News/Blog

Jennifer Derstoff and the Grand National Fibre Art Exhibition Jennifer D. and her Lupine Cove At the Olde Forge Hook-in of April 11 th   in Ottawa, we had the pleasure of meeting many talented and inspiring rug makers from Ontario. During the Show & Tell, one piece caught my eye—I had previously seen it at the 2025 Cobourg Annual Conference:   Lupine Cove .  During our conversation Jennifer kindly shared her creative process, explaining the various techniques she used in her piece, including wet felting for the sea, spot dyeing for the sky, and needle felting for the stone path, among others. At the Cobourg Conference it received a prize for Alternative Fibres. Details You could stare at this beautiful piece for hours, and if you missed it but you’d like to see it up close, the Northumberland Rug Hookers have prepared a lovely YouTube video showcasing the judged pieces from the Cobourg Annual Conference.  This is the link. Jennifer also took the opportunity to su...

Olde Forge Hook-in 2026 On April 11th, thirteen of our members, along with one friend from the  Tapissiers Montréal Rug Makers , made the two-plus hour drive to attend the Olde Forge Hook-In at Britannia United Church in our nation’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario.  What a great group! The day was well worth the trip, bringing together a wonderful mix of creativity and connection.  There was plenty of camaraderie to go around, along with a lively show and tell, delicious homemade treats for both breakfast and lunch, and a few door prizes to keep things exciting.  Show & Tell - Leslie and her beautiful rug Show & Tell - Chris and Elizabeth with their unique jeans jackets Show & Tell - Katherine from the  Tapissiers Montréal Rug Makers We picked up tips and tricks, shared lots of laughs, and yes, there were even a few high jinx along the way. A special shoutout to our own Isabelle and Jacques, who were there as vendors, and congratulations to Janet, who came...

Easter Hook-In March 30, 2026 The Easter-themed hook-in was a lively and cheerful affair. Many arrived wearing festive Easter bonnets, while others donned a fascinator from Claire’s colourful collection. Despite a busy day prior with Helen’s workshop drawing a crowd, today saw a big turnout of 29 members who came to share in the fun and to experience a Show and Tell, organized by Jacques.    Proud to show progress from yesterday's workshop A surprise treat:    Judith Dallegret, one of our BHCG rug hooking teachers, attended and brought several of her fabulous large floor rugs to show. Most fascinating was her story about her Morehouse ru g and her family roots. Judith tells the story of her Morehouse rug                                                        Everyone has a turn to show what they are working on We heard many ooo’s...

Mini-Punch Workshop Recap: A Fun Day Centennial Hall, Sunday March 29, 2026 Helen, known for her beautiful mini-punched rugs, brought her warmth and skill to our Sunday  workshop.  Excitement spread, as it quickly filled to capacity with 23 eager participants and 2  helpful assistants. Helen and some of her mini rugs Preparation started weeks before, as Helen drew nine unique designs for us to choose from. She  taught us how to transfer these patterns onto weavers’ cloth and provided us with all the  information on supplies like mini-punch needles, non-slip hoops, scissors, and embroidery threads  in our chosen colours. As the workshop began, Helen passed around her collection of mini-punched rugs, each a feast for  the senses. Participants marvelled at her techniques to create swirly skies, folk art pieces, and  delicate florals. Helen’s clever use of colour and thread types, either Valdani or DMC embroidery  threads or luxurious Merino fing...