Gene’s Rug Hooking Blog

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Better and Better

02 Sep

When going through the Sauder exhibition, I just kept running into wonderful hooked pieces at every turn. Remember, even though I’ll end up showing about 90+ hooked pieces by the time my report on Sauder ends, that leaves another 510 or so that I could not squeeze into my posts! My goal in taking, then showing photos has been to provide a good sampling of the styles and various experience levels displayed in the show. Some rugs are made by well known artists and others are made by beginners. I enjoy looking at both kinds during any show and hope you do too.

Isn’t this a stunner, both in design and execution? (I do believe it would look better in my house than in that of the artist’s.)

As a simple, primitive style rug, this was one of my favorite rugs in the show. There is just something about its quirky honesty, complete with irregular border, that really appeals to me. (I think it will fit on my Iphone as a screen saver, bumping out my Double Cross rug.)

If memory serves me correctly, this lovely rug utilized wool from some paisley shawls.

Again, imagine turning a corner of the exhibition hall and coming face to face with this striking piece?

A group working with Nola H. did some mixed medium owls, using everything from sticks & stone to pottery and bones to decorate their hooked pieces.

I meant it when I wrote “group.”

Some of the rugs had deep messages

Supporting causes and concerns

All celebrated the joy of artistic expression.

Come back tomorrow for the last post from the Sauder Rug Retreat and Exhibition.

** TODAY ON THE INTERNET RUG CAMP
I am showing several more rugs from the Sauder show.

** Three more days until the K’s Creation Frame Giveaway on the Internet Rug Camp. Have you entered yet? To check out the Internet Rug Camp go to http://www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

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Posted in Sauder

Some More Beautiful Rugs from Sauder

01 Sep

Let’s continue with a special showing of a few more of the rugs that were on display at the Sauder Retreat Exhibition at Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio.

Because you are on the Internet Rug Camp, you don’t even have to leave your house to enjoy these beautiful pieces of fiber art.

Hopefully, today’s post will bring a little color into your life.

Just curl up in a cozy spot and enjoy the show.

Whether you love big, prancing animals

Or wrinkled ones

All these rugs have something to crow about.

TODAY ON THE INTERNET RUG CAMP: More photos from the Sauder Rug Show as well as the opportunity to win a great floor frame.

** Four more days until the drawing for the Free, 14″ K’s Creation Floor Frame on the Internet Rug Camp. If you are interested in being eligible for this great floor frame, go to http://www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

FYI: As I have reported, this blog was attacked last weekend. We quickly caught it … cleaned it … and put it back up. However, because I am concerned about keeping that site virus free, we are going to be making some changes here. In 2 or 3 weeks, the format will change so that all viewers will have to register to go on this site, even if all they want to do is view the posts. It will remain free to anyone who wants to access it, just controlled. All registrations will remain confidential and never used for anything other than monitoring the site. Since people don’t like change, I hope you will help me spread the word that these changes are in everyone’s best interest.

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Posted in Sauder

Holiday Rugs At Sauder

30 Aug

** Blog service had to be interrupted for a couple of days due to a virus attack. It was quickly identified and fixed by my web guy, Buddy. Google has given us a clean bill of health and we are glad to be back in business. Sorry for the delay.

My intent, over the next few days, is to show you a smattering of the wonderful rugs that were on display at this year’s Sauder Rug Exhibition. Although I can’t show every one, here are a few of the holiday themed rugs at the show.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. A T’Day rug is on my to do someday list.

One of the challenge themes for the exhibition was to make a flat person rug, many of which fit into a holiday theme.

I can’t believe that it is already getting close to this time of year. I do like the bats and the cats.

There are 2 kinds of reversed hooking: pulling out loops or hooking from the backside, as was done on this piece, to make a unique night sky.

A great face!

Roving for beard seems the perfect choice. Notice the “ark” which will soon wind up in someone’s stocking.

I should have moved the pillow so that both Mr. Lincoln and George Washington would be equally seen.

While I really don’t think that Ivi, the artist, intended this rug as only appropriate for a holiday setting, it does fit our theme -

Providing a good transition to a strong, patriotic, finish for today’s report.

