Wild West Rug Hookers: January 2014

I thought for our first blog of the new year on our new blog I would catch you up on our group and our other two Hook-In's. I will post another post about the hook-in we had yesterday but I felt it was important to have all this on our new blog. Below are the two blog posts from my personal blog, Excessive-Compulsive-Sewing.

November Hook-In
Our second Hook-In was, again, a great success. Barb and Craig Pearson brought two more show and tells. I have to say that Barb's Heart, which is from a Laurel Burch quilt design, literally gave me goose bumps it was so beautifully done.

The camera on my phone didn't do the work justice. She uses (don't quote me) a size 3 cut. I saw a picture online from Laurel Burch's book that Barb took the design from and I have to say that Barb's rug outdid the original from Laurel. It says a lot when someone can out do the artist, especially one as talented as the late Laurel Burch.

Craig's show and tell was this whimsical basket. You can tell he had a lot of fun with color in this rug. His hooking is as perfectly executed and his wife Barb's.

We love hearing Craig and Barb talk about different classes they have taken. They are frequent students at Friends by the Sea and Prairie Rose Rug School. Their stories show the rest of us how much there is to learn at these schools. One thing I have been so amazed at, is the difference in cost between a Rug Camp or School as opposed to a Quilt Retreat and Classes. Roughly around $500 gets you room and board, plus your teacher, for a week. At both of these schools the meals are prepared by outstanding cooks and the atmosphere is light and fun.

Barb designed this whimsical hooked piece to be used as a pillow when she is finished. Her inspiration was Laurel Burch so I guess you could say this is a Laurel Burch adaptation. I only wish you could see the background better. Her teacher dyed it using all the colors left from dyeing the rug. She diluted the dye and spot dyed the white. The colors are so subtle and yet add so much movement. Don't you just love her cat?

Here we have Barb, working on her rug and Kathi Charles, who had a Quilting day at her house on Saturday so she showed up to visit after everyone left. Two of the sewing gals stopped by for a visit too, which was so nice. We even had a young girl and her husband come in to see what we were up to. Of course, they got a crash course in Traditional and Primitive rug hooking.

As you can see here, Craig loves rug hooking and it shows not only in his personality but his work. AND he is around 200 days until retirement! I wonder what he is going to do with all that time...

Here is Carol Messerli packing up for the day. She is doing such a great job on this rug. She is as new as I am at hooking. I'm so glad she is "hooked". We enjoy her company so much. I must say that we have such a fun group. We can always use more hookers though. The more the merrier.

This is Carol's rug so far. Don't you love her color choices? She has a very artistic eye.

Patty Tyrrell is sitting here all packed up. She finished both of the projects she brought. One was her very first hooked purse that she designed herself. I just LOVE it!! She did an outstanding job, especially since she didn't have any instructions. She even sewed a zipper in the top.

The other project she brought was the Santa ornaments that she started at Prairie Rose Rug School. I still haven't finished mine so she inspired me to get busy on them and get them finished. They will be so cute on the Christmas tree.

And this is what I have done so far on my Button Basket rug. The basket was a challenge for me. I truly had no idea what wool I should use but it came together better than I expected. Sometimes we just have to hook it and see what we think. It is easily changed if needed. Hooking is very forgiving art form, which is good because I've needed to change different areas a few times.

With busy schedules in the month of December, we are taking a break until January 25th. We really want to get more people stopping by to see what we are up to, if for no other reason, to educate more people in our area about rug hooking and it's history. So if you want to see Traditional and Primitive rug hooking, stop by the Bison Room at the Park County Library, between 9:30 and 4:00 on January 25th. We hope to see you then!

Post written by Sylvia Gauthier

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Successful First Hook-In

The very first Hook-In for Patty and I was a great success. Craig and Barbara Pearson brought several rugs to show and Patty brought her finished rug that she started at Prairie Rose Rug School.
Craig Pearson started hooking a little over a year before his wife Barbara started. They are both the nicest couple. They hook with different size strips, both small cuts, and when they take classes they both take different teachers. Both are what I consider excellent, proficient, hookers. My stitches have improved simply by watching their work.