamesCreation
Anne Dean JeterFor Your Love
Edwina JohnstonChildhood Home
Julia KapplerPurina Rug
Carol KoernerBackstage
Julie LuedtkeChildhood Memories
Terry LybrandStone Wall/Stone Cottage
Amy Mitten-StevensEarly Winter in My Garden
Joan MohrmannFruit Print Ensemble
Diane MooreAnn Stewart
Beverly OsgoodLabor Day Parade
Sibyl OsickaCats
Rose ReesThe Good News
Anne Heather RitchieWhen I Was a Lad
Lisa RuegerChilcott Leaves
Carol Ann SchererWilderness Spirit
Jule Marie SmithThe Rape of Europa
Kate SmithRandolph Center 1946
Phoebe SwankWild Flowers
Mina Marie WestOff to Kindergarten
Betty WillmoreThe Woodlands

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Remembering ... Celebration IX

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May 19, 2015

Celebration Cover XIX

The introduction to the 1999 edition put it this way:

"Rug hookers have the amazing ability to see a piece of wool as something more--the lines in a leaf or a face, the shading in a flower petal or pheasant feather; the perfect blend of hues found in a dog's fur or a fish's scales....

"Rug hooking in its simplest terms is pulling up thin strips of wool through a backing material with a tool that resembles a crochet needle in a handle. In its most complex terms it is mastering color and design."


And we say—That "amazing ability to see" is still going strong today. With all of the adventurous color artists out there, maybe even more so!

Let's celebrate the artists of Celebration IX!

Jeanne BenjaminChristmas in the Country
Elizabeth BlackInside the Ark
Sandra L. BrownWinston
Darlene BryanPrize Catch
Judy CarterThe Trip West
Molly ConnersDaisy Chain
Lucretia DavenportWeaver Homeplace
Gail DufresneCarib
Rosemarie EnkeWedding Kneeler
Mary Madden ErdmanResting in Peace
Judy FreskFrom Seeds to Harvest
Marcy GoldenYvonne and Gato
Della GriffithsLeroy's Aunt: Madame LePlume
Jane HalliwellPopponessett Village
Joan HarkinsAnimals and Ferns
Susan HigginsFloral Potpourri
Louise KogerThe Brothers
Shirley LyonsHorse and Buggy Days
 Ramona MaddoxGame Birds
Mollie E. McBrideSpring
Lea McCroneWesttown Graduation
Patricia MerikallioThe Guardian
Michele MicarelliDeep Woods
Mildred PrallCurrier and Ives' Wintertime: A Stop at the Inn
Sarah L. ProvinceHome in Springtime
Anne Heather RitchieMidnight Garden
Eric SandbergAfrica's Gift
Carol SchererWilliam Morris
Gerri ShawTulips
Judy Soehnge17th Century Bed Rug
Nancy J. Vander PylTurtle Rug
Leslie Parker WilliamsChelsubim and Gueriphim
Jan WinterCastleton
Yvonne WoodNovember in Somers
Mary Paul WrightWoodward North
Joan M. YoungUndersea Idyll
Judy YoungThe Gaggle
Diane YudinThe Wave


 

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Calling young rug hookers ...

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May 26

by Debra Smith, Editor

Do you know a child who hooks? Parents and grandparents, have you spread the love of rug hooking to the next generation? Has one of your children or grandchildren picked up a hook and made a hooked rug or pillow or wall hanging themselves? We know there are some artistic and clever youngsters who pull loops and we are curious to see what they are up to. Who are these creative young people?

Let's celebrate the next generation of rug hookers. We want to begin to collect stories and photos of work by and about young rug hookers and feature them in Rug Hooking magazine next summer. If you know a talented young hooker, get out your camera and let us know what is out there.

And, if you have a story about working with young people -- an organization that teaches kids to hook, a community project focusing on kids, or a particular example of children hooking that you think our readers would be interested in—send us that as well.

This is what you need to know:

  • The young hooker must be 18 years old or younger.
  • Send us  a photograph and a short explanation of the project. Include the name of the hooked piece and the full name of the child. Include current contact information for you.
  • Snail mail address: Rug Hooking Magazine, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 17055. Or email me: dhsmith@stackpolebooks.com
  • Deadline for submissions is December 1, 2015

I hope to hear about young people all across the United States and beyond. What do California kids like to hook? How about New England? I hear there are children in Japan who are hooking away, and I'm sure that Canada has more than a few young hookers. Texas? Ohio?  Australia? Let's bring the world of young rug hookers together and show what they are doing!

