Red Jack Rugs

Drawing for my new website

2010-09-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

Only a day left to get into my drawing to celebrate my new website. Yes, I've moved to www.redjackrugs.com. Please come over to my new webspace and join the Followers in the right sidebar by September 6th. And you will be entered in my drawing for a palette pack of wool. If you have a blogroll on your blog, I thank you in advance for replacing my old address with my new one.

Redirection

2010-09-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

This site is defunct. Please if you have this blog on a blogroll or in a subscription, you will need to change the URL address. To stay current, please redirect blogrolls, subscriptions, or favorites to http://redjackrugs.com/ where I am now posting regularly.

I've moved!

2010-08-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Drum roll....This is it!....Come on over to my new online virtual blog and studio webspace. Just click http://redjackrugs.com. And join the Followers in the sidebar.

I will leave up this blog, but all new blog posts will be happening in my new webspace at redjackrugs.com.

Third Annual Fredericksburg Fall Fling

2010-08-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Third annual Fredericksburg Fall Fling taking registrations now. Sorry for the delay!! Dates 11/10 and 11/11th, 2010. Location: Fredericksburg Inn and Suites. Blocked room rate $79. Lunches served. Also will have snacks, hot tea bar, coffee throughout day. Cost $65 total for both days. $45 for one day.

Starts at 9:30 both days.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Deborah Neslage Deborah Neslage
Designs by Deborah The Vintage Tablecloth
113 E. Main Street 115 E. Main Street
Brady, Texas 76825 Brady, Texas 76825
325-597-2277 325-597-1905

Some of my Sauder favorites

2010-08-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of fun pictures...Alexander posing with his sunflower sack; my sister posing with her pine cone rug (top).

Here are a couple of my top favorites at Sauder this year: one was in the Celebration group hooked by Joanne Gerwig (Randi); the other is a big geometric which Alex liked too (does anyone know the hooker's name?, the tag came out too blurry in my photo for me to make it out).

Moving soon...

2010-08-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've decided to try and make my move over to my integrated blog and website soon (www.redjackrugs.com). I won't have all the Palette Wool up for sale yet...the flooded house has put me behind schedule. BUT the rest of the website should be functioning by the end of next week. This means that I am going to be found at a different web address (www.redjackrugs.com)...so if you are a follower of my blog, you will have to visit me at my new blog address once I make the transfer. I will put up a big post here, so you won't miss it. I will put up a FOLLOWER widget on the new blog site so all you have to do is click it to subscribe to the new blog address. I will keep my old blog here with a link to the new one, but I won't be posting here after I make the transfer. Wish me luck!

Region 9 ATHA Events and News for September

2010-08-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

From: Martha Lowry, ATHA Region 9 Rep
mlowry52@hotmail.com
281-550-7562

UPCOMING REGION 9 EVENTS

AUGUST
FREDERICKSBURG HOOKED RUG WOOL GATHERING AND WORKSHOP, August 29-30, at Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Vendors: Bea Brock, Julie Burns, Dorothy Panaceck, Susan Quicksall, Judy Soehnge, and Tricia Travis. Mini workshops and make-it-and-take-its. For more information and registration form, contact Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or
210-651-4470.

SEPTEMBER

HOOKED PUMPKINS AND INDIAN CORN CLASS, Saturday, September 4 at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. Hook or finish your three-dimensional pumpkin or corn patterns. Each pattern is $22.50, class fee is $5.00, bring sack lunch. It's a great way to make use of scraps and leftover strips. Space is limited, so call to reserve a space. Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252.

ADRIENNE DYKES' CAL CREATIONS AND ANTIQUES SHOP, located behind her home in McKinney, TX is having a big wool, hooking supply and fall antique sale on Friday and Saturday, September 10-11, from 10:00 to 4:30. Enjoy Cliff's New England Ginger Cookies and a cup of hot mulled cider while enjoying the event. Call or email for directions or further details. Look for the "Fall Show" signs along the way. Contact: Adrienne Dykes, 972-542-3214 or cliffpadd3@yahoo.com.

OCTOBER

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY'S JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the historic Old Jail House, Canton, MS. Vendors, cocktail reception, lunches, goody bags. Contact Lisanne Miller to be placed on waiting list, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252.

OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31-November 4, at the Downtown Inn and Suites, Oxford, MS. Teachers: Sibyl Osicka, Beverly Conway, and Bea Brock. Camp is now full, but contact camp director Donna Holdiness to be placed on waiting list. An exhibit of the rugs of the Las Rancheritas Rug Hook Project, Mexico, will be featured at the Oxford Camp Rug Show, to be held on Tuesday during camp. Everyone is welcome to attend the rug show, no admission charge. For more information, visit the website, www.oxfordrugcamp.com. For registration and exact time of rug show, contact Donna at oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738.

NOVEMBER

YELLOW ROSE AUTUMN RUG HOOKING AND FIBER ARTS RETREAT, November 6-7, Baymont Inn and Suites, 301 Capitol St., Grapevine, TX. This retreat will be held all day Saturday (9:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m.) and Sunday (9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.) in the conference room of the hotel for rug hookers, knitters and stitchers. Enjoy make-it-and-take-it, mini classes, dyeing demos, vendors, door prizes, and goody bags. Registration fee is $65 both days, includes lunch. Dinner on your own. Motel has special low rate for event. Space limited to 30 registrants, so act now. Contact Susan Harper to register or for more information, texasrugfest@yahoo.com or 817-571-7825.

THIRD ANNUAL FREDERICKSBURG FALL FLING, November 10-11, Fredericksburg, TX, hosted by Deborah Neslage of Designs by Deborah. Registration is $65 for both days, includes lunch, snacks and hot tea bar. Dinner on your own, lodging separate. For more information and to register, contact Deborah Neslage, 325-597-2277 or dneslage@hotmail.com.

KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX. This camp offers both traditional and primitive instruction by McGown-certified instructors, including Judy Rippstein, Pamela Van Lieu, and Karen Maddox. Three days of classes, evening hooking, shopping, rug raffle, book sale, silent auction, rug show and sale. Contact: Pamela Van Lieu, rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467.

JANUARY, 2011

GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by Texas Rug Runners ATHA CHAPTER, January 14-16, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center. Contact: Melody Lundquist, melody.lundquist@yahoo.com.

FEBRUARY

ONE RUG, TWO RUG NEW ORLEANS RUG HOOKING GET-AWAY, February 9-13, in the historic French Quarter. Teachers: Sharon Townsend, Diane Stoffel, and Carrie Martin. Consider a get-away in the one-of-a-kind cultural atmosphere of historic New Orleans. Contact: Dorothy Delaune, rdgdelaune@aol.com, or Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 RUG HOOKING GROUPS

REGION 9 HAS MANY RUG HOOKING GROUPS. THIS SECTION CHANGES EVERY MONTH ACCORDING TO INFORMATION SENT IN BY THE GROUPS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A GROUP NEAR YOU, PLEASE EMAIL mlowry52@hotmail.com or 281-550-7562. If you are interested in starting a group in your area, email me so that your name and email address can be listed in the Email Update so that other rug hookers might contact you. Remember to contact the group contact persons before traveling to a group meeting, in case of cancellations!

THE HEART OF TEXAS ATHA CHAPTER, San Antonio, TX area, invites you to hook with them. This active group meets six times a year on the third Saturday of the month at Country Gatherings shop in Bracken Village. Meeting times and dates are announced annually at the January meeting. This group sponsors three major events annually: an all-day Hook-In in February (mark your calendar for February 26, 2011); participation in the San Antonio Folklife Festival the second weekend in June; and the Angela Pumphrey Workshop, a popular three-day event featuring national teachers, which is held on the San Antonio Riverwalk the second weekend in August. For more information, contact Catherine Hickman, catherine35@sbcglobal.net.

THE STASH SISTERS ATHA CHAPTER, Houston, TX area, also invites you to hook with them. They meet 10:00-3:00 at the Octavia Fields Library, 1503 S. Houston, Humble, TX, on the first Saturday and the second and fourth Thursdays. Exception: the third Thursday at The Hen House, 5701 Louetta Rd., Spring, TX. Contact: P.D. Hankamer, heartspd1@yahoo.com, or 409-374-2258. Call first, as occasionally the library is unavailable and the meeting is moved to another location.

THE KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE, Houston, TX, meets the third Saturday of each month, 11:00-3:30, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX. They also meet every fifth Saturday of the year. Contact: Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY ATHA CHAPTER, Jackson, MS area, meets the second Saturday of each month at the Old Jail, Canton, MS. All are welcome to join this ATHA group. Contact Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

THE HOOK ME UP GROUP, Dallas, TX area, meets the third Saturday of each month at Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, Carrollton, TX. Contact Janet Kersh, woolgarden@hotmail.com to be placed on the regular email reminder list.

KATY LAMBCHOPS, Katy, TX, meets Wednesdays, 10:00-3:00, and the second Saturday, 10:00-3:00, at My Little House, located inside Dovetail Antiques in Old Town Katy. They have a monthly make-it-and-take-it project. Their next project is to make a wool pin cushion in a vintage jar lid. Contact Jan Peckenpaugh to be placed on the regular email reminder list, and you will receive a reminder before the next make-it-and-take-it date. Contact Jan at mylilhouse@hotmail.com or 281-687-2088.

AGGIELAND RUG ARTISTS ATHA CHAPTER, College Station, TX, is an active rug hooking group. Recently three members attended the Angela Pumphrey Workshop hosted by the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter in San Antonio: Loyce Kahil, Anne Linne, and Marilyn White. Congratulations to the group's secretary/treasurer Emma Gene Schroeder, who won third place in the national DAR Fiber Arts Contest with her pineapple hooked rug, after having won first place in both the state and district competitions. She was unable to attend the awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. and was represented by her Regent at the ceremony. The prize-winning rug now hangs in her daughter's home. Emma Gene encourages all rug hookers who are DAR members to enter the contest next year. For information about meeting times, contact Emma Gene, emmagene@suddenlink.net

ATHA NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

The current issue (August/September) of the ATHA NEWSLETTER is full of wonderful articles by Region 9 rug hookers:

"A Wonderful World of Hooking" by Genevieve Gelles, Georgetown, TX

"Seeing Red...Fish" by Laurie Olson, New Orleans, LA

"Lots of Firsts" and "My Nana Liked to Show Off Her Legs" by Terry (T.J.) Johnmartin, Nederland, TX

"Hooking Out of My Box" by Judy Bruns, Brenham, TX

"Dyeing Primer Part 4: Accordian Fold Dyeing" by Bea Brock, Kerrville, TX

"Taking the Fear Out of Fruit, Part 4" by Carrie Martin, Covington, LA

"Got Wool? Alternative#1: How Does Polar Fleece Fair?" by April D. DeConick, Houston, TX

Congratulations to all of you for the wonderful articles. Region 9 should be proud of its participation in the NEWSLETTER, which is a member-driven publication that counts on all of us to send in our rug photos and articles. Are you worried you "can't write"? Don't worry, send your information, and the editor, Judy Long, can make you look good. Judy is currently looking for Christmas/holiday/snowmen rugs. Deadline for the Dec/Jan issue is October 1. Contact Judy Long, athanews@peoplescom.net.

If you do not receive the NEWSLETTER yet, it's easy. Go to www.atharugs.com, click on "how to join" and join online using paypal, or download the membership form and mail with your check for $26. That will mean you will get 6 full-color 60-page issues mailed to your home for the next year.

REGION 9 ATC SWAP

These rug hookers are ready to swap ATC's:
Martha Reynolds rugbug48@gmail.com
April DeConick adeconick@rice.edu
You can email them for their addresses if you would like to swap.

If you are ready to swap your ATC's, email me to place your name in the Email Update next month.

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Carrie Martin, Covington, LA., who has been named ATHA Education Chair. Carrie is on the Executive Counsel for ATHA and will be working to make our organization better for all our members.

Congratulations to April DeConick, who has just published her book about Palette Dyeing. To learn more, go to www.redjackrugs.blogspot.com.

NEED A FRAME?
Jean, a rug hooker in the Oklahoma City, OK area would like to sell two used frames, but there are not many rug hookers in her immediate area. If interested contact her at farrers2@cox.net.

ATC Swap at Sauder Village

2010-08-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of the Sauder Village rug show was the ATC Swap I attended on Wednesday afternoon. What fun to meet other ruggers and to exchange 'shares' of our rugs with each other! There were seven of us exchanging. So here are the ATCs I received in the swap.

"Pitchers of flowers" #oook, hooked by Kim Dubay on August 10, 2010.

"Yellow Dog" #8, hooked by Teresa Heinze.

"Tex" (Lama), hooked by Judith Rippstein, August 2010.

"Sheep Button & Country" #7, hooked by Kathy Wright, 5-14-10.

"Spider Lily", hooked by Barbara Barton, 2010.

Hot pink abstract, hooked by Donna Lees Bleam.

Pink and green abstract, Nottingham Series 8/9, hooked by Tiffany DeConick, 8-17-10.

Here is a picture of the trading table. What a great time and great memories of looking through everyone's trading cards and swapping with each other!

ATCs are fun to make and swap. Rug Hooking Magazine is holding a swap. If you send in a ATC by September 15, you will get an ATC returned to you by October.

Also, we have an ATC Swap group on Rug Hooking Daily. Post a picture of your ATC by the first of each month, and an exchange with another rugger will be made by the 15th. It's easy.

Alexander's first day of school

2010-08-23T06:43:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it but Alexander is in first grade already. Despite the aftermath of our flood and the fact that we are living in a small room in the upstairs of our home, Alexander made it to his first day of school this morning, I made it to my office, and Wade made it to his classroom. He is starting a new career as a science high school teacher.

I haven't been able to set up a rug hooking spot yet but hope to figure it out soon. I need some relaxation!

Returned to a flood

2010-08-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

I have returned from Sauder to a first floor that flooded. A pipe burst under our kitchen sink and flooded the entire first floor of our house. So I'll try to get some posts up about Sauder and the ATC swap which was a blast, but it may take me some time as I try to sort out my house and get started teaching monday.

Off to Sauder Village

2010-08-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

Alexander and I are leaving tomorrow by train for Michigan to visit my sister and her family. So I am packing up for Sauder. I am taking a few rugs I hooked this last year to exhibit: Saint Nicholas 2009, White Tiger Beauty, Lady Sunset, and my Christmas rug 2010 which I am just finishing. It is called O Christmas tree. Here is a sneak peek. I used wools from the Norfolk family (my blue-purple family).

Alexander is going to display his prodded sunflower which I sewed onto a jean sack for him. He carries his sleep buddies in it.

I will try to post while I'm at my sister's house, but it won't be as regular. I promise to take pictures at Sauder and post them afterward.

The Wool Palette is available

2010-08-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that my book, The Wool Palette, is now available from Lulu.com. I have placed a 'Buy Now' button on the sidebar of my blog which will take you directly to Lulu.com and the fuller description of my book. I am extremely pleased with the book. It is a large book, 8 1/2" by 11", 105 pages. It contains over 60 illustrations and photos, including many of my rugs.

The purpose of the book is to describe step-by-step the Palette Dyeing process, helping you create 67 colors from three 'primary' dye formulas. You start by creating your own red, yellow and blue, and from these 64 other colors can be created.

EXCERPT: Palette Dyeing is conceived from the point of view of a painter who creates all her colors from the three primary colors, by mixing red, yellow and blue. But here is the catch. This process is not about taking pre-made red, yellow and blue straight from the packet and mixing them. This process is about creating your own unique formulas for the three 'primary' colors so that the result will be your own unique color palette of wool. In other words, it is about beginning by mixing a red you love, a yellow you love, and a blue you love, and then combining these signature dyes to create the twelve hues on the color wheel, neutrals and grays and everything in between.

In these lessons, I will be providing complete step-by-step instructions about this process. I will introduce you to color and mixing dyes so that you are able to create your own signature palette of wool. I will also share with you dyeing techniques so that you can create beautiful gradated, textured wools and dappled wools with your palette dyes, wools that will give your rugs fantastic appeal. You will learn in these lessons how to easily dye any color, any value, any time. The lessons begin with instructions for the 8-gradation dyeing process used to create your palette wools. Next color theory is discussed since it forms the basis for Palette Dyeing. Then the lessons proceed with instructions for creating your own 67 Palette Dyes and information about dyeing a single color and value in yardage rather than swatches. The lessons assume no prior knowledge of dyeing, proceed step-by-step through all processes and include notebooks for your samples.

Getting ready for Sauder Village

2010-08-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

This year I'm heading up north to visit my sister and we are going to go to Sauder for the rug exhibit. I just pre-registered some of the rugs I hooked this year, and can't wait to see what other people have been doing. And of course Noah's Ark. The exhibit is usually amazing, so I am looking forward to it.

Anyone else going?

PS: Is anyone interested in setting up a blogger coffee get-together? Around 10 am on Wednesday?

Second Sixth-Month Roundup for Ten-Minute Challenge

2010-08-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

The Ten-Minute rug hookers have been busy during the second six-month installment of the Ten-Minute Challenge. So busy in fact that together we have produced over 50 rugs! These rugs were posted by their creators on our Rug Hooking Daily forum, and here I share them with you in this Ten-minute Roundup collage format. To view the rugs and the comments of the creators, please visit our RDH forum HERE. The creators of the individual rugs are Cynthia Bell, Jennifer Croggon, April DeConick, Tiffany DeConick, Lynn Deitz, Pat Freasier, Sondra Ives, Sharon Johnston, Kim Jones, Melaine Lambe, Jo Leland, Phyllis Lindblade, Allyson Marcolini, Lurie McAdow, Robin from Bandon OR, Lisa Zimmerman. Congratulations to all who are Ten-Minute hookers! I will draw the names of the winners for the two pocket purses at the end of August.

The third six-month installment of the Ten-Minute Challenge starts today. Make rug hooking a daily part of your life. Take up the challenge. If you want to join in the fun, send me your name via email (adeconick@rice.edu) and join the Rug Hooking Daily forum HERE where we post about our progress !

Fifth Saturday Kirby Hooking Circle

2010-07-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

Reminder that we have a fifth saturday in July, which means an extra hook in for the KHC! Hope you can make it.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE hosted their first Mid-Summer Hook-In on June 26, with 55 in attendance for a fun day of hooking and shopping. Besides meeting the third Saturday of each month, we have a 5th Saturday Hook-In on July 31, 11:00-3:30, at Bethany Christian Church, Houston, TX. For more information and to be added to the regular email list, contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

Loopgram: How to create hooked ATCs

2010-07-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

I imagine that every rug hooker who creates ATCs will develop her own way to make them. I gave this some thought and here is the way I went about creating 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" original pieces of art to trade. My concept is to create 8 ATCs for every rug I hook, using leftover wool from the rug. The first I have done is a series of ATCs to accompany Lady Sunset. I have marked each of the 8 ATCs in the series with a number representing its place in the series: 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, etc.

1. I chose black wool as my foundation fabric, so I wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how to bind the tiny card.

2. I cut out a piece of cardboard 1 3/4" by 2 3/4". I pinned this template on my black wool foundation and a hooked around it to establish my outside line. I was able to fit 8 cards on my backing.

3. I used wool leftover from the rug I just finished (Lady Sunset) and filled in the rectangles.

4. I cut each card out of the backing by cutting the foundation fabric about 1/8" wider than the hooking so that the outside dimension measured a perfect 2 1/2" by 3 1/2".

5. I pressed the 8 cards.

6. I printed my backing information on printable fusable fabric: Name, date, title of ATC, no., contact information. I used my cardboard template as the outside dimension to cut out the backing information.

