AUSTRALIAN RUGMAKERS GUILD NEWSLETTER JAN/FEB/MAR 2011

The Australian Rugmakers Guild sponsors no events. The Australian Rugmakers Guild also does not sell any products.

Information in the newsletter concerning both members and non-members is an informational service for the membership.

QUEENSLAND: 2011 began with Queensland being very much in the news - weather-wise. Fortunately the Guilds members seemed to have weathered the storm. Judi Tompkins, an administrator of the private members website would like to thank all of the Guild members who sent messages of support during that time.

Despite the horrendous weather Judi has not given up on her rug hooking - in fact after completing two large rugs (featured in the last ARG newsletter) which have been sent off to relatives in the USA, her latest creations have been of a playful 3-dimensional nature, shown here with Judi’s comments. “Writers block” is a 6 inch cube on which Judi has hooked motifs that are relevant to her writer friend. The cube (containing a small bell) was hooked in one piece and then sides stitched together. This first creation inspired a second attempt at blocks - a “Builders block” as a gift for another friend who is a hair dresser and enjoys re-modeling houses.

A‖Writer’s Block‖ - The Unbuttoned Mind

Mouse (3-D) with Cheese (3-D) under the mid-day sun (very 3-D)! Those ARE whiskers

sticking out of his face! Mouse is very soft mohair yarn.

BUILDERS BLOCK – ready to assemble

BEW-T-FUL YOU : She has 3-d hair with Lapis Lazuli earrings; her eyes

are antique buttons from a

baby’s sweater - they really worked

well for this.

FUNKY CHICKEN; The ―chook‖ is very 3D and fluffy behind a

―fence‖ of silver cord

QLD FIXER UPER - A DIY’s Dream! Rusty tin roof; broken steps and railings. Overgrown patched window and probably more!

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 2

NEW SOUTH WALES:

Editors note: I recently heard about a project that has been underway for a couple years, it has to do with fractals and crocheting a coral reef. It was started by an Australian and has been worked on by people from several countries. An exhibition of this work is currently on display in Washington, DC. To learn more about the project check out this link ................................... Here's the Ted Talks link to Margaret Wertheim and the mathematics of Coral!

http://www.ted.com/search?q=Crochet+coral

Mark your Calendar for the Mad Hatters Tea party - 29th March 2011

A group of women, called The Saturday Lunch ladies’ are arranging a tea party for March. The idea is to raise money to go towards the building of a workroom for the blind people in The Gambia, somewhere clean to make their rugs, and also to have a display for visiting tourist coaches.

Miriam has been madly spinning wool and dyeing it bright and wonderful colours, so as to tempt people to knit a teacosy. The target is 100. The idea is, for everyone arriving at the tea party to be given a teacosy to wear and to keep. (They have about 30 already made) also a Shrink Me, tablet. Miriam says …. Unfortunately we have tried them out and they do not work.

The organizers will all be wearing hired Alice in Wonderland costumes, from Jacqui as the Mad Hatter to others as the Queen of Hearts and Alice. Etc. It is meant to be a fun afternoon and at the same time raise some money. Some people are knitting patti cakes, (some may call them small muffins) so we cannot run out of food. We are asking everyone to bring their own cup and saucer, and as it is a tea party, only tea will be served, no coffee. But we will have green tea, white tea, black tea and herbal teas.

Rug Hooking meets Spinning, Weaving and Knitting

Elaine. Elke, Jacqui and Leith.

some of the teacosies knitted for the mad hatters teaparty

and now a note about “crochet”

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 3

Judith Stephens’ ―Studio Blue‖ is listed on the Fleurieu Peninsular Art Trail again this year and will also be part of the SALA Festival as an open studio for 3 weeks in August. As well as creations displayed in her studio, Judith currently has 5 rugs including "Let the river run" and "The ties that bind: salt lakes, sandbanks and money" on display in the

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: “Studio Blue”

An email from Sue Lange (Barossa Rug Makers) :- I had a chance to visit the Onkaparinga Woollen Mill Museum at Loebethal yesterday afternoon and wanted to let you know how impressed I was with the exhibits and information we found out. Have you heard of it, or had a chance to visit? They have over 5000 samples of wool that the mill produced and many pieces of machinery, finished clothing/bedding, historical data and architectural plans. I picked up a project pack with brochures and wool waste samples, as well as a book written

about the history of the mill.

