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Where rug hooking takes me

 

Rug hooking - pumpkin
A close-up of the first rug that I ever hooked. Note that those are wool strips. Thank you, Franklin, Massachusetts, Adult Education program.

One day you take a community adult education class; rug hooking it’s called. For the life of you, you can’t remember why the hell you did that. In fact, your ex-husband’s mom was a hooker, and you paid absolutely no attention to that. Really. None! All you can remember is that she used a lot of black backgrounds. (Something you despise because all-black is such a pain to work with. 🙂 )

Now and again, maybe fifteen years later, you think about where this rug hooking thing’s taken you, what it’s given you. And it makes you shake your head in wonder.

It’s given me a good bit of self-confidence
As an artist. Especially one who doesn’t really fall into the category of a traditional rug hooker but only because of my use of alternative fibers and other materials. Originally, because I hooked with t-shirts and such, I was afraid to hang with other hookers, join a guild. I got over it. Thanks, Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) for such a great welcome to Albuquerque’s fiber arts scene two-and-a-half years ago. And especially for your encouragement. It helped when I went out to sell at art and other shows. And it appears that I’ve made a little name for myself. Just yesterday, as I was wandering through Kohl’s, I got a call from some woman up in Santa Fe who found me online and asked if I could repair her punched rugs. Apparently, her dogs regularly do a number on them. Of course, I can!

 

Relaxing after rug hooking.
AWAG members Mary Schnitzler and Kathy Kelly relax after a day’s hooking at the hook-in hosted by the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers in Tucson. We’ll be there again at the end of January!

Oh, the friendships!
Never mind that most of my friends here in my adopted city of Albuquerque are hookers. Hooking’s introduced me to folks all over the world – thanks, Facebook and now Instagram! Make no mistake, these are friends with benefits. Just take a gander at yesterday’s Loop by Karen Larsen. She’s working on a commission, a rug featuring two dogs and mentions how we learn from one another.

 

 

 

Judy Carter’s book, Hooking Animals [© 2014 Stackpole Books], is bookmarked and often referred to as I go along. Judy mostly hooks with narrow #3 and #4 wool strips, but I am hooking these dogs with wider #7 wool strips.  That’s as narrow as I like to go, so I have used Judy’s book as an inspirational jumping-off point. 

 

It has taken me years to realize and accept that I hook the way I hook.  Although I have learned and incorporated many helpful hooking tips through the years, I must have confidence in my own abilities.  I plan to look to my friend, Nancy Parcels, for inspiration as I do the background. 

 

It does indeed take a village!

I’m doing a little teaching
Because of the feedback I’ve received when I sell my less-than-traditional rugs, I’ve been asked to teach people how to do it themselves. I was even invited to teach a rug hooking class up at New Mexico’s famed Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center. Woohoo!

 

Rug hooking exhibit
A view of AWAG’s Fiber Fiesta rug hooking booth this last May.

To be a part of Albuqueque’s larger fiber arts scene
There’s no better way to get to know your new town than to volunteer and join things. And the guild knew a sucker when they saw one. They made me AWAG’s representative to Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Council. That meant meeting all kinds of fiber artists and working with them to make Fiber Arts Fiesta 2017 happen. I must’ve done a great job, because somehow I also became our rep to the Education Committee which is currently planning our biennial spring show “Earth, Wind, and Fiber”. (Entries are due February 25!)

Susan’s Legacy helps women with co-occurring disorders regain their lives and their families.

 

Susan’s Legacy
Last week I asked you if you have any purses languishing in your closet, that I need them bad. Clarification: I need brand name-type purses. Frankly, the kind they DON’T sell at Kohl’s. I also mentioned that I’d explain why this week. Turns out that as a guild rep to the Fiber Arts Council, I had to vote on a charity to be promoted at the Fiber Arts Fiesta last May. We chose Susan’s Legacy, a non-profit that serves the needs of women with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. Having some family experience with such things, somehow, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I clicked my heels, and was suddenly on the Board of Directors. Long story short, we need money to make our programs go. One thing that’s worked in the past has been a silent auction at a women’s networking luncheon. Albuquerque’s Women Make a Difference puts that on – a big WOOHOO for them! We at Susan’s Legacy find the purses, clean them up, and run the auction at the luncheon this Friday, March 9. Registration starts February 19, on Women Make a Difference’s website. If you’re local, maybe we’ll see you??? (Or at least your purse.Well Done )

Where is rug hooking taking you?

Dog on rug hooking
Tynan”s back! He brings you this week’s “What’s on the frame.” Yes, it’s the mystery rug. And I am hooking it with an alternative “fiber.” Must get a move on; it’s due February 25 as an entry for the Fiber Art Council’s Spring Show.
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Enjoy the consolation then move on

Life has to move on.
Tynan will tell you, life does go on. There’s always a new rug on the frame, and there are always biscuits to eat.

