Rug hooking is an art form
Island seniors try their hand at rug hooking through New Horizons
Karen MacFarlane remembers watching her grandmother’s work on rug hooking projects.
“I always thought it was interesting,” she recalls.
One recent Saturday, she and her mother, Grace Stetson, spent the afternoon trying their hand at the craft during a workshop at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside.
“Learning a new skill is really cool. I hope to some degree I stick with the craft,” said MacFarlane.
The workshop was organized by New Horizons for Seniors, a federally funded initiative, and operated in tandem with the rug registry project put together by Island Matters Rug Hooking Group.
“For years, rug hooking was seen a utilitarian craft. But more recently it’s become an art form,” said Paula Kenny, the curator and manager of Eptek.
“For a little while the craft seemed to disappear, but in the 1970s there seemed to be a rejuvenation and it became an artistic outlet instead of just for use.
“We still see people rug hooking to make floor mats, but more and more we’re seeing people rug hooking to make pillows or wall hangings.
“As a curator, I really enjoy working in the workshops that involves the crafts, and especially those that involve mats. Each individual seems to relate to them. You see the hand of the maker in ever piece.”
Shelagh Lindley, the owner of Plum Tree Studios in South Rustico, put together the rug hooking kits used during the New Horizons demonstration.
“I’ve been rug hooking for seven years. It seems like the craft is coming back with a surge,” she said.
“There are a lot of people who still practice it for traditional purposes, but we’re also seeing more people take the craft and using it for funky creative purposes.
“You can make rugs, purses, handbags, wall hangings, 3D objects like stuffed animals, you can even make clothing.”
During the workshop, Lindley also acted as instructor to the group.
“I’ve showed them the very basics. The little tricks you need to know when you start rug hooking. Like how to hold the wool strip under the pattern and how to properly use the hook.”
To those who want to take up the trade, Lindley advises perseverance.
“Keep at it. Eventually you’ll get the hand of it. If you carry on, you’ll meet other people and learn new techniques, but at the same time, you’ll develop your own style.”