TODAY ON THE INTERNET RUG CAMP: We are down to 5 more days left to register for a chance to win the 14″ K’s Creation Floor frame. If you have been thinking about joining, now is the perfect time. For more information about the Internet Rug Camp and the many additional things offered there, go to http://www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

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Posted in Sauder

Featured Exhibition (& Free Frame)

27 Aug

(Make sure you read all the way through today’s post so you can learn about the drawing for the new floor frame that will soon be taking place on the Internet Rug Camp.)

Today’s post will return to the subject of the rug exhibition at Sauder Village. Although I have shown several Celebration Rugs and Noah’s Ark, I have barely scratched the surface of the wonderful body of work which was on display all week at Sauder Village. Of course, the featured artist for the week was the late, Mary Sheppard Burton, and I will start with her.

Besides The Ark, which is actually a design collaboration between Mary, Leonard Feenan, Barbara Barton and several fiber artists who helped hook many of the animals, there was a fantastic collection of her own hooked pieces on display. I’ll show you just a few.

The Sauder staff did a wonderful job of showing each piece.

When I first started hooking, this rug was shown frequently in various publications and I remember carefully studying every aspect of it. I have always had a special fondness for both the design and the coloration.

This was a new rug to me. I am glad I got a photo for my files!

A great lesson on color and a great lesson on whimsy!

It is always fun to turn the corner and run into a rug that you have seen many times in print – rather like running into and old friend. The magazine cover just does not do justice to the detail in this rug.

Not just any rug can hold its own with Noah’s Ark, yet, this room size rug did just that.

It took center stage, along with her chair and final, unfinished, project. All told, it was a overpowering display of her life’s work.

Of course, I still have a few hundred other rugs to pick through for more posts, beginning next week, about the wonderful rug exhibit at Sauder Village.

** DRAWING FOR A NEW FLOOR FRAME

To celebrate the end of summer, I am have a drawing on the Internet Rug Camp for a new, 14″ rectangle, K’s Creation Floor Frame. (I will donate the frame … the Winner pays shipping.)

This is a great, portable, little floor frame that will easily break down if you want to stick it in your suitcase and fly to a rug camp.

**To be eligible, you must be a member of the Internet Rug Camp and you must click on the entry button at the extreme top, right hand corner of the IRgC front page. (You also have to give me enough contact information so that I can find you.) A winner will be electronically chosen at 8PM, Sunday, September 5, so they can be announced in Monday’s IRgC post on September 6. If you know someone who needs a good frame, tell themnow is the time to join the Internet Rug Camp.

To find the Internet Rug Camp, use this link:

http://www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

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Posted in Mary Sheppard Burton, Sauder

Double, Double, With Little Toil & No Trouble

26 Aug

Although it looked like a scene from a Shakespearean play, minus the witches,

Students coming into the Exhibition Hall kitchen at Sauder Village on Saturday quickly discovered that our real class goal for the day was to learn as many easy dye techniques as we possibly could: Lots of product with the least amount of effort.

Even thought fifteen were registered for the class, we did have a few celebrities, like Terry Dorr (Dorr Wool Mill) and Deb Smith (RHM) who each popped in for a few mins. to cheer the troops as we went through our paces. As we were using all Dorr wool, it seemed particularly appropriate for Terry to tell us a little bit about his family’s involvement in the wool industry.

Part of the time, everyone sat in neat little rows while I discussed different techniques covered in the handout.

At other times, everyone got into the act as we took turns trying out different methods.

In case you are wondering about all the equipment that will be shown in this report, it came from a variety of places. Enough locals had good pots, assorted pans, some measuring cups and spoons, hot pads, kosher salt and vinegar, etc., that I did not have to worry about any of that that. I brought about 20 PC dyes, softening agent, citric acid, more cups, spoons and the special locking tongs I use. When in Akron, I also picked up the large restaurant supply casserole pans & lids I like to use, having pre-sold them to students in the class. We used them all day, then the purchaser took them home. Dorr delivered me a bolt of natural wool at Sauder, which Heidi prepped earlier in the week, and I shipped in some off-bolt colored wool along with my other things. A critical element needed for the success of the class was a large container of homemade chocolate chip cookies, made by one of the students. (If we do it again, we are thinking about also bringing brownies.) All this coordination, along with the 10 burner stove and commercial hot water heater in the exhibition kitchen at Sauder, allowed us to put together a fine little dye kitchen not unlike the one I have at home.