Last week’s post was about the consolation of making art for art’s sake; this week it’s about having to move on. Unfortunately, fires are still burning in California, and it appears that as many as 85% of Puerto Ricans still don’t have power. My problems are NOTHING compared to those, though I’d never belittle anyone, including myself, who’s concerned about their kid. Still, we make our way through new situations. She’s still keeping her room and bathroom pretty clean, and she’s definitely working hard to avoid arguments that don’t have to be had. I call that maturing, and, damn, I still have a hard time with it!

 

You know you’re luck’s improving when you head off to Walmart and come across the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile!

In the meantime, Tom and I are dealing with the changes too. We’ve been to Home Depot and identified the shelving we’ll he’ll build for me in the laundry room. It should go a long way towards getting the clutter up off the closet floor. And, frankly, we’re coping with maybe the most acute disappointment of our new/old living arrangement. Today we and the dog were supposed to head back east on our first visit with family and friends since we moved here. We’re still sad, but, after two weeks, are coming to terms with it. Again, you have to move on even when life hands you those lemons.

So, tomorrow we’re off on a different adventure, a day-trip that Tom’s never been on. Almost a year ago to the date, Tynan and I headed up north on our own. Tom couldn’t come for whatever reason, and I wanted to get up that way before the snow started to fly. We drove north of Taos to check out the ski area – nothing to see but lots of construction it turned out. On the way back to town, we did some hiking then explored this nifty, itty bitty village called Arroyo Seco. There are some shops, including one with perfect pottery and, of course, Weaving Southwest, which has fabulous rug yarns. There’s a great little restaurant/ice cream parlor too.

My new hiking toy with Tynan’s bowl (turquoise for New Mexico). Tom’s fanny pack is black.

Tom’s not been north of the town of Taos, so we’ll be heading up that way. Today we even picked up nice, new, fanny-type day packs at REI because I’m tired of being the one to carry everything in the pack including the water bottles. At Albuquerque’s new Cabela’s (which – for all you New England peeps living near the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium is NOT NEARLY as cool as the Bass Pro Shop with its giant fish tanks and honest-to-God, full-fledged pub) Tynan got a new, collapsible water/food bowl. I’ll happily carry that for him.

 

Yesterday was my last day vending at the Rail Yards this year. While I sold a good piece, this year’s not been that profitable there for me. It’s great for exposure and spreading the gospel of rug hooking, but I think that next year, I’ll cut back to once a month there and look for another venue. More on that in the coming months.

Time to move on.
Last day at the Rail Yards Market in Albuquerque yesterday.

BIGGEST NEWS I’ve received lately came yesterday when I checked my email as I sat at the Rail Yards. Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Council puts on an exhibit every other year (one that’s smaller than the Fiber Arts Fiesta held on the opposite year, no vendors). The marketing committee informed me that they’ve chosen a photo of my entry in the show back in April, 2016, to appear on the marketing materials for the 2018 show on April 7 and 8. Woohoo! I’m very honored and can’t wait to see the flyers and such. You know I’ll be sharing that when I get it. 🙂

Living on the west side of Albuquerque near the Rio Grande gives us plenty of balloon photo-ops most of the year.

In the meantime, we go on. As in New England, fall is the most beautiful time here in New Mexico. Nights have cooled off, but days still run anywhere in the 60s and 70s. Our very BIG SKY is bright blue; you might have seen it on the news last week, NBC covered Albuquerque’s famous International Balloon Fiesta last week, and USA Today has a bunch of pics up and just called it “the world’s most photographed event.” Tom and I didn’t attend this year, but the beauty of balloons is that they’re pretty visible from all over once they get up there. Consider making a visit sometime; hundreds of balloons in the sky at once is a spectacular sight.

Just so’s you know, I’ll be taking a little “stay-cation” from the blog, a week or two at most, while Tom and I find a few more little adventures to share this month. When you live in a beautiful place, you have to take advantage of it. I’m sure I’ll have some photos to share when I return.

 

What are you doing these days to keep your spirits up and to appreciate great autumnal weather? If you’re going to New England, send some lobsters out here!

 

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Damn, you found me…spreading the gospel…of hooking

CHeryl Bollenbach's workshop where she shared the gospel of hooking.
Me presenting my piece at the end of our workshop with Cheryl Bollenbach. Those with sharp eyes and a Rug Hooking Magazine subscription will recognize the pattern I used. Thank you for sharing this with the hooking world, Brigitte Webb! I hope to do it justice.

 

It’s been almost a month, and I’m a day or two late, but I had to come back sometime. Not going to apologize for loving time off from the blog, but logging into WordPress for the first time in weeks, I realize how much updating I have to do on the entire freakin’ site. Along with some other electronic “toilette.” Sigh. Work is never done.

Note, I may not have been blogging, but I have been hooking. That is rarely a chore. Oh, maybe it is for those of you who whip-stitch. Yeah, I hardly ever do that crap.

What have I been doing? Funny you should ask.

