All About Rug Registry

 

Follow this link to read everything you could ever want to know about rug registries!  We had a successful event and registered 38 items…..do you have items that could be registered?  Or are you a member of a branch that could host a rug registry??  

Woolstock - Inspiration At Every Turn

[Today we have a special treat!  Our own Gwen Brice, photographer (& rug hooker) extraordinaire, visited Woolstock, and provided us with photos and an article about her experience.  Thanks, Gwen!]

My sisters are avid knitters, so when I suggested we make the trek to Paris for Woolstock, they agreed in a heartbeat. We arrived mid morning to find a somewhat soggy field already full of parked cars. Parking attendants in high-vis vests waving me onward toward one of the first parking rows where a vehicle had pulled out. The grey sky and on and off drizzle we drove through to arrive in Paris, Ontario could not dampen my spirits as we walked around mud puddles to arrive at Woolstock!

Woolstock is a fibre arts festival filling four buildings at the fair grounds offering workshops, demonstrations, venders, and artists. From llamas, sheep and angora rabbits in one building to Mary Maxim historical display in another; spinning wheels, knitting bowls, jewelry, knitting kits, rug hooking kits, wool, and lots and lots of beautiful yarn, Woolstock really did have something for everyone. I felt this was an adult version of a child in a candy store: so many offerings everywhere we looked. Oh, my poor wallet! It was a feast for the eyes, rows of colour beautifully displayed by the many vendors.

There were several rug hooking studios selling their wares, of which Martina Lessar Studio was one. I came prepared with my list of supplies I needed and happily chatted with Martina about my latest hooking project. In addition to the many cubbies of wool cloth, there were also bins of thick yarn that is wonderful to hook. Backing, hooks, patterns and kits, it was all there to peruse.

As we wandered through the crowd of happy creators, we also admired what people were wearing! What an added bonus to see the beautifully knit or crocheted sweaters, the hand woven jackets and felted hats.

Overall, attending the fibre festival was a joy. The buildings weren’t so large it felt overwhelming and we found we were able to visit each building without feeling rushed to ‘see it all’. I was inspired by the creativity on display both by the vendors and attendees. My list of projects for this winter has now grown considerably. Do I dare wish for a long cold winter to maximize my rug hooking time?

Submitted by Gwen Brice.

It’s About Time Hook-in

Want to read a bit more about our successful hook-in, It’s About Time?  Head on over to our hook-in blog here!

Almost ready?

 

Here’s another “things you need to know” post about our upcoming hook in on October 2! 

Click here to read the post!

Pumpkin Season!

It is indeed pumpkin season…..here’s a link to the pattern discussed at our September meeting.  One of them will be raffled off at the Oct 2 hook-in, It’s About Time.

The pattern was developed by Mary Ann Goetz and appeared in the Sept 2011 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

Click here to see the pattern.

Are you getting excited??

 

Are you getting excited in anticipation of our upcoming hook-in, October 2?  Check out this video for all the things you need to know!

Hope to see you there!

More details over on our other website:  cobourghookin.blogspot.com.

Winning Weekend

Or maybe that should be weekendSS…..

Last week at the Orono Fall Fair, our Tanya cleaned up, winning 22 ribbons in various categories!  Well done!  Here are a photos of a few of her many entries:

Then….this weekend, our Martina won the Mayor’s Choice Award in the 10th Annual Juried Show at the Colborne Art Gallery.  Well done to you, too!

….and finally we come to the Port Hope Fall Fair….Here are some photos of our display/demo area:

…and on to the prizes:  there were a total of 6 categories available for prizes, and there were entries in 4 of them.

Our Dianne won first prize in the Fair Theme: Celebrating 190 Years of Agriculture with her Maude Lewis wall hanging! It was very popular with visitors to the display.

Here’s another entry in that same category:

Jennifer (me!) also did well….tho i was the ONLY ENTRY in the 3 categories!  It’s not hard to do well with those odds.

Hook-In: It’s About Time

 

Looking for information about our upcoming hook-in:  It’s About Time?  Head on over to our sister blog: click here>>>> Cobourg Hook-in.

