Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip Part 6 - Woody Point - Where My Rug Hooking Journey Began

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip

Part 6 - Woody Point - Where My Rug Hooking Journey Began

As our last week in Newfoundland approaches,  we travel back across the island toward Gros Morne National Park intent on exploring the western side of the Park and the area around Port aux Basque.  Spending five weeks exploring the island has left me inspired to hook many of the beautiful landscapes I have photographed; but I wasn’t done yet. There is one more studio I plan to visit in Woody Point, a community located within Gros Morne National Park, called Molly Made Fibre Art Studio.

My introduction to rug hooking occurred during a family trip to Newfoundland in 2006, after seeing beautiful pieces in every craft shop we visited. I was intrigued, but little did I realize that this craft would develop into a fulfilling passion much later in my life. I bought my very first rug hooking kit on that trip - a Molly Made Kit of a lighthouse.  

Arriving home, ready to embrace rug hooking I realized I needed a hook, a hoop and probably a little instruction. In short, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Thankfully, my neighbour, who was a talented fibre artist, offered to show me the basics.  After picking up the essentials at a local shop,  I eagerly attended my lesson. My introduction to the craft involved cutting up an old t-shirt and hooking a simple star on a piece of burlap, all before being brave enough to  attempt my kit. During this first lesson my neighbour gave me a rug hooking book that introduced me to the work and world of Deanne Fitzpatrick. I was instantly, and forevermore ‘hooked’. 

But life and a young family had other plans.   My budding pursuit of the craft, and my Molly Made Kit, were tucked away in a craft drawer, patiently waiting for another day. That day came, many years later, when my nest was empty and I was ready to embrace the artist within.

Woody Point is a charming, little town nestled on the shore of a fjord, with beautifully preserved, colourful homes and buildings scattered along the waterfront. We strolled out to the lighthouse to soak in the views, then wandered over to Molly Made Studio, where I met Austin, busy assembling kits.  While his wife, Molly, creates and hooks the designs, Austin makes the wooden hooks and frames.  

We chatted as Austin showed me around the studio, explaining how the kits are assembled. and I shared that my very first kit had been a Molly Made lighthouse.  Austin pulled out a binder of patterns and pointed to one. “This one?” he asked. To my surprise, it was the very same lighthouse pattern still tucked in my craft drawer - one of the first patterns Molly Made sold, nearly twenty years ago.

After Austin returned to his work, I wandered about the shop, admiring the studio kits, hooking supplies (including yarn), finished pieces and the work of other artists from knitwear to watercolour paintings. I browse the coffee and preserves display, choosing something for my husband, before selecting a new Molly Made Kit to take home.

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 6 skeins of yarn, one pattern, three cards and one kit

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip Part 5 - The Unexpected Norton’s Cove Studio

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip

Part 5 - The Unexpected Norton’s Cove Studio

Have you ever stopped to wonder why so many people love to travel? Is it the thrill of  discovering new cultures, taking in breathtaking views, or indulging in local foods you can’t find anywhere else? While I enjoy all of those things, what I love most about travel is the serendipity. The unexpected moments you never could have planned. At the start of this five week campervan road trip, I had a short list of rug hooking studios I hoped to visit along the way. But the more time I spent travelling through Newfoundland and exploring the craft, the more places revealed themselves. Some were recommended in conversation, others mentioned in passing, and a few I stumbled upon completely by chance.  That’s exactly how I found Norton’s Cove Studio.  We had stopped for lunch across the road, and curiosity led me to wander inside Keans’s General Store, home to Norton’s Cove Studio.  I had no idea then that this unplanned stop would become one of the most memorable moments of the journey.

Built in 1890, Kean’s General Store is located in Brookfield off Route 330 on the north side of Bonavista Bay. Stepping into the long and narrow room, I feel nostalgia for a bygone era, as I take in the long sturdy wooden counters worn smooth, wooden floors that creak underfoot and floor to ceiling shelves covering the walls behind the counters on each side of the room.  Rather than canned goods, barrels of flour and glass jars of sweets on the counters; colourful fishing rope repurposed into baskets and trivets, Lino-cut cards, watercolour paintings and t-shirts fill the counters and shelves. 

