Melbourne Show 2019

We did it. The Melbourne Show for one day. It sounds simple, pack a case, go to show, demonstrate rug making...
There is always a lot of interest in rug making. We didn’t have our big proddy frames and it’s these proggy/clippy/peggy/proddy rugs that the children like to try. However Anne had a standing hoop frame for quilting so managed to let folk have a bit of a go... and lots of people watched or tried hooking too. Plus I got along with my Uzbekistan style rug #2.

It still surprises me that Rug Hooking is so little known in Australia, considering how it parallels quilting in the USA and always has.
But, we did meet Lee, who plans to come on Sunday, so slowly the group is expanding! And we have Veronica as well so that’s two more.

On the way in I bought a coffee at Belgrave’s Blacksmith Cafe and the lovely Alex was wearing this amazing cowl. Her grandfather had spun the wool and she had crocheted it herself. It is done in Crocodile stitch. It was so gorgeous and unusual I asked if I could photograph and post it. Thanks Alex.

I keep meaning to say that another old friend Jennifer Walton, who lives in Far North Queensland, is now a long distance member of our group. Jennie went crazy on tugging after a visit down to mine a little while back. I gave her Miriam’s excellent book and that’s the end of her!

Jen is onto her second rug, this time a hooked rug. She has a good eye as you will see. Pics to follow.

(Too lazy to come and bring a plate, obviously).

Just Home From Gembrook Quilt &Craft Fair

Anne and I (Robyne) braved the hail, wind, rain and freezing cold to get up to beautiful Gembrook for the CFA Quilt Fair. A mini stitches and craft type (indoor and cosy) event with loads of stalls and a raffle, in which Anne took 4th prize. She won a gift voucher with enough in it to purchase batting for a new quilt. We also were visited by old and very dear friends, whom we hope to snaffle for rug days and more chitter chatter.
Quite a few ladies were keen to begin rugging. It seems that people have had it earmarked for the future (which encroaching age makes you realise is now). This also was my story when I first met the gals.

The hall had three large canvas works with local themes. Also were what appeared to be children’s needleworks. Love the skate ramp seen in one of them!

A happy mess of fluff. Oh, and I reposted the 'Blossom' cat seat pattern on my own blog:
https://robynefmelia.blogspot.com/2019/09/blossom-reposted-from-2013.html

Go Anne!!
Our next get together is at Anne's on Sunday September 29th. The day after the grand final. Let us know if you want to come on 0410876096. Leave a message if I don't pick up!

Quite a few people picked up a copy of Miriam's brilliant book!

Katherine's and my magpies.

We Are Going For Gold With 2 Get Together's This Month.

We are having two Rug Day get togethers this month. Ha ha ha! It comes from not being able to accommodate everyone and then Anne kindly jumped in and said she didn't mind hosting two. We'll meet on this Saturday 13th July and the 27th of July at Warrandyte. I might be able to get my Footy Rug finished so I can go back to my big Uzbeki style rug (I'm always doing way too many things at once).
If you are interested in coming along, email me at r.m.square@bigpond.com or message/call 0410876096. If you call, leave a message if I don't answer or I'll think you are spam!
We've only just had a lovely day at Anne Marie's new place too, so the keen-ness is showing. That's because it's so enjoyable and the company is good!

Old rug I bought 25 years ago.

Another by the same woman. Her husband had heaps of them at St. Andrew's market one day and I bought four. Crimpelene, for the most part.

Joy working on her stair rugs. You can see her small oil painting in the background. 

Two rugs of mine, vying for attention amongst the knitting, the embroidering, the dressmaking and Oh, the working and cleaning.

'Buda' Traditional Arts Fair at Castlemaine

Anne and I spent a warm day at Buda yesterday, talking to people and demonstrating our rug making.
I managed to get some bad photo's of the rugs inside the old homestead. The tour of the house was taken by an Enthusiast of the history and she described a family of largely unmarried girls who were encouraged and educated in anything they fancied and led a very adventurous life. It's worth a read here, and definitely worth the tour, although I'd like to go back and look at my leisure (knowing the story). The whole place, inside and out, has been donated to the Castlemaine Art Gallery, which also hold a fabulous collection and is worth a visit.

