35 years ago



by Denise Vandenbemden
President

 

Artist: Salvatore Vuono at www.freedigitalphotos.net
In Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada, a few stay at home moms, friends, came together and started hooking rugs, one of them was Lois Morris. She was an artist and a licensed rug hooking teacher and under her guidance the group grew and became a guild, the Beaconsfield Rug Hooking Crafters Guild.

At the same time, in Belgium, I had a teenage daughter and a full time job. I knew very little about Canada and nothing at all about traditional rug hooking, but I made latch hooked rugs. Latch hooked rugs came in kits, the pattern printed onto the backing and the wool already cut. When I became a single mom and finances ran low, the expensive kits made place for needle point which, later on, made place for embroidery. 

Seven years ago, I discovered the many beauties and cultures of Canada as well as the privilege of living in Beaconsfield and the joy of rug hooking. Already the first year of my arrival I saw a demonstration of the craft during the Heritage Day celebration and it was love at first sight. I was “hooked”.  

I have not one artistic bone in my body and creativity is something my brain does not handle well, every new project is a challenge and it takes me weeks to find the right pattern and the right colors and since I am a Virgo and Virgos are known to be perfectionists I am never entirely happy with the result, and this is good. It keeps me going, trying to get to the same level of accomplishment as those ladies who started 35 years ago and are still members today. And then there is Lois, the founder of the Guild, who now lives in Rawdon and comes down to Beaconsfield every single Monday from September to May.  She still teaches the tricks of the trade to us, newcomers, with the same energy and the same enthusiasm as 35 years ago.  We can’t thank her enough for this. 

If 35 years ago someone had told me that I would end up in Canada, being the president of the Beaconsfield Rug Hooking Crafters, I would have called 911, convinced that the person was in need of mental help, and yet, here I am, feeling blessed and privileged and celebrating the Guild to which I am proud to belong.

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