Page 90 - Sun Rays Febuary 2013

90 | SUNRAYS FEBRUARY 2013 ONLINE: SCTXCA.ORG
Genevieve Gelles remembers
watching her mother patiently
pull wool through burlap, show-
ing her how to create a comforting rug
for the family. Those memories are
shared by many of the women in the
Traditional Rug Hookers, a Special In-
terest Group of the Fabric & Fiber Club.
The group creates and recreates designs
through the hooking and looping of cut
strips of wool, continuing the historic
art of traditional rug hooking.
History
Rug hooking is said to have originated in
Yorkshire, England; however, the craft,
as many know it today, is thought to
have developed in North America. The
craft was originally utilized by poor fam-
ilies, especially when it became posh to
have machine-made carpets in the home.
Rugs were made by looping any fabric
available (i.e. any clothing that had been
outgrown) through burlap sacks, so as
to keep cold floors bearable and beds
warmer. Only in the last century has it
become a custom to use cut wool strips
as the medium fabric; most fabrics at
the time were much too expensive for
many people to use.
As it became more popular, rug hook-
ing came to be considered a true art
form—“painting” with wool. Designs
were made for specially-dyed wools
and, when placed systematically, would
bring to life a variety of woolen flowers,
butterflies and birds—even free-form or
geometric shapes.
While the art has evolved, distinct
genres of rug hooking designs emerged.
One is the intricate style of small strips
of wool pulled through loops in a pre-
cise and measured manner, a style made
popular by a woman in the late 1920s
named Pearl McGown. Another is done
with wide strips of wool, often referred
to as the “primitive” style.
Rug hooking in North America is a
craft passed down through the family or
friends—daughters watching mothers,
sisters helping sisters, friends passing
each other strips of wool. That shared
history is also true for these Sun City
residents.
The Sun City Rug Hookers
The Rug Hooking SIG is made up wom-
en who loop wool in fellowship; a hobby
that has been lovingly coined as a case
of “rug-itis” by their husbands.
While they may differ on the style of how
they create their rugs (some members
prefer the wide-loop aesthetic and style,
while others appreciate the complex and
intricate designs of McGown), they don’t
seem to mind. They create together each
week among friends.
Many of the women have been rug hook-
Friends,
closely-
woven
By Maggi Jones
PHOTO BY SHERRY MCRAE