Jane Cobb from Lancelin, Western Australia must have heard something about the famous Onkaparinga blankets that were made at the Onkaparinga Mills (not too far from Strathalbyn) in South Australia. I missed a phone call from her but her message said ….

―I have managed to pick up a couple of Onkaparingas (blankets) at Op Shops. They are a good weight to work with. Catch you soon Jane‖

Barossa Rug Makers: Email received from Marion Allan Our BRM (Barossa Rug Makers) members are scheduled to re-group on Saturday 19th March at Tanunda's Regional Gallery - our first meeting for 2011. We've had a long break following our final (picnic) meeting last November, so I'm looking forward to resuming our meetings for 2011, enjoying productive and happy hooking amongst friends. It seems we are to have visitors at our April 16th meeting I understand Miriam, Jacqui and Margaret from NSW and Judy and some of the members of the Strath Matters from Strathalbyn will be there, as well as Jo from Western Australia and possibly Jane, also from WA. It'll be great to meet and welcome you all and I certainly look forward to it.

―Ebb and flow" exhibition at the Stationmasters Gallery,

Strathalbyn through Feb/March 2011

In April at the

―Fabrications‖ exhibition in the same gallery she will exhibit 2 rugs,

One (shown here) is based on a William Morris design

(hooked with wool yarn) and the other is one of her own creations, which is yet to be named, involving a

serpent.

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 4

WESTERN AUSTRALIA - MUNDARING - HEARTISTS

On a sweltering hot day in January a group of the Mundaring Heartists, some of whom are also Augssie Rugmaker Guild members, gathered at Simone Hicks’s house amongst the gum trees in the hills east of Perth, to talk rug hooking and share their creations and discuss tools, techniques and supplies.

Norma Hatchett and son Nathan from Hooked on Hessian also joined the group for the morning and in all the conversation on the verandah, the heat was soon forgotten. Before leaving, we were treated to a visit to Simone’s upstairs studio. Walking through the house was a feast for ones eyes as her husband handmade all of the furniture in their hand-built Jarrah house that beautifully displays her many creations, both large and small. Below is a piece that Simone dyed naturally with red gum sap using the Shibori technique. The piece is a large page for a poem about the native red gum tree that grows in the Mundaring area. There is hand embroidered, rust and tannic dyed silk leaf appliquéd inserts. Simone created this work for a textile unit at Edit Cowan University

These tiny brooches were part of a series that Simone had embroidered to document a family visit to Tasmania. Simone collected woollen sweaters from secondhand shops and then machine felted them in the washing machines of caravan parks the family visited whilst in Tasmania. The Brooches were embroidered in the campervan along the way on the trip. Quirky rings and necklaces are also part of Simone’s creative spirit which she combines with her lost wax casting in glass and metal. Currently Simone is engaged in a community art collaboration project in partnership with the Shire of Mundaring, Community Arts Network Western Australia and the entire Mundaring community. The idea is for the community to create pom poms (preferably of recycled materials) that reflect each owner’s identity and then bring them together to create a pom pom installation to be displayed in the Sculputre Park Mundaring on the 9th/10th April …… contd

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 5

…… contd. from page 4 representing a diverse and inclusive community. This project is not restricted to Mundaring residents (they would like to encourage more visitors to Mundaring!) so Aussie Rug Maker Guild members are invited to participate by making (think BIG) and posting pom poms in to; The Hub of the Hills, 8 Craig St., Mundaring, WA 6073 Pom Poms that are posted must be labeled with the makers details (work is not returnable!) and have a due DEADLINE of MONDAY 4TH April. Pom poms will be under the care of Kaye Bannerman; email - hubcoordinator@mundaring.wa.gov.au ph 08) 9290-6683 for more information. Some Mundaring community members with their pom poms at the ongoing FREE pom pom workshops can be seen here. The final photos of the installation in the park will be posted in the next edition of this newsletter.