7. I tore 8 pieces of black wool 2 1/2" by 3 1/2". I fused the backing information onto each piece of black wool.

8. I attached the backing to the ATC sewing by hand with black thread all the way around.

9. Took an afternoon, so if you are looking for a fun guild project...

ATC Swap

2010-07-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

I am "in" on creating ATCs. I have already hooked eight but need to go to JoAnn's to buy some printable fabric to make the back of the cards. What are ATCs? Artist Trading Cards. They are 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch pieces of original art that artists create and trade among themselves, building their own collections. They are not sold. The important note is that they have to be this exact size, or they won't fit into collection selves. They are created from whatever medium the artist works in.

Here is a link to Art in my Pocket, a site all about ATCs. Rug Hooking Magazine ran an article about hooked ATCs by Kim Dubay this summer. An online version is HERE. Rug Hooking Magazine is sponsoring a swap HERE; you can upload a photo of a card, send it to them, and they will send you a card in exchange. Martha Reynolds is holding a Region 9 swap. Contact her to swap at rugbug48@gmail.com.

Today I put up a ATC Rug Hooking Swap on Rug Hooking Daily HERE. The idea will be that we will swap cards once a month in order to build our collections. I hope you will join the swap group and get word out that it exists. The more ruggers that join, the richer our swaps will become!

When I finish labeling the backs of my cards, I will put up a loopgram post on how I went about creating my cards.

Region 9 ATHA Events for August

2010-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

FROM: Martha Lowry
ATHA Region 9 Rep
281-550-7562
mlowry52@hotmail.com

UPCOMING REGION 9 EVENTS

JULY

There are only a couple of days left to enjoy the FIBER ARTS INVITATIONAL EXHIBIT at the KERR ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER in Kerrville, TX, July 1-25. The work of 14 fiber artists is featured, including rug hooking artist Karen Maddox, who is exhibiting 8 of her hooked rugs and wall hangings. The KACC is located in Kerrville's historic old post office building, which has been remodeled with 3 wonderful galleries and a gift shop. No admission fee, although donations requested. For operating hours and location, www.kacckerrville.com.

SCULPTED FACE CLASS taught by artist Lebba Kropp at My Little House Rug Hooking Studio, Katy, TX. This is a two-day class being held on July 26 and 30. Even non-artists can sculpt a beautiful face, with Lebba's help. Preregistration required, contact Jan Peckenpaugh, 281-687-2088 or mylilhouse@hotmail.com.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. Knitted Christmas Stocking class July 24, and Christmas Penny Rug Towels class July 31. All classes have limited seating, so call in advance to register. Christmas in July Store Sale Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24. Lisanne Miller, 601-859-4252 or lisannemiller1@aol.com.

AUGUST

ANGELA PUMPHREY WEEKEND RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP, hosted by the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, August 13-15, Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Teachers: Elizabeth Black, Pris Buttler, Beverly Conway, and Carrie Martin. Come enjoy true Heart of Texas hospitality in the heart of San Antonio. Contact: Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

CYNTHIA NORWOOD WORKSHOP, August 25-27, a three-day workshop at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. Price is $195 for three-day class with Cynthia, and includes lunch and snacks each day. Class is full, but call to be placed on waiting list. Contact: Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com, or 601-859-4252.

FREDERICKSBURG HOOKED RUG WOOL GATHERING AND WORKSHOP, August 29-30, at Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Cost is $25 per day, or $45 for both days. Vendors: Bea Brock, Julie Burns, Dorothy Panaceck, Susan Quicksall, Judy Soehnge, and Tricia Travis. Mini workshops and make-it-and-take-its. For more information and registration form, contact Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

SEPTEMBER

ADRIENNE DYKES' CAL CREATIONS AND ANTIQUES SHOP, located behind her home in McKinney, TX is having a MAJOR wool, hooking supply and Fall antique sale on Friday and Saturday, September 10-11, from 10:00 a.m to 4:30 p.m.. Don't miss this opportunity for great wool prices, etc. Call or email for directions or further details. Contact: Adrienne Dykes, 972-542-3214 or cliffpadd3@yahoo.com.

OCTOBER

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY'S THIRD ANNUAL JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the historic Old Jail House, Canton, MS.
Great vendors, cocktail reception, lunches, hooking. Registration $45. Attendance limit is full, but contact Lisanne Miller to be placed on waiting list, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252.

OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31-November 4, at the Downtown Inn and Suites, Oxford, MS. The word is out about this popular and growing camp in north Mississippi, handy to Memphis airport. Teachers: Sibyl Osicka, Beverly Conway, and Bea Brock. Contact: Donna Holdiness, oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738. To get a feeling for this friendly camp, visit the website, www.oxfordrugcamp.com.

NOVEMBER

KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX. Excellence is the word at this Texas Hill Country camp, which offers traditional or primitive rug hooking instruction by all McGown-certified teachers, including Judy Rippstein, Pamela Van Lieu, and Karen Maddox. Three days of classes, evening hooking, shopping, rug raffle, book sale, silent auction, rug show and sale. Contact: Pamela Van Lieu, rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467.

JANUARY, 2011

GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by Texas Rug Runners ATHA CHAPTER, January 14-16, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center. It's time to reserve for this always popular annual weekend get-away. Contact: Melody Lundquist, melody.lundquist@yahoo.com.

FEBRUARY, 2011

ONE RUG, TWO RUG New Orleans Rug Hooking Get-Away, February 9-13, in the historic French Quarter. Carrie and Dorothy have moved their annual camp from June to February, and campers can now enjoy the mild weather and the beginnings of springtime in the French Quarter. Teachers: Sharon Townsend, Diane Stoffel, and Carrie Martin. Consider a get-away in the one-of-a-kind cultural atmosphere of historic New Orleans. Contact: Dorothy Delaune, rdgdelaune@aol.com, or Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 RUG HOOKING GROUPS

Rug hookers love to hook together, and Region 9 offers many groups that welcome rug hookers. Our region has 7 ATHA chapters, whose doors are open to all. They are located in these areas: Jackson, MS; New Orleans; and in Texas--Houston, Arlington, San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and College Station. To learn how to contact them and their meeting times, contact mlowry52@hotmail.com.

In addition, there are many other rug hooking groups, hosted by rug hooking shops, or meeting in churches, libraries and homes. Most are open to all. The following "blurbs" do not represent nearly all the groups. PLEASE send in information about YOUR group.

MCKINNEY TUESDAY HOOKERS' GROUP meets at 10:00 a.m. every Tuesday at Adrienne Dykes' studio in her McKinney, TX home. The group is presently promoting the sale of their Vol. 2 Cookbook, with a portion of the proceeds donated to a charitable organization. They invite you to come and hook with them. Wool and supplies are available at Adrienne's shop, Cal Creations and Antiques, which is located on the premises. Call or email Adrienne or Kay for further information. Adrienne: 972-542-3214 or cliffpadd3@yahoo.com. Kay: 972-562-8282 or kclifton@hughes.net.

BRADY, TX, HOOKING GROUP meets at Designs by Deborah, 113 E. Main St., Brady, TX 76825. Deborah also states that she has completed the addition of wool selections to her website, www.originaldesignsbydeborah.com. Contact Deborah at 325-597-2277 or dneslage@hotmail.com.

KATY LAMBCHOPS, Katy, TX, meet every Wednesday, 10:00-3:00, and the second Saturday of each month, 10:00-3:00, at My Little House, inside Dovetail Antiques in Old Town Katy. This group enjoys monthly make-it-and-take-it projects. They will be making a wool hooked acorn on Wednesday, July 28. To join this group or to be added to the regular email list, contact Jan Peckenpaugh at 281-687-2088 or mylilhouse@hotmail.com.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE hosted their first Mid-Summer Hook-In on June 26, with 55 in attendance for a fun day of hooking and shopping. Besides meeting the third Saturday of each month, they will have a 5th Saturday Hook-In on July 31, 11:00-3:30, at Bethany Christian Church, Houston, TX. For more information and to be added to the regular email list, contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

TYLER AREA HOOKING GROUP is led by Laura Schulze, who teaches rug hooking and sells supplies at Rose Path Weaving in Lindale, TX. Beginning in August, there will be a hooking group meeting on Thursdays at Rose Path. Visit www.rosepath.net to sign up for Laura's rug hooking classes. Laura recently completed a very large, impressionistic-style, multi-fiber rug called "Farm Garden", which some of you saw her hooking at the Texas Rugfest in June. To see this awesome rug, you may visit Rose Path, where the rug is hanging, or Laura's weblog (see Region 9 Blogs/Websites section.) Contact: Laura Schulze, beehiverugs@yahoo.com.

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY ATHA CHAPTER meets the second Saturday of each month at the Old Jail, Canton, MS. Their next meeting is August 14. Contact: Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

HOOK ME UP GROUP meets the third Saturday of each month at Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, Carrollton, TX. Their next meeting is August 21. For more information and to be placed on the regular email list, contact Janet Kersh, woolgarden@hotmail.com.

REGION 9 OPPORTUNITIES

INVITATION TO JOIN A REGION 9 ATC SWAP: Dallas rug hooker Martha Reynolds wishes to start an ATC SWAP in Region 9. If you are interested in swapping these small artist trading cards with fellow rug hookers, and thereby meeting new friends in our region, just send in your name and email address to me, and I will list you in the next Email Update under "ATC Swap". You can then contact one or more on the list and arrange a swap.

What is an ATC? It is a small original hooked piece, measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches. Go to Gene Shepherd's free blog (www.geneshepherd.com and click on free blog) to see one of Martha's ATC's (see July 13 entry). Also, read the current issue of RUG HOOKING MAGAZINE for an article about their ATC Swap. Martha is participating in that one, also. Their website www.rughookingmagazine.com shows some of the ATC's they have received.

According to Martha, "The postage on these is not much if you put them in a greeting card size envelope and mail them regular postage. It costs a little over $1.00. I have six ready to go!" Contact her to swap at rugbug48@gmail.com. And send in your email address for the Update, to swap with other rug hookers.

SEEING RED MAT CHALLENGE

It's only a matter of months until the Seeing Red Exhibit opens in February 2011 at the Trolio Hotel in Canton, MS, curated by Lisanne Miller, ATHA Communications Director. Consider joining the challenge. Details are in the Feb/Mar issue of ATHA NEWSLETTER.

REGION 9 BLOGS/WEBSITES

Many thanks to April DeConick, who often publishes news of Region 9 rug hooking events on her blog www.redjackrugs.blogspot.com. I frequently check her blog to keep up with what's going on. We have many great blogs and websites by Region 9 rug hookers. PLEASE let me know of any more.

www.yellowroseevents.net
www.oxfordrugcamp.com
www.beehiverugs.blogspot.com
www.wool-gatherings.com
www.fredericksburgrugs.com
www.hillcountry-rugworks.com
www.hollyhilldesigns.com
www.originaldesignsbydeborah.com
www.countrygatheringsshop.com
www.stonehillspin.com
www.pisforprimitives.com
www.laceyjaneprims.com
www.mylittlehousedesigns.com
www.judithlesterdesigns.com
www.cotton-eyed-jo.blogspot.com
www.thehogscaldholler.blogspot.com
www.primitivesbythelightofthemoon.blogspot.com
www.patijanesprimitives.blogspot.com
www.edythoneill.blogspot.com

ATHA NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Have you sent one of your rug photos in to ATHA NEWSLETTER? The editor Judy Long works on a deadline which is two months in advance. That means that now she is finishing up the Oct/Nov issue, and is well into work on Dec/Jan. By now, she's looking for articles from ATHA members for Feb/Mar. Do you have a rug with a snowman or Valentine theme? Presidents Day or St. Patrick's? Judy needs fine-cut rugs as well as primitives. Email your rug photos and articles to Judy at athanews@peoplescom.net. Can't write? Don't worry, she will edit for you. If you're not sure, just email your rug photos and she'll tell you what else she needs. We want to read about your rugs.

New Christmas Project

2010-07-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am turning to work on my Santa 2010, Kriss Kringle. I have sketched him on the linen foundation and selected my wools. I am going to be using my Norfolk Family of wools, those created from my blue-purple dye (wool pack on the top of this pile). I think I am going to use a 4-cut for this one because I want to get some detail in the eyes and in the fir. It could easily be hooked in a 6-cut too. It will measure 13 1/2 inches by 16 1/2 inches.

I am going to keep track of how I hook this piece step-by-step, and if I can arrange it, I am considering offering this pattern and instructions as an online VIP rug hooking course in September or October. So watch for that.

Here is a list of the wools I will be selecting from:

Norfolk Lavender 110
Fincastle Brown 141
Wilde Wood 117
Jack Horner Plum 111
Rosehip 45
Midnight Heath 66
Pink Iris 34
Chesterfield 52
Twinkle Periwinkle 56
Gray Lichen 50
Shades of Dusk 23
Gossamer Gray 31

Lady Sunset after a week away

2010-07-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Getting distance from a rug helps. When I returned from Wales and looked at Lady Sunset again, I was still not satisfied. The difference is that I now knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to go in with rainbow, but not as light in value as I had previously tried. This makes the line visible but more subtle so your eye isn't drawn to it instead of the eyes. This rug is about her eyes.

You can see how I work as an artist. I have to hook in my idea and when it fails, I need to try something else. And I keep doing this until I really like it. I have never hooked a rug 'right' the first time. I am always making adjustments to my patterns and to my color and to my lines. I think this is why I love rug hooking so much. It is SO forgiving and generous.

Some have asked about a pattern. Yes, I will be drawing it up. My patterns take so long to develop because I have to hook them first and make adjustments until I am satisfied with the lines. Now I will go back to the rug itself and trace it, working it into a pattern. Hope to get to it this week.

Lady Sunset

2010-07-18T08:15:00.001-07:00

I tweaked and bound, and here is the result. I altered some of the values in the left of the face and went back to a dark outline because I felt the eye needed the dark line to bring the viewer into the center of the face to rest. I don't know if I will keep the dark line or not. I'm sleeping on it for the week.

A note to my readers: I am leaving for Wales today for five days. Not a vacation, unfortunately. It is for a professional conference on the Gospel of John where I am delivering a paper. So I will be back home next weekend and will begin posting again at that time.

The ugliest thing I have ever rug hooked

2010-07-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, when I got done with Sol Invictus and laid it down on the floor and took a picture of it, all I could think was "my gosh this is the ugliest thing I have ever rug hooked"!

What was wrong? I decided it was two things. The dark outline around his face and the awful petal rays. Was it supposed to be a flower or a sun?

So out came the dark outline and the petal rays, and in went rainbow outline and rays following the colors on the face. I also went away from straight linear hooking and pebbled the rays like the background. I am loving pebbling, and may have a hard time going back to linear hooking. I've renamed it Sunrise Sunset.

Anyway I like the result. Although it is still not my favorite rug, it taught me a lot about color, value and pebbling. I am still not sure about the darker values of the green on the left side of the face, so I may still do a little value tweaking after I bind off the edges.

The winner is...

2010-07-15T05:43:00.001-07:00

Alice from Folk Art Primitives...send me your address and the colors you prefer to hook with via email (adeconick@rice.edu) and I will mail you a Red Jack Rugs Palette Pack in celebration of my Blogiversary! Thanks to all who left messages on my Blogiversary post.

Fiber Arts Invitational Exhibit in Kerrville

2010-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

From Martha Lowry, ATHA regional rep.

The Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, Kerrville, TX, is having a Fiber Arts Invitational exhibit July 1-25, 2010. There are 14 fiber artist featured and Karen Maddox will be exhibiting eight of her hooked rugs/wall hangings. The KACC is located in the historic "old post office", which has been remodeled with three wonderful gallery exhibit spaces and a gift shop. There is no entrance fee--only donations. It is an exciting exhibit!

I've been working on The Wool Palette

2010-07-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today I sent in my book, The Wool Palette, to be published. Once I get the proofs and approve them, I will post on availability. I am really happy with the way it turned out. I was able to get it printed in full color in paperback, 8 1/2" by 11". So there are over 90 full color illustrations, photos (including my rugs), and sample chips of all the dyes.

The book is a complete guide to Palette Dyeing. I go step-by-step through the Palette Dyeing process, from creating your primary three colors, to mixing them to make the twelve colors on the color wheel. Then I detail how to create the 55 extended colors by blending the twelve in various combinations. I also provide directions for creating textures, mottled wool, and black to match your palette. The instructions assume no prior knowledge of dyeing. Anyone can do it. It is really easy and exciting!

The back of pebbling

2010-07-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

Marita asked to see a picture of the backside of the pebbled area. Here it is. The hooking is flat with no crossovers, but non-linear.

Loopgram: How to pebble a background

2010-07-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

I started hooking the background of Sol Invictus by hooking in curved lines and filling around them as we normally do, using four textures I overdyed with Fincastle Brown 141, the same color I'm using in the eyes and around the rays.

But the linear background competed with the sun face. So I ripped it out and began to play around with non-linear hooking and came up with a technique I'm calling 'pebbling' because the way the loops are arranged remind me of pebbles on the bottom of a riverbed. It is very simple, based on the concept of the 'random walk' or 'drunken walk'.

The loops are hooked non-linearly and randomly, although not jumping around or crossing over like in waffling or pearling where spaces are left between the loops and filled in with another color. With pebbling, each loop touches the previous one, but is not hooked in a line (or a circle or a curve which are hooked linearly too). There are no crossovers on the back.

So here are pictures of how I pebbled the background, hooking with loops staggering next to each other. I worked small random areas and kept filling in with the pebbling technique until the area was complete. I absolutely LOVE the look and think that this may become my favored technique for hooking backgrounds. I might have to experiment with using this technique in motifs as well.

After I saw how beautiful the effect is, I began to wonder why we are always looking linearly, why we are taught to do this. I imagine that it has to do with rug hooking's history as a craft imitating rugs that are created on looms or machines where lines are the only way to create tapestries. But we don't have to be restricted by lines! Hook randomly today!

Dapple dye art?

2010-07-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that these dapple dyes I've been creating are so beautiful that I have a terrible time tearing them up and then stripping them for use in rugs. It seems to me that they are pieces of art themselves. The question is, how to show them off as such. Any ideas? Check out these two pieces that came out of my dye pot this morning (Jack Horner Plum 111).

Sol Invictus

2010-07-02T05:48:00.000-07:00

To say the least, I did not finish Sol Invictus for the Kirby Hook In's Celestial Challenge. So I continue to work on the piece. It is inspired by the angel face mosaic that was recently uncovered in Istanbul, in the famous mosque Hagia Sophia.

I am working the piece from several colors in my Goodfellow color family, the family that is based on the yellow dye formula Goodfellow Yellow 105.

Goodfellow Yellow 105
Sunkissed Gold 157
Ellendale Orange 126
Russet Red Jack 143
Moorland Moss 106
Will 'O Wisp 158
Fincastle Brown 141

I also used some strips of Moorland Moss 106 dapple dyed wool around the eyes to get a variegated effect. I'm out to lunch on the background, although I think it will be dark and some overdyed textures. I'm thinking Fincastle Brown 141 at the moment (the dark color tipping the rays).

I am at the point of tweeking the face, so I just converted my color photograph to black and white so I can see the values better to make sure that they are what I want them to be. If I see something too light or too dark I will pull out the strip and replace it with another value. I hook by thinking about values, where the light and shadow is on the object I'm hooking. I try to cluster my colors at the same time I mix them so I'm using the same value of different colors here an there (like in the forehead). Immediately I see that there are two strips under the right eye that are too dark and one over the right eye that is too dark. So I will replace those with lighter strips.

