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Need a Boucherouite fix?

We’re offering a second session of Build a Baby Boucherouite in March.

Boucherouite inspired hooked art
The current Boucherouite I’m working on is all hooked and steamed. Just some hemming to do on it now.

In the Studio’s Workshop Week 4 is in the books now as is my Build a Baby Boucherouite class. We had an excellent turnout too, about 80 students, the most we’ve ever fielded. They came from all over: the US, Canada, and even Ireland! As usual, many took more than just one class, thereby ensuring they have a pile of UFOs sitting in their project baskets to last them the rest of winter. Besides teaching, at least three of us from In the Studio joined the watercolor workshop taught by Jane M. Mason. Now, besides my unfinished fiber (crocheting and hooking) objects, I’m looking at the the kick-ass paints I bought for the class. Must make time, must make time…

The Boucherouite workshop went well. In fact, you can track student Jean Ottosen of Jean Ottosen Studios on her blog as she finishes the piece she created. And it’s not a baby Boucherouite either. Jean went full table runner size. Woohoo, Jean!

There were 15 of us in that class, but others have expressed an interest in another session. Yay! That will take place at 1:00 pm Eastern, Saturday, March 12. Also on Zoom. If you’re interested, please contact me at Laura@highonhooking.com. The workshop typically lasts between two and three hours, but if you need to duck out after two, no problem. Any issues, I’m just an email or phone call away. More info below.

BUILD A BABY BOUCHEROUITE
With Laura Salamy

Saturday, March 12 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Boucherouite inspired hooked rug
Your Boucherouite can be small just to try it out or as large as you’d like.

Course description
Boucherouites are having their day! They’re so trendy that you can’t look at a Better Home and Gardens magazine or watch an HGTV show without seeing them.

The Berber tribe of Morocco have been creating Boucherouites, one-of-a-kind, hand-knotted rugs since the mid-20th century. Traditionally, they’re made using old clothes and other textile scraps. They’re a pretty freestyle form of expression often looking as if the weaver started with one color scheme and pattern, got bored, and moved onto something else. They’re fun in a colorful, spontaneous way and are easily adaptable to rug hooking.

In this workshop you’ll design your own hooked “Baby Boucherouite” rug and start to hook it with textile scraps you have on hand be they cotton clothing, old bed-sheets, and/or leftover wool noodles. The sky’s the limit! We’ll also discuss how to prepare, cut, and hook with non-wool materials.

Length of class: 2-3 hours

Who should take this course
This class is designed for a student proficient at rug hooking basics, particularly the mechanics of pulling loops through a backing.

Materials needed
Because this is an online workshop, students will supply their own materials. Materials will include those one usually uses to hook a rug as well as a few others. More information will be provided to students upon registration.

Class fee:            $45 US
For more information or to register, please contact Laura at Laura@highonhooking.com.

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Merry Christmas and please let 2022 be better!

2 dogs under the Chrstmas tree
Bowyn and Tynan, the High on Hooking dogs, wish you a very Happy Christmas and New Year. They’re also hiding the ANGEL OF 2022. But you can see her below.

 

We here at High on Hooking wish you a wonderful and safe Christmas!

Hopefully, you and your families will be able to gather and celebrate despite the presence of the Grinch known as Omicron. Here in Albuquerque, unlike other years, it looks like the kid will make it here for the actual holiday and even stay a few days.

If you’re still in the hunt for presents – particularly the kind that don’t require shipping – consider the gift of creativity with In the Studio’s Workshop Week 4, January 30-February 6. There are nine scintillating classes, but they’re filling, so don’t wait too long. Especially if you’re gifting yourself! More info HERE. Follow our In the Studio (Online) Instagram to keep up with what we’re up to.

This post will take us into 2022. I’d like to say something about the new year being a much better 365 days than 2021 was, but clearly that wish didn’t come true after I made it a year back. Nonetheless, I’m willing to try again. Especially since champagne will be involved. Nothing’s bad when there’s bubbly to be had.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! BRING IT ON, 2022!

Hand hooked art piece
THE ANGEL OF 2022 is unlike her predecessors, but just as mighty. She’ll help you keep that Grinchy Omicron from stealing your Christmas and New Year. Once I hem her, that is. (Hooked with old t-shirts and plastic bags plus a smidge of wool.)
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Shakerag Workshops in June!

Finally I can let the world know that I’m teaching at the Shakerag Workshops in Sewanee, Tennessee in 2022. TheShakerag Workshops logoy asked me about it awhile ago, but between our schedules and some electronic issues, there was a bit of a delay on the website. I’m happy to say that my class listing is now up and complete. You can find info about it HERE. I have to admit that there are some other very inviting art classes during the two week-long sessions. Take a look. And it all kicks off with a four-day knitting retreat with the folks from Modern Daily Knitting. (While I get their newsletters, I’m a crocheter; I’ve never been able to grasp the whole purl thing. A girl has to know her limits, and this girl is sticking with hooks.)

