Category: Fiber Arts Fiesta

May 24, 2019

New friends!

So, Fiber Crawl was a bit of a bust but only from a sales standpoint. Okay, that’s the most important standpoint when you’re vending, but you know, there are other things that go into it. For instance, unfortunately, it wasn’t publicized that there were vendors at the Open Space where Cathy and I were hanging. And some of the vendors didn’t even show. In the end, there were only four booths of fiberific goods. So, we had plenty of time to take in the “Earth Threads” exhibit and hook and…meet new friends!

Yes, new friends. I’d had a brief back-and-forth with a gal from the Los Angeles area who was in the area. She’s brand new to hooking and hasn’t yet met like-minded peeps in California. She read the blog here regarding Fiber Crawl, and guess who wanted to come and meet other hookers? Debra! And she brought along David her husband who’s about to start hooking his own rugs. Woohoo! I guess that means that the gospel is indeed being spread from my fingers to others’ ears. Or rather, eyes.

Photo of new friends at the Fiber Crawl — New friends made at the Fiber Crawl last week! From left to right is Catherine (an AWAG member), Cathy, me, and then David and Deb.

Both Debra and David were great fun, and since we weren’t selling or even entertaining too many potential customers Sunday, we had plenty of time to chat. Debra had brought the rug she’s working on, her very first. Designed and drew it herself. Cows! She’ll have to send a pic to me when she’s done so that we can share it here. She’s going great guns on it. And come July when Cathy teaches her workshop at the Wool Poppies – Hooker Hill Rug Retreat, Debra may be meeting other Bay Area hookers. Lucky lady!

In the meantime, there’s lots of hustle and bustle going on in our final lead-up to the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2019. Remember, if you’re in the area next Thursday-Saturday, come on over to Expo and say hi to us – we’re always looking to make new friends! – in the Adobe Wool Arts Guild Rug Hooking booth. We have 27 rugs to hang and 9 friendship rugs making up the 9×9 special exhibit. Almost every fiber art imaginable is on display, and there are over 50 vendors! Hope to see you there!

Lastly, please have a wonderful beginning to summer. Have fun and be safe out there. And don’t forget the reason for this long Memorial Day Weekend.

May 1, 2019

Albuquerque fiber-phernalia and Donna Hrkman

Donna Hrkman, rug hooking teacher, and Indian Boy rug. — Donna Hrkman holding her rug “Indian Boy.”

I know, I know, I’ve been gone a few weeks, but with all the fiber-phernalia going on in the Albuquerque area, you can’t blame me.

All the guilds participating in our BIG FIBER ARTS FIESTA are busy preparing their booths and volunteers. And, of course, the hundreds of masterpieces that will be on display for those three days. Let me remind you: Thursday-Saturday, May 30, 31 and June 1; hours are 10-5; at Expo New Mexico. There will also be: classes; over 50 vendors; Betty Busby as featured artist; five different special exhibits (including the Adobe Wool Arts Guild‘s friendship rugs!); demonstrations, and a free craft – good for the kids…and you!

Rug hooking exhibit — High on Hooking’s and **Catherine Kelly**‘s display at last year’s Fiber Crawl. Location: **Casa San Ysidro** in Albuquerque.

Before we can even get to Expo and the Fiesta, we’ve got the New Mexico’s second annual fiber adventure: FIBER CRAWL! High on Hooking will be participating again this year as a vendor/demonstrator; we’ll be at the Open Space Visitors’ Center (conveniently close to home!) for the three days. The whole thing is organized by the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center. As pulled from the website:

The New Mexico Fiber Crawl is an opportunity to explore fiber studios and farms, experience fiber demonstrations, attend special gallery and museum events, win prizes, and visit fiber arts shops.

Whether you are a fiber enthusiast, a visitor, a friend or a collector, the 2019 New Mexico Fiber Crawl is a great way to discover and enjoy the world of fiber arts in Northern New Mexico. You’ll meet the weavers, knitters, spinners, felters, embroiderers and new media artists who are sharing their love of the fiber arts at this event. Plus, you’ll have a great time!

