Lilydale Agricultural and Horticultural Show 2018

Hello friends and followers of the Yarra Valley rugmakers.
We had the most wonderful catch up today in Loch at Chris' home. Anne was welcomed back after her trip to England to attend the Triennual TIGHR conference in Reeth.
Lots of lovely photos and hearing about her experiences at the conference and subsequent knitting tour left us looking forward to the next triennual meeting in Newfoundaland, Canada. Should be awesome.

For those of you who are from Victoria, we would love to invite you to the Lilydale Agricultural and Horticultural Show 2018, which will be held on Saturday 17th Nov, 9.00am - 9.00pm and Sunday 18th Nov, 9.00am - 5.00pm, at the Lilydale Showgrounds, Main Street, Lilydale

Here you will find the Yarra Valley Rugmakers deomonstrating the art of rug hooking. Please come and say hi, if you are in the area.
You will find more HERE

No-Name Proddy Rug

Made using TONS of fabrics I've had for years and years and years (plus a little new). My stash is noticeably depleted, in a good way.  

It took almost exactly one month to make. Not a bad effort I do say so mesself.

The back's always more cleanly defined. Plus, the photo's are more distinct than reality. It's just a big fluffy pile of colour, but it feels amazing! So thick! 

Relates to previous post.

Next Rug Group Day 20th October at Robyne's

 I'm at The Patch in the (Mt.) Dandenong's and will be ready for invasion by 10am on Saturday. 
Call me on 0410876096 or email at r.m.square@bigpond.com

Magpie rug being used as a chair pad on one of the Hubby's willow chairs (clever boy). The fox pelt was road-kill.

I bought this from a local Op Shop for $15. I hummed and aahhed but couldn't leave it there in the end. It's wool, not latched but worked from the back I'd say. I love it!
Not sure where it will end up yet... In the big Activities Room when we build it? Grandchildren? Kids? We'll see.

New Proggy Rug, Begun 24th September 2018

I started a new Proddy/Proggy rug at the Melbourne Show, got home and pulled it all out then started again with a completely new plan. The first one looked fine on paper, but seemed too abstract for my taste. Mud!

So here is the progress report...

Just so you can see the state of things around here. I keep putting it on the verandah (because of the mess) but in the end, I'm too keen to dilly-dally. So we're knee deep in thread and fluff and crazy. The One True doesn't mind at all.
The trolley was in use at my Granny & Gramps's pub (The Star Hotel at Yackandanhad). I used to roll it out with the bread and butter dishes to set the tables.
Some of the fabrics I have had since I was a teenager, or remember my Grandma having in her cupboard. I can point to the origin of most of it and so my memories are well and truly in there. I might be the only one who will ever know, but the family will have other associations in time to come, I guess.

It's around 80 x 150 cm.

The starting points, above and below.

Tehran/ An old pattern with a modern twist.

Designed by Rittermere- 7ft x 5ft

Colour planned and hooked by Chris Noorbergen from Australia

On a hessian/ burlap backing with new, hand dyed wool in #6 cut

I purchased this old pattern at the Strathalbyn Rug hooking exhibition in South Australia, in 2014 and started planning almost immediately when I arrived home back in Loch, Victoria.

I researched this pattern for a long time but found very little documentation, although a rug hooking group in Sth Australia did hook this very pattern back in the late 1970s, early 80s. I managed to get some photos of them, but they are vastly different from my colour choices.

Firstly, the colour planning and dyeing. This important step took me many hours.

I looked at many oriental rugs online and studied their colour combinations, contrasts, dulls and brights, dark and lights.

I changed my mind on a number of occasions even after dyeing.

Finally I came up with the colours you now see before you and I am still extremely happy with how they work together.

Enough dull to tone the rug down, balanced with brights, darks and lights.

I am very happy with the neutral background, swirled with the same colour but several shades darker. I feel this combination sets the tone for the whole rug.

When I finished the internal section inside the intermediate border, I had to then repeat the same colour ways in the border. This was a real challenge for me as the pattern on the whole did not repeat in the border, except for a couple of the motives. It was an entirely different section and I needed a bit of help with assigning the colours to the border pattern. The dear ladies from our Yarra Valley Rug Makers came to my aid with suggestions and I took their advice and you see here the finished product.

The rug is hooked with mostly all new wool which I dyed in combinations of three primary colours plus black. [I don’t like to have a lot of dyes on- hand]

It took me approximately 293 hours to make. This includes the many hours of colour planning and dyeing processes.

Overall, I have to say that I am happy with it. Will I keep it? Who knows.

I raise funds for a Mission in Uganda, called Amina House Christian Mission.

My friend Trish is a Missionary there and does amazing work in the town of Pallisa.

If someone should offer me a sum I can’t refuse, I might just be able to part with it.

In the meantime it graces my lounge room floor.

Next Get Together at The Patch October 20th

You are welcome to join us for our next Rug Day, at my house (Robyne) in The Patch, on the 20th of October. Give me a call on 0410876096 for directions.