About Shakerag Workshops
Shakerag Workshops is an adult studio art workshop program. For 2022 we will begin with a Knitting Getaway retreat in Session I (June 8-11) and then move to week-long classes offered in various media in Sessions II and III (June 12-18 and June 19-25). Participants may register for one or more sessions. Classes in Sessions II and III meet from 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 daily. Participants and faculty members often work together in the studios during late afternoons and evenings, occasionally taking time away from their artistic endeavors for sitting and talking, hiking, practicing yoga, or swimming in our mountain lake.
–from the Shakerag website

Traveling to teach in Tennessee, specifically in Sewanee, is exciting for a couple of reasons. First it’s the biggest “stage” that I’ll have taught on, certainly in person. I’m honored to have been asked. Second, there’s a LOT of synchronicity going on. Other than the song  learned by watching Looney Tunes long ago that starts “Way down upon the Sewanee River far, far away…,” I really knew nothing about Sewanee or even that it’s a town! Then, a number of years ago, a good friend from college and her husband were both hired to teach at Sewanee: The University of the South. Unfortunately, Kelly and I haven’t seen each other since they moved from Boston. Then I moved from Massachusetts to Albuquerque. Not a lot of geographical overlap between the two. LOL But a few years after Tom and I arrived here, I made an online connection with a hooker from Tennessee, Cass Gannaway. Her son lives here; she even met some of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild while some of us were demonstrating at the BioPark. Cass is pretty much a guild member at this point and has taken classes with us online during Covid. We hope to see her for real soon. Did I mention that she happens to be Kel’s neighbor? Oh, and that the director of Shakerag is also friends with Kelly and her husband.

Boucherouite hooked rug from Sahkerag adIt gets better. Cass and some of her Tennessee  hookers have taken my and other In the Studio Workshop Week classes during the past year and a half. And now, thanks to all these convoluted relationships, Cass’s son-in-law, Charlie Dalton – you might know him as The Hooking Colonel on Instagram – is teaching a second time with In the Studio come February! (I actually had the pleasure of meeting Charlie last year during the holidays when he was visiting his Albuquerque in laws.) And that, my friends, is what SYNCHRONICITY is all about. This New Mexico-Sewanee connection was meant to be.

HOOK RUGS: SAVE THE PLANET, June 19-25, will provide instruction on hooking and punching. It’s perfect for beginners and those familiar with the art forms. But we won’t be focusing on wool (not that there won’t be wool), rather we’ll look at how we can use materials that are often discarded and fill up our landfills. We’ll do our own little part to slow that process. See the links above or email me at if you’re interested in joining us.


REMINDER:
In the Studio (Online)’s Workshop Week 3 (WW3) was a resounding success in October. January 30 – February 6 will find us in WW4. Classes are filling rapidly. See the workshops and other information by following the link above. I’ll be offering last winter’s popular Baby Boucherouite class. Follow In the Studio’s Instagram as each of the nine teachers take over for a day during the next few weeks. Our Facebook page also provides plenty of fiberific findings.

 

Dog on hooked rug in front of holiday decorations
Tynan brings you what might be the last WHAT’S ON THE FRAME of 2021. Bowyn wanted to be there but couldn’t control his wild and crazy nature. The ANGEL OF 2022 should be finished next week. Tynan wishes that your holidays are filled with too many treats to count. Oh, wait! That’s what he wishes for himself.

Lastly, I hope that everyone’s taking the time to enjoy the holidays. Certainly, we’ll all have more friends and family with us than we could last year. Tom and I will actually have folks here to see our Christmas tree for the first time in years. The kid and my brother both manage to arrive on or before Christmas Eve.

I’m hoping to slow down in the next week or so to write cards and bake. And I’m almost done with my annual angel project; the Angel of 2022 will be finished shortly. It’s time to start planning the project that will take me into the New Year. What about you? Working on anything special these last days of the 2021?

 

 

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Things we’re thankful for

Here at High on Hooking we’re thankful for many things this November.

The Bosque "forest" of New Mexico
See why we love New Mexico? I took this pic during one of my early morning walks with Bowyn in the Bosque.
  • We live in a comfy house in the beautiful state of New Mexico. And we’ve had an incredible, albeit warm fall season. We’ll be welcoming good friends here to celebrate Thanksgiving. Bring on the turkey and the pies!
  • We’re all healthy and have avoided the Coronacootie. (In fact, we just received our boosters!)
  • The kid will make it home Saturday. And she’ll actually be here for Christmas this year! That’s something to really be thankful for.
  • In the Studio Online‘s Workshop Week 3 was a hit in October. Stay tuned for a BIG announcement about WW4 in the very near future. Till then, find out who’s teaching teaching this time around HERE.
  • High on Hooking will be teaching on the road in June of 2022! Stay tuned for more news on the trip.
  • The supply chain disruptions aren’t an issue to us. We’re thankful we already have everything we need for the holidays in-house: each other, food, shelter, music, wine, and yarn and other art supplies. What else do we need?

High on Hooking wishes you a happy

and healthy AND thankful Thanksgiving!

