Monday, October 30, 2023

All About Rug Registry


Are you curious about what a rug registry is, and how it works?  Well wonder no more….here’s the definitive guide to rug registries! 

Included are a few snippets of our video interview of Linda Alderdice, Chair of the OHCG Heritage Rug Registry.  This interview was shown at our recent Cobourg hook-in on October 2.


What is a heritage rug registry?

  • A heritage rug registry is a database or catalogue of traditionally hooked rugs that are or appear to be 25 years old, or older.  The database contains details about the person who created the rug, as well as details about the rug itself.  Also included are 2 photographs: one of the rug, and one of the label, allowing us to match the photo with the descriptive details.  Many provinces have their own rug registries.


Why register rugs?

  • A registry serves to record the history and stories associated with a rug, a person and the community in which it was made.  Every rug has a story associated with it, and if it is not recorded or passed down, that information is lost.  A rug registry’s goal is to ensure those stories are not lost.


  • As we learned from Katie Kennedy, Curator at the Northumberland County Archives and Museum, one of the speakers at our Cobourg event, so much of our history is written by and about prominent white males.  By recording the stories of individual rug hookers (largely female) from our past we are attempting to right this imbalance.
  • As folks learn about rug registries and their importance, there is a ‘snowball effect’ where more and more heritage items are identified and brought in to be registered.


Who are the rug hookers to be recorded?

  • The OHCG’s Heritage Rug Registry aims to record the stories and rugs of items hooked by the residents of Ontario.  These rugs could have been hooked elsewhere, but as long as they were hooked by an Ontarian, they are eligible.  By the same token, a rug hooked in Ontario by a non-resident is also eligible. 


What kinds of hooked items are recorded?

  • Any item that has been traditionally hooked can be included.  These include rugs/mats, trivets, bags, pillows, wall hangings, footstools, etc.
  • The items must be at least 25 years old.


What is the information to be recorded?

  • There is a form that can be used to record the details of a rug - available online at ohcg.org, or in paper/electronic form here.
  • The details of the form includes:
    • Owner contact information (and permission to register the rug)
    • Hooker identification:  dates of birth/death, place of residence, education, accomplishments, background, relationship to owner
    • Hooked item information:  where/when made, awards, 
    • Examination of the hooked item:  condition, subject matter, size, materials used
  • Note that in some instances where the rug has been acquired through a purchase (auction, yard sale, etc) the owner may not know any details.  What little the owner does know should be recorded, and when the registered item is posted online, there’s a good chance that someone may recognize it, and supply the missing information.
  • In some cases registered items may be transferred to another province’s registry if post registration research uncovers that it was not hooked in Ontario or by an Ontarian.


What is the registration process

  • Registration can be done online, via the OHCG’s website, or it can be done in person at an event that is advertising the registry of vintage rugs:



In person:

  • If registration is to be done in person at an event, the organizing branch should contact the OHCG’s Heritage Rug Registry to obtain blank labels and a bank of numbers to be used for the registry process.
  • Care should be taken to ensure the security of all hooked items at the venue, and that only the designated owner can remove items at the end of the event.
  • A rug registry at an event requires several specific roles.  These can be distributed among several individuals or handled by a single person, depending on the number of items expected to be registered. The roles are: 
    • Interviewer: ensures the registration form is properly completed and assesses the state of the hooked item.  Assigns a registration number.
    • Sewer: attaches the label to the hooked item
    • Photographer: photographs the front & back of the hooked item
  • A registration form can be completed ahead of time (recommended) and brought to the event, or it can be completed on-site with an “interviewer”.  If the form is completed ahead of time, the interviewer should ensure that as much info as possible is recorded.  The interviewer should have a tape measure on hand.  
  • The interviewer assigns a registration number from the set of allotted numbers, records it on the form, and on a blank label.
  • The label is attached to the reverse of the hooked item.  Usually this is done with needle and thread, unless the item is framed.
  • From there the item is photographed - both the front and back (showing the attached label)
  • Upon completion of the rug registry event, the completed forms and photographs are submitted to the OHCG’s Heritage Rug Registry where the information is entered into their database.  
  • Before sending the info to the OHCG the branch volunteers will need to reconcile the photos with the completed forms and assigned numbers.



On-Line

  • Forms may be completed and submitted online via the OHCG website.
  • The submitter also provides a photograph of the hooked item at the time of registration.
  • Upon receipt of the completed form and photo, the OHCG Heritage Rug Registry team reviews the submission to ensure its eligibility for registration.
  • The team then mails a completed label to the owner who affixes it to the hooked item and returns a photograph of the reverse side of the item, clearly showing the label.
  • Upon receipt of the final photograph the Heritage Rug Registry team adds the item to the registry database.


Hopefully you’ve been able to learn more about registries with this article and can see the value of such an undertaking!  As Linda says, it’s not difficult!  Why not consider hosting a rug registry at your next event?  It could be as simple as a table with a volunteer to collect the stories….or it could be the whole enchilada like we did in Cobourg.  


