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This Month's Meeting | Guild News & Events

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This Month's Meeting

February Meeting – Friday, February 10, 2012 The February meeting will be held at our regular location, the Administration Building (Building #1), which is part of the Hunterdon County Complex, on Rt. 12 outside of Flemington. The street address for the Complex is 1314 State Highway 12, although that does not appear on the road. Our meeting begins at 10:00 and ends at 2:00. Guests are always welcome.

Guild Program – Therese Shick (right) will lead a workshop on completing a 3-D hooked sheep. The sheep should already be hooked, steamed, and cut out prior to class. We will concentrate on putting the sheep together at the meeting. Therese will have the legs and eyes for everyone who purchased them. She will also have some extra supplies, but the participants should look at the supplies list handed out with the kit to bring the items necessary to finish the sheep.

Show & Tell –February is International Friendship Month and National Cherry and Grapefruit Month. Have a rug that you made for a friend or received from a friend? How about a rug with fruit? We’d love to see them and have you win a prize! Current projects are always of interest too.

Remember there is a raffle ticket for those who show and tell with a chance to win one of our many prizes. Any member donations for raffle prizes are greatly appreciated. If you could send Cheryl, Gisele or Lydia an email or call to let them know you are bringing a prize, it will be helpful in planning the quantity of prizes at any one meeting. We thank you for your support!

The S & T winners for December were:

Annie Edwards – Rug Hooking Magazine
Karl Gimber – Tree Ornament
Lois Grieves – Wool
Donna Kolznak – Wool
Jana Laidlaw – Decorated Box
Betsy Warner – Felted Pin

The prizes were donated by Joyce Combs, Karl Gimber, Lydia Lewis, and Dee Rosebrock.

Hospitality – We thank in advance the following members who have volunteered to bring snacks for the meeting – Susan Atwater, Jean Laurence, Joan Shymko, and Susan Woodworth. Your efforts help make our gatherings more enjoyable.

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Guild News & Events

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Barbara Lugg Awarded the Madeline Brightbill Camp Scholarship – The coveted Madeline Brightbill Camp Scholarship has been awarded to Barbara Lugg. Barbara received the award in recognition of her long service to the Guild. She has been a diligent member of our Hospitality Committee, has given program presentations and willingly helps others with hooking related activities. Barbara has exhibited a long standing commitment to the art of hooking and the Guild is delighted that her service and commitment can be recognized. Congratulations Barbara!

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Members Gallery Being Updated Annie Edwards is working with Laurie Rubinetti to update the images of our rugs that appear in the “Members’ Gallery” Section of our website. For some time, Annie has been taking photos of the rugs brought to our meetings for Show & Tell. She is now in the process of gathering information to properly indentify them. She needs the name of the hooker, the designer, the rug pattern, and permission to post the image on our website.

Annie will be bringing to the February meeting photos of the rugs she has not been able to identify. She is also encouraging members to bring any of their other rugs to be photographed as well. Pictures of the rugs will be sent by email to their owners for their own files.

This is a big job and we are grateful to Annie for volunteering to do all of this work.

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4th Annual Spring Fling – March 23, 24 & 25, 2012 — Two exciting workshops (The Magic of Masquerade and Exploring Color & Hooking) will be held at the Flemington Hampton Inn on Friday, March 23, 2012 to Sunday March 25, 2012. Participants can stay at the Hampton Inn or commute. For a discounted room rate for those who want to stay over night, call the Hampton Inn (908) 284-9427 to make reservations and mention the Guild.
                       

Instructors: The Magic of Masquerade with Cyndy Duade — Let your imagination go out to play! Create your own magical mask to wear or be a wall display. Class includes a kit with the basic mask pattern, eye ribbon, and soft backing for the mask ($15). You can embellish the basic pattern as drawn or transform it to your own creation. Combine wool, yarn, fabric, beads, feathers, and bling. Hook, sculpt, proddy, or embellish.

Class will cover mask design, choosing materials and embellishments, attaching special effects, backing application, finishing edges, and mounting for wall display. Lots of colorful wool, fabric, and embellishments will be available. Bring your imagination and creativity to this fun class and you can wear your mask home on Sunday!

Cyndy Duade lives in Springfield NH near lakes and mountains. She is an accredited McGown Teacher and attends Teachers' Workshop for continuing education. She has been teaching rug hooking for 12 years and enthusiastically embraces all styles of rug hooking.

Exploring Color & Hooking with Angela Foote — Let the knowledge of color stimulate you to step outside your color box. Use your favorite color in a new way. Explore a variety of dyed wools, spots, dips, and sparkling marbleized wools, swirling with color to enliven your rugs. Bring your love of color and hooking to class. Students may start a new project or spark up an existing project. All styles of hooking are welcome!

Students are contacted prior to class to discuss rug patterns, custom designs, color choices and any other hooking needs. Wools can be custom dyed for your project or as an addition to your wool stash. Angela travels with a large assortment of beautiful dyed wools.