Things we just too busy for me to get a shot of everything.

We did some basic backgrounds ( 3 ways)

Lazy Swatches in a couple of ways

And a similar one pot wonder utilizing several different kids of wool. We also did Dip dyes in a couple of ways

Even a 1.5 yard of simple traditional 6-Value Swatch simmered while we ate our lunch.

By the time we got to the section on Casserole Dyes (General spots, Spots w/leftovers, Ordered Pancake, Marbleized Wool and Transitional Pieces) The dye and wool was flying so hot and heavy in the midst of the creative moment that I didn’t have time to take photos. (I was just lucky to keep my apron from getting re-dyed.) Before the day was over, we dyed at least 15 yards of wool and still had the time to talk about it.

Besides being a great group of students, they also turned out to be fantastic lab assistants: fetching wool, rinsing wool, cleaning pots, filling pots – we even got done on time, leaving a clean kitchen! Now, if I can just figure out a way to get them to Anaheim on dyeing day …

NEW VIDEO ON THE INTERNET RUG CAMP: The Lazy Swatch

** One of the features of my subscription site The Internet Rug Camp, is the library of instructional videos on file there for the use of subscribers. (I also do expanded blog coverage there most days and offer a few free patterns.) Once a member of the IRgC, people wishing to see how this method is done just click on the play button for that video and come into my studio dye kitchen for a private dye session. Currently, there are 24 videos on that site available for viewing any time a subscriber wishes, with new videos being added every month. The Lazy Swatch is one of my favorite techniques when I am just dyeing wool to fill out my stash with a variety of colors and values.

Vidoes About Dyeing Already On The Site: Traditional 6-Value Swatches, Marbelized Wool and Transitional Pieces.

A subscription to The Internet Rug Camp costs $36 for 12 months of access – that is $3 per month or 10 cents a day! If you are interested, go to the home page of the Internet Rug Camp and look at the video topics we have already posted on the site.

http://www. geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

You can register, using Pay Pal, by clicking on the the button to the right of the screen.

I hope to see you on the Internet Rug Camp

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Posted in Dyeing, Internet Rug Camp, Sauder

Interest Around Every Corner

25 Aug

Regardless of where I went while at Sauder, I always seemed to run into interesting things that grabbed my attention.

As one would expect, there was a lot of bolt wool there for sale, as evidenced by this shot of The Dorr Mill Store corner booth. Bolt after bolt of interesting plaids and textures – who wouldn’t be captivated by that?

Several other suppliers were also vendors, with big piles of bolt and hand dyed wool for sale. I stopped a little longer at Susan Feller’s booth (Ruck Mill Farm) to take photos of her and several of her hooked pieces since she will be one of our teachers at Cambria Pines Rug Camp, 2011. That fact alone, not to mention her work with TIGHR, means that I am very interested in her! (Nola Heidebreder, who was shown in one of last week’s posts celebrating the birth of her graddaughter, will also be teaching at CPRC 2011.)

Even though, at every turn, the vendors had many interesting things to look at, I found other things of even greater personal interest to me.

Take, for example, this photo of Deyonne holding my Six Cut Rose Pillow. A few weeks ago she purchased it from my Internet Rug Gallery. After finding me at Sauder, she introduced herself and gave me an envelope with the info that it contained a photo of her with my pillow. It was great fun meeting her and her husband. (They’ll give it a good home.) It wasn’t until much later in the evening, when I got back to the room, that I actually looked in the envelope. Not only did I find the expected shot of her holding the rose pillow …

I also found this photo of her own version of the Double Cross runner! What a nice surprise that was. Didn’t she do a great job? I am only sorry now that I did not look in the envelope sooner so I could compliment her in person.

Several times, over the course of the week, I found myself in equally interesting situations. Most of the time, I did not have a camera with me to document the moment. However, I was prepared when this version of the Fall Oak Leaf Runner stopped by the classroom to say hello. (I like the way this artist turned the design into an oval rug.) It got so that I never knew exactly what exciting thing would show up next.

