If you’re a rug hooker on Instagram, you’ve seen the crazy increase in punch needle rug hooking posts. Like me, you probably marveled that, hey, some are calling the back the front and the front the back! Which is just fine as long as they’re having fun – the real point of this whole art/craft.
If you get Rug Hooking Magazine, you’ve seen that there are now regular articles on the punch needle universe and its concomitant projects. You’re no longer a second class hooker if you punch!
And if you’re at all familiar with punch needle goddess Amy Oxford, you know that her business sky-rocketed a couple of years ago:
Her business chugged along quite nicely, growing slowly and steadily. Then textile artist Arounna Khounnoraj, co-founder of Bookhou studio in Toronto, became a fan. “I like that her tool is ergonomic and that it’s quick and easy to thread,” says Khounnoraj. “Also, you can use both yarn and cut wool strips in the needles.”
Amy Oxford de-fuzzing a punched rug with…sheep shears! (2008)
When Khounnoraj posted an Instagram video demonstrating a project using an Oxford
Punch Needle, things exploded. The video went viral and Oxford began getting orders from all over the world.
“Sales were up 644%. This was thrilling and incredibly exciting. We sold out instantly. We made thousands more and sold out in 48 hours. Did the same and sold out a third time in 24 hours. I was in shock. I knew I was supposed to be happy but honestly, it was terrifying. Overwhelming is an understatement… We didn’t see this coming. When our punch went viral I promised myself that no matter how many orders we got, I wouldn’t skimp on quality to create more quantity.”
To celebrate punch needle rug hooking and to further spread the rug hooking gospel, High on Hooking will be teaching an INTRODUCTION TO PUNCH NEEDLE RUG HOOKING workshopTHIS SATURDAY at Española Valley Fiber Arts Center. Contact EVFAC to get in on the fun. (Just don’t call today, Monday, as they’re closed till tomorrow morning.)
During the class, students will:
transfer a pattern onto a monk’s cloth backing;
prepare materials; and
begin punching a mug rug, table “mat,” or wall-hanging.
We’ll use Oxford punch needles as several years ago, after teaching myself to punch using her tool (before she even owned her current rug hooking school), I was lucky enough to attend a workshop with Amy. Lastly, we’ll discuss various ways you might want to finish your rug after all the hooking is done. No experience is necessary; just come prepared to play!
This rug was based on a child’s design and punched using recycled t-shirt strips. Imagine how your child or grandchild would feel if you hooked a wall hanging or table-topper using one of their drawings. And think of how much linger it’ll last than paper!
For those unable to join us in Española Saturday, I offer rug hooking and punch needle rug hooking classes in my home in Albuquerque. If you live beyond ourbeautiful Sandia Mountains, please check out Amy’s excellent tutorial videoson her website. Most of all, have fun!
A little brother my ass… Tynan here. She was going to show you more photos from her trip up the Rhine, but I had to step in and tell you what the idiots have done now.
This is…my new “little brother.” His name is Bowyn. He is NOT replacing me as the High on Hooking dog. Do not make me repeat that.
Yes, it’s a puppy. Sure, they tried to tell me that it’s “all for you, Tynan. He’ll rejuvenate you.” What the hell does that mean? I won’t be 11 anymore? Right.
I suppose I should’ve been suspicious when the baby gates and the food bowl and, okay, the itty-bitty crate showed up. But she’s always buying crap for this or that cause. My antennae should’ve twitched when he didn’t complain.
So, they’re all excited. “Wanna go for a ride, Tynan? To see your sister up in Durango?” I like Durango, and the kid is there. We can hike. They get me all riled up. We do the three and a half hour drive. Another clue I missed. We stop at McDonalds, even have a picnic on the grass. They actually feed me french fries and chicken from her salad. Not a tiny bite, but lots of fries. Ketchup and everything. Half the freakin’ chicken! How could I miss that they were playing me?
Me pretending to sleep on the way up to Durango. If only I’d known…
We pick the kid up from her apartment; check in at a hotel right downtown. I try out the bed. Nice. Next thing I know there’s a phone call and the mistress is rushing us off the bed and out the door. We’re in front of the hotel and I see…me! Or a dog that looks like me, another Welsh Springer spaniel. Oh! And in the rush and confusion, the mistress, she’s reaching down and picking up another tiny dog, a puppy that I realize also looks very similar to me. Oh!!
Long story short, we head for some very green grass – normally one of my most favorite things now that we live in the desert and have fake grass – and sit down. And I learn that the puppy is…ours. I mean…theirs. They can’t stop playing with it. I notice that it can’t stop trying to bite things – fingers, ankles, shoes, tails. What the hell? No one talked to me about this acquisition. Seems to me they should’ve, right?
Look at him! No manners. He’s trying to maul her. And she likes it. (Shaking my head here.)
Now we’re back home, and he’s upset the previously happy sang-froid of our comfy home. Baby gates keep me out of the master bedroom where I like to lie on the bathroom tiles.(And don’t even think of telling me to lie on all the other tiles in the house.) He gets on my bed. Toys are everywhere. Worst thing ever: He doesn’t know that we go outside to do our business! Ew!
What he does to me. This. It’s all I can say.
I had NOTHING to do with this mess. Nothing. Talk to the “little brother.”
The only good thing about his lack of civility and toilet training is that I still get to go visit my hooking ladies whenever the idiotress goes. He does not. They were here yesterday ostensibly to help me buck up, but really to visit…my “little brother.” At least they brought me treats. I love my ladies.
I’m so tired that I try to sleep whenever he does. He looks cute here, yes? And then he rolled off the couch. I laughed and I laughed.
Now that I’ve gotten this off my chest, I’m going to take advantage of that fact that he’s napping (and not snapping or yowling) and get some sleep myself. He woke us up twice last night to pee and then again this morning at the ungodly hour of 5:45. I’m tired.
Please send biscuits. For big dogs.
–Tynan
Like I said, he’ll never be the High on Hooking dog. If you can’t respect the frame, you just can’t have the job. The feature is “What’s on the frame” not “What’s in the frame.”
Melinda and Cathy show friendship in front of the friendship rugs.
Ruth’s “Klimt” rug (pattern by Michelle Micarelli) on the far left won the Viewers’ Choice award. No one was surprised. Other rugs by Cathy, Mary R, Nancy P, Melinda, Betsy, and Nan.
More rugs by AWAG members. There were 27 juried entries that all got in plus the nine friendship rugs. Rugs here hooked by: Betsy, Nan, Melinda, Catherine, Liz, Nancy H, Laura (me!), Kalea, Mary S, Cathy, Marcy, and Darlene.
Melinda’s friendship rug. Can you tell which one I hooked? I might add that the t-shirt strips look just like everyone else’s wool strips. (Gary takes a nice shot of his wife’s rug, yes?)And here’s my friendship rug all nice and finished.So, I’m not sure why Melinda and I don’t look very happy here. It was the start of Fiber Arts Fiesta 2019. A success story. Thanks again, Gary.
And just like that Fiber Arts Fiesta 2019 is a wrap. Thank goodness. There was a LOT of planning and hooking followed by four straight days of work. In a few days Tom and I will rest. Sort of. We’re off on vacation. More on that later. Perhaps WiFi will be good enough to allow for some Facebook and Instagram pics. If not, you’ll just have to withstand the suspense while you wait for my photos and tales. Be back in a couple of weeks. Enjoy your summer!