Also, don’t forget to register your own eligible rugs!  Many OHCG members have lots of rugs that could (and should!) be included in the registry. You’re the best person to tell the stories of your rugs, so don’t let these tales get lost!


Here’s a collage of the rugs we registered on October 2:













Saturday, October 14, 2023

Done & Dusted!



We hope you enjoyed our recent hook-in, It’s About Time, this past October 2 at Grace Church in Cobourg.  It was a wonderful event, with a significant focus on vintage rugs!

Our primary goal was to hold a rug registry “clinic” where we display, and register rugs to the OHCG’s Heritage Rug Registry.  This is an important initiative to document the rugs, history and culture associated with rug hooking and their makers.  There was a team on hand dedicated to displaying, registering, labelling and photographing these vintage treasures…and they were busy!  More on that in another post.

Plus, we had a separate display of rugs by our own vintage treasure, Joyce Jones, who is still hooking at age 98 (she is currently working on a large William Morris design!).  Many of her favourite rugs were on display.


As usual for a hook-in, we had several vendors with a wide variety of goods for sale.  There were speakers, and treats and prizes!  We also held a raffle for some interesting prizes, with the proceeds going to Grace Church’s school lunch program, providing a hot lunch to over 100 local high school students each week.  We raised $359 for this worthwhile cause.

The 3 speakers all spoke on a topic related to vintage rugs.  First up was Linda Alderdice in a pre-recorded interview via zoom, telling us about the importance of rug registries and how they work.  Linda is the chair of the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild’s Heritage Rug Registry (as well as the president of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia).  Her enthusiasm for heritage rugs was clearly evident!


Next up, we heard from Katie Kennedy who is the curator of the Northumberland County Archives and Museum, telling us about the Archives and the new facility under construction.  Her group is also working on an interesting project to interview local rug hookers in order to record their stories.  Three members of the Northumberland Rug Hookers have been interviewed, with the hopes to add more stories in the near future.


Rounding out our collection of speakers was Roxanne Shaughnessy, Senior Curator and Manager of Collection at the Textile Museum of Canada.  She brought along a wonderful slide show of rugs held in the collections of the Textile Museum.


Here are a few more photos from the day.  There will be another post detailing more about the registry itself.









Thanks to everyone who attended (more than 100 of you!), and to the speakers, and the vendors….and to all of the volunteers who made this such a successful day.

More to come on rug registries in a subsequent post.






Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Almost there!


 The anticipation is mounting!  We’re hearing about carloads of folks coming to Cobourg to join our hook-in on October 2….and we’ll certainly be ready for you!

Here are a few more details you need to be aware of:

- Doors will open promptly at 9 am.  You’ll want to be here on time in order to check out the vintage rugs on display, and to vote for your favourites.  Voting has to close down early in order to give us time to register these vintage rugs, so make sure to stop by the voting booth early!

- We want to see your vintage rugs, regardless of whether you know their back story or whether they were even made in another province.  We want to admire ALL the rugs!  Please bring them along!

- Speakers will start at 10 am promptly.  We have an action-packed agenda and we’ll do our best to ensure it all runs according to schedule.

- Vendors - we’ve got lots of them!  If there is something specific you need from a given vendor, why not send them an email now to ensure your goods are there!  In fact, Dawn Liu Smyth of HeartFelt Fibre has even suggested that you order online at her website, select “pick up in store” and include a note that you’ll be there on Monday - she’ll make sure your order comes with her to the event.

- Also, Rosemary Hill of Top ‘O the Hill Jewellery will be featuring vintage items, to go along with our vintage rug theme.  As an added bonus, she’ll be bringing along her ultrasound gizmo for cleaning jewellery.  It’s great for cleaning rings, earrings and more!  She’ll charge a nominal amount for this service.

Here’s a sneak preview of the program for the day:












Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Are you getting excited?



Are you getting excited in anticipation of our upcoming hook-in, October 2?  Check out this video for all the things you need to know!

Hope to see you there!



Saturday, September 16, 2023

Vendors at It’s About Time

 We’ve got a stellar line of of components for our upcoming Hook-In, “It’s About Time”…There will be speakers, rugs on display, and prizes….and there will also be some interesting vendors!  Here’s some info on who will be there, so you can plan out your shopping for October 2:

(In alphabetical order)


Artworks by Karen Kaiser

Karen Kaiser, based in Belleville, is a member of our group, as well as several others.  She’s well known in rug hooking circles for lovely dyed wools and award winning rugs.

She will help with design/colour planning and do custom dyeing.  She also offers interesting workshops!

You can find her online at artworksbykarenkaiser.net



Heartfelt Fibre Arts


Dawn Liu Smyth has a fibre studio in Toronto. She 
specializes in high-quality, unique fibre and tools.  Rug Hooking, Felting, Weaving, and more…Dawn also teaches some interesting workshops!



