Overdyeing Project

I started this blog post way back in the fall and held on to it as Iris was going to show this rug at the OHCG Annual - well that’s now done/over, and we can finally show the project and explain a bit about the process to design it. 

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See what our Iris is working on!  It’s a pretty nice project, intended to use up mostly leftovers and/or unloved colours.

Iris realized she had a whole whack of colours in her stash that she wasn’t sure she had a use for…..so she overdyed them to create this fabulous rug, destined for her kitchen floor.  It’s big-ish:  3x5?

Here’s the initial buzz she created at thursday hooking when she brought it in to work on.  When she explained her process we asked her to bring in the original inspiration rug, as well as some of her undyed wool.

This is the design she first used in a zoom class with Laura Salamy (Build a Baby Boucherouite).

Iris started with a bunch of beige, gray and plaid wool, and then overdyed it with Magic Carpet Bottle Green.  She didn’t worry too much about consistency of colour for each batch - in fact she used those differences to her advantage by hooking mostly dark colours at the start of the project and then gradually moving to more of the lighter colours towards the bottom.  

Other than the diamond outlines, the whole thing is horizontal line hooking.  As it’s intended for fairly heavy use in the kitchen, Iris ensured even wear by stopping/starting her rows at the diamond outlines.  

The diamonds themselves look like white wool, but they’re actually a very pale version of the bottle green.  Those hits of lighter colour throughout?  They’re simply from a plaid that dyed up with both lighter and darker areas.

Here’s a photo of the wools waiting to be used, along with a few of the original colours.

This has got some folks looking over their own stashes to see what they can cook up with this approach!

And here’s the final result:

While Iris didn’t win a prize at the OHCG Annual, this rug certainly generated a fair bit of buzz!

Busy Times!

 It’s been a busy few weeks, what with the OHCG Annual in London, and the Hook-In with Judy at the AGN, and our regular monthly Monday meeting, and a few other things thrown in.  Here are a few photos we haven’t posted yet:

First up is Yvonne and her first ever hooked project - completed and made into a pillow.  Well done.  She is right to be very proud of this accomplishment!

On Tuesday, Dianne and Audrey attended a coffee break meeting at the church.  This is a group of folks who gather regular as a sort of discussion group, and they wanted to know more about rug hooking.  Dianne and Audrey brought along lots of examples of hooked items, and Audrey read several poems/items relating to rug hooking.  There was even something from the Bible (Proverbs 31):  She is always gathering wool and flax and enjoys making things with her hands.

A rare photo of Dianne with a hoop in her hand!

At Monday’s meeting Dianne brought back many of the rugs that were on display at the Annual, including Dolores’ prize-winning rug!

Farewell to Judy

 Well that was fun!  We attended a tea party/hook-in in honour of the Judy exhibit of Laura Kenney’s work at the Art Gallery of Northumberland.

We had folks from Gravenhurst, Aurora/Newmarket and Peterborough, in addition to many from our own group, and from the general community.

Olinda Casimiro, Executive Director of the Gallery provided us with tables, chairs, coffee/tea and the (all-important) cookies.

We spent the time visiting the exhibit, and chatting and even getting some hooking done! 

You could tell who the rug hookers were….they were the ones with their noses up close to the rugs picking out various details.  Everyone marvelled at the use of colour and materials, as well as the humourous titles and the pertinent subject matters.

Dianne brought along Dolores Skelly’s Honourable Mention from the OHCG Annual, as well as 2 others that were on display there.

A huge thank you goes to Laura Kenney for sharing Judy with us and bringing her wonderful exhibit to Cobourg.  Thanks also goes to Olinda Casimiro for hosting the show, and allowing us to “invade” the gallery for today’s event.

Hook-In & Tea Time with Judy

We’re at it again:  We’re inviting you all to attend a special event at the Art Gallery of Northumberland:

Come for an old fashioned “Hook-In and Teatime with Judy” at the Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg, April 25, 1pm-4pm. Join the Northumberland Rug Hookers for a cuppa and an afternoon of traditional rug hooking. This is your last chance to see Laura Kenney’s amazing exhibit of her Judy series of hooked art along with demos of traditional rug hooking by the Northumberland Rug Hookers. You may even wish to give it a try!