We are excited about this project and can't wait to see what comes our way. And we are eager to share it all with you in our pages. Stay tuned for some fun!

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Remembering ... Celebration X

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May 26

Celebration Cover X

The year is 2000, and the introduction observes:

"This year's Celebration is even more true to its name because of the number of rugs within it that deal with celebrations. In these pages you'll see rugs and wallhangings that celebrate holidays, births, weddings, races, and even a guest for dinner. Here, too, are rugs that commemorate and celebrate the lives of beloved people and pets. Just as wool and memories have been incorporated into these rugs, rug hooking has become incorporated into the lives of the fiber artists introduced to you in this book."

And here they are!

Hestel BroomeGibson Girl
Cherylyn BrubakerGuest of Honor
Pris ButtlerThe Whole Week's Picking
Barbara G. CrawfordAlaska
Doris EatonCactus Zinnias
Margaret EwingThe Tiger
Liz Alpert FayChelsea's Rug
Susan FellerBlowinig Peonies
Judy FreskKayla's World
Fumiyo HachisukaMarket at Mahone Bay
Susan HigginsOrchids
Lynne HowardGabbeh
Anne HowellLooking Out to Sea
Victoria Hart IngallsYoung Girl with Kitten
Betty KerrCeltic Runner
Rebecca Clark KnudsenSacred Ground
Carol KoernerThe Red Nose Brigade
Sybil MercerGarden of Seasons
Kim NixonVines
Sibyl OsickaCarousel House
Jennifer ParslowStars and Strife Forever
Patti PatrickSolstice Dancers
Rosalie PowellFruit Circle
Sarah L. ProvinceJohn J. Province, Jr.
Susan QuicksallCourting
Patricia RingstonHoly Holy Wedlock
Phyllis I. RobinsonHalloween Wedding Rug
Lana RoskeNature's Christmas
Alic E. RudellFebruary Celebration
Eric SandbergLe Chateau
Carol Ann SchererLyongrun Window
Rosemary StrubeWorking Cotton
Carol SweetonCanadian Azeri
Abby VakayA Day at the Races
Judy VantineLes Amis dans le Jardin
Pamela M. WiegandFaith Sampler

They celebrated others—now it's our pleasure to once again celebrate them and their work!

 

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Remembering ... Celebration XI

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Celebration Cover XI

Here's what the Introduction has to say about this issue:

"If there's a common element to a majority of the rugs and wallhangings presented in this edition, I'd have to say it's memories. More and more rug hookers are turning from hooking mere floor coverings to hooking representations of the memorable people, places, and animals in their lives.Using the craft you love to preserve the memories you love is a wonderful blend of talent and experience, of hands and heart."

Celebrating the artists of 2001!

 Ellen AlbrightCranberry Bog
 Sheri BennettPineapple Antique
 Sandra L. Brown248 Outlook Drive
 Kathleen BushAmerica's Millennium
 Claudia CaseboltHildegard's Garden
 Lucy ClarkMillennium Sunrise
 April DeConickJack in the Red
Lyle DrierWindmill Weights
 Mary Jo DorningMammy's House
 Susan ElcoxIn Grandmother's Garden
John FlourneyReminisce
 Susan Folk GilkeyDancing Bears
Marilyn GrossMandarin Fragrance
 Suzanne HamerTransformation
 Margaret HannumChinese Butterflies
 Marlene HeardBlackbird Singing
 Bernice HowellShadow on Snow
 Jean JohnsonMy Jane
 Kim KaganWhispering Pines
 Carol KoernerStill Life #1 With Mango
Karen MaddoxMallard Duck
 Liz MarinoCoco Llama
 Pat MichaudFlame Stitches
 Margaret MillerGood Morning Farm
Cynthia NorwoodPineapple Antique
 Sibyl OsickaNorth America
Dorothy PopeWisconsin Ancestors
 Susan QuicksallCow Lady Sampler
 Natalie RoweProspect Village
 John ShawFrom Tuscon to Santa Fe
Beverly St. ClairEden's Gate
 Abby VakayToo Close to Call
 Timmie WiantA Parrot Dedicated
 Pamela M. WiegandThree Little Monkeys
 Lorraine WiliamsKing Henry VIII
 Faith WillistonEast Meets West


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Remembering ... Celebration XII

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Celebration Cover XII

From the 2002 Introduction:

"If you're new to the fiber art of rug hooking, please don't be intimidated by the masterful, grandiose images you're about to see. You might be wondering how on Earth we take all the fabulous rugs out there and condense them down to 36 wonderful selections. Let me tell you right now—it isn't easy."

