"Thank You" to President Beth, for being such a great President!

All the members chipped in and donated posies of wool in a charming basket... (and yes! there was a lot of purple!)

To all my guild hooking friends,

   I can't thank you enough for my bouquet basket of wool.  I was totally shocked and had a hard time holding back tears....your generosity was overwhelming.   The wool is all so beautiful and there are so many pieces that I have never seen and certainly don't have.

   I wish I could thank each of you personally, but hope this note shows my appreciation.

   You are all a wonderful group to be associated with, and it was a pleasure to be your President the last 2 1/2 years.

   I hope everyone has a super great summer and I will see you all in August.

Thanks again from the bottom of my heart.

Love,

Beth

   

Jill Kupeski's "Creative Stitches" show and tell

It's amazing to see what one has to go through to get McGown certified!

Jill did a truly fabulous job with her final project –She had to show ways to use some Creative Stitches. And the final product was divine!

Of course, Jill had to take it one step further... she decided to make a sampler, showing off each stitch  on its' own.

The Sampler:

I'm sorry I didn't get all the names, but here's the ones I did get:
2-French Knots
3-Sculpting
4-Beading, (which she also used to divide the squares and to make the outside border),
5-Checkerboard
6-Chevron (aka Mock Herringbone)
8-Has a Japanese Button 

And the final piece. Sorry it didn't come out very sharp, but trust me - it's exqisite! Every one of the creative stitches in the sampler above is also in the final piece.

Jill also put together a binder of the sketches she used and how she hooked the final piece, step-by-step.

Amazing works of art!

"Apples For Lunch" – Doris's creative stitches class results

Hi all... sorry I've been gone so long. The time just flies by!

Here are all the rugs that were brought to our last meeting... finally! I don't have names to go with each one, but I do know three of them are Doris's. It just amazes me how everyone had the same pattern, the wool dyed by Doris, and yet how very different they all came out!

If you can identify any of the rugs I didn't, please let me know!!

One of Doris's 3 rugs

Cathy Gallahan's pretty pillow!

Another one of Doris's 3 rugs

Great new facebook page for rug hookers

Loretta Scena has started an Open Group page in facebook, called "Rug Hooking Camps, Shows, And Workshops." 

It's great to be getting all that info in one spot! If you have any info, she'd love to share it!

TTFN!

Sunny

There's more than 1 ATHA!

There's also the Akhal-Teki Horse Association.

Okay, this isn't really rug-hooking related, though I know there are MANY hookers out there who could do justice to this amazingly gorgeous horse! I just had to share this beauty with you! And thanks to Nancy Conant for sharing this on my facebook page.

Absolutely gorgeous!

     "What do you think...

     This stunning Akhal-Teke horse from Turkey was announced the most beautiful horse in the world.
     The Akhal-Teke's most notable and defining characteristic is the natural metallic bloom of its coat. This is especially seen in the palominos and buckskins, as well as the lighter bays, although some horses "shimmer" more than others.

TTFN!

Sunny

Connecticut rug hooking artist and teacher Michele Micarelli has been named The Hooked Rug Museum of North America's "United States Rug Hooker of the Year" for 2013!

In the process of honoring the fading heritage of the remarkable craft of rug hooking and its dramatic evolvement to fine art status as predicted by the late teacher/designer Pearl K. McGown, the Hooked Rug Museum of North America has just announced the selection of Michele Micarelli of Connecticut as the United States Rug Hooker of the Year for 2013.

A Past Chair of the Northern McGown Teacherʼs Workshops, her modernistic approach to design and color selection has won Michele numerous plaudits for opening an adventuress approach to rug art creativity. To coin a word from outer space exploration, Michele has dared to tread where rug hooking has seldom dared to go - and succeeded dramatically and in proliferation in both doing so and teaching how.

A major exhibit of Ms Micarelliʼs work will be unveiled at the June 15th formal dedication of the Hooked Rug Museum of North America on June 15th in Queensland, Nova Scotia. It will remain in place throughout the summer months to permit extensive public viewing.

Her biography relates a world of artistic accomplishment and recognition wrapped up in little more than a decade of remarkable accomplishments.

She is a certified rug hooking teacher whose main objective is to unleash creativity. Her talents in this objective are reflected in her work which will be displayed for all to enjoy. She is in big demand as a teacher, in Nova Scotia and elsewhere and her classes are full of storytelling, imagination, exercises and laughter. She has been a rug hooker since 1991 and prefers hooking on linen using #4 and #5 cut wool to achieve lots of detail.

She started rug hooking because of her childhood memories of rugs her father hooked.

Her rug hooking talent has been featured in several editions of The Celebration of Rug Hooking. and images of her rugs have appeared in books by Linda Coughlin, Jessie Turbayne, the late Mary Sheppherd Burton and Amy Oxford. She has been featured in several issues of Rug Hooking Magazine with articles that showed her dyeing skills and rugs made with imagination. She has taught workshops in the USA and Canada. 