Donna Hrkman, rug hooking teacher, and class. — Members of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild surround Donna Hrkman to learn her technique for enlarging an image to be used as a pattern.

Lastly and most fun, a couple of weeks ago, the esteemed rug hooking teacher DONNA HRKMAN was here in Albuquerque sharing tips of the trade with and instilling self-confidence into members of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG). We cannot gush enough about her class, the exquisite rugs she shared, the patterns she drew, the wool and other goodies she brought to us. Not only that, she was just plain fun to be with. Unfortunately, her plane came in almost a full day late, so sight-seeing was limited, but we all rolled with the punches. We got cozy with one another at a meet-and-greet supper here at High on Hooking’s crib with plenty of vittles left for Tuesday’s lunch. Dinner’s out included margaritas and New Mexican food along with excellent conversation. For any hooking group or guild looking for a teacher, we at AWAG can’t recommend Donna enough.

Donna Hrkman and Alheimer's hooked rug. — Donna Hrkman describes how she created the hooked words in her “Alzheimer’s Rug.”

And lastly, I wanted to show you what being a busy hooking bee finally did for me. Maybe you saw it on our Instagram post.

Dog and writer celebrate finish of a hooked rug. — “Big Boucherouite” is finally done! Tynan and I celebrate. Tom’s margarita completed our little party.

I started this rug over a year ago, worked on it sporadically till late November of 2018. (Because I’m not involved in enough stuff as it is.) After my vending year was over, I started hooking in earnest, finally finishing the hooking maybe a month or so ago. After giving my arthritic hands a break, I started the finish work. Everything was done and the High on Hooking tag sewn on this Sunday afternoon. Did you hear my sigh on relief?

Please share your spring fiber-phernalia here

and on our Facebook page.

April 9, 2019

Change is…GOOD!

Tynan on hooked rug. — Tynan presents this week’s “What’s on the frame.” This would be a teaser for **Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Fiesta** (May 30 and 31, June 1). The **Adobe Wool Arts Guild** will have a special exhibit, “9 on 9,” comprised of friendship rugs. Tynan has managed to sit on at least two of them thus far.

Change requires a new way of looking at old things. Looking at anything differently is good; it gets you out of your old head and makes you see with new eyes. Less “same old, same old.” And so High on Hooking has to do some changing. Nothing that drastic, just something to shake us up a little, get the juices flowing again.

Over the last year Instagram has proven to be a real mover and a shaker. Even more than Pinterest these days, I love to see the beautiful items that everyone’s making and showing on Instagram. And so few words are needed. The photographs alone drive traffic to an artist’s website and Etsy shop. Because of this development and because, frankly, I’m tired of coming up with scintillating topics week after week, I plan on reducing the number of blog posts here at High on Hooking. Don’t worry, I promised Tynan that he could still post now and again. And you know you can find him on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Thought you might like this close-up of the friendship rug’s background. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do know how to hook wool strips. Guild member Cathy Kelly dyed it for me. (Okay, I was there doing some poking and prodding and dropping in some dye…)
Relatedly, it’s time to simplify some and pare down…the website itself. Again, change is good, and I’d like a new look. Also, I prefer to sell via my Etsy shop or directly. Directly as in, if you see something you like here on the website, just shoot me an email or a call. (No middlemen making money that way. 🙂 ) So, as I find time in the next couple of months (not an easy feat), the site will be changing. Because I’m doing it myself, we could also get lost in the Internet ether now and again. In that case, find me on the Facebook or Instagram pages. And know that the gallery page is currently hopelessly out of date!
If you follow my Instagram feed, maybe you noticed the new rug I’m working on. In between finishing “Big Boucherouite” and a couple of others. Maybe you looked closely and realized that it’s not actually hooked; rather it’s punched. Yep, I’m adding to the repertoire. But punching for me didn’t come out of nowhere. I used to do quite a bit of it, even spent four days with Amy Oxford one summer at the Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts before she moved into her own digs. And, like wool strips which I really don’t care to punch, you can punch t-shirt strips. I’ve done it. Haven’t tried bedsheets. Will have to think that one out. Not!
Why Amy Oxford’s had a run on her punch needles, besides Instagram that is. Because everyone loves how cool it looks from the back! BTW, this is being punched with wool yarns.