These Hooked Rugs are made on the old latch-hook canvas (which is so much harder to use than hessian or linen). A lady did a demonstration in the garden but we had to admit it was hard not to butt in! It was suggested you Must Put Latex or Thinned Glue on the Back to keep it together! Exclamation Mark! We politely didn't say anything and at least there was a bit of interest.
She did use a latch-hook with the latch sticky-taped shut, which isn't a bad idea and they are easily found in op shops. 
But I wanted to say how much Cheaper and Easier it is to work on hessian. And they don't fall apart. And come inside and look at ours!

Here I am working on the footy rug.

Anne with her newest proddy, started for the show (I think).

This one was behind a cabinet and in shadow. I really like it! 

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....

Anne's Santa Star Rug

"My Santa Star Rug finally finished, although not quite, still the binding to do and a few spaces I need to fill in and a steam.

A pattern by Leah Smith, it was originally intended for a star shaped pillow or on a board, but I decided to turn it into a rug instead as I thought it would make for easier storing when not in use.

Measures 26"(66cm) by 24 1/2"(62cm) done in a #8 cut wool.

What to finish next??  Or start!!"

November meeting of the Yarra Valley rug makers

The day was bright and perfectly lovely for a Rug making get together. We started the morning off rather later than usual. Joy took the wrong turn, Anne was held up by road works and Sandra ended up in San Remo near Phillip Island. A good start to the day indeed. However it only got better from there. It was great to see our newest member Sandra again. She would be about my [Chris'] closest neighbour in the rug hooking world here in Victoria, being about an hours drive from Loch. it was great to see her.

Her Shaun the sheep rug was looking lovely indeed and more than half done by the time she left. Off course I didn't help things when I mistook him for an owl, having been brought up on the wrong side of the world I had never heard of him, while every one else had grown up with the mischievous little sheep.

Anne’s larger than life pear rug chair pad is looking rather grand with its lovely dark, contrasting background, and Anne now has the end of the rug in sight. But she is already thinking about her next project. 
In due time it too will appear on the Blog, so I better not give too much away. 
Joy is doing a superb job with her painterly, almost monochromatic moonscape rug. Her autumn leaf stands out beautifully from the surrounding landscape and really sets it off. It really is a work of art and will be a wonderful keepsake.
 
I [Chris] am working on two rugs at the time. One for at home, the other portable one is my fifth portrait of Grandson Sam, which is coming along nicely.
The Persian rug, purchased as a pattern on a Scottish Burlap backing took some time getting the colour plan together, but I think, so far I am happy with the result. It will be easier to get a picture of the whole when I have done a bit more.  

We missed some of our faithful members today and with Christmas nearly upon us we have decided to make our 13th December meeting a special Christmas celebration day with lovely goodies to eat and share. We will also partake in International Rug hooking Day, even though a bit late. IRHD will be celebrated on the 4th December, with lots of members all over the world stopping to share a cuppa or hook a rug together. Here in Victoria we will no doubt chat and share about personal and internet experiences we have had with our rugging friends across the world, as well as talk about how we can be involved in spreading the word about rug hooking to other Victorians.

And so our day came to an end, with each person hopefully arriving home in a relatively shorter time than they arrived.
Cheers till next time.

Anne's Proggy Rug, Finished!

‘Well, it’s  finally finished at last, my proggy rug for the spare bedroom.  I’m going to miss not having this rug  sitting on a frame ready for me to ‘just do a little bit more’ each day, taking up so much floor space in my room.  It is very colourful, which is what I wanted, but maybe has a little too much black in it.   And it’s big.  As heavy as a dead, wet sheep. Must be all the blanket in there as well as the polar fleece.   Measures 127cm (50”) by 84cm (33”).’

Anne's Proggy Rug

I'm finally half way and was almost tempted to take it off the frame and cut the rest off as it has taken me so long to make, and I'm not sure if I like it anymore.  But I will keep at it as think this design needs to be a bigger rug.  I will probably shear the top a bit as some of the proggy loops a longer.  I actually prefer the wrong side, but the right will provide warmth to feet when stepping out of the bed.