Heartists created a soft textile sculpture called ―Lost Sock Totem‖ for ―Trek the Trail 2010‖ an annual sculpture walk held on alternating sections of the Mundaring Heritage Trail where artists and community are invited to create sculptural works to exhibit along the way. In 2010 it was held from the Parkerville section of the heritage trail down to the historic Swan View Railway Tunnel. Heartists ―Lost Sock Totem‖ was entirely made from recycled materials (socks) stitched by hand (including the sign) and installed in the area around the entrance to the tunnel built in1865. ―Lost sock Totem‖ was a work dedicated to those lost, odd and old socks that didn’t get chosen to participate in the ―Trek the Trail‖ by their human owners. They decided to gather together in their varied chosen forms to demonstrate their potential re-usefulness as textiles that show their capacity to bring laughter and joy to children and adults alike. They may have been lost but they will certainly not be forgotten!

Heartists were also invited by the Mundaring Art Centre and Mundaring shire to fundraise at the event by selling scones whilst wearing 1800’s costume. As a group they were able to raise enough to enable them to buy a large wool carding machine to process their fibres for future felting. Heartists pictured L-R; Dylan Hicks, Simone Hicks, Fiona Faulkner, Ruth Griffith, Justine Row.

(Information on Pom Pom Installation and ―Lost Sock Totem‖ provided by Simone Hicks)

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 6

TASMANIA:

Jo Wild says -

Happy Hookers continue to meet monthly at Elizabeth Town and have stockpiled Tascot carpet factory wool waste following the closing of the beloved factory

last year.

These Hook Rug Kits (Latch hook) are for Sale $30 + $10 pp - Contact Jo Wild wildj@activ8.net.au

www.lasting-impressions.com.au

Last October Beth Klokeid was present at the Rug Hooking Presentation at WAFTA - it was there she told me about a hooked bag design she was working on that had been purchased from the United States. At that time with her project underway, Beth told me she was using some special woollen yarn from Uruguay that she had purchased. This very attractive bag is now finished and Beth is creating still more projects using yarn and is incorporating some of her previously felted pieces. The idea of recycling really struck a cord with Beth and she is eager to incorporate fabric and items from other crafts in which she has been involved. Last December the first two seat cushions (below left) were completed, since then two more have been finished - it appears that in no time at all Beth will have a full set of cushions for her dining room suite.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: by Jo Franco

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 7

WAFTA: Western Australia Fibre & Textile

Association Inc.

A workshop was held on 24th January — to introduce both traditional rug hooking and

proddy.

Just the central motif of the rug shown below designed by Judith Stephens, was provided to

allow participants from this artistic group to create their own designs. The challenge was to use recycled fabric.

The class was well received and it has been

decided that a rug hooking sub group of WAFTA be formed which will meet once a month on the last

Friday of the month.

For more information contact - Jo at rugcraftersaustralia@yahoo.com.au

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 8

Rug in progress - 27th January 2011

Completed rug -19th February 2011

Last October on our way home from workshops in Albany, Judy and I stopped for lunch at the Apple Basket Café & Quilt Shop where we met Helen Reading (www.quiltersneedle.com.au) and Robin Inkpen who were interested in rug hooking and had, a few days prior, taken a rug hook-ing class from Jenni Doherty, an artist, who lives nearby in the Ferguson Valley. With a captive audience, we gave an impromptu presentation on rug hooking.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: LUNCH AT DONNYBROOK — Rugs by Robin Inkpen

Robin had begun work on a second rug and we admired her choice of colour and fabrics. Below is a photo of the finished rug and some information from Robin about her progress on it …….. The size of the rug is 1m. x .5m. I used recycled 100% cotton pillow slips and sarongs except for the outer aubergine border. I was not sure what colours I would put there as I was fast running out of recycled fabrics in the rich colours I needed. Then a friend, when she saw the rug in progress, said she had some aubergine satine sheets that were very uncomfortable and she wanted to give them to me. They were a godsend and enabled me to finish the rug with an aubergine border. They were not cotton ( 100% nylon I think) and frayed all the time. But the colour was so good, I went along with it. How long did it take me. Difficult to say. As I am someone who needs some project in my hands whilst watching TV, the rug has just been part of my life for the past 6 weeks.

This past January Judy and I again stopped for lunch at the Apple Basket Café & Quilt Shop in Donnybrook and discovered that Robin, now a member of the Guild, had definitely become

hooked……….