 

  • May started with a bang. The Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) invited Cheryl Bollenbach back to conduct a three-day workshop. As usual we learned a lot and bought even more…wool. My project was unusual, though only for me. It’s very…traditional. I’m working with wool strips – no t-shirts! I’m trying out linen for the first time. And see in the picture – no rug binding sewn on before hooking commenced. Don’t get too excited. There will be no whip-stitching. I’ll have it framed when I’m done. A girl can only go so traditional. Grimace
AWAG's booth at Fiesta 2017 where we share the gospel of rug hooking.
A view of our guild booth at Fiber Arts Fiesta.
  • Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta went down May 19-21. Of course, there was A LOT of work to be done before that. AWAG ran a successful booth. We had many visitors and several ladies who signed up for more information. In fact, I just gave a lesson this week to one of them. Ah, to spread the gospel of hooking. Below is a montage of pics taken by Melinda’s husband Gary of Gary Lamott Photography. Enjoy! And thank you again, Gary!!!
  • https://garylamott.smugmug.com/Fiber-Arts-517/n-phKqGb/#
  • Albuquerque's Rail Yards Market where we share the gospel of hooking.
    Our “shop” at the Rail Yards is open. Here we share the gospel of hooking with folks who have never seen the art form. Others tell me tales of parents and grandparents who hooked. Come on down! Great fruits and veggies, plus arts, music, and yummy food.

    High on Hooking started our selling season at Albuquerque’s Rail Yards. Despite it being Memorial Day weekend (holidays are notorious for slow sales) and thanks to a woman visiting from Las Cruces who loves textiles, we had a good day. Come visit; we’re there every other weekend till mid-October.

 

  • Sadly, those of us from AWAG who do demos at the Biopark’s Botanical Garden gave our last spiel till August. We had over a hundred kids in talking about what we do and trying their little hands at hooking. The park kicks us out for two months to use the Heritage farmhouse for summer camp programs. I guess it’s a good enough reason. In the meantime, in addition to our guild meetings, we’re meeting at members’ homes because we refuse to give up that whole social thing.

 

  • Finally had the chance to do all the planting and potting that I’d been putting off till after Fiesta. Now I’m just waiting for my first crop of basil. I make A LOT of pesto to freeze for winter, but there’s nothing that says summer’s arrived like the aroma of basil.

    Summertime and the living is easy. If you have a floatie. And a big rubber duckie.

 

  • And the pool’s up! I’ve even had a chance to chill in it on my floatie. Which pretty much takes up most of the pool when you add in my bulk-ritude. It is only 10 feet in diameter. But it works, especially for the hot flashes.

 

Then there were visits from family members back east. And this and that. You know, the usual life “stuff.” You remember John Lennon saying how life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. (Actually, any number of people may have said that. You can read all about that here.) Actually, I’m already planning another week off from the blog in a few weeks when Tom and I and the dog motor up to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, for some R&R (read: hiking and hanging on the patio with a beverage or three and a book or five).

 

What are your plans this summer? Do they involve hooking or other kinds of fun? Some form of escape? Travel? Getting together with friends? Share what you’re up to and make me jealous!

 

Sharing the gospel of hooking with a winning rug.
Congratulations, Melinda Lamott on receiving the Peoples’ Choice Award for rug hooking at Fiesta 2017!
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“Hatch Chile” rug

Another busy, busy week. There are acceptance letters to get out for the Fiber Arts Fiesta happening here in Albuquerque – GASP! – next month. Yesterday was a demo day at the BioPark. The second part of the class I’m teaching up at Española Valley Fiber Arts Center meets Saturday. We’ll be finishing up the little rugs we started last weekend. And I really need to whip the larger, blue rug I’ve entered in Fiesta. Not a small job. Sewing through t-shirt is definitely harder on the hands than sewing through soft-as-butter wool. The RA doesn’t exactly help.

Best news: Tom and I haven’t been able to get away from home alone in almost 9 years when we vacationed on Jamaica’s quieter southwest coast (skip Montego Bay; it’s far more interesting down south.) We’ve recently – and rather suddenly – become empty-nesters. Not being sure how long it’ll last, next week we’re trying to take a few days down in Silver City (New Mexico) south of here. There’s food, artsy-fartsy stuff, and mountains to hike. Yes, Tynan is insisting on coming. He’ll appreciate the hiking most of all. (We keep having to tell him “No green chilies for dogs! Not even on burgers.”) Now I have hotels and such to research. No worries; I’ll have plenty of pics and southwestern inspiration to share when we get back. Hopefully, we’ll get a full week to vacation…somewhere TBD after Fiesta.

In the meantime, “Hatch Chile” is still the current rug on the frame. (Though I did start another small mat last weekend during my class. More on that later.)

Dog on hand-hooked rug "Hatch Chile" rug
Tynan resting on “Hatch Chile.” No, he’s not relaxing. It was much too close to the magical dinner hour last evening. “Hatch Chile” is being hooked in up-cycled t-shirts and bed-sheets.

So, other than Jean Ottosen over at JLT Studios who heads off on a South Korean adventure soon and my fellow guild member Nancy Huntington who’ll soon be in Indonesia diving with the fishes, where have you been and/or where are you going to find new inspirations for your artwork? Share with us!

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