National and International Associations
ASSOCIATION OF TRADITIONAL HOOKING ARTISTS (ATHA)
ATHA represents the combined talents and resources of over 4,000 fiber artists across the globe; and exists to help people express themselves through fiber art. All four rug hook guilds mentioned here are members of ATHA. There are 17 Regions within the ATHA organization, with individual chapters within each Region. Local guilds require their members to belong to ATHA by paying annual membership dues in addition to local dues.
https://www.atharugs.com/chapter-regions
https://www.atharugs.com
NATIONAL GUILD OF PEARL K. MCGOWN RUG HOOKRAFTERS
The National Guild of Pearl K. McGown Rug Hookrafters Inc. serves to educate and inform the public about the craft of rug hooking. Membership in the organization provides you with a quarterly newsletter and information on professional classes to become certified as a McGown instructor. Annual membership can be purchased, but it is not required.
https://www.mcgownguild.com
THE INTERNTIONAL GUILD OF HANDHOOKING RUGMAKERS
The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers (TIGHR) was founded on December 4th 1994 in London, England by a group of international friends who decided to establish a worldwide group involved in rugmaking. They established International Rug Hook-in Day, celebrated on December 5th.
https://tighr.net/
Museums
HOOKED RUG MUSEUM OF NORTH AMERICA (HRMNA), NOVA SCOTIA
The Hooked Rug Museum of North America was the dream of Suzanne Conrod of Chester, Nova Scotia. Together with her husband Hugh, they began collecting rugs and artifacts that would form the basis of a museum collection.
https://www.hookedrugmuseumnovascotia.org
WISCONSIN MUSEUM OF QUILTS and FIBER ARTS
Although not exclusively rug hooking oriented, the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, located just east of historic downtown Cedarburg, Wisconsin, is dedicated to educating the public about the artistic, cultural, historic and social importance of quilts and fiber arts. On occasion, they have exhibits dedicated exclusively to rug hooking. The museum seeks to increase the awareness of historic structure preservation. The museum is in a repurposed 1850s farmhouse. It is accessible. There is plenty of parking at the door.
https://www.wiquiltmuseum.com/
Studios & Vendors
ART WOOLS STUDIO OF SUSAN L. FELLER
Wool artist and teacher. A founding member of InTheStudioOnline, a curriculum of online textile courses in February of each year. A West Virginia textile artist and art evangelist.
https://artwools.com/susan-feller/
W. CUSHING & CO.
Supplying the fiber industry since 1879. One of the oldest vendors for rug hooking supplies in the country. They make and sell Cushing’s "Perfection" Dyes. "Our dyes are beloved by generations of dyers. We offer Acid Dyes as well as Direct Dyes to the fiber industry." Visit them for patterns, wool, linen, rugs for sale, paisley, yarns, punch needle supplies, tools, frames, and dyeing supplies. Owner Lisanne Miller hosts a monthly live video "3rd Thursday with Lisanne at W. Cushing & Co." on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/@w.cushingco.7414/videos
https://wcushing.com/
DORR MILL STORE
Dorr Mill Store is "a complete source for rug hooking and other fabric arts;" it is a dependable source for high quality materials. Their products are used for traditional rug hooking, braiding, wool appliqué, military reenactments, hand dying, and other projects for fiber artists.
https://dorrmillstore.com/
contact@DorrMillStore.com
DEANNE FITZPATRICK STUDIO
A rug hooker in Amherst, Nova Scotia, with a wide following for her wool, yarn, and patterns. On her website she offers classes, products, books, and her Thursday Live sessions on Facebook, Instagram. Many people visit her store in Nova Scotia as a sort of rug hooking oasis.
https://www.hookingrugs.com
https://www.facebook.com/DeanneFitzpatrickStudio
GREEN MOUNTAIN HOOKED RUGS
Green Mountain Hooked Rugs is a family-owned and operated business run by fourth and fifth generation traditional rug hookers in Montpelier, Vermont. They sell wool, kits, hooks, frames and other supplies.
https://greenmountainhookedrugs.com/
HALCYON YARN
For over 50 years they have delivered the best quality yarns, fibers, and tools for weaving, knitting, spinning, dyeing, felting, and more, to fiber artists worldwide. Natural fibers, handmade textiles. Fast shipping and friendly, expert service.
https://halcyonyarn.com/
HONEY BEE HIVE RUG HOOKING
Honey Bee Hive offers supplies and more than 3,000 rug hooking patterns, including the collection of designs by Pearl McGown and Jane McGown Flynn. They also carry dozens of additional artists, including Kim Nixon, Carolyn Stich and others.
https://rughook.com/
I LOVE RUG HOOKING
A physical store in Texas with a large online clientele too. They shop quality products worldwide. Localshoppers in central are welcome to shop in our fully stocked store, by appointment please. Our onlinestore provides the best in traditional rug hooking and proddy rug supplies. Wool, tools, frames,patterns, cutters, hooks, paisley, classes, rug camps, used equipment. Shelley Lencioni is the owner.