Imagine how I felt when, with no advance warning, I turned the corner in the exhibition hall and walked straight into this rug. Something about this … and I can’t exactly put my finger on it … just seemed … familiar.

Surprises like these that really made my time at Sauder special.

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Posted in Sauder

Busy Days At Sauder

24 Aug

Every day was a busy day, full of a variety of experiences, at the Sauder Village Retreat.

Most of my time at Sauder Village was spent in the classroom with the 16 students who took my week-long, open class. Our official hours were 9-4, but hooking always started early and ended late. Open means they could do any pattern they wanted to do. Here is the class report that I started in yesterday’s post.

I liked this primitive design very much. The water was made with a pan of transitional dyed wool using pieces of white, various blues, greens and a bit of purple. I look forward to seeing it finished.

This is an old Bluenose, pattern. The artist hooked the house & sky before camp started. The trees & bushes were hooked in class, but with higher loops, hooked in multi-directional fashion. Trees and bushes in the distance were done with medium wide cuts hooked slightly above the regular hooking. As design elements progressed to the front of the picture, loops were hooked higher (in a directionally haphazard way) with wider cuts. Some prodding also began with ”midway” vegetation, utilizing wide cut, pointy pieces. Bushes closer to the viewer are being prodded with wider, rounded, shaped pieces. The brighter, flower colors, will continue along the edge of the vegetation to the right of the scene. In person, the piece has a lot more of a 3-D feel and punch than evidenced in my photo.

Although this artist did get most of one flower, a large leaf and some scroll work done, we are saving that revelation until a later date. This is a very big rug. The wool being used for this project was some of the last wool I dyed for my last shipment to Sauder – readers may remember a big stack of wonderful marbelized wool and a lot of dip dyes that I showed in a post. I was a little sorry when the artist decided to take most of it as I could have gladly kept it for my next project!

Here is a cute little winter scene. Nearly all of this piece was hooked in class. Some candy canes in the bottom sock and #10 knots for pine cones, still need to be done. The background will be a pale, winter-blue sky. The piece utilizes regular hooking, alternate loop, proddy and Waldoboro techniques.

We got a good start on this China Hen in class. It utilizes, mainly, dip and spot dyes. Every time I work on this piece with someone I think to myself that it has to be my next project.

Even thought this is the small version of Big Momma, the artist brought a big stash of colorful wool that came in handy as we color planned this rug. She has a very good hooking technique.

For more about the Sauder classroom experience, the historic village and Artist’s Trading Cards, go to http:www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

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Posted in Sauder

Working and Playing Hard at Sauder

23 Aug

(Although I am back in California as of Sunday night, there will be several more days of posts from the Sauder Villlage Retreat and Exhibition.)

While you may think that life is a piece of cake for those of us at Sauder Village, let me set the record straight: We worked really hard. Although my class did not officially begin until Tuesday morning, most of my students put in at least 2 hours on Monday night. And, from then on, I put them through their paces! Of course, one would expect this sort of behavior as I think they must have given me some of the best students at the retreat.

Both of these artists decided to incorporate an odd weave technique I have been playing around with, into their original designs. One is a French store front scene and the other an old chair w/hat. Each design also has some prodded elements.

This detail shot shows the woven effect in the top of the old hat.

This, of course, is a bicycle basket. A lot of our time was spent working out the particular details needed for these two designs. Usually, it takes a lot more time to figure (or tweak) things out than it does to do it once the decisions have been made. Both of these rugs are going to have a lot of interesting character when done.

This artist found a wonderful magazine cover from 1919 to use for her design. The cover was so old that Good Housekeeping didn’t even know who designed it. While most of these tulips will be hooked flat, she is using a Waldoboro technique on 3 of them, just to give the piece a little extra dimension.

As it has been a while since I worked on Miss Weigle with anyone, it was very nice to think about this rug and a new color plan that would appeal to this artist. I really like the colors she put together for the log cabin sections and can’t wait to see the finished project.

