BHCG History
History of the Lakeshore Hooking Craft Guild (1990)
In the fall of 1974 the city of Beaconsfield placed a notice in “The News and Chronicle” concerning rug hooking lessons. Amongst those responding were Madeleine Bastien, Kay Cousineau, Vera Kelly and Marg O’Reilly. Lois Morris taught this first group of beginners the basic shading and continued to guide their progress with more advanced courses as well as continuing to teach beginners. Lois taught until January 1980. This was te start of rug hooking in this area.The Lakeshore Woolgathers Hooking Craft Guild evolved from the original group, meeting at Centennial Hall or in the nearby chalet. Ann Grinley became the first president.
Past presidents:
1975-77 Ann Grimley
1977-78 Bev Sparey
1978-80 Kay Cousineau
1980-82 Pat Reid
1982-84 Vera Kelly
1984-86 Sally Perodeau
1986-88 Cathy Cochrane
The first Bi-Annual Exhibition was held in 1975. The name Lakeshore Hooking Craft Guild was adopted in 1980. When Lois Morris moved to Ottawa in 1980, Madeleine Bastien took over to teach beginners as well as intermediate courses. Donna Bennett taught a course on “Pictorials”. At the request of the Guild, Marg O’Reilly taught courses in “Dyeing” in her own home.
The Guild has participated in Beaconsfield’s Winter Carnival, Canada Day programme as well as Beaconsfield Recreation Association registration activities over the years. We also demonstrated our craft at the McCord Museum.
We have been able to have a variety of workshops which have introduced us to various types of rug hooking:
Rhododendron - Lois Morris
Original Design – Applique
Waterbirds
General Help
Primitives - Marjorie Judson
Snowy Owl - Germaine James
Oriental Poppy
Rosemaling - Jeanne Field
Orientals
Stained Glass
Butterflies
Crewel (Jacobean) - Jean Gardiner
Imari Plate - Fanny Sinclair
Picture Frames (Acadian) - Stella Bourgeois
Rose - Joan Doyle
Critters
Three workshops were held in Joan Boyle’s home in Brockville. Two on birds and one on wildflowers.
As a result of these courses and workshops we have produced hooking from a stair runner to oriental rugs, bench covers to picture frames, primitive rugs to wall hangings, landscape pictures to portraits and the list goes on.
We have had many guest speakers at our monthly meetings. At times their talk has been an introduction to a workshop such as artisan Debbie Frost with “Stained Glass”, and Joanna Olson with “Rosemaling and Tole Painting”, Renate Heidersdorf spoke on the “Principles of Art”, and Betty Jakes “Colour and Design”.
Mini-workshops have been held with our monthly meetings to create bags, doorstops, Christmas ornaments, streaching (?stretching?) a picture and framing, reverse hooking, basics of sculpturing, along with several mini-workshops on dyeing.
We have also heard from crafts and guilds other than hooking, for example Quilting, Cake Decorating, Chocolate Making, Porcelaine Dolls, Collecting Miniatures, Flower Arranging and Drying, and Christmas Centerpieces.
The Guild has tried its hand at a variety of crafts – Recovering Garden Chairs, Weaving Baskets, Making Nylon Flowers, Christmas Bows, and Refinishing Furniture.
During the past fifteen years the Guild has purchased many books on rug hooking, and we now operate a small library for members. Hooking supplies such as burlap, wool, dyes, etc. are available through the Guild.
The Guild has enjoyed the following trips:
1979 Canadianna Village, Rawdon
1982 Joan Moshimer’s Studio, Kennebunk
1984 Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vt.
1986 Canadianna Village, Rawdon
1987 Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vt.
1988 Rossi Artistic Glass, Cornwall, Ont.
1989 Le Musée de Séraphin, Ste. Adèle
Undoubtedly the Guild has fulfilled Article II of its constitution.
Purposes:
The Guild has been formed for the following purposes:
1 – To encourage excellence of craftsmanship.
2 – To foster a sense of beauty in color and design.
3 – To provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and information among members of the guild.
4 – To cooperate with Guilds in other crafts.
The above notes were compiled by Margaret O’Reilly, Madeleine Bastien, Kay Cousineau, and Jeanne Osler. A more detailed history will be forthcoming from Kay Cousineau in the near future.
January, 1990