Alex's first tooth lost

2010-07-01T05:21:00.000-07:00

Monday Alexander lost his first tooth. Here he is proudly smiling just moments after losing his tooth. He is very excited to have lost this tooth because it means to him that he is getting to be a big boy, which he is. Where has my baby gone?

Loopgram: How to hook with palm spun roving

2010-06-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

I have been promising for months to post on how to hook with palm spun roving. I learned how to do this from a spinner at a yarn shop who sold me roving and gave me an old pair of carding paddles to help with the process.

I was intent on hooking roving to create a ram as the central figure of my rug Got Wool? I had no idea what I was doing when I started, but I discovered that I love hooking with roving and will probably do another piece one day since the ram turned out so well. The texture is beyond belief.

The first thing you do is take a bit of roving and spread it out in your left palm. Then put your right hand over top and briskly move your hands back and forth so that the roving begins to felt into a slender piece of yarn. Add a little more roving to the end and briskly felt another piece onto the end of the first. In this way you can extend the roving into a piece of yarn as long as you wish to hook with. It helps to begin wrapping it into a ball.

Want to mix colors so you can shade and blend rovings? Easy to do. Just take one of the carding paddles and run one of the colors of roving in between the teeth. On top of this layer another color of roving. Then put the other paddle on top and without locking the teeth pull the top paddle to the right. Continue until you have blended the rovings together. Do this until the roving is blended as much as you want it. Then use this blended roving to create your palm spun yarn as shown above.

A GREAT Hook In

2010-06-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

The first annual Midsummer Kirby Hook In was FANTASTIC. What fun we all had. Here are some highlights including pictures of my booth.

Alexander was a BIG help setting up. Here he is showing off the booth after helping to carry in the baskets and put the table covers on the tables. The rug sign worked out great. It was light weight enough that I just propped it up on some baskets. The DYEING TO HOOK aprons were really popular, and the t-shirts (especially the I LOVE HOOKING coral pink). It was really satisfying to me to see all my wool laid out like a color wheel around the U-shaped tables. I haven't checked to see yet what were the most popular colors out of the 70. I don't recall selling any more of one color than the rest. So my gut says that when given the choice people pick the colors that they like, and we all like something a little bit different.

Here is a picture of the hook in itself. The rug show had great rugs, but since I didn't seek permission to post pictures of them (I was too busy!), I am not putting those up. Martha Lowry won the Viewer's Choice for the Celestial Challenge rug (her own cute design of a Texas moon with a steer jumping over it). Kathy Stephens won the Viewer's Choice for her primitive rug of a boat with animals in it (...I apologize for not knowing the name of the rug). CONGRATULATIONS!

A HUGE thanks to Lurie McAdow, the women of the Kirby Hooking Circle and the staff at Bethany Christian Church. You made this 'idea' a REALITY!

Tomorrow is the Midsummer Kirby Hook In

2010-06-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is here, but yes it is! The first Midsummer Kirby Hook In is tomorrow at Bethany Christian Church in Houston. It will be the first show I set up a Red Jack Rugs shop, so I am extra excited. I have twenty baskets of wool and some novelty items and patterns.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE'S MID-SUMMER HOOK-IN is this Saturday, June 26, 9:00-4:00 at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77098. Vendors include Lacey Jane Primitives, CheapSheep.com, Cal Creations and Antiques, Donna Holt Footstools, and My Little House Rug Hooking Studio, and Red Jack Rugs. If you have not registered, don't worry...WALK-INS ARE WELCOME. If you have not preregistered, you will need to bring a sack lunch or take advantage of a restaurant in the area. The Rug Show is from 1:00-3:00, and everyone is welcome, free of charge for the rug show itself. Contact: Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

Got Wool? is bound on foam board

2010-06-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

Here I am last night putting the finishing touches on Got Wool? It took three evenings to bind, and last night I took three pieces of foam board, taped them together and mounted the rug on them by sewing through the rug and the foam board. I carefully sewed the rug onto the board around the perimeter of the rug by threading in and out following the troughs between the loops. This way, the threads aren't exposed and don't crinkle the loops. This is a great way to create a stiff and light-weight foundation for rugs that you might want to hang. The process only requires inexpensive foam board, needle and thread, and a few chairs to prop things up.

PS: no need to buy an expensive foam board cut to size by a framing department; I just used the cheap 20 by 30 inch foam boards that Michael's sells for a few dollars apiece, cut them to size with scissors and taped them together with clear packing tape.

Manuscript inspiration

2010-06-16T07:43:00.001-07:00

I was surfing the internet this morning to find an image of Mary Magdalene for a project associated with my professional life, and I was reminded of the utter beauty of manuscript illuminations and how well they would translate into hooked rugs as borders and motifs. Take a look at some of these:

I also found this fascinating website where there are lots of vintage printables collected.

As I was surfing, I ran across someone interesting. In the mid-1800s, William Morris founded a design company that produced high quality textiles and tapestries (read more HERE). He adored medieval art and manuscripts, and thought "modern" art was only about mass production. So he based his company's designs on medieval images and produced some of the world's most outstanding and creative decorative art that helped to spawn the arts and crafts movement in the Victorian era. As I browsed his work, I was surprised to discover how his designs appear to have influenced rug hookers in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Here are some of his works which I show from The Tapestry House website which sells reproductions of his textiles.

He sometimes included text on his tapestries. One of them that caught my attention were the words: "Honour the Women, they broid and weave heavenly roses into earthly life." It is called Ehret die frauen (Honor the Women):

Got Wool? finished

2010-06-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

I finished hooking the last two inches of Got Wool? tonight. Phew! It turned out 55" by 29" when all is said and done. I have to bind it yet...spent two hours and I am not even half way around the perimeter yet (the first time!). So it will be a couple more nights of binding before I block it and share the finished photos here. I have to be careful when I block it because so much of it was hooked with alternative fabrics that do not fare well with irons. So I will only block the wool areas, and then not the fleece. I also want to post "how to" for hooking with fleece and creating hand felted yarn. Soon...

Boxes and boxes of wool

2010-06-14T05:35:00.001-07:00

What have I been up to lately? Organizing the palette wool now that I have dyed all 69 colors in 8-gradations each. It was a chore figuring out how to organize and store the wool. Since my numbering system is arbitrary in terms of color, I found that I couldn't organize according to the dye numbers. I also found that changing dye numbers mid-stream is a bad idea. I tried it on a couple of dyes and ended up with jars of liquid dye in my cupboard that got mixed up and mislabeled because of it. I only found out after I dyed up material and lo and behold the wrong color emerged.

So I spent several hours viewing the wool and putting it into baskets that made sense in terms of color. Then I made little plastic signs and attached them to each basket so I know what is supposed to be in each basket.

I'm almost finished with Got Wool?, and will post a picture soon. Also been working on some surprises for the Kirby Midsummer Hook In on June 26th.

Finishing up the creation of my palette

2010-06-07T13:43:00.001-07:00

I have done it. I have finished my palette. Here are the final two.

Riv 'n Dale 165
Canterbury Red 167

I have to dye up many of the dapple versions of my colors and a few more textures to complete my slides, and then I will be done and ready to upload them.

Celebrating the birthday of my blog with a drawing

2010-06-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it, but a year ago today I started this blog with my first post. Since then it has been read 53250 times (I can't believe this but that is what the counter says). It has tracked my progress as a rug hooking artist, and it is such a surprise to look back and see what I accomplished this year. The Ten-Minute Challenge had a lot to do with it! It kept my rug hooking in my living room and on my mind. So within the last year, I produced a number of rugs (see below) and discussed their creation on my blog.

I wonder how this year has been for you and your rug hooking? What goals have you met? What surprises happened to you along the way? Leave me a comment by June 12th and I will put your name in a Drawing Celebration for a pack of Red Jack Palette Wool.

I have met wonderful people on the internet who love rugs and hooking as much as I do, and I have been inspired by my new friendships and blogs I have discovered along the way. I have been encouraged by all of you who have left me comments or sent me emails and I am grateful for each of you. My blog has connected me to a world of rug hookers I would never have known otherwise and I have benefited tremendously from this interchange!

I found Rug Hooking Daily and Heidi Wulfraat (and her beautiful textiles), and have been very inspired by this fantastic network of rug hookers and the resources it provides. I love the RHD groups I belong to and only wish I had more time to spend in the chat rooms!

My blog has helped me figure out the Texas triangle of rug hooking. Being a new Texan (a displaced Michigander) meant that I had lost my hooking connections and didn't know how to find new ones. Luckily I ran across an ad in Rug Hooking Magazine for the Stash Sisters ATHA guild and once I joined the wonderful (and wonderfully creative!) people in the guild helped me to reconnect to rug hooking in Houston. Martha Lowry's electronic ATHA regional newsletters have been a valuable rich resource that I am pleased to be able to post every month.

In the process of hooking this year, I figured out how to 'pearl', 'waffle' and 'seed', and gave myself permission to hook everyday and break the rules while doing so! What freedom that was!

This year has also brought me to explore abstract art and I find myself close to finishing my first abstract piece (Baptism by Fire) and planning my second.

I also joined the Rug Hooking Merit Program (started by Phyllis Lindblade) and began to explore with fascination hooking with alternative fabrics. I have recently returned to that rug, Got Wool?, and will complete it in the next few days.

I learned quite a bit about the history of rug hooking, taking particular interest in the 1920s, and hope to examine that period more thoroughly in the coming year.

One of the biggest highlights of the year for me was the launching of the Kirby Hooking Circle. Lurie McAdow has been the main mover and shaker and it has been great working with her to get this central Houston hooking circle established and running. I am really looking forward to our first Hook In on June 26.

I spent much of the year figuring out how to dye my own palette of wools. What started out to be a project to create twelve colors on the color wheel has turned into a complete project of dyeing 68 colors in 8 gradations each. I have two more to go to meet my goal but that will have to wait until tomorrow. All of this has led me to build a new website (which is almost done) and the launching of my Red Jack Rugs wool business (coming soon to the web) to make available for the first time a full artist's palette of wool created from three original 'primary' dyes. All my dyeing and experimenting has also led to the beginning of writing a book on the process - The Wool Palette - which I hope to finish over the summer.

'Seeding' leaves

2010-05-31T15:57:00.001-07:00

I'm back finishing my rug "Got Wool?" It is made of all alternative fabrics except a section of the outside border where I meld into wool alone. One of the problems I face is trying to achieve a look of continuity since the alternative fabrics like commercial polar fleece and velvets I choose have really created leaves full of color and depth that not even a spot dyed wool can handle. The commercial fabrics are all about vibrant color and lots of distinct patterns that hook up with a very colorful pixelated look like this:

The solution? I developed a 'seeding' technique. First I hooked my leaves as I would normally do, with a number of values and dapple dyed wools, so that the leaves look like this:

Then I went in and over-hooked little seeds of bright and dark colors, squeezing them in between the rows and loops at random (like seeding the troughs in a plowed field). You have to be careful to move the loops aside before plunging into the rows, because it is easy to puncture the wool already hooked. Also, since you are overhooking, you are creating a back that will be layered in the places you have over-hooked, a real 'no-no' according to the rug hooking experts. But again I find myself more than willing to sacrifice standard 'good girl' technique to achieve the look I want.

Here is the result of seeding, so that the leaves fit in to the piece now:

Eye of the Celestial Challenge

2010-05-25T04:38:00.000-07:00

While sick, I have been doing a little bit of rug hooking, although not too much more dyeing. I want to keep the piece a surprise because I'm hooking it for the Kirby Hooking Circle's Celestial Challenge at the Midsummer's Hook In. But here is a peek.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE'S MID-SUMMER'S HOOK-IN, Saturday, June 26, 9:00-4:00, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77098. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER! Registration has been extended to June 15. This new Houston hooking group is hosting their first regional hook-in, with great vendors, including: Lacey Jane Primitives, CheapSheep.com, Cal Creations and Antiques, Donna Holt Footstools, My Little House Rug Hooking Studio, and Red Jack Rugs. Rug show 1:00-3:00. Registration is $25, and includes choice of boxed lunch. For more information and registration form, contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

Region 9 ATHA Events for June

2010-05-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

by Martha Lowry

UPCOMING REGION 9 EVENTS

JUNE

EUREKA SPRINGS HOOK-IN, June 12, 9:00-5:00, at the Inn of the Ozarks, Hwy 62W, Eureka Springs, AR. Meet rug hookers and shop the great vendors. Preregister by contacting Vicki Hardcastle, rughooking@hughes.net.

TEXAS RUGFEST HOOK-IN, Monday, June 21, 9:00-4:00, at the Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. Eight thousand square feet of shopping and rug hooking. Vendors, door prizes, rug show, refreshments. Event organizer Susan Harper calls it the greatest one-day rug hooking event of its kind. Contact Susan at texasrugfest@yahoo.com, or 817-571-7825, or 817-681-3377.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE'S MID-SUMMER'S HOOK-IN, Saturday, June 26, 9:00-4:00, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77098. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER! Registration has been extended to June 15. This new Houston hooking group is hosting their first regional hook-in, with great vendors, including: Lacey Jane Primitives, CheapSheep.com, Cal Creations and Antiques, Donna Holt Footstools, and My Little House Rug Hooking Studio. Rug show 1:00-3:00. Registration is $25, and includes choice of boxed lunch. For more information and registration form, contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

NEW ORLEANS RUG HOOKING GATHERING, June 27-July1, at the Boutique French Quarter Hotel. Instructors: Diane Stoffel, Carrie Martin. Contacts: Dorothy Delaune, rgdelaune@aol.com or Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net.

JULY

JANE OLSON WORKSHOP, sponsored by the Hub City Rughookers in Lubbock, TX. This is a three-day workshop on July 18, 19, and 20, with Jane Olson and Diane Burdett teaching rug hooking and rug braiding. The workshop will be held at the Wolfforth Library in Lubbock. Rug hooking for beginner to advanced, and braiding for all levels will be offered. For registration form and details, contact Teresa Heinze, tmheinze@sbcglobal.net.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY EVENT at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. A different Christmas project will be offered each Saturday in July. These projects include: Hooked Table Runner (July 17), Knitted Christmas Stocking in wild colors and storewide sale (July 24), and Christmas Penny Rug Towels (July 31). For more information, contact Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com, or 601-859-4252.

AUGUST

ANGELA PUMPHREY WEEKEND RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP, hosted by the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, August 13-15, Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Teachers: Elizabeth Black, Pris Buttler, Beverly Conway, and Carrie Martin. Contact: Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

CYNTHIA NORWOOD WORKSHOP, August 25-27, a three-day workshop at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. Price is $195 for the three-day class, which includes lunch and snacks each day. For more information and registration form, contact Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252.

FREDERICKSBURG HOOKED RUG WOOL GATHERING AND WORKSHOP, August 29-30, at Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Cost is $25 per day, or $45 both days. Vendors: Bea Brock, Julie Burns, Dorothy Panaceck, Susan Quicksall, Judy Soehnge, and Tricia Travis. Mini workshops and make-it-and-take-its. For more information and registration form, contact Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com, or 210-651-4470.

OCTOBER

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY'S THIRD ANNUAL JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the historic Old Jail House, Canton, MS. Great vendors, a cocktail reception, lunches, snacks, great goody bags. Registration $45. Contact Lisanne Milller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31- November 4, at the Downtown Inn and Suites, Oxford, Mississippi. Located in a historic Mississippi town near Memphis, the camp is in its fifth year. Teachers: Bea Brock, Beverly Conway, Sibyl Osicka. For information and registration form, contact Donna Holdiness, oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738.

NOVEMBER

KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX, in the historic Texas Hill Country near San Antonio. Teachers: Karen Maddox, Judy Rippstein, and Pamela Van Lieu. Contact Pamela Van Lieu, rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467. Registration deadline June 15. Three days of classes, evening hooking, shopping, rug raffle, book sale, silent auction, rug show and sale.

JANUARY, 2011

GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by Texas Rug Runners ATHA Chapter, January 14-16, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center's Stillwater Lodge. Contact: Melody Lundquist, melody.lundquist@yahoo.com.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 RUG HOOKING GROUPS

For more information on how to contact one of the many rug hooking groups in Region 9, email mlowry52@hotmail.com. The news below was recently sent in by members of some of those groups. Please send in your hooking group information. We love to hear what you're doing.

AGGIELAND RUG ARTISTS (College Station, TX) met May 20 in the home of member Martha Hix, and enjoyed hooking in her sun room, surrounded by the hundreds of beautiful orchids she grows as a hobby. In fact, being an AGGIELAND member has an added bonus. Martha furnishes the other members with one of her orchid arrangements whenever they host the group.
Members Jolene Doyle, Loyce Kahil, and Emma Gene Shroeder recently enjoyed a day of rug hooking at the Wildflower Rug Hooking Retreat (Round Top, TX) in May. There they enjoyed meeting other rug hookers, shopping, hooking, and especially hearing the story of Georgeanne Wertheim's MOURNING SAMPLER rug (see news item below). Contact: Emma Gene Shroeder, emmagene@suddenlink.net.

ROUND TOP RUGGERS recently enjoyed making wool "feather trees" at their regular monthly hooking get-together April 24, at the historic courthouse in Round Top, TX. This group meets the last Saturday of each month, and their next meeting is Saturday, May 29, 10:00-4:00 at the Round Top Courthouse. For more information, contact Karen Kubeczka, karen.kubeczka@mac.com.

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY (MISSISSIPPI) recently held officer elections. New officers include: Lisanne Miller, president; Jane Dunaway, vice president; Carol Hettick, treasurer; Frances Dunaway, secretary; Sandra Holmes, librarian; and Cindy Mansel, historian. This group meets monthly at the historic Old Jail in Canton, MS. They will not meet in June; the next meeting is Saturday, July 10. All rug hookers are welcome. Contact: Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

KATY LAMBCHOPS (Katy, TX) meet every Wednesday (10:00-4:00) and the second Saturday of each month (10:00-2:00) at My Little House, inside Dovetail Antiques in Old Town Katy. They enjoy hooking, needlepunching, and make-it-and-take-it projects. This month, they will be making an appliqued strawberry needle case and a hooked strawberry pin cushion, at their hook-in on Wednesday, May 26. Let Jan know if you'd like to join in. Contact: Jan Peckenpaugh, mylilhouse@hotmail.com or 281-687-2088.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE (Houston, TX). Beginning in May, the Kirby Hooking Circle will add another day of hooking. Every month that has five Saturdays, mark your calendar and come to the 5th Saturday Hook-In. The dates for 2010 are May 29, July 31, and October 30. They meet at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd, from 11:00-3:30, just as they do on each 3rd Saturday. Contact Lurie McAdow to be added to the regular email reminder list, luriemcadow@aol.com.

HOOK ME UP GROUP (Carrollton, TX) meets every 3rd Saturday from 10:00-3:00 at the Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, 1529 E. Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75010. Their next meeting is June 19. Join them for a day of informal hooking. Sometimes this group gives classes. Janie Staples led a class in making a Cindy Goolsby accessory bag design in April, which was very popular. Bring your sack lunch and drink, and a $2 donation to the church for facility use. They meet in the large fellowship hall on the west side of the building. Contact Janet Kersh for more information and to be added to the regular email reminder list, woolgarden@hotmail.com.

STASH SISTERS (Houston, TX) recently raffled their rug, "Every Season Hath Joy" at their annual regional hook-in in April. The rug, which was a year-long hooking project of the group, was designed by group member T.J. Johnmartin (Nederland, TX). A large rug (32 x 51 inches), T.J. divided it into twelve blocks, measuring 8 x 11 inches each, depicting the 12 months of the year. The winning raffle ticket was drawn from hundreds of tickets on April 10, and belonged to beginner rug hooker Barbara Bosse (Clear Lake, TX). Member Sondra Ives wrote an article about hooking a raffle rug, which she submitted to ATHA NEWSLETTER, so look for photos in a future issue. The Stash Sisters would like to thank Region 9 rug hookers for their wonderful support of the rug raffle. Contact: P.D. Hankamer, heartspd1@yahoo.com.