Pictured (right) is her first completed rug ….

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 9

WANNEROO : Speaking of Community groups, work continues each Saturday at the Wanneroo Library meeting room on two on very large rugs. The rugs are beginning to take shape and are creating much interest to those passing by. Fortunately for the group there is a coffee shop located within the Library complex which provides a steady stream of visitors. Passers by regularly come in to see what is going on and finish up sitting down and being shown how to prod. It doesn’t take very long for them to realize that there is great joy in being productive and sharing. Workshops were held at the Library on 20th & 23rd January 2011 The first by popular demand was to plan a proddy rug following through to learning options to finish it off. This hit and miss rug created by members of Strath Matters in SA is a favourite, so it was used as the workshop example. The second workshop was another Bling Bag day.

"SHARING and PROMOTING" the craft.... A participant at a previous Albany workshop (Oct 2010)

was so enthused about rug hooking and on reading about Norma Hatchett’s success with rug hooking at an aged-care facility, went ahead and started up a rug hooking group where she works. 12 frames were made locally and gripper strips purchased to complete them, along with 12 hooks to get this commu-nity care group going. More news on this next issue.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA - ALBANY WORKSHOPS AT VANCOUVER ARTS CENTRE

Judy and I returned to Vancouver Arts Centre for workshops on the 28th & 29th, January 2011 — these workshops were held on the spacious verandah of Mary Thompson house. This is an area with ample natural light and provides an excellent view of the harbour. The Friday class was a beginning rug hooking class which touched on both traditional rug hook-ing and proddy. While the photo below caught everyone in a very serious mood intent on their creations, there was much hilarity and conversation throughout the day

This same space was utilized on Saturday 29th for an even larger group to learn how to make mini baskets using an aboriginal basket weaving technique. At the end of the morning we were fortunate to be invited to attend the opening of an Exhibition, featuring works from the City of Albany’s collection curated by Professor Ted Snell AM CitWA

During the workshop we had a visit from Margo Gloger, who brought a display of sari silk in the most scrumptious colours. These hanks of silk off-cuts (100 grams) can be purchased from Margo for Au$8.00 Contact Margo at email: denmark4ever@westnet.com.au or ph: 08-98464374

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 10

TIGHR: The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers - MEMBERSHIP If you or your group (special group memberships are available) are interested in

signing up to TIGHR, email Jo tighr@y7mail.com TIGHR’s private website is well underway and the AusLink Group on that site is creating much interest in Australia and things Australian as members start planning to visit in Oct 2012.

COPYRIGHT: …Members may print a copy of the newsletter for personal use but please remember contents of the pages of the newsletter remain the property of the authors or artists and cannot be re-printed, copied or used without the express permission of the authors or artists.

ONLINE RUG HOOKING:

www.aussierugmakers.ning.com - The private members networking site for Australian Rugmakers Guild.

A question was asked on the members website about “hooking large rugs” - having seen several large rugs that Joyce Emery had completed I contacted for her input on relevant points - and she has shared the following : - Please email Joyce ( joye29@adam.com.au ) if you would like to ask her for more information:

Joyce says ……..

I have, in the past, done some very large rugs , hangings and pictures.

One rug, ―Arabic‖, is circular - 2 1/2 metres across. ―Floral Prints‖ is 2 1/2 metres x 1 1/2 metres

and is a wall hanging. ―Haley's Comet‖ and " Jupiter" are two large

pictures

I also did a hall runner for my previous home 5 1/2 metres x 90 cms which is now on my

back deck as it is too short for my current house and I had no where else to put it.

All the other circular rugs are about 1 metre across and the rectangular rugs are 120 cms x 60 cms.

I always put the binding on first then I can hook around the edge, if

that is left till later, the threads of the fabric can get too close together and it is too hard to get into and also the edge of the rug

will not lie flat when finished.

Depending on size and pattern I either start in the middle and work out all around or from one edge moving the worked piece away

from me. As I work with a brick on top of the rug and a piece of foam

underneath it is easy to work. If the rug is being put on a frame it is not so easy with something very large.

Editors note: I understand that some rug makers do not work on a frame - although that would seem difficult to me - the idea of putting foam underneath and a brick on top of the rug while it’s being worked sounds really “different”

- however I found this picture of Joyce hooking which shows the brick!

