Rug Hooking

Rug hooking is the art of creating rugs with strips of wool fabric pulled through a foundation fabric, such as burlap, linen, or monks cloth. In very basic terms, rug hooking consists of one stitch - pulling a loop of wool through a hole with a hook that resembles a crochet hook with a handle. It's an ancient art that dates back to the Egyptians.

Today, rug hooking is viewed as a way to balance our increasingly hectic lives with a creative outlet, while creating heirlooms and collectibles.

Kelowna area rugs

Leopard Area Rug

Zebra Area Rug

Ultimate Shag

Giraffe Area Rug

Making A Quality Area Rug

Ernabella rugs

The three vibrant rugs are exhibited on Level 1 of the Spence Wing. Designed by Pantjiti McKenzie from Ernabella Arts Inc of the Pukatja Community. The rugs are an important part of the library's showcase of art and library treasures representing South Australia's social and cultural heritage.

The State Library has a longstanding relationship with Ernabella Arts Inc, working together to preserve their community's heritage. The women of the Pukatja Community have entrusted the library with a collection of crayon drawings created by school children attending the Ernabella mission school during the 1940s and 1950s. Anapalayaku walka, which has become the distinctive Ernabella style, reaches back to those early drawing classes in the mission school.

The State Library rug design commission, generously supported by the Myer Foundation, Perpetual Trustees, the State Library of South Australia Foundation, the Hon Diana Laidlaw and Ms Bronwyn Halliday, provided mentoring, training and promotional opportunities for the Ernabella artists.

Artist Debuts Rug Collection Inspired by Maine

When artist Katy Allgeyer wanders the woods behind her studio, everything she sees informs her artistic vision. A piece of bark, a lichen encrusted rock, a granite sea wall--Maine's natural environment has inspired the artist's new "Organica Collection" of handcrafted rugs that will be shown at the High Point International Furniture Market in High Point, NC April 25-30.

"My new Organica Collection of rugs is directly related to my experience of Maine," Katy Allgeyer said. "I was able to simulate the texture of a tree in my design called "Bark" through combining Tibetan wool with hemp fibers as well as through sculptural trimming techniques that create a high/low pattern."

All of the rugs are made by hand in Kathmandu Nepal by skilled workers who've passed down their Tibetan rug making techniques for generations. The factory that makes the rugs belongs to "Rugmark", which insures that no child labor is involved.

Hand woven Rug

Canal boat Astra

Handmade rag rugs were some of the many canal related crafts available for visitors to buy on the towpath