NOTE: Before traveling to a hooking group meeting, check with the contact person to make sure there has not been a cancellation.

A RUG DESIGN FROM GRAVESTONE RUBBINGS

At the recent Wildflower Rug Hooking Retreat in May (Round Top, TX), attendee Georgeanne Wertheim had a surprise for her fellow rug hookers. The previous year at the same retreat, Georgeanne, a San Antonio artist and rug hooker, battled the heat and chiggers to prowl among the gravestones in the historic cemetery behind the church where the retreat is held. She and P.D. Hankamer, Houston area rug hooker and teacher, made gravestone rubbings and photographs of the old tombstones and markers.

At this year's retreat, Georgeanne unveiled her rug that she had designed from a sampling of the rubbings. Called "Mourning Sampler", the rug design consists of doves perched in a basket of vines and sunflowers. Hooked in golds, browns, rusts, and ivory textures, the rug was full of meaningful imagery, which Georgeanne had researched and explained. As a special treat, Georgeanne brought a roll of butcher paper and markers, and invited all the retreat participants to copy her original pattern for themselves.

Look for Georgeanne's rug photos and story about how to design a rug from gravestone rubbings in a future issue of ATHA NEWSLETTER.

And don't forget to submit your own rugs and stories to the NEWSLETTER, which is a 60-page full color collection of rugs, stories, timely how-to articles, and event reminders. To receive the NEWSLETTER six times a year, go to www.atharugs.com and click on "how to join". To submit an article to the NEWSLETTER, email editor Judy Long at athanews@peoplescom.net.

REGION 9 BLOGGERS

A couple of months ago, some great Region 9 blogs were mentioned in the Email Update. Here are a few more to check out:

www.cotton-eyed-jo.blogspot.com
www.edythoneill.blogspot.com
www.mylittlehousedesigns.com

Email any blogs/websites of Region 9 Rug hookers, to be included in the Email Update, to mlowry52@hotmail.com.

THANKS

Thanks for reading this email newsletter, and especially for sending in your news to be included. If you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please email me.

Martha Lowry
ATHA Region 9 Rep
281-550-7562
mlowry52@hotmail.com

Under the weather

2010-05-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I have been under the weather. As soon as I feel better I will be back...

Five more wools

2010-05-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

From right to left: Nightshade Berry 160; Tanglewood 148; Fiddlehead 164; Ring 'O Rosie 161; Briar Rose 159. Phew!

I'm coming down the home track with my colors - only 7 more to go. It looks like when I make all the mixtures on the color wheel, I will end up with 68 colors in 8 values each, making 544 color options! There are vibrant colors, subdued colors, primitive colors, country colors, modern colors, all the result of various combinations of my three main dye formulas. I am so excited that this experiment is working out so well. And that it is a simple process no more difficult than mixing paints on a palette.

In the meantime I have discovered that the colors are falling into twelve color families, which will take the guessing out color planning for my rugs! I can't wait to continue hooking my palette rugs - the Kirby Hooking Circle's Celestial Challenge will be my next.

What I'm learning about Abstract rug hooking

2010-05-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished hooking Baptism by Fire. I have about six inches in length to go. It has been a different experience from hooking representational pieces. What am I learning about hooking abstracts?

1. Color matters more. Since there is no 'picture' to view, what really matters is color. Color is what grabs the attention and gives the emotional pull to the piece. So color can't be 'off'. I thought that randomly hooking colors next to each other would be fine. But there were times I had to go back and pull out and adjust the color because it was 'off'.

2. Value matters more. I have known how important value is to representational pieces since it is what 'pops' the object to be viewed. But when you have no object, the values are what the eye sees as the 'picture'. So where I hook the light values is where the eye goes. The eye then rests in the dark values and the medium values disappear. Again, I have found that I have had to go back and rehook areas of the rug to get the value right so the visual flow was not interrupted.

3. Size matters more. The emotional impact of the piece increases with the size of the abstract. The more length I have added onto my piece, the more I like the feeling of it when I view it. I find the same is true when I go to a gallery and view abstract art. The size of the pieces (which are often enormous or overscale) create a feeling of immensity and power.

4. Direction matters more. The direction of the hooking is extremely important. It is what provides the movement. Without an object to view, the direction of the hooking provides the interest. Straight rows decrease the movement and keep the piece flat and slow (which might what you want in certain abstracts). Slight curves all lined up in rows effects slight movement and peace. The more curve, the faster the flow. Interspersed color or value such as the waffling technique I used in Baptism by Fire has the fastest, even chaotic, flow.

More photos of new colors

2010-05-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

Four new colors to post (from top to bottom): Twinkle Periwinkle 156; Nymph Green 155; Sun Kissed Gold 157; Red Oak 144.

Camera battery is recharging

2010-05-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

I've been taking so many pictures of my woolens lately, that my camera battery died this afternoon just as I was going to take a picture of the two latest wools I dyed. So tomorrow I'll post them and the two I worked on creating today. So check back tomorrow if you want to see pictures.

Also, I got tired of hand sewing my labels on. So I bought this niffy label gun that shoots plastic t-pins through the layers. It creates very secure labels, and is quite a bit quicker than hand sewing, except when it doesn't work and shoots big holes in my labels!

More colors

2010-05-12T08:10:00.001-07:00

Some of you have commented that you like the pictures of the dyed wool I have been taking. Thanks because it is all I have right now. I can't get this intensive dyeing done and hook at the same time. So the next few weeks are going to continue to be mainly dye posts. I promise to get back to other items soon!

Here is Violet Twilight 132, and Red Oak 144.

Dyeing up a storm

2010-05-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

More woolens from my dye pot. Meet Crab Apple, 135; Will 'O Wisp 158; Rosewood, 138; Russet Red, 143 (Photo: top to bottom).

Dyeing on Mother's Day?!

2010-05-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

We are enjoying our AC. Good to have it back and better. We are thrilled that we have gone GREEN. Our AC, thanks to President Obama, will get us a $1500 tax credit this year because it is a 16 SEER energy efficient unit that doesn't use freon. So we aren't hurting the ozone anymore, and since our old unit was only a 10 SEER and thirty years old, we are going to be using about 1/2 the power to run heat and air. For those of you in the north (and I used to be one of you), AC in Houston is like heat in Michigan or Ontario. I always thought of AC as a not-so-necessary luxury because I never lived in a hot climate before until moving to Houston. Now I know different. A week without air in May is barely bearable. In July and August, well, heat exhaustion and heat stroke would be a serious threat.

My garage dye kitchen is working well. Four more colors produced this weekend: Spanish Moss 140; Mackinaw Lilac (MY FAVORITE SO FAR) 133; Pink Iris 134; and Rosehip (named by Alexander) 145.

I have also been working on creating Kinship Color Palette Collections, to take the guess work out of color planning for rugs. I'm having SO much fun.

I want to also mention that my sister Tiffany is on this same adventure with me. She is dyeing her entire palette too. It is great to compare notes daily, to see how our different primaries are effecting the color mixing process.

All of this I am working into a book called The Wool Palette which I hope to have available in hard cover and paperback by midsummer.

My new dye kitchen

2010-05-08T10:57:00.001-07:00

With all this dyeing, I am tired of having pots of wool simmering on my stove top and my crock pot on my counter top. My kitchen feels like a mess all the time, and trying to get dinner put together around all the canners has become more than inconvenient.

My solution? I don't have a big home, so there is no room for an extra kitchen. Since I live in the center of Houston in a townhouse, there is no place to build a suitable space. So yesterday I took a corner in my garage, bought two electric hot places, and set up my dye shop. It isn't elegant, but it works. I was out there this morning and Wade dropped by to take a picture.

It is hot here in Houston and my new AC is being installed, so it felt good to be in the cool garage with the hot pots. I also love the fact that none of the dyes steam and fumes are in my home anymore. And the best thing? My kitchen is free to be a kitchen again! And the AC is soon going to be turned on.

Black and black

2010-05-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

It really is true that not all blacks are the same. Artists who paint usually don't buy black tubes of paint because the black in the tube was created by mixing a bunch of colors together, colors that the artist may not have on her palette already. So artists create their own black by mixing their own colors on their palette together until a beautiful black emerges.

Rug hookers face a real dilemma when it comes to black. Last year when I was hooking the black background around Saint Nicholas, it looked awful. It was the wrong black. I resolved the problem by taking the black wool and overdyeing it with the dyes I had used on the wool for the rest of the santa. It worked! When I hooked it in, it was perfect.

Our eyes are that keen. The color of black matters. So now all my black wool is hand processed with the same dyes I use in creating my palette wools. The picture shows it all. The bottom is the black wool I started with. The top is the rich antique black that came out of my dye pot!

Learn more about Abstract Art

2010-05-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Heidi posted a link to this u-tube video about Abstract Art on RHD. The clip is so good that I am embedding in my blog in case you missed it on Rug Hooking Daily. I hope it will inspire you to go abstract with your hooking, and join the 2010 Abstract Rug Challenge on RHD.

3 new colors

2010-05-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much the last few days. But I have been dealing with a broken air conditioner and the knowledge that the whole heating and cooling system in our home needs to be replaced. So I have been spending time getting estimates and settled on Sears after having a home consultant come out yesterday. I have been dyeing in between estimates, since the mornings have been especially nice here in Houston. I have flung open my doors and let in the cool morning air while my dye pots have been simmering on the stove. I have three more colors to post today, and two more in the pot. I don't know if I will dye more today or tomorrow because I have to finish my final grading by Friday. At the moment, I have 41 of my 54 kinship palette colors created.

Pictured here (bottom to top): Fruited Raisin 151 (blue-green and purple-red), Conch Shell 142 (yellow-green and purple), and Black Orchid 146 (red-orange and blue).

Pixies and coffee

2010-05-02T18:53:00.001-07:00

That's the name of these two new colors: Coffee Bean 137 (red and yellow-green) and Pixie Green 154 (yellow-green and blue-green).

More dyeing

2010-05-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hope you don't get bored. But dyeing is my free time activity these days. I have decided to just push ahead and get all the mixing done. After guild, I came home and mixed the rest of the dry dyes I need to complete the 54 colors. And so I continue dyeing. Here are the latest two: Sweet Tangerine 126 (red-orange plus yellow) and Celery Green 128 (orange-yellow and green).

Making progress in the dye pots

2010-04-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Another two new colors created. Mission Fig 119 (right) and Schmidt Cherry 120 (left). Mission Fig is a combination of orange and green. Schmidt Cherry is a mixture of green and purple-red. I am trying to create two colors a day so I can make that June 3rd deadline for the new website.

Two new colors

2010-04-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

What fun I am having mixing my primary colors and discovering beautiful complimentary colors. Here are two I just made: Damask Rose (116) and Ripe Olive (118). Damask Rose is a blend of red-orange and green-blue. Ripe Olive is a blend of yellow green and purple-red. How yummy! Two more colors to put into Red Jack Wool Palette packs for my new website...

Super Alex

2010-04-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

When I was at the Stash Sister's hook in, I bought a punch needle for Alexander. I thought that punching would be easier and more fun for him than hooking loops of wool. Today I finally got around to transferring his drawing of "Super Alex" onto the monk's cloth for him and stitching the fabric to an old frame. He has picked out some yarn and is ready to go. After this picture was taken, he outlined the face in black and hooked one of the eyes in blue.

"Super Alex" is himself as a superhero. He appears to have picked the heart as his symbol and has told me that the eyes shoot red lasers.

An outsider's perspective about rug hooking

2010-04-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

My family and I were having dinner last night at a colleague's home. The topic of my rugs came up and my colleague, who has no connection to rug hooking at all although he has seen some of my rugs in my home, said, "April those aren't rugs you make. Rugs are something you put on the floor and walk on." In his comment, I was hearing our ongoing debate between 'craft' or 'art' from an outsider's perspective.

It was an interesting perspective. I have never thought of rug hooking as anything but rug hooking, even as an art form. And I doubt with its long history that it can be anything other than rug hooking although this may be why it has never become an art form, but remains a craft, and not even a 'fine' craft at that.

Yet putting it all in a long perspective, the rugs I make are a long way away from the rugs that the workers made in the early 1900s and sold as floor coverings. I am not crafting utilitarian pieces for my floors out of cast off materials. I am creating fiber paintings that function as art work in my home or unique accessories.

So what are we doing with rug hooking when we aren't creating 'real' rugs anymore? What do we call what we are doing?

ATHA Region 9 Update for April 2010

2010-04-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

FROM: Martha Lowry
ATHA Region 9 Rep
281-550-7562
mlowry52@hotmail.com

Greetings, Region 9 Rug Hookers. This is the monthly Email Update for April, which contains news and events about rug hooking in Region 9, including the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Thanks to all who have sent in information. Anyone is welcome to send information at any time.

UPCOMING REGION 9 EVENTS

APRIL

RUG HOOKING DEMO BY THE HUB CITY RUGHOOKERS. This Lubbock, Texas, group will demonstrate rug hooking at Ranch Day festivities, at the Ranching Heritage Center, April 24, 10:00-4:00. They will dress in the style of the early 1900's and assist visitors to experience a bit of Texas history. Contact: Teresa Heinze, tmheinze@sbcglobal.net.

MAY

WILDFLOWER RUG HOOKING RETREAT. This relaxing rug hooking retreat in Round Top, Texas, will be held May 5-7, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Round Top. Cost is $80 for all three days, which includes catered lunches, or $30 for one day (includes lunch). There are still a few spots left, so contact Sondra Ives, if you are interested, at twoives@swbell.net. She can send you the registration form, and also information about arranging your own overnight accommodations. Two vendors will be present: Katie Hartner of A Nimble Thimble (Tyler, TX), and P.D. Hankamer, Houston area teacher and supplier. Sylvia Hale will be teaching a beginner class. Advance registration required.

STAR OF TEXAS RUG CAMP, TYLER, May 23-27, at the Holiday Inn Select, Tyler, TX. Contacts: Katie Hartner, khartner2@msn.com or Cynthia Norwood, canorwood@aol.com.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE, HOUSTON, is adding an additional hooking day to their third Saturday meetings. They will meet on the fifth Saturdays of each month (there are four months in 2010 that have 5 Saturdays), beginning Saturday, May 29. Therefore, in May, they will be meeting Saturday, May 15, and Saturday, May 29, 11:00-3:30, at Bethany Christian Church, Houston. Contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com.

JUNE

EUREKA SPRINGS HOOK-IN, June 12, 9:00-5:00, at the Inn of the Ozarks, Hwy 62W, Eureka Springs, AR. Preregister by contacting Vicki Hardcastle, rughooking@hughes.net.

TEXAS RUGFEST HOOK-IN, Monday, June 21, 9:00-4:00, at the Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. Eight thousand square feet of shopping and hooking. Vendors, door prizes, rug show, refreshments. Registration/admission $20. Optional deli box lunch $13, available with advance registration only. Contact Susan Harper, texasrugfest@yahoo.com , 817-571-7825 or 817-681-3377.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE'S MID-SUMMER'S HOOK-IN, June 26, 9:00-4:00, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX, 77098. Registration $25, includes box lunch. Vendors: Jo Ellen Dismukes of Lacey Jane Primitives; Linda Dipert of Cheap Sheep; Adrienne Dykes of Cal's Creations and Antiques; Jan Peckenpaugh of My Little House Rug Hooking Studio; and Donna Holt of Holt Custom Wood Footstools. Rug show, rug challenge. Register by June 1. Contact Lurie McAdow for a registration form and information, luriemcadow@aol.com.

NEW ORLEANS RUG HOOKING GATHERING, June 27-July 1, at the Boutique French Quarter Hotel. Instructors: Diane Stoffel, Carrie Martin. Contacts: Dorothy Delaune, rgdelaune@aol.com or Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net.

JULY

JANE OLSON WORKSHOP, sponsored by the Hub City Rughookers in Lubbock, TX. This is a 3-day workshop on July 18,19, and 20, with Jane Olson and Diane Burdett teaching rug hooking and braiding. It will be held at the Wolfforth Library in Lubbock. Rug hooking for beginner to advanced, and braiding for all levels will be offered. For registration form and details, contact Teresa Heinze, tmheinze@sbcglobal.net.

AUGUST

NINTH ANNUAL ANGELA PUMPHREY WEEKEND RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP, hosted by Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, Aug. 13-15, Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Teachers: Elizabeth Black, Pris Buttler, Bev Conway, and Carrie Martin. Contact: Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

THIRD ANNUAL HOOK-IN CO-SPONSORED BY STONEHILL SPINNING AND COUNTRY GATHERINGS, Aug. 29-30, at the Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Vendors, mini workshops, and a special workshop by Edyth O'Neill on color. Registration $25 per day, or $45 for both days. Contact Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com.

OCTOBER

MISSISSIPPI WOOL DUST SOCIETY'S THIRD ANNUAL JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the historic Old Jail House, Canton, MS. Registration $45. Contact Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252 for more information and to be put on the waiting list to attend.

OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31-November 4, in Oxford, Mississippi, a charming historic Mississippi town near Memphis. Camp is held at the Downtown Inn and Suites. Teachers: Bea Brock, Bev Conway, Sibyl Osicka. For more information, see website, www.oxfordrugcamp.com. Contact: Donna Holdiness, oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738.

NOVEMBER

KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX, in the historic Texas Hill Country near San Antonio. Teachers: Karen Maddox, Judy Rippstein, and Pamela Van Lieu. Contact: Pamela Van Lieu at rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467. Registration deadline is June 15. Three days of classes, evening hooking, shopping, rug raffle, book sale, silent auction, rug show and sale.

JANUARY, 2011

GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by Texas Rug Runners ATHA Chapter, January 14-16, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center's Stillwater Lodge. Contact: Melody Lundquist, melody.lundquist@yahoo.com.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 HOOKING GROUPS

There are 7 ATHA chapters in Region 9. There are numerous other active and growing hooking groups. For information about a group near you, email me, mlowry52@hotmail.com. The news below does not represent all groups, just those who have sent in information recently. Please send in news about your group.

RUG HOOKING GATHERING, second Saturdays, 11:00-5:00, at the Wool 'N' Cotton Shop, 602 Orient St., San Angelo, TX. Join the fun at "Wooley Thursday", held every Thursday evening, 5:00-8:00, where rug hookers and wool appliquers bring their sack dinner and projects to work on together. Newbies welcome. Contact: Judith Lester, woolncotton@verizon.net, or 325-659-2000. For more information, see Judith's website: www.judithlesterdesigns.com.

RUG HOOKING GROUP meeting in Brady, TX area. Contact: Deborah Neslage, Designs by Deborah, 113 E. Main St., Brady, TX 76825, 325-597-2277 or dneslage@hotmail.com.

AGGIELAND RUG ARTISTS, College Station, TX, recently enjoyed an Easter party hosted by member Emma Gene Shroeder. Contact: Emma Gene at emmagene@suddenlink.net.

KATY LAMBCHOPS meet every Wednesday, 10:00-4:00, and the second Saturday, 10:00-2:00, at My Little House, inside Dovetail Antiques, Old Town Katy, TX. The groups enjoy make-it-and-take-it projects; the April project is a wool applique bag. Contact: Jan Peckenpaugh, mylilhouse@hotmail.com, or 281-687-2088. For more information and a map, www.mylittlehousedesigns.com.