Let's celebration the artists of 2002!

Sandra L. BrownMandarin Goby Tea Cozy
Danielle D. CevallosCrewel Allure
Bonnie M. CharterRapture
Barbara CrawfordSong of Persia
Gail DufresneLizards and Ladders
Doris EatonThe Keddy Place
Elizabeth ElliottGlories of Teton Valley
Judy FreskEast Rock
Toni GallagherThe Watcher
Sharon GarlandCollinot
Cindi GayStandoff: Samson v. Kitty Mom
Beverly A. GoodrichKate and Leopold
Suzanne HamerInterlude
Margaret HannumSilver Compote
Carol Anne HawsSun and Moon Faces
Toshie HayamiMatsuura Screen
Irene HolmanWhaling
Faith JenkinsBedrug Fantasy
Sally KallinThe Mighty Oak
Brother Llewellyn Paul KaubaBlue India
Signe E. LarsonMedi-Qashqui
Michelle Lechleiter Fantasy Floral
Katurah LewisNomad Runner
Cheryle MeeseQueen Mary
Michele Petra MicarelliCotton's House
Kris NobleTrials and Tessellations
Cynthia NorwoodBowl of Flowers
Susan QuicksallRabbit Hill
Natalie RoweTurkish Fishies
Janet SantanielloOld Stony with Geraniums
Marilyn SchmidtAmerican Country
John ShawBurntwater
Gene ShepherdFog
Louise StancliffeHind Sight II
Abby VakayThanksgiving at Dawn
Jan WinterEastham Moors

 

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Remembering ... Celebration XIII

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Celebration Cover XIII

So the first 12 years were great, but now, in 2003, Celebration is even better! "Welcome to the future," the introduction begins. What future? More pages (a total of 80)—more rugs, more styles, and insights into the judges' selections! Here's to the artists of Celebration XIII!

 

Martha W. AdamsBradley Primitive
Ronnie ArenaI Am a Bird
Karen BalonThe Girls
Meriam BlairAlliance
Kay BowmanAnne of Green Gables
Bea BrockBirds & Berries
Darlene BryanBe There in a Minute
Ginny ByrneCarnation, Lily,Lily, Rose
Judy CarterChimera
Jon CiemiewiczCharging Elephant
Molly ColegroveMaster, I Am Free
Linda Rae CoughlinFly Oh Fly
Sally G. D'AlboraNew Life
Judith DallegretGlobal Warming Grenfell
Gail DufresneLog Cabin Spin
Anne EastwoodMammoth Flowers
Lynne FowlerFloyd
Judy FreskMatthew and Andrew at Moose Pond
Debbi GableAndrew Loves Milk
Cindi GayVillage of Pemberville
Edith GerverKermit Caravan
Fumiyo HachisukaAntique Store in Plymouth
Margaret (Peggy) HannumUnicorn in Captivity
Bernice HowellBest Friends
Cindy IrwinMasterful Morris
Judith IvryFamily
Carrie Bell JacobusWanderlust
Trish Johnson

Machias Seal Island
(renamed My Grandmother's Diary)

Barbara JongbloedDouble Scalloped Feathers
Keith KemmerTrout
Betty KerrLilies Closeup
Carol KoernerStill Life #3 with Tea Pot
Joanne KuntzGlobal Warming Grenfell
Karen MaddoxChinese Scroll
Ramona MaddoxMy Secret Garden
Pat MerikallioThe Sea Otters
Roland C. NunnHummingbirds
Jennifer ParslowPeter Oliver
Lamonta Pierson Ballerina
Sarah L. ProvinceAll These Things …
Basha QuiliciBijou
Anne ReevesJoys of Spring
Denise ReithoferPaper Dolls
Lorraine RetfalviGlobal Warming Grenfell
Lana RoskeHaitian Farmers
Maureen RoweGlobal Warming Grenfell
Carol Ann SchererNovember
Gloria SchoppeShanghai
Joan H. StrausbaughWhirlpool
Alma G. SynakowskiOur Fiftieth
Mary M. ThomsonThe Coastal Detectives
Nancy TilchinBirds of Sarouk
Jan WinterFlamboyancy

 

 

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Remembering ... Celebration XIV

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Celebration Cover XIV

What? Only a year later, and 16 more pages! A testament to the growing popularity of our fiber art medium? We like to think so!

