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

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip

This is the first of a seven part series, written by one of our members, Gwen Brice  it details her adventures last summer in Newfoundland.  Come back each week for the next installment!

Hooked on Newfoundland: A Rug Hooker’s Road Trip

By Gwen Brice

Our trip to Newfoundland and Labrador was inspired by my love of rug hooking and curiosity about the craft’s deep roots in the province. Earlier in the year, I joined the Newfoundland and Labrador Rug Hooking Guild and began following their creative community online — and soon, I was dreaming of exploring it in person. I signed up for their annual August Rug Hooking School, booked the Ferry, and broke the news to my husband: “Honey we’re going to Newfoundland in our campervan…for five weeks!” 

As I planned our route, I marked studios, craft shops, and yarn stores on my map. My mission? To find locally dyed yarns and wool fabrics unique to each place we visited. Instead of collecting fridge magnets, I collect rug hooking supplies — each one a little piece of the journey. Traveling in a campervan means space is tight, so every purchase had to be intentional, and meaningful. 

One of my favourite things about road trips is the element of surprise. So, while I pinned a few must-visit spots, I left plenty of room for discovery. This trip was part road trip adventure, part creative quest; one studio at a time.

We start with one of those unexpected stops.  Along Route 430 heading north into the Great Northern Peninsula I see a road sign for Skivvers Fibre Studio & Wool Craft, at Cow Head. We follow the Fibre studio signs off the highway and into the community but as soon as I saw the quaint pink home, I knew this must be my destination. The Skivvers Fibre Art studio boasts a welcoming floral garden along the walk way, filled with bright coloured flowers and equally bright balls of yarn on knitting needles Yes, balls of yarn! I am definitely in the right place.  

As luck would have it, Jessica, a Skivvers employee, was busy dyeing yarn in the kitchen when I walked in.  She invited me into the kitchen and gladly began to explain, what looked to me a bit like a Harry Potter Potions class, the dyeing process.  One of the pots simmered with marigolds, another held yarn that was soaking in a dark purple liquid. Jessica took me through the whole process.  One of the walls in the dye kitchen was filled with jars of dried flowers grown in a local garden and other natural ingredients, such as bark, all used to create different colours.  

The backstory to Skivvers, is that the owner, Veronica Bavis, who was away at the time of my visit,  inherited the property from her Grandmother and turned it into her studio and shop, opening its doors in 2021.  The front part of the studio is the shop, where yarn and rug hooking kits are displayed for purchase. The shop also sells beautifully knit socks and mitts and  hooked mats by other artists. 

Jessica was very helpful and knowledgeable about the rug hooking scene on this part of the island and I was very grateful for the time she spent with me, answering questions and showing me some of the wonderful dyed yarns available.  After the third time my husband walked by the front of the shop with our dog, I took the hint and realized it was time to select my purchases.  Talk about agony!  I finally selected a variegated yarn dyed by Skivvers using Briggs and Little 2-ply Heritage yarn and headed to the check out.  It was at the counter when I noticed a lovely china tea cup on a shelf next to yarn dyed to match the pattern on the china.  The Sparkling Stellino yarn was a fine white yarn, with enough sparkle to draw my attention, and dyed with soft pink and green. Jessica, seeing my interest in this beautiful yarn explained that the tea cup was part of Grandma’s china that was left in the house. In a tribute to her Grandmother, Veronica Bavis dyed the yarn to match. How could I not buy some after that beautiful story? 

Feeling inspired and very pleased with my yarn selections I head out to the campervan and my very patient husband to continue our journey north long the Viking Trail.

The next morning we headed off to explore the Viking settlement of L’Anse aux Meadows.  This UNESCO heritage site, run by Parks Canada is fascinating and provided another opportunity to talk ‘fibre’. Staff dressed in period costumes provided a range of historical details of life in the settlement. In one of the sod and rock built buildings used for a range of daily activities was a primitive loom and a woman combing sheep’s wool in order to make yarn. She was keen to provide insight into what she was doing and speculated that the Norse woman who settled here temporarily, would have made blankets and other clothing using the wool from the sheep they brought with them.  One thousand years ago, I doubt these women thought of their work as ‘art’, given their focus on survival, but it does speak to the longevity and evolution of fibre art over the last 1000 years. 