Angela Foote is a passionate creative rug hooker who loves to work with color. She is well known for her beautifully dyed wools and unique wool garments. Whether over the dye pot, teaching classes, lecturing on color, or creating in her studio, Angela's 30 years of experience is evident in her works of art. She is a certified McGown teacher, member of ATHA and enjoys hooking in both fine shading and primitive styles. She has regular classes in her studio and teaches at guild meetings and workshops across New England. FABRICFOOTE is her hooking and dying business.

Workshop Size:
12 - 15 students each class

Meals/Snacks:
We will provide coffee and tea. Participants may bring snacks to share.

Cost:
$150 for members and $175 for non-members.  A non-refundable deposit of $25 is required at the time of registration.  The balance will be due at or before our February meeting.  In the event you need to cancel after our February meeting, a refund less a $25 cancellation fee will be made if we are able to fill the spot.  If we are unable to fill the spot there will be no refund.

Schedule:
Friday- Evening reception and meeting with instructors (5:00 – 8:00)
Saturday - workshop (9:00 - 4:30)
Sunday - workshop (8:30 - 3:30)

To register, send a $25 check made payable to HCRAG, to Cindy Boults 1 Spring Hill Rd. Annandale, NJ 08801, with a note indicating the instructor with whom you want to work. If you have questions, direct them to Cindy at cboults@gmail.com or 908-730-0146.

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HCRAG Partners with Mennonite Heritage Center for Hook-in/Clinic – April 21, 2012
The Guild is returning to the Mennonite Heritage Center for a hook-in on April 21, 2012 from 9:00 to 3:30. In addition to a regular hook-in, we will have vendors, mini lectures, a rug exhibit and a clinic where people can get advice/suggestions on their rug hooking projects. Rose Moyer from the Heritage Center reports that “registrations keep rolling in.” Participation is limited to about 50 people. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to register early.

The museum exhibits that will be on display make the Mennonite Heritage Center a special site for our hook-in. Their exhibit of Pennsylvania German fraktur is quite extraordinary and an ideal location for our exhibit of rugs hooked by participants. In addition, there will be a special display entitled “Milestones: Observances in Mennonite Family and Church Life” as well as their permanent exhibit on Mennonite history.

Registration is required as participation is limited. The event fee of $45 (non-Heritage Center Member) and $40 (MHC member) includes a full lunch and coffee/snacks. To register, send your check made payable to the Mennonite Heritage Center to Rose Moyer, Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438-1020. Visit their website — www.mhep.org for more information on their programs.

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Beginners’ Rug Hooking Workshop (April 21, 2012) Juliana Kapusta and Patty Mahaffey will be conducting a workshop for beginners at our hook-in at the Mennonite Heritage Center. It is already half full!

The fee for the workshop is $45 (non-Heritage Center member) and $40 (MHC member) plus $20 for the kit. Participants need to provide a 10” embroidery hoop and a pair of sharp scissors. The workshop will be limited to nine participants. To register, send your check made payable to the Mennonite Heritage Center to Rose Moyer, Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438-1020. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

Help is needed in cutting strips for the kits that will be provided. Members are who have a #5 cutter blade are requested to bring their cutters to the February meeting. Juliana and Patty will have the wool that needs to be cut.

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HCRAG Annual Summer Camp  (August 13 -17, 2012) Our Guild’s 16th annual rug hooking camp will be held from August 13, 2012 though August 17, 2012 at the ESC School outside of Lambertville, NJ. In keeping with our tradition, nationally recognized instructors – Arline Bechtoldt, Jeanne Benjamin and Lucille Festa – will provide a stimulating, educational and fun camp experience. Jeanne Benjamin’s class is full, but a waiting list has been established. The other classes are filling, so you are encouraged to register soon to be assured a place. Gail Ferdinando, Judy Quintman and Debbie Walsh will again run camp in 2012. 

Our Teachers:

Jeanne Benjamin: Jeanne started hooking in 1971 and became McGown certified in 1979. She owns New Earth Designs, a pattern business of diverse designs, and also has a dyed wool mail order business. Jeanne has a loyal following and is known for her beautiful dyeing and color planning, often dyeing 50 yards or more of wool weekly.

Jeanne stresses good pre-camp communication and advance planning to maximize students' class time. She gives instructions in small increments which enables her to get around the classroom quickly. Class time includes question and answer periods so everyone can participate and learn, not only from individual instruction, but from group time as well.

Jeanne expects you to relax, keep an open mind, and enjoy this creative time! Jeanne often teaches an open class (she enjoys a large class with diversity) but her specialties are Orientals, making a primitive design look antique, folk art, and pictorials.

Arline Bechtoldt: Arline is an accredited teacher who enjoys teaching a student driven class. She recently gave a talk at the Alice Beatty Chapter of ATHA and showed her rugs which ranged from beautifully fine shaded faces, flowers, and antique designs, to whimsical and primitive motifs.

Before camp Arline discusses with each student their particular needs for their rug. She will help with color planning and can provide custom dyed wool as needed and/or work with wool already on hand. She will also bring a supply of wool to class.