Here I am with June Mikoryak, one of the registered students in my class. June, who also taught a Saturday workshop at Sauder, has been a very well known and highly respected rug hooking teacher for many years. During the course of our class time together, we made a startling discovery: both of us are from Albion, Illinois!

HOWEVER, it got even stranger. The pre-civil war, modified Greek Revival house where June’s great aunt lived in Albion … was the very house that Miss Weigle bought and lived in by the time I was growing up. In other words, I learned about rug hooking in that house! And, of course, if you know my history, it is identical to the pre-civil war, modified Greek Revival house I now own in California. Talk about a rug hooking Twilight Zone moment!

June came with all her flat hooking done on my free pattern insert, Fall Prodded Runner, from Prodded Hooking for a 3 Dimensional Effect, so she was able to spend the week concentrating on prodded flowers.

We had two other Illinois natives in the class who also worked on the fall prodded runner.

A fourth student rounded out those who worked on this pattern.

Even though my class was not a proddy class, that technique did manage to also sneak in this pillow project as a prodded fringe, seen on the very bottom.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue with the working hard theme and show the other projects being done by the rest of my Sauder class. For today, however, I will end on the playing hard theme.

On Friday night, Phyllis Lindblade and I hosted an ice cream, cake & cookie reception in the atrium of the Sauder Lodge. Although Phyllis runs the Yahooker group and I direct the IRgC, she is a member of the IRgC and I am also a Yahooker. Since we wanted to have a party at Sauder, we officially collaborated on behalf of the two groups, inviting them and any one else who wanted to drop in for food and fellowship.

We had no idea how many would come but … if you dip it, they will come … and about 100 did!

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Posted in Albion Illinois, Sauder

Noah’s Ark

20 Aug

Reminder: If you are at Sauder Village, Phyllis Lindblade and I will be hosting a cake, cookie and ice cream reception tonight, Friday, 7-8 PM in the atrium. Everyone is welcome.

This year’s Sauder show is fortunate to have, as a special exhibit, Mary Sheppard Burton and Leonard Feenan’s Noah’s Ark. This spectacular display was the creative collaboration of Mary and Leonard, with help from several fine cut fiber artists who made many of the animals. My goal is to give you a 360 degree look at this incredible undertaking.

As you can see, these animals are on, not in, the ark. This would have only been possible, of course, after the rain stopped! Leonard designed and built the ark and the base upon which it rests. He also designed and drew all the patterns. Mary hooked all the flat surfaces, top and bottom, that are adhered to the ark.

Each of the animals that Mary did not hook into the flat panels, are 3-D, finished off in a sort of stuffed pillow technique that allows most of them to stand. Most of these were made by volunteers who wanted to be a part of this project. Some, of course, are just seen as they poke their heads out of the windows.

There is so much to look at that you just can’t assimilate everything on one visit.

Leonard told me today that Mary made the elephant in this shot as the prototype for all the other ones. Of course, over time, the process was tweaked to improve the stability of each animal.

Each time I look at it, I try to pick my favorite animals … and the choice changes each time. However, I do particularly like both the lion and the gorilla sitting on top of the roof.

This shot brings us back to where we started. Notice Noah and his wife under the dove.

For a complete look at all the stunning scenes underneath Noah’s Ark, go to the Internet Rug Camp at htpp//www.geneshepherd.com/rugcamp/

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Posted in Noah's Ark, Sauder

More Celebrations Rugs

19 Aug

Wednesday was my hardest, longest day at the Sauder show as I taught all day, then did a workshop until 10. If I am a little brief on comments it is because I am tired – not because there isn’t a lot to say about each rug show here today. Of course, if you really want to know about these rugs, you need to buy A Celebration of Hand Hooked Rugs, XX.

While it is hard to choose between any of this year’s winners, this one would be on my short list.

I love the way the light blue of the edge of the leaf makes that motif glow.

Simple, yet absolutely stunning!

A very effective use of tweed in the dark border.

This artist is in my class at Sauder … which means I have to stay on my toes.

Although I showed the Celebrations cover yesterday (with the Editor of RHM) this shot captures the rug along with its creator, Jane Halliwell Green, one of the teachers at this year’s retreat.