In addition to rugs, this issue featured advice from Bill Bishop, of Impact Xpozures, on how to photograph your rug for Celebration, as well as an article about decorating with hand-hooked rugs—showcasing the home of rug hooking teacher and mentor Peggy Hannum.


Honoring the work of these artists of 2004!

Lee Anne AldredIvan's Village
Cosette AllenThe Parsonage on Star Island
Mary Jane AndreozziSentinels
Kathryn ArgauerHere Comes Santa Claus Dummy Board
Connie BaarSquare Harmony
Kathy P. BaggettWelcome to the Barber Shop
Sheri J. BennettCaswell Fruit
Linda BrownOak Tree Longing
Roberta BurnesRetro Rocket
Victoria CaluEighteen-Century Fable
Cecilli CaswellDance of Life
Jon CiemiewiczMottled Duck
Jean CoonFairy's Cushions
Debby Cooper American Star
Melissa ElliottCalypso
John FlourneyOld Key West II
Lynne FowlerOn the First Day of Christmas of Peace
Judy FreskPoppy
Dee GielGame Birds
Nell GreenfieldboyceFive Star One
Suzanne HamerFor Jilian
Bryan HancockFlowerbox
Margaret HannumIslanbul
Toshi HayamiHanabi
Leslie A. HaynesHappy Hours
Sue HossTurkish Primitive
Lynn HowardCommissioned Kitchen Rug
Bernice HowellAutumn at Laeke Artemesia
Carrie Bell JacobusPlease Do Not Feed the Artists
Valerie JohnsonCharleston Sweetgrass Baskets
Cindy MacMillanGabbeh 
Karen MaddoxNight Mare
Sandra MarquisMe and My Chicken
Susan NaplesCrown Prince
Kim NixonSeason's Cube Stool
Kris NobleCrewel World
Peggy NorthropJoy Ride
Nancy Zeppelin ParcelsPricilla Primitive
Laura W. PierceCrown Prince
Lucinda PrattMy Favorite Lighthouses
Sarah Lee ProvinceHomecoming at Fairfield Church, Circa 1940
Wendy RichardsonBig Flowers
Lelia F. RidwayThe Morgan Rally Challenge
Kath Kornelsen RutherfordOn Top of the World
Linda Friedman SchmidtWhen Mothers Can't Mother
Patricia SeligaEighteenth-Century Fable
Gene ShepherdRussian Birch
Louise StancliffEthan and Friends
Sachiko ToyodaSweet Sixteen
Mary B. TyczWinter Wonder
Abby VakayPolo Play
Patti VarleyNauset Lighthouse
Anne E. WickmanPhoebe

 

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Remembering ... Celebration XV

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Celebration Cover XV

The year: 2005. The rugs: varied and wonderful. And the extra features this issue? Some ideas on finishing rugs, plus a "walk through the home of Rebecca Erb" for a look at how she decorates with hand-hooked rugs on floors, walls, tables, and stairs. (You'd want to live there!)

Here's to the artists of Celebration XV!