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY meets the second Saturday at the Old Jail House, Canton, MS. The May 8 meeting will be a workshop for the SEEING RED MAT CHALLENGE, which is a regional mat challenge the group has chosen to participate. Contact: Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

ATHA NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

The current issue of ATHA NEWSLETTER (April/May 2010) contains articles by Region 9 rug hookers:

WOOL WITH HOPE, a wonderful 5-page article about an awareness rug devoted to the issue of Disappearance, written by Lona Gabree and Kristen Slesar, Harahan, LA
Bea Brock's (Kerrville, TX) second installment of her dyeing lessons: MARBLEIZING--NO DYE NEEDED
Carrie Martin's (Covington, LA) second installment of how to hook and dye a wide-cut shaded fruit rug

There was a "first" in this issue of the NEWSLETTER, also--a breathtaking two-page color photo of dyed wool hanging from trees in a beautiful spring garden. I have heard many comments about it from rug hookers I know.

If you are missing out on the beautiful photos, and instructive articles in the updated 60-page full-color ATHA NEWSLETTER, which is mailed to members 6 times annually, go to the ATHA website, www.atharugs.com, click on "How to Join", and you can join online using paypal, or download a membership form to be mailed in. Back issues of the NEWSLETTER can be ordered by ATHA members from Membership Chairman Joan Cahill for $5 each, includes postage.

And don't forget, that the NEWSLETTER is totally member-driven, and send your articles and rug photos to editor Judy Long, athanews@peoplescom.net.

SEEING RED MAT CHALLENGE

Now is the time to start hooking your 9x12-inch mat, celebrating the color red, which must be mailed to ATHA Communications Director Lisanne Miller by January 15, 2011. Talk to your hooking group about joining the challenge. Details in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of ATHA NEWSLETTER.

Last day of classes

2010-04-22T17:27:00.001-07:00

Phew...tomorrow is the last day of classes at Rice, so I'm looking forward to having a bit of a breather. Didn't get any dyeing done after school today, and probably won't tomorrow either, but I have my white wool ready to go as soon as I get the next chance. Will probably hook on my fire abstract tonight since I'm too burnt out to do anything else.

Kirby Hooking Circle and the Mid-Summer Hook-In

2010-04-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

VENDORS: Lacey Jane Primitives, Cal's Creations and Antiques, CheapSheep, Donna Holt and her fabulous footstools, My Little House Rugs, and Kirby Hookers' Handmade Table

The Kirby Hooking Circle invites you to attend the first annual Mid-Summer’s Hook-In on June 26th, 2010 from 9AM to 4PM at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77098 (between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway – parking is behind the church).

Registration: $25 which includes a box lunch for those who pre-register.

Join us for a day of hooking, shopping, and making new friends.

Please bring a finished hooked piece for the rug show which will be held from 1 PM to 3 PM.

Our “Celestial Challenge” is to create a 144 square inch rug featuring the Sun and/or Moon, in any shape you wish, as we celebrate the Summer Solstice. The challenge mats will be on display at the hook-in.

We will have several vendors that day for your shopping pleasure. (Please no outside sales!)

Please send the completed registration form below and mail it along with your check no later than June 1st to:

Kirby Hooking Circle c/o Lurie McAdow 11210 Huggins Drive, Houston, TX 77035-6030

For more information contact Lurie McAdow at luriemcadow@aol.com

REGISTRATION FOR MID-SUMMER HOOK-IN

June 26, 2010

Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________

Phone: ___________________

Email: __________________________________________________

Registration fee: $25.00

Please make checks payable to “Lurie McAdow”.

Choice of Box Lunch (please circle one):

Sandwiches: Turkey Ham Roast Beef Chicken Salad

Mixed Green Salad + Chicken Mixed Green Salad no meat

Please note any food allergies: __________________________

I agree that the representatives of the Kirby Hooking Circle, Bethany Christian Church, or any vendors attending the Mid-Summer Hook-In shall not be held accountable or liable for any damage, loss, harm, or injury to person or property resulting from my attendance at the Mid-Summer Hook-In.

Signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________

Mail completed, signed form, and $25 registration fee by June 1st to:

Kirby Hooking Circle, c/o Lurie McAdow, 11210 Huggins Drive, Houston, TX 77035-6030

Red Jack Palette Wool drawing

2010-04-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ginger from Primitives by the Light of the Moon and Phyllis of Rug Hooker! Both of you have won a packet of Red Jack Rugs Palette Wool. This give-away was drawn from among the many responses I received last month about the packaging of my Palette wools. I received very good feed back from all of you, which I have used to create my wool packs. Each pack contains a full quarter yard of wool, in eight pieces approximately 3" by 16", ready to cut into strips.

When I am finished creating my dyes, I will have a complete color wheel available and every mixture of the 12 colors on the wheel possible, for a total of 53 colors each available in 8 different values. This is a totally new concept in rug hooking: to have a complete set of 'kinship' wools all made from three original formulas (my own red, yellow, blue dyes).

I decided to approach my rug hooking as if I were a painter. I started with my three primary dye formulas. I blended the three to create the twelve colors on the color wheel, then I mixed each of the twelve colors with each other to create a full palette of 53 related colors, just as if I were a painter squirting paints on my palette board and mixing them together.

I have packaged them in 8-Value Packs; Single Value Packs; Medium Value Packs; Primitive Packs; Texture Packs; and Dapple Packs. So I have been doing more dyeing and packaging than rug hooking lately. I am trying to put together complete information about my Palette wools for my new website Red Jack Rugs which I hope to have up and running by June 3, the first anniversary celebration of my rug blog.

Here is an example of a slide I put together about one of my colors (Michigan Agate) and the packs that will be available.

When I get all my colors into this slide format, I will put them up on my new website and make an announcement on my blog here that they will be available for purchase. Packs will be $15 each.

Back to rug hooking

2010-04-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

The academic conference was wonderful, but it is also wonderful to be back at home in the evenings. I have returned to my abstract, asking Wade to hold it up this way and that so I can see the way the light is hitting it and the movement of the shadows. So I spent this evening pulling out areas and adjusting, mainly removing some of the very light areas and the middle mediums, and replacing them with darker values. I have also decided that this will be one panel of a tetraglyph which I am going to call "Elements". I will hook the other three all the same size, all abstracts, but with different textures.

The red panel (FIRE) is an example of 'color penetration', where I am using four colors in all of their values in such a way that the colors penetrate each other. My plan is to set up the other panels to experiment with other types of abstract expression. I would like one to play with 'color fields' (raw plains of color) and another to work out 'color bands' (linear bands of color). I haven't figured out the fourth panel yet. But I know it will come to me as I make my way along this abstract road.

At a conference

2010-04-16T05:15:00.001-07:00

I'm away a couple of days at a conference (unrelated to rug hooking!). I'll be back Sunday.

Textile artist Marguerite Zorach

2010-04-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Cynthia Fowler of Emmanuel College contacted me. She is an Associate Professor who specializes in early American art, particularly Modernist Craft production in the early twentieth century. She had noticed my blog and my growing interest in rug hooking in the 1920s so she sent me an article that she just published called "Hooking Magic: Transforming Women's Handicraft into Art" (pages 227-244 in Women and the Material Culture of Needlework and Texiles, 1750-1950; edited by Maureen Daly Goggin and Beth Fowkes Tobin; Burlington: Ashgate 2009).

I am learning so much from Professor Fowler's work. She wrote her dissertation on Marguerite Zorach, whom she also discusses in this article. Zorach was a modern artist who worked in a number of mediums including paint and hooking, although her large-scale embroideries are what she is most known for. The scanned picture is one of her hooked rugs called Eden (taken from p. 230 of Fowler's article). She hooked it in 1917. Zorach said in an interview in 1957 that she became interested in hooked rugs as a textile art medium when she was on a trip in New Hampshire with her husband, sculptor William Zorach. She met a woman hooking a rug from scraps of old clothing. Zorach said, "It was the first time I'd ever seen one, and I was fascinated. I remember this little old lady took us into her parlor and showed us the rugs. She'd look at them and say, 'Now, I remember the day Susie wore that dress.'...They all had memories for her" (quoted by Fowler, p. 230).

She only hooked a half a dozen rugs, but they make up part of her total body of artistic work, and reveal "her commitment to the handmade and to craft production as a legitimate form of artistic expression," Fowler explains (p. 231).

She was influenced by Cubism and fauvist colors, although her rug Eden is not as experimental as her paintings. But when the rug was exhibited in 1923, it was called "futuristic" and "ultra-modern" because it was radical when compared with the rugs that were being produced during this time period (Fowler, p. 231). The rugs I have been viewing in the books and catalogues from this period are nothing like Eden. They are your colonial american rugs, imitative florals, orientals, and primitives.

So Zorach intrigues me. She appears to be among the first to hook a rug that challenged the traditional craft, who saw in it a medium to express herself as a modern artist.

Stash Sisters' Raffle Rug

2010-04-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get up a picture of the raffle rug that we hooked for the Stash Sisters hook in last weekend. T.J. Martin (picture 1: she is right, middle row, end) designed the rug and then we each hooked a section of it. If you are interested in the design, T.J. is going to make it available for $12 plus shipping. You should contact her directly at dinkiebug@aol.com.

The lucky winner was Barbara Bosse! She is the third from the left in picture 2.

Cabbage Rose purse finished!

2010-04-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

I put together the Cabbage Rose purse yesterday late in the day (photos show both sides). I can tell that it is going to be one of my 'favorite' things. I figured out how to hand bind the gusset onto the rose shaped outline. I lined the purse with black wool and made sure to use interfacing even in the wool handle so that it would wear well and keep the weight of the purse off of the hooked surfaces. I sewed on a button clasp using some old buttons I had around forever.

I will try to put together a pattern with instructions for the purse soon. So watch for this if you are interested.

Had a blast today at the Stash Sisters Hook In in Hankamer. Worked on 'Baptism by Fire' - still have a long way to go before it's done. At this point I just want it done since I have several other projects running around in my head including another Cottingham Blossom Purse: an old-fashioned iris.

1951 photographed 'first' public hook in

2010-04-06T10:02:00.001-07:00

In case you missed it, Gene Shepherd has posted a link to some fabulous pics of a 1951 public hooking bee (Pearl says it was the 'first' public hooking bee, a claim that needs to be confirmed; Color in Hooked Rugs p. 295). The pics were photographed by George Silk for LIFE magazine in 1951. Shepherd has identified the site as Storrowtown, MA.

1924 Hearthstone Rugs Exhibition

2010-04-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today I received a copy of the catalogue put out by The Anderson Galleries of New York City in 1924 for the exhibition and sale of the Anna M. Laise Phillips Collection. I had so hoped that the catalogue would be heavily illustrated with photos of all the rugs. Alas, my hopes are dashed. The catalogue is 28 pages with one beautiful photo of a specimen which was reproduced from The Bulletin for the Art Center of New York (pictured here via a scan: more on this rug below).

What an exhibition this must have been! Phillips had on display and sale 183 pieces: the vast majority rugs, not all hooked, and a few quilts. Some were antique rugs and some were rugs her workers had made for the show. She writes:

"I have the pleasure in offering this collection from our Hearthstone Studios, the quaint old-fashioned homes of the descendants of our earlier American rug makers. The Antique rugs have been in the families of our workers for several generations, some of them for a longer time, carefully guarded and kept clean; but softened to harmonious tones by time, which blots out vivid colorings in art as well as nature...Rug making is an hereditary art that for a period slumbered, but did not die; because scattered throughout America, tucked away in little villages and country communities are women who to-day are bending over their rug frames, fashioning with painstaking fingers rugs in the same way that their grandmothers constructed floor coverings. The offerings here shown are made primarily to perpetuate the art of rug and quilt making, and to encourage our workers by CREATING A MARKET FOR THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR INHERITED IDEAS OF DESIGN, COLOR AND TEXTURE" (from Foreword; capital format: original to Phillip's text).

The rugs in the catalogue were collected by Phillips from the homes of her workers from "the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River" and "the Southern States too" (from Foreword).

The catalogue offers a full description of each piece in the exhibit - almost as good as a picture but not quite! Here are a few just so you can see the variety of subjects and materials used:

"STRIPED HEARTHSTONE HOOK RUG. Evenly and closely hooked. Ashes of rose and reseda-green stripes alternating with those of dull gold of equal width. An unusual rug. Size, 5 feet 6 inches x 2 feet 9 inches."

"RARE OLD FLEUR-DE-LIS HOOK RUG. Early American. Original design, closely hooked. A quartet of fleur-de-lis in soft old red in centre surrounded by faint lavender flowers and pearl-gray foliage. Size, 5 feet 4 inches x 3 feet 11 inches."

"CANARY BIRD HEARTHSTONE HOOK RUG. Very fine close hooking of hand-spun lamb's wool. Field in natural gray (uncolored, made by carding together the wool from a white lamb and a black one). Original design. Sprays of flowers and foliage with canary birds. Scroll border in tans, yellows, maroon and black. Size, 5 feet 3 inches x 1 foot 9 inches."

"MARINE HEARTHSTONE RUG. Deep, close, fine hooking of homespun lamb's-wool. Lighthouse rising from the sea on small island with misty purple-tinted sky in the background, sea gulls hovering near; mixed brown and fawn-colored border. Size, 4 feet 2 inches x 2 feet 5 inches."

I have become enthralled with Phillips. I am finding her name pop up in books from the period authored by others. Kent, in fact, drops a line in his book that one of her Hearthstone rugs sold for a four-digit price.

So I started digging around The Bulletin for the Art Center of New York, volume 1 no. 9 (April 1923). I found a mention of Phillips and a (second!) exhibit that she had put on for the Art Center and a fuller description of the rug pictured above:

“Mrs. Anna M. Laise Phillips held her second annual exhibition of American hand-made rugs at the Art Center from March 12-31. She displayed a number of antique and modern rugs from the Hearthstone Studios, the rural home of her rug makers. In the collection was a large carpet eleven by twelve feet, hooked in a basket-weave design, copied from an old rug, also shown. This rug, which is seamless, required the efforts of fifteen workers for seven months, but the result is a rug which stands out as a masterpiece of the handcraft. It is made for a seashore home, to be placed in the dining-room opening towards the sea. The colors are soft dregs of wine, a ‘hit-or-miss’ arrangement giving a purplish rose effect. A reproduction of it is shown on the cover of this issue of the BULLETIN” (p. 171).

Getting ready for Stash Sisters Hook In

2010-04-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

I've been spending my free time dyeing my Palette wools and painting wool boxes for the Stash Sisters Hook In (coming up on Friday). I hope to dye some wool for myself too since I've run out of my reds and yellows which I need to finish "Baptism by Fire". Also would like to finish the cabbage rose Cottingham Blossom Purse. Ha, I need more time!

If you are in the area, please stop by the hook in. Here are the details.

HANKAMER HOOK-IN, April 9-10, Whites Park, 225 Whites Memorial Park Dr., Hankamer, TX. Vendors: Katie Hartner, Tricia Travis, Bea Brock, Susan Quicksall, Deborah Nestledge, Julie Burns. $20 for one day, or $40 for both days. Fee includes catered lunch each day. Mail checks, payable to Stash Sisters, to P.D. Hankamer, P.O. Box 166, Hankamer, TX 77560. Be sure to designate if you're attending Friday or Saturday, or both, so your lunch can be ordered. Contact: P.D.Hankamer, heartspd1@yahoo.com or 409-374-2258.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a scooter ride...the easter bunny brought Alexander and I scooters and so we spent the afternoon scooting around the neighborhood. Okay. I'm out of shape. If you think these scooters are easier than walking, well, they might look it. But they take a lot of balance and pushing energy, and I can tell already that my thighs are going to be sore tomorrow. But it was FUN. And liberating rolling along at a good pace on the board.

Did some dyeing yesterday and need to do more this week. But not tonight. I'm off to the shower (yes I'm sweating from the scooter ride!) and maybe an early night.

Abstract in 1937

2010-04-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

You must be able to tell I'm a historian through and through. W.W. Kent's books are fascinating, and what neat thing did I find within today? On p. 212 of Rare Hooked Rugs (1941), Kent displays a photograph courtesy of Mrs. Lilian Mills Mosséller who designed it (Plate 236). Mosséller lived in New York and Asheville, North Carolina. I scanned it and show it here.

Kent claims it is a "famous" rug called "Coffee and Cream." It is an abstract hooked before 1937 when it was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the International Rugs and Carpets show. It was taken on tour across the USA by the American Federation of Arts in 1938. In 1939 it was exhibited at the World's Art Fair in New York. With my interest in abstract rugs, so far this is the earliest intentional abstract I have been able to locate to date.

The design idea was taken from the top of a swirling cup of coffee with cream in it. Unfortunately all we have in terms of a picture is this black and white. But Kent tells us that the colors were fabulous: six shades of white, oyster, eggshell, snow white, with an accent of chartreuse.

Mosséller appears to have been a well-known rug designer in her day. She wrote a few pages about the "contemporary rugs and their future" which Kent put in his book. She had a studio in New York and employed many hookers, whom she calls "artisans" and "workers". She seems to have been known for hiring handicapped people to hook her rugs. Kent preserves a photograph of these men and women working in her studios. She also had devised a huge crude cutting machine which stripped the wool in pieces that look to be around 3/4 inches wide. She was very keen on rug designers being considered on par with Picasso and Van Gogh, and she was very proud that her rug hung in the Met alongside these famous painters.

She is very insistent that designers must start signing their work by weaving their signature in the fabric, just as the painters do with paint. This intrigues me, because here is a shift from the earlier idea that hand-hooked rugs are utilitarian mats manufactured by workers and should not be signed, to the idea that the designer at least is an artist and her rugs will only increase in value if her signature is on it.

Two books by W.W. Kent

2010-03-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

This afternoon the mailman delivered two old books I had ordered about rug hooking. Both were written by William Winthrop Kent. One is called The Hooked Rug. It was written in 1937 and reports to trace hooked rugs back to a 6th century Coptic mat!

Hey now I'm interested. An intersection has occurred between rugs and my academic profession (I'm a scholar of early Christianity, particular old Coptic texts!). The Coptic rug he has photographed (see below) is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC (p. 6).

It appears that he found out about old Coptic hooked mats from Helen R. Albee and her booklet Abnakee Rugs (my next purchase!). The Copts appear to have been making rugs the same way we do. They pulled the material through a cloth foundation in even unclipped loops. This suggests that the art goes back to the ancient Egyptians. Wow.

I have scanned the image of the cover of Kent's book because I thought the design lovely. Wouldn't it make a good hooked rug itself?

A story from "The Lore and Lure of Hooked Rugs"

2010-03-27T20:25:00.001-07:00

I read this the other day. I had to read it again because I couldn't believe it. I am curious what your reaction is to this anecdote.

It was written by Pearl McGown in The Lore and Lure of Hooked Rugs, p. 86. She used this as an example of the good sense and ingenuity of one of her teachers.

"On one occasion colors were changed without the rugger's knowledge. A very beautiful room-sized rug was exhibited one year at Worcester, and when I congratulated the teacher who was exhibiting it, she said, 'It is lovely now, but you should have seen it when my pupil delivered it to me. I had given her instructions for the one remaining flower (multiplied many times in the design). I did not see the rug again until it was completed, and she had made all those flowers of the brightest purple you can imagine.'
'But they didn't seem bright to me,' I remonstrated.
'Of course not,' she replied. 'I wouldn't have exhibited it as it was. I made a weak solution of its complementary dye and vinegar and with a small toothbrush I subdued each flower.'
'But what are you going to say when you take the rug back to her?' I asked.
'Well,' she replied triumphantly, 'I'm going to tell her that Pearl made me do it!'

