February 28, 2014

We've just sent out our latest newsletter…

Greetings from cold and snowy Vermont! It's been perfect weather for hunkering inside and hooking, but spring and rug school are fast approaching. 2014 is the last year Green Mountain Rug School will be held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, VT. Classes are filling fast. So as not to miss out on the class you want, submit your registrations quickly. We already have several classes that are at capacity and the following classes only have a few openings left. Visit my website Green Mountain Hooked Rugs to register for classes and also take a look at a few changes we've made recently. I added a blog! 3 - Day session: MIXED TEXTURES IN RUG HOOKING & PRODY - Heather Richie.   Heather is one of Britain's most well-known and respected rug and fiber artists, and she travels extensively to share her knowledge and skill.  Heather began her teaching career at Green Mountain Rug School almost 25 years ago. Join this class for a unique and interesting time with Heather and learn her techniques for using 'as is' wool for traditional hooking and proddy. Heather has a hooked rug ministry (Rug Aid Project) in Gambia, Africa, teaching and encouraging the native women and children in the industry of traditional hooked rug making in order to support their villages. This promises to be a great class with a fascinating lady.  For more information on Heather visit: www.rugmaker.co.uk and www.rug-aid.org   3 - Day session: PRIMITIVES, FOLK ART & HAND-CUT STIPS - Tom McNerney I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take a class with Tom last fall and found his wealth of knowledge about folk art very enlightening and inspiring. I learned his techniques for hooking with hand cut strips and hooked this pumpkin design in about a week. Tom will also share tips on dyeing, drawing patterns and the use of color in your project. He brings energy and fun to his class and will provide students with the opportunity to learn about folk art and traditional hooked rugs.   3 - Day session: COLOR PLANNING WITH MOOD IN MIND - Susan Feller.    Susan is an experienced traditional rug hooker, designer, author and picture framer.  This class offers exploration into the moods of the hooked piece by utilizing differing color palettes.  Experiment with colors, values, textures and techniques to convey the mood you want for your composition.  Visit Susan's website at:www.ruckmanMillFarm.com  3 - Day session:  THE BASICS OF DYEING - Nancy Jewett If you have ever wondered how gorgeous colors are created for traditional hooked rugs, join Nancy's class for a 'hands-on, in-the-dye-pot' experience.  Learn, explore and experiment with a variety of dyeing techniques. Nancy has many years of dyeing experience and shares her skills and knowledge.  She will contact her students well in advance of the class to provide a complete list of supplies. Visit Nancy's website to see more: www.fluffpeachybeandesigns.com 5 - Day Session FOLK ART TECHNIQUES & FIBERS FOR RUG HOOKING - Susie Stephenson. Susie's class is open to all levels of skill in rug hooking.  She will share her love of Folk Art and introduce a variety of fibers to create new and interesting effects. The student may bring a special garment, personal memory or photo; together with  Susie you can explore and create your own personal folk art.  Susie invites her students to come join the "art side of hooking".  Susie's website: www.mainemats.com/artist  5 - Day Session:  VAN GOGH RUG HOOKING: A STUDY OF VINCENT VAN GOGH - Janet Conner 1 In this exciting class students explore the work of Van Gogh while interpreting his lively colors and rhythmic brush strokes into the medium of rug hooking. Janet teaches a system of color and texture planning which will help the student recreate images inspired by Van Gogh's art while maintaining their own individual style. Janet provides class hand outs which include information on painting with wool techniques and dyeing "impressionist" wool. Students will be contacted well before class with more details.  Visit Janet's website: www.jconnerhookedrugs.com  3 & 5 - Day Sessions:   R&R or REST & RUG HOOKING Share the camaraderie, fellowship and hooking time with other rug hookers in our wonderful Campus Center. If you aren't interested in taking a class, but you are ready for a little rest, relaxation, and rug hooking join the 3-Day, or 5-Day R&R session or both!  R&R meets in a huge room, with tables, comfy chairs, many large windows and incredible Vermont mountain vistas.  You can watch morning mist rise from the valley or an afternoon thunderstorm come in across the mountains while you hook on your current project in the relaxed atmosphere of R&R.   I'm looking forward to seeing you at our 2014 Green Mountain Rug School on the  campus of Vermont Technical College in  Randolph Center, VT.      Get your registration form here:       Green Mountain Hooked Rugs

This is my geometric runner in the hall where it will 'live'.  It's 2x7

Feb. 24, 2014

In September, 2013, I received an e-mail from a lady who asked about hooked rug repair. This wasn’t unusual as I get about a dozen such inquiries  every month, but she got my attention when she asked if I knew someone who might stay at her house while doing the repairs. I replied that there are few enough people who want to repair; have the skill to do it; and certainly none that I could imagine who would want to be away from home for a length of time. I also mentioned that a good repairer would probably prefer to work in his or her own studio where they have all the equipment, supplies, and resources to accomplish a ‘good’ repair. But she piqued my interest further in her next e-mail by stating that she has about 40 hooked rugs in her collection from before the 1920’s. I could hardly contain my excitement when I read this!  If nothing else, I wanted a look at her collection.

We exchanged a few more e-mails about possible dates to visit, and finally with the arrangements made, I was off in October for my 2-day visit to help form a plan of action for the repairs. What I found was an amazing collection of old hooked rugs in varying sizes, including many room-size rugs. Here are some that I saw on my first visit.

                                                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've gone back to this house every month since my first visit in October for a 4-day stint of repairing. I joked with my hostess that she has a life-time of repair work, but I'm not going to live long enough. I love this 'new' job and will be talking more about it in future posts, and of course, showing more photos of rugs!

 

February 9, 2014
This week has been very exciting with the arrival of LOTS of new wool. We'll have many of
them for sale at our online store very shortly.

We were also thrilled to finish a very large repair project. This rug was brought to us last year by a woman whose mother had passed away recently, leaving her hooked 9x12 fruit rug almost completed. She started it about 30 years ago and the base fabric is, of course burlap, so we also had to repair many holes and splits as well as finish the hooking. The shaded fruit is spectacular and many visitors to our shop have admired and been inspired by the wonderful shading.
We are pleased for the family and relieved to finish another very large project!