We are thankful for the High on Hooking dogs who love thanksgiving.
And, of course, we are most thankful for the High on Hooking dogs Bowyn and Tynan.
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IN THE STUDIO – October is our month!

In the Studio Online logoIn the Studio is having quite the month! Make sure you’re caught up with all that’s going on so that you don’t miss anything.

 

#showingupinthestudio2021

Search Instagram using this hashtag. We at In the Studio are urging folks to jump into our new daily “challenge” that’s not so much a challenge as it is a gift to yourself. As Meryl Cook put it: “Just do something to stretch yourself creatively for the rest of 2021.” And, hey, if you can only do it every other day or weekly, do that. Just do it for yourself. Because I had a show this past weekend to prep for, I only got to join in the fun yesterday. I started an improv stitching mini-project that I’ll work on a little each evening because I haven’t been good at starting a stitching PROJECT earlier in the year like I wanted to. This will put me on a path of exploration so that I can really get into something come 2022. There are almost two months to see where this takes me. Find more examples at @artwools and @karenmillerstudio .

Workshop Weeks 3 and 4In the Studio Workshop Week logo

Last year the In the Studio artists began Workshop Week (WW) to fill a hole that Covid dug. Sure, we couldn’t attend workshops and classes in person, but we put our heads together and technology to work and managed to come together anyway. It stuck! We’ve realized that getting together via Zoom allows students and teachers (most of us have played both roles) to meet one another and learn new techniques for a fraction of the cost of traditional schools. (Not that we’re giving up on those, but WW is a nice complement and the only thing available to many of us.) We don’t limit ourselves to rug hooking, but encourage the presentation of other arts and complementary techniques and subject matter. If you haven’t perused the WW3 options, check them now as classes have been filling. Personally, I have room in my October 23 session of Hooking with T-Shirts. Contact me at Laura@highonhooking.com if interested. We are currently soliciting proposals for this winter’s WW4. Teachers, find more info here.

In the Studio Online with JESS STEPONAITIS – October 22

Join Nova Scotia textile artist, Jess Steponaitis, as she discusses how she uses bold colours and unique designs to approach the traditional craft of rug hooking with a fresh perspective! You can find tickets for this online talk HERE.

In the Studio presents Jess Steponaitis October 22.About Jessica Steponaitis:

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Jessica has been designing and crafting hooked rugs since 2002.  Her work is best described as “contemporary folk art” or “folk art meets pop art,” and she frequently creates work inspired by her proximity to the ocean and all of its creatures.  All of Jessica’s work is created using linen foundation cloth.  She cuts all of her wool by hand and frequently dyes wool to create custom colors.  The edges of each rug are carefully finished using locally sourced wool yarn.

Jessica’s work was featured in Rug Hooking Magazine in 2020 and she has been invited to participate in the Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival.  She is also a member of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia.

To learn more about Jessica and to see her work, you can find her on Facebook and on Instagram @rughookerjess.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ FOR ALL IN THE STUDIO TALKS:
The Zoom link for this presentation will be emailed to you the day before the talk (or after you purchase your ticket, if you purchase on the day of the event).  If you don’t receive it, you can contact the organizer at info@karendmillerstudio.com.  
Tickets will be on sale until 10 am the day of the event.  After that time you will no longer be able to purchase tickets.
Please note that the time of the talk is 1:00 pm EASTERN (EST).
FAQ’s
* Will this talk be recorded for viewing later?
Unfortunately, no. Due to the logistics involved, we decided some time ago to keep these events live. Hopefully if you can’t make it to this talk, you’ll be able to make it to a future talk.
* It’s the day of the talk and I’m having trouble finding or using the link for the talk. How can I find help?
It is very advisable to LOG INTO THE EVENT A FEW MINUTES EARLY to be sure that you have no trouble with the link, and if you are having trouble the organizer can help you out. You can email or message the event organizer up until one hour before the talk on the day of the talk for help. ONCE THE EVENT STARTS, however, messages and emails are not able to be monitored.
* I’m finding it distracting during the talk seeing all of the other participants on my screen. What can I do?
During the event the organizer will put the screen setting on “spotlight view” so that the presenter is the focus on your screen. Depending on your device, you may still see audience members on your screen and changing your setting from “gallery view” to “speaker view” should help with that.
* What Time Zone is the time of the talk in?
The time indicated on all ‘In the Studio’ talks is the EASTERN (EST) time zone.  If you live in a different time zone, be sure to check what time you should tune in to ensure you don’t miss the talk.
*I can no longer make it to the talk.  Or, I missed the talk.  Can I get a refund?
Unfortunately no- the price of the ticket is so low that it is not cost-effective to refund those amounts.  If you are unable to make it to the talk and you already have a ticket, or you forget to attend, please do contact me at info@karendmillerstudio.com.  I always offer a ticket to the next talk to make up for it.  All of the artist speakers receive a portion of the ticket proceeds so we very much appreciate your contribution to supporting artists!

The artists of In the Studio – Karen Miller, Susan Feller, Beth Miller, Meryl Cook, and myself – hope that you’ll join us for at least one of these events in October!

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