Wednesday, March 12, 2014

March Meeting Highlights ...

March 8 was the date of the most recent Guild meeting, held at the public library in Washington, Indiana.  There were 25 members in attendance.  The business meeting was preceded by visiting, sharing what members were working on, and just a good time to socialize.

At about 11 a.m. Janice Spaulding, President called the business meeting to order and began by asking for old business.  Most of this was pertaining to the Wool Fiber Arts Fair.
  • Shirley Casebolt, Vendor Coordinator, reported that we have 18 confirmed vendors and are full.
  • Teresa Kinman, Treasurer, reported on progress of collecting 2014 dues.  She also confirmed with our food vendor for the fair that he is coming.  Teresa brought the completed raffle rug to show everyone as well as the Country Registers, post card ads, and 8x10 flyers for the Fair.  Members were urged to take these ads to distribute in their area.  Raffle rug tickets were there for pick up also.
  • Janice has obtained the event insurance for the Fair and will have the actual policy in hand next week.
  • Chrystal Goodpaster will mail the post card ads to visitors who signed up to receive prior notification of the Fair.  Shirley will send packs of the post card ads to vendors for distribution by them.
  • A thank you card to Cheryl Atkinson of Atkinson Farm Yarns was passed around for member signatures; Cheryl provided the yarn for binding the raffle rug free of charge.  A thank you to the Guild from Cathy Stephan of Red Barn Rugs was read; Cathy led the February member retreat in Santa Claus.  We sent a thank you to her as well.  Everyone who attended the retreat was enthusiastic about their experience and reinvigorated by the event.
  • Judy Foster passed around the copy for the new Guild informational piece and will have it printed on bright pink card stock for use at the Fair and beyond.
  • Jan Cabel displayed some examples of the crafts they will be teaching for the Kid's Corner at the Fair.  Their area is well in hand.  The free pattern (pictured below) which will be distributed at the door will also be used in the Kid's Corner for coloring.

Free pattern for give away at the fair and for use in the Kid's Corner for coloring ...
Kid's Corner craft projects.
Before the business meeting was adjourned, Janice used two of the patterns on the sales table as examples of what a Cheticamp rug pattern and a typical McGown rug pattern were like and described how they were usually hooked.  Very interesting!  After this the business meeting was adjourned.

The members were then free to shop!  A table of free items was available including Rug Hooking and ATHA magazines, McGown printed material, hooking burlap, several small rug hooking kits, wool strips, and other miscellaneous items.  On the sales tables, items included three cutters, three frames (one with a stand), lots of wool, more than 15 books, hooks, patterns, etc.  All of the sale items were sold to the Guild at considerably reduced prices by Rita Chenoweth of Indianapolis.  Rita taught rug hooking for over 25 years in the Indy area and has given up teaching.  She contacted the Guild through this blog.  Judy Foster picked up the items at Rita's home and arranged the distribution at this meeting (pictures below).  Rita's desire was that beginners have first chance at the basic rug hooking equipment and that was fairly accomplished.  Many thanks from the Guild to Rita!

The items on this table were for sale at greatly reduced prices compared to what one would pay for new items today.  Besides over 15 books on rug hooking, there were five bundles of dyed wool, new as-is wool by the yard, 40 graduated swatches, three cutters and countless cutter heads, three frames (including a Puritan with a floor stand), assorted hooks and rug hooking accessories, and more than 15 patterns on burlap.  Members were happy, overwhelmed and very appreciative of what Rita did for us!

Rita gave HHRHG all of the things on the table in the foreground!  What a blessing, especially for beginning hookers who are thirsty for ideas!

After this fun event, everyone settled down to hook and do some more visiting.  Lots of Red Barn Rugs patterns were being worked on!  Pictures follow ... it was a great meeting!



Barbara Bauman is working on these two wool applique pieces.  She'll use the green yarn, upper right, for the willow tree leaves, trunk showing just below ...



Jan Cabel brought these two wise owls to show us.  She plans on doing penguins next ...
One of the Evansville hookers made these pins; let's hope some of these will be for sale in the Guild Marketplace booth at the Fair ...
Teresa Kinman is working on this turkey rug.  It'll look great in her home this fall!
Betty Lawhead was hard at work on the Red Barn Rugs piece she started at the retreat.
Steve Sims is working on this large, lovely floral.

Mary Elder started this Red Barn Rugs pattern at the winter retreat.  Love the color choices she is using on the pineapple as the focal point!

This Red Barn Rugs urn pattern was being hooked by Sheila Parker.  Sheila's got a lot done on this piece in the short time since the retreat!
We'll close this month's blog with Sug McClain's Easter bunny ... can spring be far behind?