The Laura Kenney exhibit has been a wonderful one, and has been enjoyed by many!  Sadly, though, it’s coming to an end on April 27….so this really will be your last chance to see the show.  Some of us have seen it more than once - there’s always some new detail to pick up on!

Why not come out and join us as we host a hook-in - bring your hooking and make an afternoon of it!  There will be tables, chairs and light refreshments on hand.  

If you’re not sure what this rug hooking business is, well why not come out to see what the fuss is all about?  The members of the Northumberland Rug Hookers will be on hand to demonstrate what’s involved and yes, you can even give it a try.  You’ll also experience a hook-in which is a tradition in rug hooking circles - an opportunity to sit and natter, and maybe even get some loops pulled.

One thing you don’t appreciate about the works on display until you see them in person is how sparkly (and big) they are!  Here’s a snippet from Laura’s talk with Olinda Casimiro, Executive Director of the gallery….where she elaborates on the materials used in her art:

Kaffe Fassett - the World of Colour

The Northumberland Rug Hookers will be holding an in-person workshop with Karen Kaiser:  

Kaffe Fassett - the world of colour.

May 6, 2024

10:00- 2:00

Grace Church, 440 King St E, Cobourg.

We have a couple of spaces available if you’d like to join us.  The cost will be $60 (payable to the Northumberland Rug Hookers) plus $45 for the kit* (payable to Karen Kaiser on the day of the class).

Deadline for registration is April 8.

The class will cover

1. a discussion of colour, hue, value contrast and how to use colour to make your work eye catching.

2. We will talk a little about colour planning.

3. We will discuss hooking techniques and improving your results.

4. Karen will demonstrate how to mitre your corners for a neat finish.

*The photo directly above shows the 7 choices for kits. Cost is $45.00.  It will include 

1. Pattern on linen
2. Cut wool to complete the hooking
3. Yarn for finishing the edges

Semi-Local Fibre Events

Spring can’t be far away…..despite what the weather is telling us! Just look at the number of upcoming fibre-y events in our general area:

April 5:  Opening of Wanda Elliot’s display of rugs at These 4 Walls in Trenton is on April 5.  Originally from Newfoundland, Wanda is a member of the Campbellford Rug Hookers.  Here’s a link with a few more details.

April 6-28:  A Textile Sampler, from Gather In The County. This looks to be an interesting display of all things textile, with artist talks and demonstrations each Sunday.  Full info can be found here.

April 13:  The Peterborough Hand Weavers and Spinners are hosting a fibre event in Peterborough.  It promises to have lots of opportunities for shopping (20+ vendors!) and ogling wondrous creations!  Carol Shewan will even be there!  Details here and on facebook.

Until April 27:  And don’t forget Laura Kenney’s show at the Art Gallery of Northumberland - all things JUDY!

June 15:  Gather in the County is a new annual market, taking place at the historic Crystal Palace in Picton, Ontario.  Gather will feature an indoor/outdoor market providing our visitors with an exciting and innovative gathering of textile makers, small batch producers, indie dyers, artists, collectors and community guilds producing a wide range of handmade textile wares + supplies.   More info can be found here!

Mark your dance cards now for these wonderful events!

Snippets from A Cup of Conversation

The Art Gallery of Northumberland does artist talks with most of their shows.  Called A Cup of Conversation, it’s a great way to meet the artist and learn about their work.

March 2 was the designated day for the talk with Laura Kenney, and it was a wonderful and very engaging  time - for rug hookers and muggles alike.

I filmed it, but had to stand to do it, and as a result it’s a very jiggly prospect to watch.  However, I’ve selected out some snippets for your viewing enjoyment.  Here’s the first installment:

The full show is available on Laura Kenney’s facebook page, or on our youtube channel….

I’ll post more snippets in the next little while.

The Art Gallery of Northumberland show of Laura’s works is on until April 27 in downtown Cobourg.

They Got Hooked!

(This post & photos - courtesy of Brenda Ashton - thanks!)

We had a wonderful afternoon demonstrating primitive rug hooking for the second time this year at the Port Hope Library.  We had 16 eager learners and 5 hookers to share their hooking knowledge with others!  It was a perfect rainy afternoon fun.

Many thanks to the Port Hope Library, and to the trainers for their time, and to the trainees who braved the weather!