Unusual Rug Making Hooks

I recently had contact with a delightful lady called Peggy from the USA who is a rug hooker and collector of beautiful hooks that she gathers along the way and also has specially made for her.

I asked her if I could see them and she generously emailed them to me. They are so beautiful that I thought others who are passionate about rug hooking and collecting beautiful things would love to see them as well. She allowed me to post the photos and quote her words on both the Yarra Valley Rug Makers Blog and my ‘Rug Making Hooks’ facebook page, which you will find HERE.

Peggy said about her hooks:

“I'm as much a collector of hooks as I am a "user" of hooks. I had Tom Ingalls from Missouri, USA to make several hooks for me using some gorgeous burls that I bought directly from a man who lives in Australia and harvests them from old gold fields near his home. Tom does such beautiful work. I had so much fun gathering all of my materials and designing my hooks with Tom. He was amazing to work with. Such gorgeous exotic woods. In designing my hooks, Tom used antique figural silver and picture buttons on them that I had collected from England, Ireland and Scotland. He hand-turned the Australian burls on a lathe to make the handles. I take them out often just to look at them. I love to share them with others and I think that Tom's artistry deserves to be appreciated.

The first two photos above show the Australian burls with buttons and silver that I sent Tom.

 This last picture shows the five finished hooks that he made for me. 

I love my hooks, but I do get a bit carried away with my collecting.” 

Thanks for sharing them with the rug hooking world Peggy, especially here is Australia, your hooks are truly a work of art. Credit to you and Tom.