In addition to the extensive collection of Micheleʼs work which will be prominently displayed in the HRMNA HALL OF FAME ( auditorium) this summer, images of her work can also be viewed on the internet at her website www.Michelemicarelli.com

She is the past President of the Northern McGown Teacherʼs Workshop and is a judge of Craftʼs Adventure in New England. Michele was honored artist at the Green Mountain Shelburne Museum “Strong Women” show and winner of The Silver Hook Award at The Newtown Rug Show 2008 for her dedication andcontribution to rug hooking.

(Contact W.H.Conrod at 902-275-5222.)

The Hooked Rug Museum of North America:

http://www.hookedrugmuseumnovascotia.org/home/

TTFN!

Sunny

Doris Aymar's "Onion Skin Dyeing" workshop

Several guild members attended Doris's recent "Onion Skin" workshop, and we had a mighty fine time! I never realized just how many ways onion skins can be used, or how many different effects you can get from them!

• Casserole Dyeing
• Stocking Dyeing
• Open Kettle Dyeing
• Jar Dyeing

Doris showed us all of these, and explained what different mordants were used, and what effect these mordants alone had on the wool.

And - we all got samples to take home and play with!

Doris has a tremendous wealth of knowledge, and some amazing stories! It was a great way to spend a Saturday! 

I have to apologize for my camera work. These colors are absolutely stunning up close, but don't show up as well as I'd have liked:

This piece was casserole dyed with different pieces and colors of wool + a bleeder, and onion skins, in layers. This photo does NOT do this beautiful piece justice!

These two pieces are called "Paisley Substitute" and are amazing!

More pieces of various colors overdyed by the onion skin casserole method. I think the piece on the right is absolutely luscious!

Onion skin dyeing using alum as the mordant.

The same pieces, showing the bottoms.

Stocking dyeing method; a very rich combination -- would make a super background!

"Petals and Leaves" a Pearl McGown pattern, ALL the wool in this rug is onion skin dyed!

Doris uses paisley sparingly, but to great effect... here, in the veins of some of the leaves...

...and, here, in a couple of rows inside the outer border.

One of my favorite of Doris's rugs, "To Market" (probably not the actual title). This is a real charmer!

Look at those cute little piggy faces! And the great combination of colors in the road they're trotting on.

One of my favorite close-ups, mostly for the great variety of greens in the grass... but also for the look on The Mister's face!!

Love the chickens!

And have you ever seen a prouder cow?

A close up of the sky

More of the sky

Great rooster tail... I love the way it just trails off at the bottom.

This is the wool Doris used for her sky. Delicious!!

That's all I've got for now! We just had so much fun, and learned so much in this class... I couldn't wait to share!

Have a great week! Those who are going to the Sheep and Wool Festival - have a wonderful time! I hope to see the rest of you Saturday!

TTFN!

Sunny

Margaret Wenger's "Alternative Materials" class was so much fun! I felt like a little kid again... remember that feeling, when you don't think, you just do? 

Margaret's class affected me that same way, opening up a creative vein and helping me see - really see - our form of fiber artistry in a new, beguiling light.

Margaret Wenger and her "Dragonfly" piece

It doesn't show up well, but the cattail is sculpted. The whole piece is gorgeous!

Supplies...

...supplies...

...and more supplies!

The room is cozy, and bright

And was full of eager, creative students and lots of laughter.

I took pictures of each of the dragonfly patterns (some students brought other patterns to play with). Hopefully, as we finish them we'll bring them to a guild meeting and I'll take pix, and the name of the hooker. I know Margaret would love to see our finished pieces, too!

This class was a load of fun! 

Hopefully, we can have another one in the future... Several of us fell in love with another of Margaret's patterns - "The Cottage." The pattern and wool (except for, if I remember correctly, the sky and the browns. Please check with Margaret though, 'cause I'm not sure I'm remembering that part correctly. The "Cottage" kit is only $95!!

TTFN!

Sunny

Wool & Watercolors workshop in Frostburg

Looking for a way to spread your creative wings this spring? 

Diana Kerns is teaching a workshop this month in Frostburg, MD. It will introduce you to a new rug hooking technique - a mixed media approach, combining watercolors with traditional rug hooking.

Diana says:

This workshop will introduce you to Traditional Rug Hooking as a medium combined with watercolor backgrounds. We will cover the basics of rug hooking as well as watercolor work as we work on connecting with our creative energy to allow an opportunity to reshape your vision of yourself as artist and creative spirit; & you will have 2 works of art in 2 days! 

Experienced rug hookers will also find this workshop of value. 

Join in this adventure into new realms of creativity! 

Register today – only 5 students accepted.      

$50 includes all materials! 

The phone number to call to register is: 

301-687-8040.

Wool & Watercolors

April 20th and 21st, 2013 

1 pm to 5 pm both days 

Taught by Diana Kerns, 3rd generation rug maker and creator of the Watercolor Hooking Technique. 

If you have questions, write Diana:

Mountain City Traditional Arts 

25 E. Main St., Frostburg, MD  

301-687-8040

Diana Kerns,

Artist, Massage Therapist, 
Rug Maker, Woodworker