I think that’s enough change for one day, don’t you?

How are you mixing things up this spring? What change are you making?

March 26, 2019

And just like that, “Big Boucherouite” is hooked

Big Boucherouite hooked rug — This is what “Big Boucherouite” looked like yesterday afternoon when I sat down to hook. Some of you may have seen it on **Instagram**. Clearly, the race was on. Actually, the race had been on since Sunday when I hooked for a good seven hours.

Okay, maybe not “just like that,” but the “Big Boucherouite” is hooked. Finally. After about three and a half months of hooking approximately three hours per day. My arthritic hands are not particularly pleased with me at the moment, and I haven’t even told them about the next part: hemming. Putting needle and thread into hooked bed sheets and t-shirts isn’t the most fun thing one can do. I’ll give the hands a week or two off before we start to sew.

“Big Boucherouite” is hooked completely from old bed sheets and t-shirts. This is recycled (fiber) art at its best. 🙂

“Big Boucherouite” all hooked up. There’s a LOT of hemming to be done there. Don’t anyone expect to see this bad boy in the **Etsy shop** for a while.

In the meantime I have to finish my friendship rug – the entire background which does include words (I know, I know!). At least hooking wool is more gentle on the paws than hooking cotton. The friendship rug has to be completed by Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Fiesta just like “Big Boucherouite.” In fact, all nine of the guild‘s friendship rugs constitute a special exhibit. If you can make it, Fiesta is May 30, 31 and June 1 at Expo here in Albuquerque.

Dog on Big Boucherouite hooked rug — Tynan was not to be denied. He feels it’s his job to present the rugs. And pick up a treat for his troubles…

Fellow hookers, I’ve spent an incredible amount of time hooking the background of one BIG rug; the friendship rug isn’t as large, but it ain’t small either. I’ve been dreaming of other rugs I want/need to start. Ideas to get me through this next background before I can start something new?

February 27, 2019

Notes from the “Big Boucherouite”

“Big Boucherouite” here. Yes, you read that right. I AM the large rug that she’s currerntly hooking. Constantly. At least it feels that way. I hardly ever get alone time. Anyway, as she’s still working on me day and night, I decided to provide a few notes regarding where she’s at in this project.

Tynan the dog on the Big Boucherouite. — See what I mean about the dog? Oh, and that idea of strategic photography?

She’s been watching a LOT of television during the day. I tried to tell her to get some books on tape, but she goes on and on about having to get through a NOVA back-up, that she’s got to free-up space on the DVR. Fine. Her husband, of course, insists on watching them with her, though I’ve noticed that he tends to use them to catch up on his sleep.
NOVA sounds nice and erudite, sure, but that wasn’t on till midnight last night. No, that would be…Ice Castles. Yes, the Robby Benson movie from 1978, when she was 13. Apparently, she even read the book back then. It was on some TV station for lost movies. Some movies should remain lost…
She does take some breaks. It seems to be rather necessary. Hooking so much woven fabric is taking a toll on the joints. As is sitting under me. I’m rather heavy at this point. I tell her to do some yoga. Does she listen to me? Sometimes.
She’s still going on and on about not having enough orange sheets to fill my background, that she had to breakdown and use t-shirts. Who gives a damn? That they’re used textiles being recycled to a higher purpose – me! – it’s fine. That’s the Boucherouite spirit.
Her dog keeps sitting on me determined to earn a snack. Someone needs to tell him that she’s barely taking any photographs of me. I deserve a BIG REVEAL and not until I’m properly hooked and hemmed.
Lastly, regarding actually finishing me in order to enter me into Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Fiesta by the March 1 deadline, let’s hear it for the idea of STRATEGIC PHOTOGRAPHY. And you all make sure that your submissions are in by sometime Friday too.

Look for my debut on Instagram and Facebook in the near future, and I’ll see you May 30 and 31 and June 1 at Fiber Fiesta!

The Big Boucherouite