Mary AdamsWhite Gate Farm
Carole BartolovichWedding Fraktur
Sandra L. BrownSycamore
Kay CarmichaelAcanthus Leaves
Judy ColleyA Walk in the Jungle
Gina ConwayHydrangeas and Lace
Pat CrossA Night Out
Lyle DrierMasks
Sandy DucharmeNature's Harmony
Doris EatonMadame Monet Hooking a Rug
Nancy J. EvansCentury Farm
Christine EverillShips in a Storm
Lois Lee EwingHare Pair
Toni GallagherReflection
Cindi GayAlley's Cat
Marilyn GibbsSpring Serenade
Louise W. GleasonGiant Blossoms
Suzanne HamerMy Many Worlds
Ruth HennesseySomething to Do
Cindy IrwinCock-A-Doodle-Doo
Trish JohnsonCulley's Cottage
Betty KerrYei
Dianne LandbergNight Watch
Janine LarsonLittle Frog, Big Pond
Karen Kelly LarsonThe Legacy
Barbara LekstromPolar Bears at Play
Karen MaddoxBasket and Apple Bucket
Betty MaganPungent Pine
Lara MagruderDNA Chroma
Patricia T. MillerExotica
Wendy MillerThe Collection
Fritz MitnickPittsburgh Nocturne
Eloise MohrmanCumberland Crewel
Lorraine OwensZima
Marilyn PetremanLife on Sunset Beach
Laura W. PierceThree Padulas
Katherine PorterCoventry
Suzi PratherFreedom--Don't Tread on Me
Edwina PrinsterZebra
Nancy Miller QuigleyMagnolia of Eugene
Judy QuintmanStar Flower
Katie RainwaterSymmetry
Lelia F. RidgwayMysterious Jaguar
Carol SchererMasterful Morris
Gene ShepherdMiss Weigle
Patricia S. TaylorBabe Ruth
Mary M. ThomsonPac Bell Manhole Cover
Patricia Van ArsdaleIt's A Keeper
A. Maren WandsPemaquid Lighthouse
Lissa WilliamsonHistoric Shelter Island

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Remembering ... Celebration XVI

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Celebration Cover XVI

The "Brief History" of rug hooking (about 3 paragraphs ;-) that appeared in this issue noted that when and where the art began remains debatable. What is known is that, by the 1940s, it had become a well-established hobby in the United States and Canada and that it has "evolved into a popular means of personal expression as well as a practical pastime." And even better: "Hand-hooked rugs can be found on the walls of art galleries from New York City and Washington, D.C., to Tokyo and London, as well as in museums, office buildings, libraries, and cultural centers across North America."  How did this happen? Well, because of the amazing work done by contemporary rug hookers! Like these:

 

Susan AdamsAntique Stoneware, Crocks and Jugs
Joan BolivarTown Clock—Halifax, Nova Scotia
Bonny BrownThe Caregiver
Scott BurnsChristmas Eve
Judy CarterPeacock
Cecille CaswellRomance Series, Part 3
Molly ColegroveBoathouses
Judy ColleyThe Good Shepherd
Margaret CollyerBerkley Squares
Gina ConwayOld World Hen
Jean CooperWillowbank
Barbara CrawfordMimbres
Lyle DrierEnse's Bedrug
Susan ElcoxIdaho State Capitol at Dusk
Linda FernandesSalem Lion
Carla FortneyBlythe Shoals
Heather FoxVancouver Island Marmots
Barbara GottSunflowers
Mary GrangerBela Bartok, Bad, Bad Bassett
Fumiyo HachisukaCovered Bridge in West Montrose
Eleanor HamelIvy Tiger
Suzanne Sears HamerMolly in the Garden
Peggy HannumEntice
Mary Lou HemmerlyShanghai Parasol Painter
Catherine HenningTowers & Turrets, Queen's University
Tracy HolmesSecond Time Around
Donna HrkmanWomen of the Congo
Trish JohnsonTea and Oranges
Valerie JohnstonTemptation
Joan F. KaysAnne with Wash
Carol KoernerMy Mémère—A Strong Woman
Sharon KollmanSong of Persia
Joyce KruegerLeaf Puzzle
Barbara LekstromThe Apple Girl
Elizabeth LoPrinziSir Landseer
Cindy MacMillanPat's Sunflowers
Eileen MahlerKetchikan Dream
Elizabeth MarinoDeere & Co., 200 Years of Progress
Pamela MerrillOrchid's Delight
Wendy MillerOhio Coverlet
Tricia T. MillerMorris Forest
Kris MillerMermaid
Connie Wyllie NaftelAngel's Trumpet
Astrid NilssenNorway Meditation
Kris NobleCrewel Diversion
Peggy NorthrupHot Chili
Roland C. NunnWho Are You?
Sibyl OsickaAfrican Delight
Marilyn PetremanLooking for Love
Laura PierceBlue Heron
Suzi PratherWanna Play?
Patricia PobstPaisley Inspiration
Sarah ProvinceRosalie's Carousel Ride
Joan RigbyMargaret
Lucille SandersAlphapets
Catherine SmithWhere the Wild Things Are
Theresa SmithSummer
Linda SprengerKaleidoscope
Nancy TaylorBlue Rocks
A. Maren WandsWinter Shadows
Patricia WhiteAunt Minnie Feeding the Hens

 

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Shortbread and hospitality -- and rug hooking!