In a sunny room off to the side,  I meet studio owner, Janet Davis, an accomplished painter, printmaker and rug hooker. A Cheticamp-style frame, perhaps ten feet long, fitted with a linen backing sits against the wall. My curiosity is peaked as clearly this work is still in the early stages and I strike up a conversation with Janet.  The mat will replicate one of her paintings hanging on the wall above the frame, of fish in the sea.  The entire mat will be hooked using repurposed fabric.  She points to a pile of cut green strips that are destined to be reimagined as fish, sharing that her husband hasn’t yet noticed several of his T-shirts are missing. 

Next I am treated to a special gem, as Janet brings out a worn yet beautiful mat, hooked by her grandmother. Janet shares that it was her Grandmother who taught her the craft. It’s a familiar story for many, and thankfully, it’s this sharing, from one pair of hands to the next, that keeps this traditional art form alive. 

Wishing to support this talented artist and studio, I select a colourful lino-cut card depicting a fishing building next to the sea. I head back to the campervan feeling inspired and confident that I still have storage space for a lovely card. 

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 6 skeins of yarn, one pattern, three cards

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip Part 4 - The Beautiful Bonavista Peninsula

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip

Part 4 - The Beautiful Bonavista  Peninsula

A popular destination for travellers exploring Newfoundland is the Bonavista Peninsula, known for its quaint fishing villages, rugged coast, adorable puffins and its place in history as the landfall site of explorer John Cabot in 1497.   Intrigued by where Cabot first set foot in what he called “the New World,” we make our way through town toward the Cape Bonavista, home to the iconic lighthouse and a statue commemorating Cabot’s arrival aboard The Matthew. 

According to a plaque at the site, the name ‘Bonavista’ is believed to have originated from Cabot’s reaction after 35 days at sea. Upon sighting land, he reportedly exclaimed “bueno vista,” meaning beautiful land. Although we arrive at the Cape on a windy, overcast day, I can definitely see his point, this place is truly beautiful.

We wander up to the lighthouse and spot our first puffins of the trip, perched on a rocky outcrop rising from the sea just off the cape. We watch as these small birds scurry to the edge and simply step off, appearing to free fall toward the sea until the last second, when they somehow manage a perfectly graceful landing on the water below. 

As we head back to our campervan, I duck into the Art and Craft Shop next to the lighthouse, leaving Derek and our dog, Elsa, outside in the wind.   I assure them I’ll only be a minute.  Famous last words. 

What a wonderful shop, filled with all the things you expect in a great Newfoundland gift shop and then some.  There’s the usual touristy stuff, plus books about the province, beautiful jewellery, cozy knitwear, t-shirts and hoodies, and even quilted table runners and placemats. And then…there’s yarn.   A small display of dyed yarn catches my eye. It’s from a studio called Seascapes and each skein is inspired by Newfoundland’s landscapes, with colourways named for specific places like Bonavista, Twillingate, and Gros Morne. One in particular draws my attention, a rich blend of reds, greens, and golds, and a little sparkle called Newfoundland Vintage Christmas. Given my love of all things Christmas, naturally, this is the skein that I choose to purchase.

I later look up the studio, thinking it might be fun to stop in, only to discover it’s located near St. John’s. Unfortunately, we won’t be heading that far south on this trip—perhaps this is just as well, as my allotted space for purchases in the van is filling up.

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 6 skeins of yarn, one pattern, two cards

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip Part 3 - The Inspirational Fogo Island

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip
Part 3 - The Inspirational Fogo Island

What is the one thing you think of when you hear “Fogo Island”? It is only in recent years that Fogo island has become an ever increasingly popular destination for travellers to Newfoundland. Certainly the distinctive architecture of the Fogo Island Inn, has created an international awareness of Fogo Island and a curiosity for many visitors.

Fogo Island is a small remote island located in the New World Island area and it is here where the Newfoundland Rug Hooking Guild celebrated its 30th anniversary in May 2025. 

Fogo Island was both a challenge and a delight to explore. It is also an artisan’s meca. The barren island landscape is scattered with windswept and dwarf trees and shrubs. Caribou roam across the island and small traditional coastal fishing villages scatter the bays and inlets. There is a beauty in this harsh landscape that I have experienced only once before in Canada’s arctic.

