This gallery page has slideshows with the hooked rugs and other fiber art displayed at the meetings.
September 10, 2021
We had a lovely meeting with Susan Clarke and were delighted that she brought some inspiring work, particularly a few wonderfully creative bags.
Susan is passionate about colour and fibre arts. She is an Ontario Hooking Craft Guild certified teacher and working towards her McGown teacher’s certification. She is a member of the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA), a member of the National Guild of Pearl K McGown Hookrafters in the USA, a member of the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild (OHCG), Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia (RHGNS) and Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland (RHGNL) in Canada.
She has just completed her 7th year judging member displays for the OHCG, and is an avid reviewer of rugs in Rug Hooking Magazine’s Celebrations as well as in other magazines, displays at Guild shows, and on Facebook! Judging requires a mind receptive to new concepts and techniques, a willingness to be educated in genres beyond one’s own areas of expertise, hence, enabling a fair appreciation of those styles, a keen eye, impartiality and integrity. Susan is also an adjudicator in her professional life.
October 15, 2022 – Haley Perry – Working a Series
Hayley Perry founded the Loop by Loop Studio in 2013. Hayley grew up surrounded by rug hooking, thanks to her mother Sharon and aunt Deanne Fitzpatrick, but did not begin making her own rugs and designs until many years later. Hayley holds her education in Fine Arts, and after getting her graduate degree in painting in 2011, she started dyeing and selling fabric online, hooking rugs, and making kits, which has blossomed into her full time career.
One of Hayley’s goals is to help rug hooking reach a broader audience because she understands the benefits of slowing down in this whirly world. She believes that valuable lessons lay within this kind of handiwork and encourages anyone who needs a moment of reflection to try out this easy and relaxing craft. Haley brought some things to sell.
Hayley’s Loop by Loop Studio can be found online at https://www.loopbyloopstudio.com/ as well as her Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/loopbyloopstudio
November 19, 2022 – General Hook-in
We had a lovely meeting in November at the Reading Library (we’ll be back at St. Agnes this month and future months). The board discussed potentially moving the location permanently to the library, but it was felt the space would be too small when we have a speaker (as well as the fact that we can’t reserve it beyond 3 months out which might make it unavailable some months). But it is good to know we have a fall back when the church is unavailable.
December 10, 2022 – Christmas Party
We enjoyed a lovely holiday celebration at our meeting in December, made festive by Janice Oberlander’s fresh table arrangements, potluck deliciousness, and a gift exchange of items handmade by members – all of which were delightfully received!
Our gift swap and show and tell pictures are included in our gallery page.
January 21, 2023 – Susan Russo’s fiber arts journey
We enjoyed a journey by our own member Susan Russo. Susan’s interests in fiber arts cover a variety of media — rug hooking, of course, but she also enjoys weaving, knitting, quilting, and wool appliqué. Susan brought many of her items to show and described her journey through the world of fiber arts!
You can view Susan’s presentation notes here.
February 18, 2023 – General Hook-in and Flea Market
And what a grand time we had at our first ever Flea Market in February! Members were delighted with their finds — so many great patterns, wool, tools, and publications. Everyone, it seems, had fun and went with home with something special. Heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who contributed items to sell. The event raised $1,090 for Mayflower!
March 18, 2023 – Guest Speaker, Lisa Chaloner
Lisa began hooking in 1991, studying for many years under Annie Spring, of Amesbury, Massachusetts. During that time, Lisa explored the use of color in rugs and developed a love for that aspect of the craft. She completed the McGown Teacher Certification process in 2009.
Lisa has taught weekly and bimonthly private classes for over a decade, welcoming all hooking levels and skill abilities. She has also taught classes at the Northern McGown Teachers’ Workshop, Sauder Village Rug Week, and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen/Nashua.
Weren’t this year’s challenge mats fun?? Many thanks to Marcy Young for the idea and drawing the animals! 12 people participated and we hope to see even more next year. The challenge for the upcoming year will be announced soon.
The individual challenge mats are on this year’s gallery page here.
April 2023 – Tips and techniques
Members shared special techniques at our April meeting.
May 20 – Hook-in
We enjoyed just sitting and hooking with friends and wandering around to see what other people are in the process of creating. In addition to the regular show and tell, members brought some previously exhibited rugs that depict glorious summer!
Many people brought wool strips to use to play the Left, Right, and Center game. Diane Detour was the lucky winner of all the strips!
June 17, 2023 – Strawberry Festival
As our 2022-2023 program year drew to a close, we enjoyed the grand finale – the Strawberry Festival — held at Ildi Tary’s lovely home in Topsfield. We can’t thank her enough for the generosity and warm hospitality she has extended to us in hosting this event for the past several years. It truly is the most delightful note imaginable to end the year!
Well, we knew the good weather we have had over the last several years had to break some time, and so it did. But, no matter, hearty souls still traveled to enjoy nice company, good food and fun stories.