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July 24, 2015

Debra Smith and Brigette Webb

Rug Hooking magazine editor Debra Smith, left, shares images of her recent visit to Scotland! First stop: a visit with rug hooking artist Brigitte Webb (right)! This is one of three entries Debra will be posting over the next couple of weeks. Photos courtesy of Kathleen Eckhaus.

 Debra in Scotland

Wee Roads and Mighty Mountains

Foxgloves, rhododendron, columbines, lupines . . .

Gray cities, white cottage villages

Stony landscapes, great green moors, and peat squares

Rocky beaches and gull-filled cliffs with crashing waves

Turquoise blue waters on white sand

Black-faced sheep and Highland cattle

Misty, moisty mornings . . . and afternoons and evenings

Sheep in the middle of those wee roads (!), wool tufts in the air

Colors of the land woven into the tweeds

Ferries and mist-shrouded islands

The lilt of the Gaelic

Standing Stones

 Brigitte Webb of Dingwall, Scotland (near Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands) invited us to her home for tea!

Brigette WebbAnd a real Scottish tea it was: shortbread, pancakes, lemon cake--true delicacies all -- and strong tea and coffee. She showed us some of her wonderful work and we had a grand time talking rug hooking and all things fiber.

Rug by Brigette Webb

The Internet makes it oh, so easy to find people of like mind in far-away places. Brigitte was a fabulous hostess and it was a treat to meet her in person.

Rug by Brigette Webb

I'm inspired by her work and her country. I expect that a wee bit of Scotland will be sneaking into some of my work in the next little while.

Rug by Brigette Webb

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Remembering ... Celebration XVII

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Celebration Cover XVII

The year is 2007. And (wow) 60 rugs! Now we're talkin'. With more pages than ever, there was more room to happily showcase this fabulous crop of rugs (and a footstool)!  Plus, hooked rugs meet Victorian style in the distinctive home of Sibyl Osicka. Here's to the artists of Celebration XVII!

Connie BaarTwo Pots Full
Toby BakerVirginia
Celeste BessetteMagnolias and Iris
Joan BlaskoWeathered
Laura BoszormenyHelio's Harvest
Cherylyn BrubakerBill
Betty CalvertRobertson Glacier
Judy CarterTiger
Jon CiemiewiczGrizz Fishin'
Jyl ClarkNorthern Neighbors
Mildred ClarkBrooks Square
Anne DoergePeruvian Folkart
Ruth DowningGirl with a Pearl Earring
Lyle DrierTropical Fantasy
Cathy EdwardsAmerican Express Train
Melissa ElliottAll Around Town
Vivian EyfordBig Yellow House
Susan L. FellerIconic Liberty
Linda FernandesThe Gleaners
Jessica Lauren (Powell) FordThe Pool
Ellen ForstromMemory Lane
Judy FreskSushi
Joanne GerwigWoodcrest Homestead
Georgia GlassVirginia
Beverly GoodrichNantucket Island
Sue GunnVoyage of Disaster
Linda GustafsonCalypso
Marian HallThree Skyes
Sally HentgesAppraisal
Tracy HolmesBlythe Shoals
Christine HuntOld Friend
Cindy IrwinPrimitive Fruit
Pam JohnsonSavannah Lion
Capri Boyle JonesMagnolia Mix
Joan F. KaysWinter Goose
Jill KleinBradley Primitive
Anne-Marie LittenbergWaiting
Patricia W. LovelaceLeaves and Fruit
Arleen MaugerSons of a Sailor
Wendy MillerPumpkin Thyme
Sheila MitchellSidney by the Sea
Fritz MitnickLook Out
Eloise MohrmanThe Crossing
Ruth MuraskinThe Wild Bunch
Tish MurphyPretty Maids All in a Row
Kim NixonHot August Night
Roland C. NunnHi There
Nancy Zeppelin ParcelsTumbling Cats
Diane PhillipsMrs. Thomas
Wendy PowellLife on a Toddy Pond
Georgia A. ProsserTrout Stream
Sarah ProvinceSilver Spring Train Station, c. 1911
Patricia RectorPepper
Judith RippsteinTex
Nancy Lee RossRabbits at Night
Lynn RuedgerThe Cowherd
Sharon SaknitDreaming for Africa
Joan StrausbaugJoan's Favorite
Joy TritesGilbert
Karen WhiddenWindsor Oval
Lee H. WorkBill–Circa 1931

