This year is the 40th anniversary of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. Forty years! Wow! This is a big deal peeps! Of course, rug hooking has been going on a lot longer than forty years, but organizing it into a guild and starting our rug school has really brought this craft into focus in our province. It brought us together and made us part of something bigger than a simple little past time, giving many the opportunity to explore and share this passion. Like a tiny seed the Guild has grown like a mighty, 40 year old oak.
Rug hooking has provided many with added purpose, something outside the day to day comings and goings, something creative and special. Ask any rug hooker that travels across North America and even further afield to take workshops, attend schools and congregate for hooking events, how this craft has enhanced their lives and you’ll be inundated with smiles and abundant tales.
Most of us will agree rug hooking has enriched our lives and for someone like me it’s been life altering. I’m immersed up to my chin with both feet planted in this business providing quality supplies, unique designs and wool to drool over. It has certainly added a dimension to my life that I would have never thought possible back in the day of 9 to 5, pushing a pencil in the office grind. Being able to explore my creative side in a profession that can’t really be classified as work, I thank my lucky stars every day that my circumstance has allowed this blessing to happen and continue. When I turn the key and walk through the door of my studio, I’m met with the most beautiful array of colour and this visual feast shapes a broad smile across my lips and a flutter in my heart. Truly, entering the door is like receiving a hug from a rainbow. I can hardly believe my good fortune and I pinch myself occasionally to make sure it’s real.
I’ve been thinking about a commemorative pattern to celebrate the four decades of the guild. I think about the rug hookers I’ve met, some have passed while others continue carrying the torch; some have been here from the start while newbies continue to join in. I’ve been hooking for 20 years, have been a guild member since day one, yet it seems only yesterday that I pulled my first loop.
Although when one thinks of rug hooking people come to mind, all the many friends we have made, teachers that had given their time and shared their knowledge, but we mustn’t forget the real hero behind our passion, the magnificent sheep. Whether you hook with wool yarn or wool fabric cut into strips, it is clearly the most desired medium for this art form. The blissful, peaceful sheep; heavenly creatures working behind the scenes, growing and providing us with the best, hard wearing, soft and abundant material to create our rugs.
So obviously my vision for the guild anniversary had to represent a sheep. It’s leaping through the number 40, perhaps being counted by a sleep deprived soul tossing and turning under the covers. I made the legs and feet primitive hooks, the most important tool of the craft and deserving of a mention. The background has fireworks, stars and steamers shooting out in all directions for this grand celebration of our guilds birthday.
I envisioned hit and miss for the four corners, an old style tradition to use up leftover worms. A simple design of the past that has been carried to modern day rugs, a style never aging, never losing its appeal. I wasn't able to create that in Photoshop, my skill level there is a mere one out of ten.
I hope you like this pattern and if you do, it can be yours. I am offering it as a paper design that is free with any purchase, either from shopping at the studio or mail order. Please remember to ask for it when placing an order as it won’t be automatically put in your parcel. This pattern is copyrighted and meant for a one time personal use only so please respect this. For those not interested in transferring it to backing on their own, we will be selling it made up on Linen as well.
If you hook this piece and send us a photo we will vote on the one we like best and there will be a reward of a $150.00 Gift Certificate to the studio to add whatever you desire to your stash. The cut-off for this contest will be June 30th, 2019 so that’s plenty of time to hook it. I’m not worried about numbers, if only one rug hooker sends a photo; well that’s a guaranteed prize! The size is 18” x 19. The paper pattern will be available until the end of April at which time the 40 will be removed from the design and we will sell the pattern on Linen. Who doesn't love to hook sheep! I look forward to seeing this design spring to life in full colour from the creative minds of our customers. Cheers!
I used Photoshop to tint the pattern in a soft and simple plan to show how delightful it might be once your wool colours it in. Cheers fellow rug hookers!
Rug hooking has provided many with added purpose, something outside the day to day comings and goings, something creative and special. Ask any rug hooker that travels across North America and even further afield to take workshops, attend schools and congregate for hooking events, how this craft has enhanced their lives and you’ll be inundated with smiles and abundant tales.
Most of us will agree rug hooking has enriched our lives and for someone like me it’s been life altering. I’m immersed up to my chin with both feet planted in this business providing quality supplies, unique designs and wool to drool over. It has certainly added a dimension to my life that I would have never thought possible back in the day of 9 to 5, pushing a pencil in the office grind. Being able to explore my creative side in a profession that can’t really be classified as work, I thank my lucky stars every day that my circumstance has allowed this blessing to happen and continue. When I turn the key and walk through the door of my studio, I’m met with the most beautiful array of colour and this visual feast shapes a broad smile across my lips and a flutter in my heart. Truly, entering the door is like receiving a hug from a rainbow. I can hardly believe my good fortune and I pinch myself occasionally to make sure it’s real.
I’ve been thinking about a commemorative pattern to celebrate the four decades of the guild. I think about the rug hookers I’ve met, some have passed while others continue carrying the torch; some have been here from the start while newbies continue to join in. I’ve been hooking for 20 years, have been a guild member since day one, yet it seems only yesterday that I pulled my first loop.
Although when one thinks of rug hooking people come to mind, all the many friends we have made, teachers that had given their time and shared their knowledge, but we mustn’t forget the real hero behind our passion, the magnificent sheep. Whether you hook with wool yarn or wool fabric cut into strips, it is clearly the most desired medium for this art form. The blissful, peaceful sheep; heavenly creatures working behind the scenes, growing and providing us with the best, hard wearing, soft and abundant material to create our rugs.
So obviously my vision for the guild anniversary had to represent a sheep. It’s leaping through the number 40, perhaps being counted by a sleep deprived soul tossing and turning under the covers. I made the legs and feet primitive hooks, the most important tool of the craft and deserving of a mention. The background has fireworks, stars and steamers shooting out in all directions for this grand celebration of our guilds birthday.
I envisioned hit and miss for the four corners, an old style tradition to use up leftover worms. A simple design of the past that has been carried to modern day rugs, a style never aging, never losing its appeal. I wasn't able to create that in Photoshop, my skill level there is a mere one out of ten.
I hope you like this pattern and if you do, it can be yours. I am offering it as a paper design that is free with any purchase, either from shopping at the studio or mail order. Please remember to ask for it when placing an order as it won’t be automatically put in your parcel. This pattern is copyrighted and meant for a one time personal use only so please respect this. For those not interested in transferring it to backing on their own, we will be selling it made up on Linen as well.
If you hook this piece and send us a photo we will vote on the one we like best and there will be a reward of a $150.00 Gift Certificate to the studio to add whatever you desire to your stash. The cut-off for this contest will be June 30th, 2019 so that’s plenty of time to hook it. I’m not worried about numbers, if only one rug hooker sends a photo; well that’s a guaranteed prize! The size is 18” x 19. The paper pattern will be available until the end of April at which time the 40 will be removed from the design and we will sell the pattern on Linen. Who doesn't love to hook sheep! I look forward to seeing this design spring to life in full colour from the creative minds of our customers. Cheers!
I used Photoshop to tint the pattern in a soft and simple plan to show how delightful it might be once your wool colours it in. Cheers fellow rug hookers!
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