The most important stop for me in my quest to explore Newfoundland’s rich history of rug hooking was in St. Anthony’s at the Grenfell Centre.  Many rug hookers have heard of the “Grenfell mats”, mats hooked in straight horizontal lines from silk stockings by women in remote areas in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Sir Wilfred Grenfell established the Grenfell Mission in 1892 to provide medical services, however, they also developed the “Industrial” initiative. The initiative provided local women with rug hooking kits which, once the mat was completed, was sold outside of Newfoundland, thus allowing women to supplement their fishing-season incomes. The kits included pre-printed patterns depicting local themes such dog‑sled teams, seals, polar bears, and icebergs. 

Outside the Grenfell Centre, I walk past a tall bronze statue of Sir Wilfred Grenfell and I can’t help feel a little excited at what awaits inside. My first impression, however, was one of disappointment, as I entered into a foyer filled with tourism brochures. And then I turned to my left, and there, on the wall above the hall entrance were original Grenfell mats! Further along was a traditional hooking station where I couldn’t resist hooking a few stitches in the demonstration pattern, an Inuit on a dog sled. From the foyer, the gift shop is located at the bottom of the stairs. The inside wall of the stairs is covered with mats of varying sizes and subject matter, hooked by local artists and available for purchase. Many of the rugs for sale had similar Grenfell themes: Inuit, dog sleds, polar bears; while others featured traditional Newfoundland themes such as puffins, houses, and fishing shacks.  All were beautiful. On close inspection of several pieces, it looked like Briggs and Little yarn had been the medium of choice. 

The shop sold various books on the history of the area and its families, as well as on the craft of hooking rugs.  Rug hooking kits and patterns where available for purchase and I chose a pattern based on an original Grenfell mat of an Inuit ice fishing. Many of the Briggs and Little heritage yarns were available, and of course, I couldn’t resist picking up a colour I absolutely “needed”. In keeping with my mission to only buy wool meaningful to our journey, I selected “Dark Green”, a colour representative of the hundreds of kilometres of trees we have passed on our road trip into the Great Northern Peninsula.  

Leaving the gift shop, and returning upstairs, I continued my search for more original Grenfell mats. I found myself in the Tearoom and couldn’t believe my eyes. Mats adorned the walls and since the tearoom was closed for the day, there was no one there to protest, as I carefully photographed some of the mats and inspected them closely, appreciating the fine workmanship. What a treat!

On the way back to the campervan, I raise my brown paper shopping bag with my Grenfell purchases, as I passed Sir Wilfred, to acknowledge and express my gratitude at his forethought in developing a viable cottage industry from a  traditional craft, and as such, empowering women to improve their  lives and those of their families in remote outposts in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Tally of rug hooking supplies: 3 skeins of yarn, one pattern.

2 hot tips!

 Here are 2 hot tips for your rug hooking craftuality:

If you hook with yarn, but sometimes have some thinner yarns that are a pain to deal with….try out what our Dora Burnie does: she crochets them into worm length pieces and hooks with those!  This little gem of an idea was suggested by Ann Murray, another aficionado of yarn hooking in our group! (Thx to Kathryn for snaffling the photos!)

The other tip for today comes from Gwen Brice…..if you’re working with values and hate having to fart about with the settings on your iPhone to produce a black and white photo, try out an app called “See Value”.  It’s free (mostly) and lets you toggle between colour and grayscale with the tap of a button!  Find it on the App Store or google play!

PSA…..rug cleaning time!

 

We might as well take advantage of all of this snow! And even some quasi decent temperatures today. 

Here’s a link to previously posted instructions, if you need ‘em!  LINK!

Seasons greetings from NRH!

Nancy, Laurie and Deb

We were invited to the home of Joyce Jones for our end of season holiday gathering. Much eating and chatting took place!

Thanks to Nancy and Deb for hosting and thanks to all who brought food (and stash) to share!

Also, on Tuesday our evening folks gathered at the library for fun and games!

The Tuesday evening group! (Photo courtesy of Gwen!)

Here’s a lovely completed project from Marnie!

Another photo from Gwen!

More photos from Thursday!