Hooking Rugs with Deanne Fitzpatrick

2010-03-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today Deanne's new video arrived in the mail. So Alexander popped it in the dvd player and we watched it this afternoon. Alexander was working on his rug while he watched Deanne hook her rug and he kept asking me, "How does she do that so fast?!" I told him that I didn't know. I'm such a slow poke myself.

It was so much fun to watch Deanne share her vibrant artistic process as she creates a rug from start to finish. I was surprised by the variety of materials she uses since I didn't notice this variety in the photos of her rugs that I have viewed previously. I would love to see her rugs in person. I imagine them to be much more 3-dimensional than the photographs reveal.

The video is inspiring - especially her vibrancy and artistic ease - and I recommend adding it to your collection of rug videos, books, and magazines. I am envious of her studio. Wow! The light and space. It sure beats my closet and chair!

What I think of McGown critique

2010-03-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

All names and situation have been changed.

Cindy was in her last phase of becoming a certified McGown teacher. For her last project she had to instruct a student to hook a McGown pattern, and she had to dye the wool for it. Margie agreed to hook the rug under her instruction. Cindy and Margie consulted. Margie selected a floral rug. Margie and Cindy discussed color and Cindy dyed the wool for the project. Margie worked for a year on the rug - it was very big - hooking a perfect mat in 3 and 4 cut wool. Her technique was perfect in terms of McGown requirements - a completely flat rug with a completely flat and even back. Cindy was excited and proud to take the mat to the teacher workshop and show it off. Then came the critique. All agreed that the mat was perfectly executed and beautifully interpreted. Except one teacher who told Cindy that there was one fault. Cindy had dyed the wool for one of the stems gray. The teacher said that it should have been dyed green. Cindy returned home with her teacher's certification and told Margie what had happened. Margie was disappointed.

Now let's think about this. Who has the authority to tell another artist that a stem should be green instead of gray? How does one determine that a mat would be better if the color of a stem was different? Who does such a critique serve? Does it help Cindy? And even more disturbing, does it help Margie who spent a year hooking a rug for Cindy's certification, who was part of the decision-making process about the color in the first place, and who hooked the rug in the way she saw fit and liked?

Think about this further. Every time Margie takes out that gorgeous rug and looks at it, what is she going to think? Is she going to look at it and think, "Gosh I love this rug I hooked and I am proud of how beautiful it turned out"? Or is she going to think, "Well the rug would be perfect if that stem had been dyed green instead of gray"? Knowing Margie, she is going to think the latter. This is the real shame of this situation. The stem critique will always hang over this rug and be heavy on Margie's heart.

Let's consider this type of 'critique' very carefully. Let's be very aware of any critique we give, and what we do with critique that we receive whether solicited or not. Most of us have been afraid of art since grade school when we started to learn that there were right ways to draw things, right colors for painting objects, and that the right way was whatever the teacher told us.

If we are going to grow as an artistic community, we need to be free to express ourselves in our rugs in whatever manner we see fit. We don't need to be limiting each other to particular views of how a rug should look or a particular design be executed. We need generosity of spirit, and suggestions for improving areas of rugs that we the hookers of the rugs are not satisfied with. There is a difference between helping a student fix a problem in a rug that is bothering a student, and telling a student who is satisfied with her rug that her interpretation is wrong or could be better if such and such were changed. The former is helpful. The latter is harmful.

ATHA Region 9 Update for March 2010

2010-03-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

From:
Martha Lowry
ATHA Region 9 Rep
281-550-7562

MARCH
GARAGE SALE AT THE "HOOK-ME-UP" GROUP MEETING, Saturday, March 20, 10:00-3:00. This new rug hooking group is meeting the third Saturday of the month at the Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, 1529 East Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75010. Come to the large fellowship hall on west side of bldg. Bring sack lunch and drink. $2 donation for facility use. BRING ANY RUG HOOKING OR TEXTILE RELATED ITEMS TO SELL ON MARCH 20. BRING PLENTY OF CASH, CHECKS. EACH PERSON WILL COLLECT HIS OWN MONEY. Contact: Janet Kersh, woolgarden@hotmail.com.

SPRING FLING AT THE P, Saturday, March 27, at P is for Primitive, Canton, MS. All fiber artists are welcome--bring your knitting, rug hooking, spinning, weaving, needle felting and more, for a day of working on your projects together. Please RSVP for this event to Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

APRIL
HANKAMER HOOK-IN, April 9-10, Whites Park, 225 Whites Memorial Park Dr., Hankamer, TX. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER, CAN REGISTER BY APRIL 1. Vendors: Katie Hartner, Tricia Travis, Bea Brock, Susan Quicksall, Deborah Nestledge, Julie Burns. $20 for one day, or $40 for both days. Fee includes catered lunch each day. Mail checks, payable to Stash Sisters, to P.D. Hankamer, P.O. Box 166, Hankamer, TX 77560. Be sure to designate if you're attending Friday or Saturday, or both, so your lunch can be ordered. Contact: P.D.Hankamer, heartspd1@yahoo.com or 409-374-2258.

SNIPPETS IN THE SPRING, a rug hooking retreat, April 21-24, at the Duncan Gray Center, near Canton, MS. Mini classes include: dyeing, hooking simple faces, color planning from your stash, and making the most of your textures. Evening hooking, demos, door prizes. For more details, see website, www.pisforprimitive.com. Contact: Lisanne Miller, 601-859-4252 or lisannemiller1@aol.com.

SCULPTED SANTA FACE CLASS, by artist Lebba Kropp, April 19 and 23 (a two-day class), at My Little House Rug Hooking Studio, Katy, TX. Contact: Jan Peckenpaugh, mylilhouse@hotmail.com.

RUG HOOKING DEMONSTRATIONS BY THE HUB CITY RUGHOOKERS. The Hub City Rughookers will be demonstrating at the annual Arts Fair at the Civic Center in Lubbock, TX, April 16-18. They will also be demonstrating at Ranch Day, at the Ranching Heritage Center, April 24, 10:00-4:00. They will dress in the style of the early 1900's and assist visitors to experience a bit of Texas history. Contact: Teresa Heinze, tmheinze@sbcglobal.net.

MAY
STAR OF TEXAS RUG CAMP, TYLER, May 23-27, at the Holiday Inn Select, Tyler, TX. Contacts: Katie Hartner, khartner2@msn.com and Cynthia Norwood, canorwood@aol.com.

JUNE
EUREKA SPRINGS HOOK-IN, June 12, 9:00-5:00, at the Inn of the Ozarks, Hwy 62W, Eureka Springs, AR. Great vendors. Admission $20, includes lunch. Must preregister by contacting Vicki Hardcastle, rughooking@hughes.net. Also available, rug hooking workshops, Friday, June 11, must preregister.

TEXAS RUGFEST HOOK-IN, Monday, June 21, 9:00-4:00, at the Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. Vendors, door prizes, rug show. Registration $20. Optional deli box lunch $13. THE WEBSITE IS COMING SOON, SO CHECK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR REGISTRATION FORM: www.texasrugfest.com. Or contact Susan Harper, texasrugfest@yahoo.com.

KIRBY HOOKING CIRCLE'S FIRST ANNUAL MID-SUMMER'S HOOK-IN, June 26, 9:00-4:00, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX, 77098. $25 registration, includes box lunch. Hooking, vendors, rug show, and rug challenge. REGISTRATION FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE. Contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com, and she will email you a registration form.

NEW ORLEANS RUG HOOKING GATHERING, June 27-July 1, at the Boutique French Quarter Hotel. Instructors: Diane Stoffel, Carrie Martin. Contacts: Dorothy Delaune, rgdelaune@aol.com or Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net.

AUGUST
NINTH ANNUAL ANGELA PUMPHREY WEEKEND RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP, hosted by the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, August 13-15, at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Teachers: Elizabeth Black, Pris Buttler, Bev Conway, and Carrie Martin. Contact: Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

THIRD ANNUAL HOOK-IN CO-SPONSORED BY STONEHILL SPINNING AND COUNTRY GATHERINGS, August 29-30, at the Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Vendors, mini workshops, and a special workshop by Edyth O'Neill on color. Registration $25 per day, or $45 for both days. Contact Tricia Travis at countrygatherings@mail.com.

OCTOBER
MISSISSIPPI WOOL DUST SOCIETY THIRD ANNUAL JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the historic Old Jail House, Canton, MS. Registration is $45 for the Thursday evening reception and two full days of hooking. Contact: Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com or 601-859-4252 or lisannemiller1@aol.com.

OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31-November 4, at the Downtown Inn and Suites, Oxford, MS. Teachers: Bea Brock, Sibyl Osicka, and Bev Conway. For more information, see the website, www.oxfordrugcamp.com. Contact camp director Donna Holdiness, oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738.

NOVEMBER
KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX. Teachers: Karen Maddox, Judy Rippstein, and Pamela Van Lieu. Contact Pamela Van Lieu at rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467, for an email containing registration form, teacher bios, and class descriptions.

JANUARY, 2011
GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by the Texas Rug Runners ATHA Chapter, January 14-16, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center's Stillwater Lodge. Contact: Melody Lundquist, melody.lundquist@yahoo.com.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 HOOKING GROUPS

Thanks to the groups for sending in the following news:

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY meets the second Saturday of each month at the Old Jail House in Canton, MS. Upcoming meeting topics include: annual potluck and membership drive (April 10); Seeing Red Mat Challenge Workshop (May 8); and Punch Needle Workshop (June 12). Contact: Lisanne Miller, 601-859-4252.

HUB CITY RUGHOOKERS meet the 4th Monday of every month, 10:00-2:00, at the Garden and Arts Center, Lubbock, TX. They also hook at Rachaels Quilt Shop on 50th St. on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and the 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 1:00-4:00. Everyone welcome. Contact: Teresa Heinze, tmheinze@sbcglobal.net. They will be demonstrating rug hooking at two events during the month of April (see EVENTS).

WILD WEST WOOLIE RUG HOOKERS, San Angelo, TX, had an open house and rug hooking demonstration on March 6, at the Wool'N'Cotton Shop, 602 Orient St., San Angelo, TX, in the historic Baker Bank Building. For group information, contact Judith Lester, woolncotton@verizon.net.

HOOK ME UP, Carrollton, TX, meets the 3rd Saturday of each month, 10:00-3:00, at Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, large fellowship hall on west side of building. Janet Kersh reports they had a great turnout for their first meeting in February. A special class is planned for the April meeting: Janie Staples will teach a hooked accessory bag, designed by Cindy Goolsby. There will also be regular hooking for those who do not participate in the class. Contact Janet Kersh, woolgarden@hotmail.com, for more information. Class size is limited.

TULSA RUG HOOKERS, Tulsa, OK, enjoyed celebrating the 90th birthday of one of their members, Bernice, at a recent meeting. Bernice's three daughters are also rug hookers. For information about this group, which meets regularly at the Hardesty Regional Library, contact Mitzi Thomas, stitziandmyron@hotmail.com.

KATY LAMBCHOPS, Katy, TX, meet every Wednesday, 10:00-4:00, and the 2nd Saturday of each month, 10:00-2:00, at My Little House, inside Dovetail Antiques in Old Town Katy. This group enjoys "make it and take it" projects. They made an Easter needle punch project in March, and recently welcomed their rug hooking friends from Round Top, TX, at a day of hooking and potluck lunch. Monthly evening hook-ins begin in the spring. Contact: Jan Peckenpaugh, 281-687-2088 or mylilhouse@hotmail.com, to be added to the regular email list.

COUNTRY GATHERINGS, San Antonio, TX, hosts regular hooking groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Please contact Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470, to join one of these groups.

REGION 9 RUG HOOKING BLOGS

For more information about rug hooking events, check out these great blogs by Region 9 rug hookers:

www.redjackrugs.blogspot.com (Texas)
www.primitivesbythelightofthemoon.blogspot.com (Oklahoma)
www.patijanesprimitives.blogspot.com (Oklahoma)
www.thehogscaldholler.blogspot.com (Arkansas)

Please let me know about other rug hooking blogs by rug hookers in our region (Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas), and they will be mentioned in the Email Update, for all to enjoy.

SEEING RED MAT CHALLENGE
Lisanne Miller reports that she received the first entry in the Seeing Red Mat Challenge on March 3!

For more information about the challenge, see the Feb/Mar issue of ATHA NEWSLETTER. The challenge is to hook a mat that is 9x12 inches, in any style and fiber, which celebrates the color red.

This question has come up several times: Does the mat have to be all red, or just partially red? Answer: It's up to the artist. It is the artist's decision how she/he wishes to celebrate the color red.

ATHA NEWSLETTER
Don't forget to check out this issue of the ATHA NEWSLETTER (Feb/Mar), for the list of Region 9 vendors and teachers in the center pull-out section. It's a great list to have for reference.

And please consider sending your rug photos with a short article to editor Judy Long, athanews@peoplescom.net.

Saint Nicholas Workshop

2010-03-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I facilitated a workshop at the Kirby Hooking Circle to hook my pattern, St. Nicholas. After talking about my color and dyeing theory, I introduced VIP [=V(alue) I(ntense) P(alette)] rug hooking, a type of hooking that I am developing to help us hook stunning 'realistic' rugs simply.

After a couple of hours of hooking, the girls had two eyes and a nose completed. I was able to capture some of the pieces with my camera before the workshop ended which I show below (left to right: P.D.; Pam; Pat; Sondra; Sylvia; Martha). Jo worked on a wizard rug which she posted about on her blog with pics HERE. I am impressed with their work and can't wait to see these pieces finished. After Saturday, I realize that this is really a two-day workshop, so we are going to reconvene another Saturday to finish up. So more later...

Cottingham Blossom Purses: Cabbage Rose

2010-03-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

I finished the second side of the cabbage rose purse last night, with the surprise ~ a fairy sitting among the petals. Since I'm using this a sample, I chose to hook the second side in a different color set: Million Dollar Red (8-value pack; texture pack) and Flame (8-value pack; dapple pack). The green is Mossy Glen (dapple pack). The cabbage rose can be hooked with or without the fairy. But since I love fairies and I love surprises, I included her on my sample.

As for finishing, I decided to go with Antique Black. Not all blacks are the same, and so I process my black the same as all my other wools. I overdye it with dyes from my palette. This creates a black that is harmonious with any of my colors and the perfect neutral.

The first step of finishing is to use a stretch zig zag around the hooking. I go around twice, using my machine foot as a guide against the hooking, and then against the stitching. I trim close to the stitching. Next I am hand binding the black onto the top of the purse and creating a rolled edge. On the lavender rose, I am starting to hand bind the gusset onto the right side.

More later, hopefully when it is finished!

Women Yesterday and Today 6: Who was Mrs. Titcomb?

2010-03-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my luck this week. I have been working through Pearl McGown's books in order to write a couple of posts about her, but I have become sidetracked with a new found interest in rug hooking in the 1920s. Phyllis Lindblade suggested a couple of titles that I might enjoy. So I ordered them up (don't you love the internet for finding used books?!). And two arrived the day before yesterday. Last night I got around to reading one of them by Ella Shannon Bowles, Handmade Rugs (1927). Bowles is writing after Phillips, and actually refers to her in the bibliography. The book is a comprehensive description of all the different types of handmade rugs that were being produced in the 1920s during the revival of rugmaking in the Arts and Craft period, when women were interested in bringing Americana accessories into their homes. She has two chapters on hooked rugs, which she also calls "pulled" or "drawn-in" rugs. These phrases appear to be synonymous with "hooked" since she uses them interchangeably.

Surprisingly, according to Bowles, the types of rugs that these women were after were not the "primitive" rugs that you or I might think about when we consider American country or folk art. Bowles knows that the height of rugmaking was in the Civil War period, but she complains how unfortunate it was that "many of the products of the years following the war were crude in design and coloring, for the commercial rug-patterns of the time were hideous" (p. 11). The rugs that she notes were being designed in the 1920s for women patrons were orientals, floral sprays with scrolls, landscapes, and so forth - apparently not so much the "primitives" we are familiar with.

She appears to be targeting women who are interested in making rugs, but not necessarily for their own personal use. She wants to help them go into business and so her last chapter is on the "commercial opportunities of rug-making." She says that rug making is good for women because they can create their rugs at home and then sell them out of their own homes or deliver them to gift shops and department stores for sale. The business woman might not want to hook at all, but become a business manager and organize a group of rug hookers, and then sell those rugs at a profit for herself.

She mentions a couple of rug businesses: Society of Deerfield Industries at Deerfield, Massachuetts; South End House in Boston; and Martha Titcomb and her daughter Elizabeth Titcomb. It is the latter I am immediately interested in because the used book I bought came to me with a surprise: a newspaper clipping from the late 1920s that describes the work of Miss Elizabeth Titcomb. Titcomb was a famous rug hooker in northern Vermont. The best I can make out, around 1910 her mother Martha had a dream to "give to the lonely women on the isolated farms of her home state an opportunity to make something beautiful, something that would occupy the weary hours of snowbound months, and at the same time give them the almost non-existent cash that would afford them a feeling of independence" (newspaper clipping). She decided to concentrate on rug hooking since it was "what was already there." She solicited women from the local Women's Club to begin hooking for her. Her first worker drove to her home and told her, that "she just loved to 'draw-in', and would like to be one of her workers" (newspaper clipping). The business was set up so that the workers hooked the rugs in their own homes and sent them to the Titcombs who then sold them to the client who had ordered the rug.

Titcomb and her daughter were the rug designers. Martha's rug designs were described by the critics at the time as "beautiful and elevating," as "the loveliest things one can imagine". They were drawn on an old painted pine table, to meet all kinds of tastes. Her designs were inspired by "the spirit of the old creations": baskets of flowers, very realistic, with some unconventional; ships sailing green oceans; golden sunsets; block designs with hit-or-miss. After the design was drawn the Titcombs painted the burlap with the colors that were to be used by their workers. The painted burlap was given to the workers, along with a key to the colors and the yarns to be hooked, yarns which the Titcombs had dyed themselves in their "workroom": turquoise, green, mauve, pale cream, deep red, tawny browns. Their "pulled-in" rugs were like those made by grandma except they are "always of wool and they are far lovelier in color" (newspaper clipping). They were not the "crude thrift rugs" made by women to use up bits of wool and rag and silk.

Titcomb's home industry was so successful that she could not keep up. The Titcombs claimed that "the rugs sell as fast as they can manufacture them" (newspaper clipping).

The rug in the photo (scanned from the newspaper clipping) is the type of rug that the Titcombs were designing and manufacturing and selling in the 1920s. It had a black background and is a duplicate of the first large rug ordered and manufactured by the business. It was designed to go with some "chintz" in the home of the woman who ordered it. The Titcombs preferred to design rugs to meet the decor needs of their clients. The rug pictured lay "before the hearth in the living-room of Elizabeth's father's house, where it must feel very much at home, in the atmosphere of the olden days that prevails in every particular" (newspaper clipping).

Were their workers happy? Elizabeth reports that one of her workers once told her after finishing a rug, "Send me something else to do quickly; I am like a hornet when I haven't a rug to work on" (newspaper clipping).

Wool boxes

2010-03-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to figure out a neat way to organize my wool strips as I am working on projects. Because I work with light, light-medium, dark-medium, and dark values of my colors, I needed something with four compartments. I ran into these boxes while out shopping and painted them up this afternoon. I'm now going to try one out.

