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June Catch Up (by Robyne)

This is my own first get together for many months, and it was very nice to see Jen, Joy and Anne at Anne's amazing, craft-filled house in Warrandyte. The fires were burning, the soup delicious and we chatted and worked on our rugs for the whole day.

Jen fitting in some sun-burst activity. We all find it hard to find time to rug and so these day's together give us the time, uninterrupted excepting by lunch and some happy Ooohing and Aaahing.

I've been so tied up with family commitments too, that it felt a rare treat to take a whole day to go and play with the gals. A pity Chris wasn't present (sniff), or some other's who are more likely than I to be there.

Joy's second stair-tread rug, 'The sheep on the heather' (I made that name up) is coming along. Joy has included some Wenslydale (Is that right Joy?) wool into the right hand sheep.
We are all on a mission to find a Heath Robinson solution to have her family and friends avoid actually walking on the stairs once they're carpeted. Perhaps a Mary Poppins solution?

The heath and the distant mountains...

My proggy rug is nearly done (even more so, as I write this). My sciatica will hopefully move on when it is, as I take way too much (cleaning) time at it after dinner in the evening and the nerve is making me pay. Pretty-well every night, I get sucked into it. It's killing me.
My hubby is going to make me a standing-up pair of trestle legs, so I can either prop on a stool or stand up to work. 

The back is always clearer huh.
A couple of nights ago I sacrificed my over-pj's-wear kimono because it's exactly the right colour for some background. It was wearing out in any case, so... I did like wearing it though...
I've discovered audio books. This rug has seen me through the entire 8 Outlander books and now I'm onto 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. Wow! What a book that is. Amazing account and so human.
The audio's are good for making vacuuming a nothing rather than a bore too. 

Hey... I notice Anne didn't photograph her own rug....

NEXT MEETING OF THE YARRA VALLEY RUG MAKERS WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY 25TH JUNE, 10AM 

AT ANNE'S HOME IN WARRANDYTE.

WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US,

ALL WELCOME 

Canberra Rug Exhibition and Retreat

"It is now less than 4 months before the Australian Rugmakers Weekend Retreat and Exhibition in Canberra, ACT at the Wool Shed in Strathnairn.     
Planning is now well under way.

There will be a Guild General Meeting on Saturday 3^rd Sept and the Exhibition will be opened by Nancy Tingey on Sunday 4^th September and run through the 25th.

I am sure that our members are busy making amazing rugs, big and small. (Entry Conditions & forms)
It is going to be a very special event with talks by guest textile artists and how-to demonstrations plus meeting up and enjoying the company of rug makers from around the county.

I can't wait to see all my rug friends and their work very soon."        Maggie

Milpara Hooky workshop in Korumburra, Vic

six were present at this workshop

Chris' workshops for Missions had its second workshop at Milpara House in Korumburra today with six people in attendance. This was a first try at hooky for everyone bar one person. Barbara attended the first workshop a few months ago. After a practice run on my stretcher frame most got the hang of it and were off hooking their chosen project on their borrowed PVC frames in the first hour of the day.

Hayman

After a few trial runs, where she tried out several designs of her own, Susan settled on a colourful geometric pattern.

Susan

Morgen

Morgen [photo below] designed her own hot air balloon [seen side on] and started by outlining in a bold turquoise colour. She will continue with her 'colouring in' at home.

Hayman's [at far right] artistic ability and natural creativity made up her design as she went along, using a variety of textiles from wool fabric to home-spun wool, knitted fabric and sari silk yarn.

Barbara

This was Barbara's second workshop and she continued working on her chosen daisy design, using synthetic, wool and yarn to create this lovely colourful project.
 
Linda [below] worked on her technique but then decided to have a go at her owl design, which

Linda

was her choice of pattern in the kit. Doing great Linda, go girl.

Merril

Merril felt more comfortable working on her hooking technique but she caught up with the others sooner than she thought and decided to work her project as a hit and miss design using whatever fabrics were on hand.

It was a full day of learning, fun and fellowship. 
At the end of the day everyone had made new friends and maybe even catch up again at a local hook-in, which may well be at my home in Loch. Cheers

Fleur-de-lis Proggy Rug

I'm really enjoying doing this rug. It's slow work, takes tons and tons of cloth, is terribly messy, gives me a sore neck and is the funnest!

It will need some trimming later, obviously.

I bought the frame via Miriam Miller at Narrawilly Rugs. It sits on a couple of old trestle legs in my sewing room so I can pop in and do some every day. I signed up for a '10 minute a day pledge' on Rug Hooking Daily, which is good because you invariably do way more.

I started out doing the progs too close together, but it doesn't matter at all. You can't tell.

Here is my sketch (which I've deviated from considerably) and its inspiration.

Our April meeting in Hastings

Anne's sunflower proggy

Chris' Bird of Paradise [Strelitzia] rug

The Yarra valley Rug Makers had a meeting with a difference yesterday 9th April. Only three of us were present at The Westernport Craft Fair, run as a yearly fundraiser by the local Hastings Uniting Church. Many people came past the YV booth where Anne and I [Chris] demonstrated the genteel craft of making a hooked rug.

Some had a go at pulling some loops and two young girls just loved it and got the hang of it very quickly. Children are a delight to teach and catch on quickly. Anne's lovely sunflower proggy rug attracted a lot of attention also with its colourful contrasts.

As most of us rug hookers have discovered, many people confuse it with latchet hook rug making.
It was a long day and we were glad to go home at the end of it.