We spent a cold, windy and drizzly day exploring various art and craft offerings on the island. One such stop was located in a traditional Fogo Island wooden house. A quilt thrown over the front porch rail caught my attention and I directed my husband to pull over.  Inside, each room is filled with handcrafted items such as mitts and table runners. What is just as interesting is the interior of the home, which  reflects life circa 1960s or 70s.  Having been born in the early 1960s, it is a little strange to refer to many of the gems I recognize from my childhood, as artifacts, but I guess that is what they are. Miniature ceramic animals that came in boxes of tea, metal biscuit tins, and certainly the upholstery suggested a by-gone era. Heading up a creaky narrow staircase to the second floor,  I find quilts displayed throughout the hall and former bedrooms. One bedroom is full of Christmas themed quilts draped across the bed and hung from the walls. I begin to wonder how one of these quilts, depicting my favourite season, would look in the campervan. Even though its only 6 C out today and winter-like,  I know a Christmas themed quilt will be a hard ‘no’ from my husband. I sigh and head back downstairs. 

In the kitchen I find shelves of preserves for sale. I select a couple of interesting and new to me jam flavours made with partridge berries, bid my fairwell and head back to the van, where my husband is quite pleased with my jam purchases.

We continued on to Tilting enjoying the wild scenery of rock and waves, and colourful traditional salt box houses and fishing outbuildings. Settlement here was based on access to the sea and not the traditional British grid system the way much of Canada was developed. The road meanders up or around the rocky coast. We follow the road to its end and find ourselves at an active fishing pier on the edge of Tilting. Our dog, Elsa becomes excited when the smell of fish reaches her. We decide it’s time to stretch our legs and pull in to park.  I read the sign on the building in front of me and realize I have hit the jack pot!  Before me is “Winds and Waves Artisan’s Guild”, the Fogo Island Art and Craft Centre run by the Guild for Island artists to learn traditional crafts and a place to sell their work. I can easily stretch my legs as I wonder about the centre. My husband and dog head out to explore the pier while I make a beeline for the Centre. 

Inside the Centre I’m greeted by Carol, a friendly volunteer, and immediately experience a delightful sensory overload. Every nook and cranny showcases beautiful work. The Guild displays an impressive collection of quilts, knitwear, felted pieces, and books about life on Fogo Island written by local authors.

Hooked mats are displayed on tables and walls alongside quilts, weaving, and woodworking. A rack of brightly dyed yarn drying nearby catches my eye. Beyond the riot of colour, several vintage Eaton’s rug patterns hang behind a desk. It’s inspiring to see these vintage rugs and patterns hanging on the walls next to newer pieces hooked by talented local artists. They sell Briggs & Little yarn in a wide range of colours, some of which is dyed in-house. The yarn, dyed by the Guild’s aptly named “Dye Witch,” is also available for purchase. Only a few skeins remain, and I choose a dyed silvery grey with hints of “Blueberry”. 

I’m then treated to something truly special: a commissioned piece by a local hooker.  

As the sizeable work is slowly unrolled, I’m struck first by the back-don’t all rug hookers check out the back? The back of perfectly neat rows, evenly spaced, is a testament to the care and skill the piece was completed. Then comes the reveal. Wow. The front is a vibrant geometric design. I learn that a similar piece is hanging in a gallery in Korea. Carol pulls out the gallery booklet and shows me the original work, making the moment feel all the more extraordinary.

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 5 skeins of yarn, one pattern, two cards

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip Part 2 - King’s Point to Twillingate

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip
Part 2 - King’s Point to Twilingate

Inspiration is everywhere in Newfoundland. The rugged coastline, the windswept trees, the rock formations. As a photographer, every new day, every curve in the road, brings new and beautiful subject matter to capture.  I begin to ponder how I might document our journey with my yarn purchases. Certainly, I will have enough photographs to hook landscapes for the rest of my life, but I want to design something that will somehow represent our entire five week journey on the “Rock”. 

It is with this in mind that we leave the Viking trail, Route 430, and head east along the TransCanada Highway toward central Newfoundland and the Baie Verte Peninsula. The weather has turned during this part of the trip from 30 degrees and sunny to moody, grey and cool. The rain and cooler temperatures are a welcome change, as several devastating forest fires remain out of control in the south eastern area of the Province. For me, the cloudy sky and wet landscape turns into a palette of grey and silver with pops of colour everywhere.