Photos: front and back of wool boxes

Update on Alexander

2010-03-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Alexander is going to town on his sunflower. This weekend he picked out the wools he wanted for his petals. Since he is only six and I'm not comfortable having him use the big sharp scissors, I trimmed the petals for him the size he wanted and here he is (accompanied by Maggie dog) hooking in some of the petals. I showed him how to grab the little end of the petal and pull it up through the linen. He is talking about hooking a blue sky. I had him look at several pictures of sunflowers to decide how he wanted his center to look. He decided he wanted the very center trimmed down, while the outside left proddy. So again I trimmed the center for him because I don't want him using the fabric scissors until he is older and has more hand coordination.

Cabbage Rose Purse

2010-03-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Last December when I hooked my sister a cabbage rose coaster for her tea mug, I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice to enlarge this cabbage rose and make a purse out of it?" Well this is the week that I'm doing it. I got tired of hooking the colors of the abstract rug and waffling, so I went over to Kinkos and enlarged my cabbage rose pattern. I hooked the first side (pictured) with English Lavender (110) 8-values; Sugar Plum (111) 8-values; Stormy Seas (122) 8-values; dapple dyed pieces of all three. The rose measures 12" by 12" so it is a BIG rose.

My plan is to hook a second rose (same pattern) in different colors, maybe Million Dollar Red and Flame. And to add a cottingham garden surprise. So stay tuned for that.

The purse is going to retain the blossom shape. I just have to figure out how to put the purse together when I'm finished hooking the two pieces. Wish me luck! If I'm successful with the finish - that is, it looks professional - I have an idea to create a series of these blossom purses which I'm thinking of calling Cottingham Blossom Purses.

UPDATE: I didn't like the pink flecks in the purple dapple dye in this piece. So I have removed them and replaced them with dapple dyed strips of English Lavender #110.

The March/April/May Rug Hooking Magazine issue

2010-03-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

I just received my issue of Rug Hooking Magazine and I was delighted to see two fellow bloggers featured! Deanne Fitzpatrick has a wonderful article "Twenty Years at the Mat" and Laurie Lausen has a delightful pattern for a bunny chair pad. Congratulations!

But there was a letter that I read that caused me distress - not the letter, but the content of it. What moved me to write this post is that the author is Tish Murphy herself who faces an uncomfortable situation, and I cannot imagine how bad the situation has become for her to feel so compelled to write to the editor about it.

It appears that the spectacular "St. Nicholas with Chickadee" which was designed by Tish Murphy has been repeatedly copied by readers of the magazine without purchasing Tish's pattern or kit. Tish was extremely generous with her instructions and shared a beautiful work with our community. This design is the creative work of Tish and is readily available to anyone who would like to create their own version, for $25 at Tiskkits@yahoo.com. Tish is asking everyone who copied her pattern without her permission to reimburse her for the cost of the pattern.

What Tish has learned from this experience is that it is not worth it for her to write informative articles for Rug Hooking Magazine like she has been doing. So because of this situation all of us have lost out. We will no longer benefit from Tish's generosity and instruction, and we will no longer be inspired by her featured art, at least not anytime soon.

Rug patterns are the intellectual and artistic property of the person who designed them. They are usually offered for sale at a minimal charge. Please respect the artists who work so hard to create their patterns and offer them to us for sale so that we can hook rugs we love and continue to have a thriving growing craft.

Women Yesterday and Today 5: Practical advise about rug making in the 1920s

2010-03-11T02:52:00.000-08:00

To assist women of leisure, Phillips lays out a number of rug types she is familiar with, including a few photos. She markets them as rugs of "sentiment and symbol". She says that floral rugs were most popular, the rose surpassing the rest, although she mentions geraniums, morning glories, fuchsias, and verbenas "scattered over the surfaces of many of our early hooked rugs" (pp. 39-40). She describes geometric designs created by using a yardstick and the dinner plate, and cutting patterns out of stiff cardboard. She talks about Welcome Mats and Emblematic rugs with patriotic symbols. She is familiar with Picture rugs, Marine rugs, and Animal rugs. She also mentions Memory rugs, recalling a meeting with an 86 year old woman who handed Phillips her rug and said, "That's my pony; that's Jack, our old black Jack, and that's the field he used to browse in, and that's the sky behind it, and that's the same old fence and the old bars I used to let down when I took the cows to pasture when I was a girl" (p. 46).

She also tries to help these women think about the rooms in their homes and what kinds of rugs might be suitable for their "city and country homes." So we get a tour of the wealthy woman's home in the 1920s, from the new-spangled living room, dining room, bedrooms, guest rooms, nursery, halls, maid's room, porches, sun parlor to the family's camps and hunting lodges (59-72).

She also gives practical advise, telling them how to get started with a frame and foundation. She recommends burlap because it would be a waste to use hand-woven linen "in such an inconspicuous place as the foundation of a rug" (p. 94). She suggest buying the burlap at a department store, or, if better grade is preferred, at a needlework shop.

As for design, she is very adamant. She purposefully calls her chapter "Marking the Design" because she wants to revive the art of rug making "as it was in the best of days" before stamped designs, when "each worker wrought the outline of the thing she wished to picture herself" (p. 101). She complains that companies at the time, with the revival in the interest of early American furnishings, had accelerated their stamped designs, not only reproducing the old designs but also inventing new ones by combining some of the features of the primitive designs with more modern design elements (p. 102).

She advises the new rug hooker to become childlike again. To draw with the abandon of a child. To express herself. "Design your own rugs, and simple or imperfect, quaint or grotesque, the finished piece will not only contain bits of your own clothing and household fabrics, but it will reflect the ideas you may have as to formal or informal patterns" (pp. 104-105). She gives practical suggestions for drawing animals, making geometric templates, creating scrolls and so forth.

But when all is said and done, Phillips comes to the point that has been haunting the book and her desire to bring rug hooking to women of leisure: "Here is the material and the equipment and the willingness to make a present-day hooked rug by the best of old-time methods, yet the hands lie limp in our laps and we gaze at our lovely floral design and the straight line border, and all that we have read and all that we have tried to treasure in our memories have simply evaporated. We have a feeling of our own inadequacy - we are lost - and for the moment our good resolution to make a rug has also taken to itself wings. We can see one thing only, that expanse of canvas, and although it is but a little mat of not more than six square feet we gaze on it as though it were the Sahara Desert" (p. 118).

Phillips identified that "thing" that keeps rug hooking from becoming the craft of many. Personal feelings of inadequacy and fear that immobilize us - not knowing what to do next, what will look right. Her suggestion to start on the edge probably wasn't very helpful to the women she had hoped to persuade to pick up hooks. So although Phillips appears to have been part of the reason that rug hooking moved into new circles and became a craft of the woman of leisure, it would take another woman to come along and offer another solution that addressed head on the problem Phillips had identified.

Women Yesterday and Today 4: More on Anna Laise Phillips

2010-03-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate the history of women this month, I want to return to the story of Anna M. Laise Phillips and her book Hooked Rugs and How to Make Them (1925). My last post about her discussed her as a business woman who set up a brokerage-type rug business in the 1920s. She developed a network of various pods of hookers, often in rural poor neighborhoods around the East and the South, and purchased rugs that they themselves designed and hooked from "rags." She marketed the rugs in New York city as authentic American folk art "like grandma used to make" at a time with Americana and nostalgia for the good ol' days (before industrialization) was on the rise in the states. She was very successful in selling these rugs, moving them into the homes of wealthy women and collectors. It appears that she was so successful that she went out on the state farm circuit lecturing about rugs, in order to solicit rugs from women she would meet there and establish new pods.

If we ever wonder why our hooking groups today are called "guilds" all we have to do is remember that the origin of our craft is connected to the fact that women who were hooking rugs in the teens and twenties were doing so to sell them. They found it convenient to gather together during the day at the guild leader's house and hook together. Phillips talks about two or three neighbors gathering in the kitchen and hooking their rugs.

She also talks about the dye pot being "as much a part of the kitchen equipment as is the stove today." The rags they used were turned into "beautiful colors" from "barks, roots, and herbs brewed and combined to make the desired tint." They used vegetable dyes grown in their gardens. Saffron raised for medicinal tea made a brilliant golden color when used as a dye. Logwood and onion skins were also used (p. 30).

I noticed when reading Phillips' book that her brokerage business is only part of her story. What she is doing in her book is trying to persuade wealthy women to try to hook rugs. She describes her audience as women who " attend to their household duties systematically and conscientiously, yet have their leisure hours when they might be doing some other form of expressive work if they could only decide what to take up" (p. 10). It is a hard sell because this was a craft of poverty that used "rags." All the books from this period talk about the women using materials that were so worn they couldn't be used for anything else anymore. So they hooked them into rugs that they would walk on (think farmer's boots) or put in front of their hearths (think cooking and open fires). During this time, rugs were largely made by women of poverty to sell or trade for food and clothing.

Nevertheless, she tries to bring the craft to a new audience in her chapter "Making Rugs for Ourselves" (pp. 87-100). She does so by trying to persuade women of leisure that the craft is "old" and "American" and part of the "revival" of past. Tired of industrialization and commercialism? Tired of cheap imitations? Tired of mechanical perfection? Then rug hooking is for you. At a time when women had just won the right to vote, Phillips writes, "This chapter is written in the spirit of helpfulness, of encouragement to our women to return to something which they can do in their own homes, by their own firesides, while father reads his paper or even while he is at the club" (p. 88).

But her big move was to convince these wealthy women of leisure that by hooking rugs they were not becoming part of a merchant guild. They didn't have to sell their rugs. She writes, "Lest I weaken, I am going to tell you right here: do NOT make rugs to sell, make them for YOURSELF" (p. 88). She advises them against making rugs for "your lover, your husband, your mother, or your friend, for if you do you will not make a really individual rug. Make rugs for yourself. Make the kind of rug you like, the kind that appeal to you, the kind of rugs that you would keep forever...Leave it to the other woman to make her kind of rug. You make your own kind" (pp. 88-89).

As for the rags, she is suggests that rugs making is a good recycling project. Instead of disposing of "father's pants" why not turn his ugly old worn out cast offs into "articles of virtue and delight"? Why not make your home beautiful with the things you already have? (pp. 89-90).

In another post, I will review what Phillips knows about rugs during her time, and how she suggests to go about making them.

Guess who's hooking too?

2010-03-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

You guessed it. Alexander! He came to me yesterday and asked if I would show him how to hook his own rug. Of course. What did he want to hook? A sunflower! I set him up with short strips to prod the center because he is so young hooking loops is just going to be frustrating. So when he gets done pulling the strips up top of the foundation, we will shear them off. Then he wants prodded gold petals. Is he having fun? I just asked him. "Yeah, I'm going to do some now," he told me. It is after school, and he is stretching his foundation on the frame as I type this.

Survey and Give-Away

2010-03-07T07:09:00.001-08:00

I am going to give-away a package of my Red Jack Rugs Palette Wool to two respondents who answer my question about wool packaging (read on). Post your answer in the comments to this post. I'll make the drawing on March 20th.

Illustration: my logo

As I am building the Red Jack Rugs website (I will be moving the blog to this new website in about a month) and beginning to package my hand-dyed palette wools, I need some advise from you.

My wools are a new concept in the rugger's world because they are all kinship wools, created as a complete color family from my three exclusive dyes (Million Dollar Red, Amaizing Yellow, and Alexander Blue). It will mean that there will be available for sale a full artist's palette in wool, with all the tints, shades, and neutrals too.

I am packaging them in a variety of packs, all consisting of 8 pieces of wool.

8-Value pack: 8 values of one color from lightest to darkest
8-Shade pack: 8 shades (darkened color) of one color
8-Dapple pack: 8 pieces of spot-dyed wool of one color
8-Texture pack: 8 pieces of over-dyed textured wool varieties of one color
8-Primitive pack: 3 values (light, medium, dark), 2 shades, 1 dapple, 2 texture

I want to make my packs as convenient for your hooking needs and economical as I can. I only use the very premium supplies (100% Dorr milled wool and W. Cushings Perfection Acid dyes) and procedure. When my wool arrives at your home, it is ready for you to cut and use.

So if you were to buy a pack of my wool, which size would you most likely purchase?

1. $12: a pack that contains 1/5 yard (pre-washed): 8 pieces 3" by 12 1/2" (after processing)
2. $15: a pack that contains 1/4 yard (pre-washed): 8 pieces 3" by 16" (after processing)

Normally swatches are created and sold as #1, so #2 is a new idea. The strips would be 3 1/2 inches longer each, but the price point moves up $3.

Generating Abstract Ideas

2010-03-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

As I have been reading about abstract art this year, I have been trying to think of ways to apply the principles to rug hooking. I have started to come up with some practical suggestions to create abstract rug studies so I'm going to begin to share them on the blog, and will add more as they come my way.

Abstraction means taking something and moving it away from realism. Abstract art does this by taking representational art and 'abstracting' it, moving it away from a realistic representation of the object, to try to get at the nature of the object rather than reproduce the object. Or it eliminates the object altogether and works in color fields, lines or forms only. The "theory" behind abstract art is that it is not about the object, but about the painter making visible the inner self.

Here are some practical suggestions for designing abstract rugs:

1. Chop a small portion of a photo of an object. Enlarge the small portion to the size of your foundation. Draw this on your foundation.
2. Take a photo, enlarge it to the size of your foundation. Outline the objects you want with a big marker. Cut or slice the enlargement into different pieces. Rearrange them into a mosaic of your liking. Draw lines around various pieces of the mosaic if you want to add a linear element. Draw this on your foundation.
3. Take a photo and enlarge it. Draw thick black lines around the objects. Distort some. Enlarge some of the objects, but not others. Arrange the objects to your liking. Hook stark lines around the objects perhaps like the cubists did.
4. Take a photo, enlarge it, and change up the colors, using unnatural or unexpected colors. Simplify and distort slightly the objects before hooking them.
5. Draw free forms or run free lines across your foundation. Hook by concentrating on color and transition of color.
6. Go geometric, but funky. Keep away from repeated motifs lined up or in quilt blocks. Let the geometrics run around the foundation.
7. Hook colors with no design at all. Just an empty foundation to fill up with color. Hook freely.

Consider joining the 2010 Abstract Challenge over on RHD. I am finding hooking a color field (#7 on my list) to be very liberating.

Women Yesterday and Today 3: Anna M. Laise Phillips

2010-03-03T07:31:00.001-08:00

I have been continuing to reflect on women's history, and reading some old books I never got around to until now. And I would like to share one in particular with you today because it is a testament to the time that Lady Anne Grenfell was operating her mission mat business and may explain why she was so successful. It also lays some of the historical narrative necessary to understand what happened when Pearl McGown came on the scene.

Six years ago I was in an antique mall and my husband was rummaging around the old books there. He came across a book I bought although I did not recognize. It was written in 1925 by Anna M. Laise Phillips. It is called Hooked Rugs and How to Make Them. I recall leafing through it and shelving it at home. And forgetting about it. Until I found it again as I have been preparing to write this series of posts on historical women in rug hooking.

From the first lines of Phillips' book, I was captivated. She writes in the first lines of her foreword: "Sometimes I wonder if the thing itself is as big or important as the reason for its being; and in view of the darkness and dawn, the chaos and then the order, the trials and then the joy of our work, it seems that the things we do are but the outlet of our inner selves" (p. 9). She goes on to call rug hooking "expressive work" and she states that she hopes her book will encourage women who have "leisure hours" after attending their "household duties" to express themselves by hooking a lovely rug for their hearths. It is very clear throughout the book that Phillips' wished to cultivate rug hooking as an individualistic expressive folk art form (more on this in another post on another day!).

How did she learn about rug hooking? She tells the story of a bleak December day when she was traveling in the Alleghenies mountains to visit a cemetery where some of her kinsfolk were buried. She is traveling in a very poor part of the mountain country and states that she stopped by the dilapidated home of a "big, motherly woman" whose husband was ill and unable to work. When she enters the home, the woman apologizes for its sorry state, including the fact that her house had no heat. The woman then tells Phillips, "Indeed, I can make rugs and I work fast, too. If you'll let me make you one I am sure you'll be pleased." Phillips says that the woman was so earnest that it nearly broke her heart. The woman needed something to do to earn an income since her husband had been ill for a year.

When Phillips got home to New York City she began receiving packages of rugs from the woman: rugs with morning glories and marigolds scattered across them. She considered them good quality. Phillips paid her. More rugs arrive. There is more cash exchange. We learn that the woman told her neighbors about her new income and they begin to have "little rug parties where two or three gathered and visited" and hooked rugs to send to Phillips.

Soon Phillips has more rugs than she knows what to do with. And doesn't want to keep buying them for herself since she was running out of extra money. So she wrote the hookers and told them that she couldn't buy anymore of their rugs. They wrote back, "Please, Mrs. Phillips, don't stop buying our rugs. You are keeping the coal shovel and the bread knife going."

So Phillips regrouped. She asked the woman and the group of hookers she had organized to hook rugs for a year, working with "bits of cotton and wool, with here and there a thread of silk" creating "rugs from her (the hooker's) own designs." When Phillips had enough rugs, she put on an exhibit at the Art Center in New York. She showed "a few nice pieces" in order to show that the work of this group of women "deserved to be encouraged." The show was successful and the rugs sold. The buyers then began commissioning work from the women, and the "bread knife" and the "coal shovel" were kept going through their patronage.

I actually found the New York Times article from May 14, 1922, which describes the exhibition Phillips was referring to. The Exhibition was called "Old and New Types of American Handmade Rugs" and it was billed as a collection of American handmade rugs "patterned after the very old ones and made by women whose mothers, grandmothers and even great-grandmothers were skilled rugmakers." She had on display seven types of rugs: knitted, crocheted or "cottage rugs", braided or "grandma's rocker" rugs, rag or "Betsy Moore" rugs, and two kinds of hooked rugs. The first type she called "old-fashioned rugs" that were made from a variety of materials. And a new concept rug she called "hearthstone rugs" because of it "cheerful homelike appearance", rich coloring, and thickness.

The New York Times article states that the hookers were "groups of women throughout this and other States in the East and South who, being skilled in the art of rugmaking, are anxious to make their work practical. All the work is done in the individual homes and each woman completes her rug after her own design and according to her own methods of work. The result is a very unusual collection of handmade rugs...It is the aim of Mrs. Phillips to broaden the scope of this work so that other women who are equally skilled may be given employment in this kind of occupation which brings out their skill and talent for making beautiful floor coverings, without leaving their homes."

What was going on here? I haven't been able to find an official biography of Anna Phillips, but reading between the lines of her book, I suspect that it was not a chance encounter with a stranger in the mountains that brought rug hooking to Phillips' attention. Phillips' was visiting the area to attend to the graves of her relatives and when she leaves the hooker's home and returns to New York city, she mentions that her trip had taken her back "to the scenes of childhood." This makes me think that the "big, motherly woman" was Phillips' impoverished relative, and Phillips agreed to buy her rugs while her husband was convalescing to keep the family from starvation. And once the neighbors heard about it, they wanted in too. So Phillips' found herself in a difficult situation. She had understood her offer to buy her relative's rugs to be a temporary measure, and now she was being sent boxes of them.

From photos in her book (which I have digitalized here), I can see that she was a wealthy woman. She shows us a room in her house adorned with hooked rugs, a room which she calls "Ye Heartstone Studios". I imagine that the name "heartstone rug" is meant to reflect her studio name. So I think she had connections in New York society which allowed her to put on an exhibition at the Art Center where other patrons could buy the rugs her relative's group had hooked. This appears to have been so successful that Phillips branched out, going around to various state and county fairs to tell about her cottage industry and invite women to hook rugs to sell to her. She mentions particularly a group of women who were school teachers from the rural districts of Memphis, Tennessee, who were delighted to find out that they could make rugs out of "old materials" and sell them to Phillips (p. 158).