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Remembering ... Celebration XVIII

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Celebration Cover XVIII

Each rug has a story. Every story has a depth of meaning. And every one of those stories changes the way each rug is viewed, as well as expanding our appreciation of how "this incredible art form can be used for creative expression." As true now as it was for Celebration XVIII, in 2008! Congratuations to these expressive artists!

 

Patti ArmstrongFor They Love Their Children Too
Jeanne BenjaminDaghestan Prayer
Marian BigelowSomething Fishy
Wayne BresslerYum, Yum … Give Me Some (Dim Sum)
Victoria West CaluThe Gig
Judy CarterLeopard
Cecille CaswellHotel Saloon
Nathsha ChanSehna
Judy ColleyThe Green Man
Jean T. CooperShalimar
Nancy CrouseSay Cheese Bell Pull
Susan M. CunninghamCat Castle at Sunset
Juanita DarnoldGently Down the Stream
Shirley DillardWolf
Lillian Lee EddyThe Stone House
Melissa ElliottBlue Willow
Lynne FowlerReunion on Quince Street
Marilyn GrossBlack Leopard
Suzanne GunnAlbert Wile–Worm Digger
Marian Hall1821 Fraktur
Peggy HannumPoppy Seed
Katie HartnerTulip Cross with Border
Chizuko HayamiChanging
Tracy HolmesLaunch Day
Donna HrkmanLlarry the Llama
Gail Huff Ada's Passion
Ellen M. JensenThe Royal Rose
Trish JohnsonChris and Blackie–Summer of 1977
Mary JohnsonMom, Alvin, and Shep
Capri Boyle JonesThe Vine
Sara JudithOsprey with Kokanee
Peg KauffmanWood Chores
Arline KeelingPretty Lights
Karen MaddoxShelburne Museum
Betty MaganLor's Pomegranates
Eileen A. MahlerAntique Pineapple–Through My Eyes
Arleen MaugerRoche Harbor Tulips in Wool
Wendy Miller1842 Watercolor Fraktur
Tricia Tague MillerBuckingham
Louise MillerMain Street
Mildred ParksBig Blue at Sunset
Arlene PhillipsAncestral Farm 1890
Laura W. PierceEmmy
Carol Ann PinkinsApple Lady
Chris PrebleWedding Crock Bouquet
Augustine RaymondSoumac Medallions
Harriet RidnourMinstrel Boy
Linda RillingDreaming the Impossible Love
Arlene SchwenMuseum Bedrug
Madonna ShellyBarn Symbols
Cheryl SingleySingley Farm
Beverly St. ClairUnder the Stars
Pat StangelandGot Carrots?
Kathy StephensTrixie, Dixie, and Peach
Nancy TaylorMorris Hammersmith
Bobbi TowerThe Journey Through the Mist
Pat S. Van ArsdaleLive, Love, Laugh Out Loud
Karen WhiddenCountry Store
 Janine WilliamsLittle Girl and Bunny
Jan WinterCalypso
Joan WrayVan Gogh "Iris"


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Felting in the land of sheep

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Deb in Scotland 2

 Rug Hooking magazine editor Debra Smith, left, shares images of her recent visit to Scotland! This stop: a visit with fiber artist Ruth Black! This is the second of three entries Debra is posting. Photos courtesy of Kathleen Eckhaus.

 

 

Scotland Sheep

We made Internet contact with another fiber artist, Ruth Black, and visited her studio just outside of Inverness, along Loch Ness. We found her just beginning a project and we took a few photos.

Ruth Black, felter, image 1

Ruth Black, felter, image 2

Ruth Black, felter, image 3

We knew that we would see her again in a week's time, so we planned to check on the progress of this particular project. It is inspiring to see an artist at work in her own environment, her own studio. Surrounded by bolts of Harris Tweed and projects at every stage of completion, this visit was a fiber-lover's dream come true.

Thistle

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