I'll make soup and we all usually bring a little something for the table (go easy people, we don't need too much) and then we can have fun! Yay!

Inspiration for my next Proggy Rug, although you wouldn't pick it if you saw mine.
I have noticed my fabric pile getting smaller and it makes me very happy! This one will include my Mum's clothes and fabrics, some of Grandma's material and loads of stuff  I've had for years and years. It's very satisfying and my long term plan is to use ALL of my stash. Good old Proggy!

Rose & Bird Penny Rug

Penny Rugs developed around the time of the civil war in North America, and were yet another example of the ingenuity born of thrift and scarcity of materials. There is little history available, as the rugs showed the makers poverty or need, and therefore were not highly esteemed. The name comes from the shapes of the cut pieces. When William Morris set up the Arts and Craft movement to preserve and advocate such skills and traditions, the popularity of the rugs resurged. Now, of course, we value such resource and imagination and Penny Rugs have become more popular than ever.

This is the original...

And this is the new...
I've finally finished upgrading the pattern to make it a PDF download in my Etsy shop.

Just a friendly reminder to all friends of the Yarra Valley Rug Makers, that our next meeting will be in Warrandyte next Saturday 28th July, 10ish

All welcome.

 

Rug Group Day at Loch

You can see Chris's grandchildren rugs on the wall behind me.

Today Anne, Katherine and I (Robyne) took a trip to Loch for our get together in Chris's lovely home near the gorgeous hills of Western Gippsland. It's always a nice drive and this autumn weather was just perfect.
Chris worked on her big (huge) rug, clocking up hundreds of hours so far. It's going to be amazing when she at last detaches it from it's frame. Note to self: Be there when she does, with a loud hooter or some drums! And cake!
Katherine began her Magpie Rug with a lesson from Chris, and me butting in the whole time with helpful advice. I blame the cups of coffee I'd fortified myself with after the drive. And it's great to be back at Group Days such a long time away with family committments. Combo. Katherine has her newly constructed PVC pipe frame off and running too, and seems to have her hooking sorted! Being a knitter, she has tension well ingrained.
Anne Will Finish Her Hooked Carpet-Wool Rug At Some Point! Just as I Will Finish My Footy Rug! We at least work on them at our monthly gathering.
Unfortunately one of Joy's family had the bad manners to be born on this date, probably years ago, so she was forced to celebrate with them and was missing from action. A poor excuse!
I brought my new Penny Rug (just cut out) along for advice from the Gals. Who were very helpful. I couldn't see for looking anymore, to make decisions.
It's a design I have for sale on Etsy. However, my original version (as seen in the Etsy pic) was made with some inferior felt and it literally fell apart with use! I have dyed a few pieces of woollen blanket for the backgrounds and we lay it out in varous combinations. I can take bits on the train to stitch and use up some stash at the same time (bit hard with hookies). We agreed with which background colours to use, so that made me feel better. Feel free to share your thoughts! They both look good, but I'm thinking the plum-brown with the green peeking out from under will suit our bedroom. Both look good I think. We think.
It's lovely to share our food and company. We welcome any newcomers or old usuals. If you are interested, please put a comment on the blog or email r.m.square@bigpond.com.
From all of us. xxx

April meeting of the Yarra Valley Rug Makers

 

The next meeting of the Yarra Valley Rug makers will be held on Saturday 28th April at Chris' home in Loch. All welcome.

March meeting of the Yarra Valley Rugmakers

The next meeting of the Yarra Valley Rugmakers will be held in Warrandyte on Saturday  24th March around 10 am.

All welcome.

Please leave a message if you have not been before and would like to attend.

Hope to see you there

Our first meeting of the year in the fair hills of the Yarra valley ranges

What a pleasure it was to get together this January in Warrandyte. It seems too long since we met last year, but off course it was only a month. Present were Anne, Joy, Leanne, Anne Marie, Robyne, who we gladly welcomed back after a long abscence and me, Chris.
We had soooo much to talk about and much wisdom was spoken by the ladies in regards to happenings in our lives. I love meeting and talking with these women and as we share our joys and also our concerns we all benefit. Thank you ladies.

Joy finished her third Psalm 23 stair tread 'In the Valley' and started whipping her rugs, being 3/4 finished on one rug by the end of the day. It's amazing what you can achieve in a day.

Both Anne Marie and Chris knitted and crocheted for the day. It was time I finished the tunisian crocheted rug which had been stashed away for years. Anne Marie was knitting sox.

Nicole- Anne's daughter's 2nd proggy rug. .

Anne was working on her paisley rug and Robyne on her footy Rug, which was inspired by a drawing/doodle done by a fellow at her work, Paul Constance. He draws sport pictures all day long and they have always struck Robyne as rug-worthy. Thus her footy rug.
A great time was had by all. 

Our first meeting of the New Year 2018

Hi Ruggers

Our first meeting of the New Year will be held in Warrandyte

next Saturday 20th January.  

All are warmly welcomed.