King’s Point is located along Route 391 at the base of Green Bay. This small community hosts a RV campground tucked in behind the school and overlooking the bay.   As luck would have it, the morning rain was replaced with sun breaking through the cloud cover.  I could hear live music drifting through the air, so I walked up the hill toward the school to investigate. On the lawn in front of the building, a Christian band was performing as part of the community’s summer music series. But here’s the interesting part—most people weren’t sitting on blankets or lawn chairs. Instead, they stayed in their vehicles, honking their horns in appreciation after each song. Cars and trucks were parked all around the school—lined up along the road, packed into the lot, all facing the band like a makeshift drive-in. I found a sunny patch of grass, sat down (careful not to get run over), and enjoyed the concert, all the while thinking how I might capture this moment in a rug. 

The next morning brought more rain and we ventured further into the community to explore the Humpback Whale Pavilion, a building with a full sized skeleton hanging from its roof.  It was definitely well worth the hour or so we spent learning the story behind the whale on display and its habitats. 

Just up the road from the Pavilion is the King’s Point Pottery Crafts and Gifts and one of my researched stops for the trip. The artist-owners create award winning, functional pottery that clearly reflects their passion for the environment around them. As the Shop name suggests, they also sell other locally hand crafted and unique gifts such as wall art, wood work, jewellery, glass, books, cards, and, of course, rug hooking.  Walking into the studio, shortly after it opened, I met rug hooker, Sandi Yates and what followed was a delightful conversation on all things rug hooking: where to buy supplies, what inspires our work, and other Newfoundland artists.  Sandi had attended the 30th anniversary celebration of the Newfoundland Rug Hooking Guild held on Fogo Island in May and shared with me some of her experiences and what a supportive community it is. I certainly feel that way with my own rug hooking group, the Northumberland Rug Hooking community. 

Sandi’s work was for sale in the studio shop including a hooked waste paper basket and several colourful mats with puffins. She talked about her work as I admired the pieces before purchasing two cards with the same images as the hooked mats. Before heading out, Sandi recommended I check out her ‘go-to’ yarn supply shop in Triton, a mere 30 minute drive away.  As luck would have it, Triton has another Whale Pavilion which just happened to be our next stop of the day.

After exploring the Sperm Whale Pavilion, my husband dropped me off at my next wool destination, a studio called “Cast on! Cast off!” located in South Green Bay, Triton. The studio is located in its own building, tucked in behind a house off the main road.  The moment I stepped in from the grey, misty rain, my senses lifted. A burst of colour filled the room, instantly pulling me in.  There is something about a wall of neatly arranged wool - every shade perfectly in place - that sparks the imagination. I couldn’t resist reaching out, wanting to feel the texture of each skein. 

I was warmly welcomed in by a woman who was knitting quietly behind a desk.  She gratefully provided a tour of the wool shop highlighting the selection of hand dyed wools and beautiful skeins by Cascade, Patons, Fleece Artist, Julie Asselin and others.  I zero in on the large selection of Briggs and Little Heritage yarns and inquire if they have any studio dyed colours. In my quest to purchase a selection of yarns during my trip, each one needs to be unique  to the studio or area. Supplies in the studio are running low, however, I choose a skein of the studio dyed “Blueberry Jam”.  Blueberries are abundant in Newfoundland and although I didn’t know until a few days later, it was blueberry jam season, so a perfect choice.

For knitters, Cast On! Cast Off! is also home to a locally designed knitting sweater pattern called the "Newfoundland Guernsey".   I loved the look of this sweater, almost to the point that I thought I might buy some knitting needles and learn to knit! 

After a few wet days, the rain moved on leaving cloudy skies and a sun trying very hard to push through. We headed to the quaint community of Twillingate, a popular destination for iceberg viewing in May and June and soon experienced Newfoundland wind. The wind was so strong, walking the exposed trails near the lighthouse became a work out and with no hope of seeing icebergs at the end of August, we retreated to the campervan.  It’s another perfect day for rug hooking.

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 4 skeins of yarn, one pattern, two cards