During class time Arline will discuss technique, color planning, and finishing, and as the day is winding down, creative stitches, dyeing techniques, labeling, and any other topics of interest. Arline plans to ensure that your rug becomes the masterpiece you envision!

Lucille Festa: Lucille is a collector of antiques and a history buff especially interested in the American Civil War era and women's history. She started her business, American Country Rugs, about seven years ago and sell patterns (including her “door people”) via her website.

She specializes in primitive style rugs and often incorporates old antique colors, textures, and wide cut wools as well as folk art images into her rugs. Lucille loves colors that evoke a feeling of antiquity and enjoys creating rugs with an aged look. She brings plenty of wool plaids, checks, tweeds, and herringbones to her classes. She will help you to color plan and hook a warm, antique style rug that will be passed down through the generations.

Registration/Instructional Fees – The fee for camp is $175 for Guild members who have paid their dues by December 31, 2011.  For all others, the fee is $250.  A non-refundable deposit of $25 is required to make a reservation for camp. The balance of the fee is due by May 30, 2012. For all reservations received after May 30th, the camp fee must be paid in full at the time of registration. Checks made payable to HCRAG can be sent to Debbie Walsh at 51 Spruce Street, Cranford, NJ  07016. CLICK HERE for registration information and form.

Refund Policy – For cancellations received on or before June 10, 2012, the camp fee less the $25 non-refundable deposit will be made. For cancellations received after June 10th, no refunds will be made unless the camp vacancy is filled and paid in full.  

For more information, contact Debbie Walsh at 908-272-7012 or debywalsh@yahoo.com or Gail  Ferdinando at 908-735-6720 or thebrownieexpress@embarqmail.com

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Auction and White Elephant Sale — A Barn Burner — Our annual fundraising auction and white elephant sale was a blow out success! The funds generated were almost double what have been earned in past years. A former rug hooker donated bolts of excellent hooking wool that was eagerly pursued and produced about half of our proceeds. Auctioneer Weezie Huntington was ably assisted by Sharon Ballard and was able to coax extra bids from excited participants. Generous Guild members donated wool, patterns, books, frames, cutters, partially completed rugs, and household items for the event. There were some excellent buys. We are grateful to those who donated and who bought. The final tally will be reported at the February meeting.

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Susan Feller Publishes “Design Basics for Rug Hookers”— Susan Feller, who is a good friend of our Guild and past camp instructor, has recently published Design Basics for Rug Hookers through Stackpole Books. With the book Susan will walk you through the basics a rug hooker should know about rug design. It provides a wealth of knowledge and guidance for beginning and intermediate hookers and is a wonderful refresher for the season hooker. From the design elements every hooker should know, to how to develop an appealing design, lessons on color and contrast, balance and movement, texture and pattering Design Basics covers it all.

Jacqueline Lee had a copy with her at our retreat, so others had a chance to glance though it. The books costs $24.95 and can be ordered directly from Susan (Ruckman Mill Farm, P.O. Box 409 Augusta, WV 26704 or rugs2wv@yahoo.com or 304-496-8073) or from Stackpole Books (www.rughookingonline.com).

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Fun Retreat – Following the January meeting, members attending our 6th annual hooking retreat gathered at the Flemington Hampton Inn. There was so much interest this year that an extra room was required. The Hampton Inn has two adjoining meeting rooms that were perfect for our needs. One room became dubbed the “quiet room”; the other was the “loud room”. You can guess who was in which room!

We have a committed group of members who attend the retreat each year. This year they were joinedby a number of first timers who had a wonderful time. The weekend is an ideal time to get to know members better and to get some serious hooking completed. Jacqueline Lee came down from Cape Cod and was able to “kill two birds with one stone”. She could visit with her sister who lives in New Jersey and catch up with her Guild friends. Robin Perelli, who is a relatively new member, was able to better get to know the other retreaters. Occasionally, other Hampton Inn guests would peep in to see what was going on and what the commotion was all about.

A significant number of participants extended their enjoyment and opportunity for camaraderie by staying overnight and working well into the evening. The wine and cheese made the “loud room” louder. Our favorite masseuse was there Saturday to help relax the muscles that stiffen up after a few hours at the hooking frame. Gourmet pizza was ordered Saturday night.

The following enthusiast message from Kathleen Boyda – Murray sums it all up. “I just want to say ‘what a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!’ Loved it. So, get ready as I'll be returning next year. What a wonder group. With any luck, the Miss America pageant will be on again! Woohoo!”

A press release and a group photo have been sent to the local newspapers. Watch for it.

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HCRAG Library – Our Librarian, Kathy Donovan, brings a selection of books to each meeting. If there is a specific item you want from our library, contact her by 12:00 noon on the day before our meeting and she will bring it to the meeting. Kathy can be reached at 908-755-1670 or freyja2@verizon.net.

Members who borrow books are reminded that they need to be returned in a timely manner, so that the books will be available for other members.

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"The Loop" Newsletter

"The Loop" is the newsletter of the Hunterdon County Rug Artisans Guild (HCRAG). Click here to see an archive of back issues.

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