https://www.iloverughooking.com
KAREN D.MILLER
Canadian artist and teacher, exhibiting her work in various galleries and exhibition spaces. An innovative artist using a variety of techniques and fibers in her work. Active in groups in support of motherhood. Active in Spilt Milk Gallery. A founding member of InTheStudioOnline, a curriculum of online textile courses in February of each year.
https://karendmillerstudio.com/
THE OLD TATTERED FLAG
A mother and daughter work together in the shop to educate people in rug hooking via videos. They also have wool, patterns, supplies, frames, cutters, gifts (like shawls or other woven type garments), and classes and workshops.
https://theoldtatteredflag.com/otf-boutique/
THE OXFORD COMPANY, AMY OXFORD
Amy Oxford is a recognized expert in punch needle artwork. She leads workshops and has written books that stand as the bible in the industry for techniques, materials and history. She sells hooks, yarn, patterns, books, frames, and classes.
https://amyoxford.com/
PARRIS HOUSE WOOL WORKS
Elizabeth Miller has a shop with supplies, classes, books, patterns, in a traditional coastal building with lots of character. She is also active as a member of InTheStudioOnline, a curriculum of online textile courses in February of each year. Elizabeth is one of the leaders of “Get Hooked at Sea,” where a group of hookers takes a Mainewindjammer trip aboard a schooner, the J E Riggin. You hook and make friends while you sail. “This experience is open to all, seasoned rug hookers and those brand new to the art. Let’s see where the wind blows.”
https://parrishousewoolworks.com/
PINE ISLAND PRIMITIVES
This is the rug hooking business of Sally Kallin, an experienced teacher and vendor. Her shop in Lake City, MN has many hundreds of yards of wool, kits, patterns, and sign-ups for workshops. Sally has exclusive rights to teach the “Fragment” method. It is a technique developed by Carol Weatherman.
https://www.pineislandprimitives.com/index2.html
MAGAZINES, PUBLISHED INFORMATION, ONLINE AND VIDEO RESOURCES
RUG HOOKING CAMPS, SHOWS, WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
A place where Rug Hookers and Fiber Artists can post upcoming Hooking camps, Rug Exhibits, and Workshops. Find out what is happening in your area! Enjoy! There have been fewer shows and camps since the pandemic. We hope they are picking up again.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/505264296196174/
RUG HOOKING MAGAZINE
Rug Hooking magazine is published five times per year, and is available in some book and craft stores, and by subscription. The magazine provides high-quality articles and photographs about the art and craft of rug hooking, and how-to articles on techniques and projects. Rug Hooking Magazine also publishes many books on rug hooking.
https://www.rughookingmagazine.com
CINDI GAY RUG HOOKING ON YOUTUBE
Cindi has many videos showing rug hooking techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/cindigay
DEANNE FITZPATRICK HOSTS A THURSDAY LIVE, EVERY THURSDAY 11 AM ATLANTIC TIME
It is available to be viewed after it has been posted each week on YouTube, her website, Instagram and Facebook. She has almost 200 episodes of “Thursday Live.” She typically demonstrates some hooking, talks about the wool and yarn in her shop and casually chats with her staff during the 20-min live video. Deanne is an innovative, unpredictable hooker and demonstrates less formal techniques. For example, she hooks with a lot of yarn.
https://hookingrugs.com/blogs/woolcake2
HAPTICS AND HUE, JO ANDREWS, PODCAST
A podcast on the often-forgotten role that textiles play in our lives and our communities. She is a handweaver who weaves mainly with natural fibers on either an eight-shaft or a four-shaft loom. In a former life, she was a reporter and senior correspondent for Independent Television News of London.
https://hapticandhue.com/listen/
HOOKS AND LOOPS – PRIMITIVE RUG HOOKING FACEBOOK GROUP
This group is for people who hook rugs to share hooking information, ask questions, show rugs you have completed or are working on, assist and inspire other hookers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/725706741586059
LOOPY LADIES FACEBOOK GROUP
The Facebook page by the Loopy Ladies Guild in Illinois. It provides images of the rug hooked pieces its members are working on, as well as providing meeting info and updates on events in the rug hooking community. It also provides many images for inspiration with the design process.
https://www.facebook.com/LoopyLadies75/
THIRD THURSDAY WITH LISANNE, YOUTUBE
Lisanne Miller, the owner of W. Cushing and Co., is sponsored by Rug Hooking Magazine to post a video every third Thursday of the month. She generally demonstrates a technique on a pattern that her company offers for sale. She is a traditional hooker and teaches traditional techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/@w.cushingco.7414
“WHICH IS THE BEST FRAME FOR RUG HOOKING?”
The article is on the website “FromJaneMMason.com.” On the website, search for “hooking frame.” Or, use this link: https://fromjanemmason.com/blogs/artinthecenter/which-is-the-best-frame-for-rug-hooking