What appears to have happened in the 1920s was a revival of rug hooking as part of a revival of Americana. Phillips attributes it to post-WWI emotions and nostalgia for the good ol' days, and I have no reason to doubt her on this. It seems that New York city was one of the main centers of commerce for things Americana. It was becoming vogue for wealthy city women to have American folk art in their homes. Phillips appears to have known this and creates a cottage industry from it, just as Lady Anne Grenfell was doing in Canada. The differences are stark though. Phillips is not supplying kits and instructions to her workers. She encourages them to create rugs from their own designs because she is certain that only when this freedom is granted to her workers will the rugs be truly expressive.

Women Yesterday and Today 2: The Creation of Modern Rug Hooking

2010-03-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

Rug hooking began as a craft of poverty in the 1800s. It is the "art" that women and men practiced who had very limited access to materials. Rug making was a "country" craft that relied on scraps of materials cast off by mills or rags that were too worn out for the family to use for cleaning anymore. Burlap seed sacks were turned into no-cost carpets by hooking these cast offs and rags into the holes of the sacks.

We don't necessarily think of rug hooking this way anymore, although my first five years of rug hooking was done only from reclaimed wool that I hunted on the cheap at rummage sales. At my heyday, I bet I had a whole closet of wool (packed in) that I had purchased for under $100. It took a lot of leg work, and many hours of cutting up old smelly coats and laundering them thoroughly, but my "art" was imitative of the ol' days in that I restricted myself to hooking with selvaged wool. When I returned to rug hooking last year, I realized that I wanted my "art" to have more freedom, and so I began to explore new wool and really started to think about dyeing as an art in and of itself. Today we have guilds and camps and shops and magazines and books all devoted to rug hooking.

None of this would have been possible without two women in rug hooking's past who took an under-valued craft that was invisible and elevated its popular image: Lady Anne Grenfell (1920s) and Pearl McGown (1930s). Both women took a local craft that did not have much appeal at the time and brought it to a new level of business and art in their respective locales. Each woman used a similar strategy. Today I will share what I know about Lady Anne Grenfell.

Lady Anne Grenfell had noticed that the wives of the fishermen of Labrador made rugs, but that the rugs were not very attractive. In 1916, she apparently got the idea to design little patterns of northern scenes, put them on burlap and create kits complete with dyed silk stockings and a rug hook made from a filed off bent nail hammered into a piece of wood that fit into a woman's hand. These were distributed to women in the area to hook during the long dark days of winter. The materials Lady Anne supplied were recycled. The silk stockings came from donations from women in Canada, the US and England. There was a slogan at the time, "When your stockings begin to run, let them run to Labrador."

Women who crafted the rugs would be given vouchers to buy used clothing when they returned the finished mat to the Grenfells and Lady Anne sold it in her tea house. Lady Anne is credited with establishing strict standards for the production of the mats and the craft. Mats were hooked in straight horizontal lines and every hole of the burlap was filled. When mats were returned, they were weighed (to make sure that all the materials sent out were incorporated in the mat) and graded before the crafter was paid.

Even though the craft was still a craft of the poor (women had to prove that they were in need to be part of this program), Lady Anne's supply of upgraded (although still recycled) materials, the creation of unique local designs, the standardization of technique and manufacture, and the entrepreneurial connection began to change people's attitudes about rug crafting. Women who had no income, could create mats and exchange them for clothing and medicines, and eventually other goods as the Grenfell mat business took off. Women who previously had had no options found themselves with options. By hooking Grenfell mats, they could earn an independent livelihood and not be forced into early marriages they did not choose. Rug hooking was beginning to emerge as a business option and one that assisted and supported women and their families independent of a husband's income.

Information for this post came from the Henry Sheldon Museum and Paula Laverty's, Silk-Stocking Mats which can be purchased at Amazon HERE.

Women Yesterday and Today 1: The Wage Gap

2010-03-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

March is Women's History Month. So I am going to be devoting some of my blog posts this month to a series I'm calling: Women Yesterday and Today. To start off the series, I thought I would highlight a few statistics that are very troubling.

Women are now 50% of the workforce. On average women earn 77 cents to every dollar earned by men. Just one year (!) out of college, women already earn less than their male colleagues earn, even when they work in the same field with the same degree. At ages 66 and older women are twice (!) as likely as men to be poor. It has taken 40 years (!) to begin to close the wage gap by a meager 12 cents.

What is really alarming is just how much the wage gap widens the older women get. One year after graduation, women average 80% of the salary their male counterparts are earning. Ten years later they are earning 69% of the salary of their male counterparts. Even when researchers control for all the known factors that can affect earnings (hours, occupation, parenthood, etc.) their research shows that one-quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained. Over time, this unexplained portion of the pay gap grows larger and larger.

The AAUW has an interactive map HERE where you can hover over any state and find out the wage gap stats closer to home. It is sad to view these stats. Among college grads, women in Texas are earning 70% of what their male counterparts are earning. In my home state Michigan, it is even worse: 68%.

Last year, President Obama began to work on this problem by signing into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The second part of this legislation has been stalled in the Senate, but it will finally receive its hearing. On March 11, the Senate will hold a hearing on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which is an update of the 46-year old Equal Pay Act. If you want to read more about this legislation or if you want to send your senators a letter to support this legislation, go HERE (AAUW website page). They have set up the website so that it is very easy to create and send your message, either via email or on letterhead. It took me two minutes.

I will come back to this topic again since April 20th is Equal Pay Day. And HERE are some pay equity ideas for action for that day if you want to make the problem more visible around your local area.

All stats are taken from AAUW.

ATHA Region 9 Update for February 2010

2010-02-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

UPCOMING REGION 9 EVENTS
FROM MARTHA LOWRY, REP. FOR REGION 9

FEBRUARY
FIRST ANNUAL HEART OF TEXAS HOOK-IN, sponsored by the Heart of Texas ATHA chapter, is this Saturday, February 27, 9:30-4:30, at the Hill Country Christian Church, 20845 HWY 46W, Spring Branch, TX 78070. Advance registration is necessary. Contact: Catherine Hickman, 210-481-5141 or catherine35@sbcglobal.net.

MARCH
MARCH MADNESS STASH SALE, Friday, March 5, 9:00-3:00, at the Fredericksburg Inn and Suites, 201 S. Washington, Fredericksburg, TX. Contact: Judy Burgess, jacknjudyb@austin.rr.com.

YELLOW ROSE RUG CAMP, March 14-18, Salado, TX. Martha Reynolds states there are still a few openings left, and the Camp Rug Show, which is free and open to everyone, will be Wednesday, March 17, after 1:00 in the Bluebonnet Lodge. For more information, the website is http://www.yellowroseevents.net. Contact: Martha Reynolds, rugbug48@gmail.com.

APRIL
FIFTH ANNUAL HANKAMER HOOK-IN, April 9-10, at Whites Park, 225 Whites Memorial Park Dr., Hankamer, TX. Vendors and rug show. Advance registration. Contact: P.D. Hankamer, heartspd1@yahoo.com.

SNIPPETS IN THE SPRING, a rug hooking retreat, April 21-24, at the Duncan Gray Center, just north of Canton, MS. (website is www.graycenter.dioms.org). Lisanne Miller, of P is for Primitive in Canton, will be teaching mini classes, including dyeing, hooking simple faces, color planning from your stash, and making the most of your textures. Evening hooking, all-inclusive pricing, demos, door prizes, and more...contact Lisanne Miller, 601-859-4252 or lisannemiller1@aol.com.

SCULPTED SANTA FACE CLASS, by artist Lebba Kropp, April 19 and April 23 (a two-day class), at My Little House Rug Hooking Studio, Katy, TX. Contact: Jan Peckenpaugh, mylilhouse@hotmail.com.

MAY
STAR OF TEXAS RUG CAMP, TYLER, May 23-27, at the Holiday Inn Select, Tyler, TX. Contacts: Katie Hartner, khartner2@msn.com and Cynthia Norwood, canorwood@aol.com.

JUNE
FIFTH ANNUAL EUREKA SPRINGS HOOK-IN, June 12, at the Eureka Springs Best Western Convention Center Hotel, Eureka Springs, AR. Vendors. In conjunction with the hook-in, rug hooking workshops will be held on Friday June 11. Workshop teachers include Judy Cripps, Victoria Ingalls, Aileen Anderson, and Vicki Hardcastle. Spaces limited. Advance registration necessary for either or both days. Contact: Vicki Hardcastle at rughooking@hughes.net.

ANNUAL TEXAS RUGFEST HOOK-IN, Monday, June 21, at the Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. Vendors. Advance registration, contact Susan Harper, texasrugfest@yahoo.com.

FIRST ANNUAL MIDSUMMER KIRBY HOOK-IN, June 26, 9:00-4:00, at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX. Rug show open to the public from 1:00-3:00. Vendors. Advance registration, contact Lurie McAdow, luriemcadow@aol.com. If you would like to participate in the rug challenge, "Celestial Challenge", you can read about it on April DeConick's blog, www.redjackrugs.blogspot.com, on the January 18, 2010 post.

AUGUST
NINTH ANNUAL ANGELA PUMPHREY WEEKEND RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP, hosted by the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, August 13-15, at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Teachers include Elizabeth Black, Pris Buttler, Bev Conway, and Carrie Martin. Contact: Tricia Travis, countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

THIRD ANNUAL HOOK-IN CO-SPONSORED BY STONEHILL SPINNING AND COUNTRY GATHERINGS, August 29 and 30, at the Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg, TX. Vendors, mini workshops, and a special workshop by Edyth O'Neill on color. Registration $25 per day, or $45 for both days. Contact countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

OCTOBER
MISSISSIPPI WOOL DUST SOCIETY ATHA CHAPTER'S THIRD ANNUAL JAIL HOUSE ROCK HOOK-IN, October 21-23, at the Historic Jail House, Canton, MS. Registration is $45 for the Thursday evening reception and two full days of hooking. There are only about 10 spaces left, so contact Lisanne Miller at 601-859-4252 or lisannemiller1@aol.com.

FIFTH ANNUAL OXFORD RUG CAMP, October 31-Nov.4, at the Downtown Inn and Suites, Oxford, MS. Teachers include Bea Brock, Bev Conway, and Sibyl Osicka. For more information, see website www.oxfordrugcamp.com. Contact camp director Donna Holdiness, oxfordrugcamp@bellsouth.net or 662-289-7738.

NOVEMBER
KERRVILLE TRADITIONAL AND PRIMITIVE RUG CAMP, November 12-14, at the legendary Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Kerrville, TX. Teachers include Karen Maddox, Judy Rippstein, and Pamela Van Lieu. Contact Pamela Van Lieu at rpvanlieu@gvtc.com or 830-336-4467, for an email containing registration form, teacher bios, and class descriptions.

January, 2011
GLEN ROSE RUG HOOKING RETREAT, sponsored by the Texas Rug Runners ATHA Chapter, January 14-16, 2011, at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center's Stillwater Lodge. Contact Melody Lundquist at melody.lundquist@yahoo.com to receive a registration form.

NEWS FROM REGION 9 HOOKING GROUPS

For a list of hooking groups in your area, contact Martha Lowry, mlowry52@hotmail.com. The following information does not represent every hooking group, but only emails that have been sent to be included in the Region 9 Update. Please send in any info about your hooking group.

HOOK ME UP, a new group meeting in Carrollton, TX, meets monthly on the 3rd Saturday, from 10:00-3:00, at the Carrollton Church of the Nazarene, 1529 E. Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75010. There will be a $2 donation for use of the church facility. For more information and directions, contact Janet Kersh, woolgarden@hotmail.com.

KATY LAMBCHOPS meets every Wednesday from 10:00-4:00 at My Little House, inside Dovetail Antiques in Old Town Katy, TX. This group has been enjoying "make it and take it" projects, including proddy and quilling. For March, a needlepunch project is planned. A monthly evening hook-in will begin in the spring. To receive email reminders about meetings and upcoming special classes, contact Jan Peckenpaugh, mylilhouse@hotmail.com.

SEVERAL HOOKING GROUPS meet at Country Gatherings, 18771 FM 2252, San Antonio, TX. In addition to hosting the regular meetings of the Heart of Texas ATHA Chapter, the following groups also meet: two Tuesday groups which meet every Tuesday from 9:30-12:00 (each group meets 2 times monthly); a Wednesday group which meets two times a month from 9:30-12:00; and a Saturday group which meets two times monthly form 9:00-11:00. For information about joining any of these groups, contact Tricia Travis at countrygatherings@mail.com or 210-651-4470.

MAGNOLIA WOOL DUST SOCIETY ATHA CHAPTER meets the second Saturday, 11:00, at the Historic Jail House in Canton, MS. In February, they hooked face pins. Contact Lisanne Miller, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

THE SHEPHERD'S WOOL AND ANTIQUES, Wichita Falls, TX, hosts a regular hooking group. Contact Susan Myers at susanmyers0006@att.net for more information.

P IS FOR PRIMITIVE, Canton, MS, is hosting "Spring Fling at the P", Saturday, March 27. All types of fiber artists are welcome to bring their projects to work on. Contact Lisanne, lisannemiller1@aol.com.

IN MEMORIAM

The Kerrville Rug Hookers, Kerrville, TX mourn the loss of member LoisLee Ewing. Group member Karen Maddox sent in a lovely tribute to her: "LoisLee Ewing, a member of our Kerrville Rug Hookers, passed away on January 27, 2010. The family wanted the local rug hooking groups to have her wool, so we had two pickups and three cars loaded to take to the monthly gathering here in Kerrville. It was a sad time; however, everyone had so much fun choosing wool and sharing memories of LoisLee. What wool was left, we took to the Fredericksburg Hooking Gathering, and then to the Blanco Hooking Gathering. Some was given to the hooking group in Mexico, so Loislee will be in many a rug in the future! We will miss her tremendously, but her legacy lives on through the generosity of her husband and daughter."

Region 9 joins the Kerrville Rug Hookers in remembering LoisLee's legacy. A couple of her beautiful rugs are featured in Cynthia Norwood's book, CREATING AN ANTIQUE LOOK IN HAND-HOOKED RUGS. She hooked "Ligonier Duo" on page 6, and "Magdalena's Dogs and Crows" on page 39.

RAFFLE TICKETS
Contact Carrie Martin, mart3285@bellsouth.net, to buy raffle tickets for a rug hooking frame to support the 2011 ATHA BIENNIAL.

ATHA NEWSLETTER ARTICLES FROM REGION 9 MEMBERS

* Carrie Martin's (Covington, LA) how-to article about hooking wide-cut, shaded fruit (she will be guiding us through a primitive fruit pattern in a series of 4 articles, including dye recipes, and will include her own chair seat pattern in one of the articles)
* Laurie Gaddy's (Bellville, TX) how-to article about unusual binding techniques for finishing rugs
* An invitation from Region 9 to participate in the SEEING RED CHALLENGE, hooking a small mat featuring the color red
* Bea Brock's (Kerrville, TX) Dyeing Primer, a 6-part series about how to dye beautiful wool
* Amzi Collins's (Lake Charles, LA) article about her "Gentry Encore" rug
* Linda Gartner's (Fredericksburg, TX) article about her "Annie's Flower Power" rug
* A feature about Barbara Riley's (Houston, TX) rug hooking studio, with an invitation to send in photos of our hooking rooms to be featured in future issues

Congrats to Judy Long, Editor, for a great issue, and for featuring such interesting and in-depth how-to articles in the NEWSLETTER. Judy has requested articles and photos which feature fine-shaded rugs with spring and summer themes. Keep sending in your primitive rugs, too. You can contact Judy at athanews@peoplescom.net.

Don't forget, you can start your subscription to the ATHA NEWSLETTER by going to the ATHA website, www.atharugs.com, and clicking on "how to join". You can join online using paypal, or you can download the membership form and mail a check. Don't miss an issue of this great newsletter.

THANK YOU
Thanks for your support, and please keep sending information for this update. Email mlowry52@hotmail.com if you want to be removed from this distribution list, or if you are receiving it more than once.

Martha Lowry
Region 9 ATHA Rep
281-550-7562

Making progress

2010-02-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

I have been working on the abstract, Baptism by Fire. It is coming along, now measuring 17" across and 12" high. The size doesn't show well in this picture, but the piece is becoming more powerful the bigger it gets.

I am having fun hooking it, although it is much more challenging than it looks. Being conscious of color and movement of line without a drawn form takes some time to get used to. I have done quite a bit of reverse hooking already, and it took about a week to figure out what I am doing.

But hooking this abstract is also liberating, hooking with a certain randomness is a pleasurable experience. I find myself immersed in the color of what I am hooking, and the color seems to be unfolding in the piece emotionally, as I feel so moved to hook a certain strand of red or orange or yellow. I like hooking the darks the best. I feel a sense of richness and deepness when I hook them into the piece and the light values are supported by them, almost dancing in their depth.

My Creativity Resolution

2010-02-22T03:48:00.000-08:00

I will suspend the rules in order to explore
I will explore in order to play
I will play in order to create pieces that express myself
to venture beyond what I have been taught
to open doors I did not know were there
to immerse myself in color and form
to cross over, to prod, to swerve, to jump
where white is not white
where black is not black
where even gray is purple

Stash Sisters Hook In

2010-02-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

I just received the flyer for the Stash Sister's annual hook in in Hankamer, Texas, April 9-10. This event is so much fun. There are great vendors, a handmade table, goodie bags with handmade surprises, door prizes, a silent auction, a rug raffle, hooking for two days, and a rug exhibit. If you are anywhere near, it is worth the drive to Hankamer. Hope you can join us this year! Click the flyer below for a bigger and clearer image of it.

Great time yesterday

2010-02-21T06:49:00.001-08:00

We had a great time yesterday at the Kirby Hooking Circle. It was great to visit with everyone in the circle, catching up on all things rug-related happening in and around the area.

A visitor from the Hill country joined us for the first time, since she was in Houston for the day. Other newbies: my husband Wade joined the circle, working on his rendition of Suzanne Vega, my friend Lisa pulled her first loops, and I met Pamela for the first time who is hooking a big rug.

We are moving ahead with plans for the June 26 hook in. In March we will have pre-registration forms available, so watch for those. Please consider entering a hooked sun and/or moon (approximately 144 sq. inches; any shape; it's about 12" by 12" if you are hooking a square) in our Celestial Challenge which will be exhibited that day.

Kirby Hooking Circle NEWS

2010-02-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 20th, the Kirby Hooking Circle meets, 11:00am-3:30pm, Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX. Causal hook in. Bring lunch and a friend.

Handmade table is set up for wool, patterns, and hooking related items for sale or swap. All exchanges are made between individuals, so mark all items clearly if you bring them to the table. I will have available my 8-value hue packs and some other goodies.

In addition, at the March 20th Kirby Hooking Circle, I will be facilitating a class on how to hook faces, using my Saint Nicholas face. If you are interested in attending the class and hooking Saint Nicholas, please get in touch with me ASAP (if you haven't already). This means that I am motivated to get the pattern drawn up with instructions, so I will be posting about that once I make it available here on Red Jack Rugs.

Finally, mark your calendars for the First Annual MIDSUMMER KIRBY HOOK IN, Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX, June 26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Bring a rug to display for our rug show, and consider joining the event's Celestial Challenge by hooking a rug or project featuring a sun and/or moon (approximately 144 hooked square inches) any shape, and exhibit it in our special Celestial Challenge Display.

Hooking all day, Celestial Challenge Display and rug show (1-3 pm), lunch and vendors. $25 for the day, which includes lunch for those who pre-register. So pre-registration by June 1st is highly recommended. To register, or for more information contact Lurie McAdow at luriemcadow@aol.com.