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 11

NEW ZEALAND: Judith Brook (South Island) remarkablerugs@xtra.co.nz

―We also wear our jandals to go to for a swim in our togs,with a lilo and chilly bin. Summer also means the pohutukawa (Po hoot a kawa) are out everywhere. They are a native tree that grow along the coast over Xmas and have masses of bright red flowers ‖

Editors note: The above follow up, more translations for her article in the Christmas newsletter, was emailed by Judith before the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. At that time she had a busy schedule set for summer workshops in the early part of 2011. I have spoken with her since the quake, she lives south of Christchurch in Cromwell and fortunately

she and her family were unharmed.

However her workshops are on hold as she has gone back to school - studying horticulture and will be picking apples at harvest time. Judy says large donations of fruit from this orchard will be sent to

the people in Christchurch.

She mentioned having met up with Canadian Sybil Mercer for lunch in Wanaka - Sybil is a member of the Aussie Guild as well as TIGHR and is a frequent visitor to New Zealand this time of year, so it is

good to know that she is also safe.

QUEENSLAND: Bec Anderson

From this …….. Circa 1940 To this ………. The Wishing Chair

Bec chose to reupholster this chair with handmade textiles; all hand dyed using natural dyes.

The wings are made using silk, rayon velvet and a de’vore process. De’vore paste is screened

onto the fabric, and when heat is applied the rayon is burnt out and the silk remains, leaving

the sheer effect. Natural Dyes used: Cochineal, Madder, Lac

Bec creates hand tufted rugs from 100% wool dyed with all natural dyes - to see more of her

work check out her web site http://becanderson.com

―I wish that we could

have more time to

gather together

to embroider, knit

and sew‖

Australian Rugmakers Guild Newsletter - Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Page 12

Australian Rugmakers Guild Membership/Renewal* Application NAME …………………………………………………………………………… PHONE (..…….)….……………………………… ADDRESS…………………………………………………………………. CITY…………………………………….STATE…….……. POST CODE …………….. EMAIL ADDRESS ………………………………………………………….……………………………

Membership fees: $10 per year due 1st July each year. (If you require receipt, include stamped addressed envelope)

$15 per year for printed copy of newsletter

Cash: $ ……..… Cheque: $……...…. Money Order $….………… *Direct Deposit $ ………….

*Online direct deposit payment can be made via information provided by rugcraftersaustralia@yahoo.com.au

*Renewal Applications please complete all details

Privacy Notice: Please note your email, street address and phone number is listed in the Membership Directory.

A Membership List from the Directory is available, upon request, to all Australian Rugmakers Guild members.

Please mark with an (*) any of your information you do not wish to have shown on the Membership List provided to other

members.

Return application to –

Membership Chair, Australian Rugmakers Guild

20 Langhorne Creek Rd., Strathalbyn, SA 5255

There is no Guild Business to report in this issue. In mid April the Australian Rugmakers Guild Board will meet in South Australia, the resolution of any business arising from that meeting will be published in the next issue of this newsletter. Several Australian Board members are also members of the TIGHR Board and a TIGHR Board meeting is also scheduled for that time to plan the upcoming TIGHR Conference to be held October next year in Strathalbyn, SA.

GUILD NEWS: VICE PRESIDENT; Judith Stephens, Strathalbyn, SA

jstephens45@y7mail.com

Treasurer; Sue Lange Hewett, SA

suelange@internode.on.au

PRESIDENT; Miriam Miller, Milton, NSW

narrawillyfarm@shoal.net.au

Secretary/Editor; Jo Franco, Perth, WA

rugcraftersaustralia@yahoo.com.au

Benefits of Guild Membership The benefits are : spreading friendship around the country through rug making; the opportunity to connect regularly using the internet and contribute to research topics, conversations about tools and projects , etc.... along with communication with other members via the website and newsletter which also includes news about various rug making techniques and different styles of rug making as well as news of associated crafts.

Editor’s Note: You will have noticed emails sent to me have been published in this newsletter; please be assured that any correspondence published in the newsletter is by permission of the sender. This change in format of the newsletter reflects the success of the networking format of the Aussierugmakers website.