There you’ll find all kinds of information about the program, and vintage rugs, and a few videos and more…….It’s all taking place on October 2, at Cobourg Grace Church.

Hope to see you there!

U of T Recognizes Joyce

We gathered at Joyce’s this week for our regular Thursday hooking, and Deb asked Joyce if she could show us her medal….well that got us intrigued:

The University of Toronto sent her a medal in recognition of the 75th anniversary since she graduated with a degree in Fine Art in 1948.  Congrats to her! Her take on the award: “I didn’t do anything special for it  I just outlived a bunch of folks.”

From the U of T yearbook for 1948

Upon graduation Joyce worked at the U of T library as a page for 3 years, until she married in 1951.  She went on to tell us a story about her early married life in Little Current, on Manitoulin Island.

It wasn’t until almost 20 years later that she took up rug hooking, when her youngest child no longer came home for lunch from school  

Clean Your Gripper Frame

Have you got a gripper frame that is all crudded up with bits of wool?  It’s a pain to pick out all that crap, isn’t it?

Try out a hair brush cleaner.  It was recommended as a way to clean a drum carder, which has those exact same teeth as a rug hooking gripper frame.  I got my cleaner from Amazon, but there are probably other places where you can get this gizmo.  It’s basically a teensy rake with wire teeth.

Some short sharp strokes with the cleaner was all it took.

Another Vintage Rug Story

 

Check out our OTHER blog, It’s About Time, to read the latest vintage rug story.  This is our way of getting you prepped for our October 2 Hook-In that will feature vintage rugs.

Click here to read the post!

Textile Museum Yard Sale

The Textile Museum is hosting their Yard Sale again! 

The museum collects donations throughout the year, from individuals and from businesses (like fancy schmancy decorating stores), and it is all organized and put out for sale.  It’s usually a wonderful smorgasbord of stuff:  upholstery samples, quilting fabric, yarn, needles, antique lace….you name it.  Plus, while standing in line (it’s VERY popular) you meet a wonderful folks with a wide array of interests.  The conversations you strike up are fascinating.  Note that all of the good stuff doesn’t go at the start:  they usually put out fresh stuff throughout the sale….so there’s always something new to see.

Many many years ago i worked across the street from the museum and would arrange my breaks/lunch for multiple trips to the annual sale.  If you’re going to be in/near Toronto, consider heading over!

Rug Registry October 2

 We’ve had some questions about the upcoming Rug Registry on October 2, so here’s a wee video that hopefully explains all.  

https://youtu.be/5Zu5EUssORA

Catherine Starbuck

You will be saddened to hear that long time member Catherine Starbuck has passed away.  Although she hadn’t attended rug hooking in the past while, she was an active member of our group, Colborne and Brighton.  

Here’s a lovely tribute to her, written by her friend & fellow rug hooker, Nancy Crapper:

Catherine has been a member of the Cobourg hooking group for many years.  She also belonged to Heritage Hands in Colborne & took classes at both Loyalist College, Germaine James & Dorothy Haight in Picton.    She was also a regular member our our little kitchen hooking group in Brighton.

A little less than a year ago Catherine & her husband Peter moved from Brighton to Campbellford to a Seniors Residence, as she was having both memory & mobility problems.   Last winter she had a fall which made self care difficult, so she was transferred to a nursing home in Napanee, where her son & family live.   She passed away June 8, quite suddenly. 

Catherine was a beautiful rug hooker, her designs, many of which her husband drew for her, were not just beautiful, but her colour choices & the hooking itself, was exquisite.  She also did beautiful cross stitch. 

Catherine was a kind, warm person, quiet, but always willing to help anyone, anywhere.  She had a lovely smile & was a warm, welcoming presence everywhere she went.    She will be missed.

 

Another visit with Joyce

We gathered again at Joyce’s lovely home in the countryside for a morning of hooking, chatting and noshing.  The weather cooperated and we were able to sit indoors and out.

Thanks again to Joyce for hosting us!

Here are some photos of the event, courtesy of Christine:

This is Joyce’s rug, but Christine’s version of it is coming along quite well!