Janette Froncz Pottery


A graduate of the Haliburton School of Arts and Design in Ceramics, Janette combines her love of Yoga with her love of pottery to produce unique works.  She can be found at the Millbrook Farmer's Market.



Nancy Mallette

Our very own Nancy will be on hand with her own yummy honey and beeswax candles!




The Black Lamb


Laurie Goldiuk has been a fixture in Port Hope for some time!  She specializes in fibre and yarn, as well as spinning equipment.  She's a regular vendor at the Twist Fibre Festival in Quebec.



Thistle and Sticks 


Thistle and Sticks specialize in artisan soaps and beauty products, all inspired by nature and handmade by Barb in Millbrook!

Her website is:  thistlesandsticks.com


Top O' the Hill Jewellery


Rosemary Toth lives in Baltimore and makes beautiful and unique handmade silver jewellery.







Willow Creek Rug Hooking


Carol Shewan (mum to our own Audrey) is based in Westport, where she produces lovely dyed wools, and carries lots of interesting patterns.  She also teaches classes to new and experienced rug hookers.

She can be found online at: Willowcreekrughooking.com.


Yarn It


Cathy Witlox is the proprietor of Yarn It in Cobourg, an award-winning shop full of yarn-y goodness. She often brings along knitted samples and kits to inspire us all!


Her website is: yarnitcobourg.ca.




Chris Poole - Sharpening


As an added bonus, Chris Poole will be setting up his workshop in the basement at Grace Church, and will be doing scissor and cutter sharpening!  Drop off your items in the morning, and he'll have them done for you during the hook-in.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Rug Registration Form

 


Yes, indeedy….it’s almost time for our October 2 hook-in, “It’s About Time”!

This is the one where we will be showcasing all your vintage and heirloom traditional hooked rugs!  To be eligible, the rug must have been made in Ontario and more than 25 years old.  It could be one from your grandmother, or one that you hooked early on in your hooking career (when you were a child, right?)….or it could be one you found at auction or some other wonderful place.

Even if you don’t know the history behind your rug, we’d love to see it!  Bring it along, and maybe someone in attendance can give you more info on it!

Also, don’t worry if your rug is in poor condition…..please bring it in whatever shape it’s in!

While this is an event in conjunction with the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild, you do NOT need to be a member to register your rug.  

There is a whole process to getting your rug registered, and we’ve got a team geared up to make this happen on October 2.  You can help us by printing and completing the registration form ahead of time.   Here’s a link to the form:  RUG REGISTRATION FORM  It’s also available in the handy dandy tab towards the top of your screen.

But don’t worry if you can’t do that…we will have blank copies for you to fill in on October 2.  If you’re unsure of what to put in the form, don’t hesitate to ask us on October 2.

Just in case you’re looking for more details:

Hope to see you there!

Saturday, July 22, 2023

W. I. Archives

Photo from the WI archives

One of the 3 speakers at our upcoming Oct 2 hook-in, It’s About Time, will be Katie Kennedy of the Northumberland County Archives.  She’ll talk to us about the purpose and importance of archives, and also about a program they have initiated to interview rug hookers from the community.  

Here’s a related story about another important archive, available for everyone to access.

There is a treasure trove of info out there, if you know where to look for it.  I was pointed to the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario Digital Archives by 
Joanna Dermenjian when i was posting about WW2 textiles.  ‘She said that if i like “rabbit holes” and textiles, this was definitely a place to check out.  

…and she wasn’t wrong!  The Women’s Institute has been around in Ontario for over 100 years, and they’re still going strong.  Here’s an excerpt from their website about their mission/goals:

For over 125 years, Women’s Institute (WI) Members have actively worked together for family, home, community and country.  The objective of the first Women’s Institute Branch, formed in Stoney Creek on February 19, 1897, was to improve women’s skills in the art of homemaking and childcare.

 

The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) was organized in 1919, giving Members a stronger voice by working together as a united group.  Through education and support programs and services, FWIO’s original focus expanded to include personal growth opportunities, and health and community wellness projects.

One of their achievements has been a compilation of the history of the communities in which they are active.  These histories are known within the group as Tweedsmuir Manuals, and here’s some info on their genesis:

By the mid-1930s, Lady Tweedsmuir, wife of …(the) Governor General of Canada, took a great interest in the Women's Institutes...Lady Tweedsmuir stressed the need for preserving the history of our Canadian people. As an active WI member in England, she suggested that Ontario Women's Institute Branches follow the example of their English counterparts and keep detailed local history books.

This entire collection of history books has been digitized and is accessible online.  You can put in a search criteria of, for example “rug hooking”, and come up with all kinds of goodies!  Pictures, stories and more!  

Here are just 2 small examples of what can be found there.  I’ll post more stuff as we get closer to the date of our upcoming hook-in, featuring all things vintage, “It’s About Time”.

“weighs 100 pounds”???

A true rug hooker - she sacrificed her dressing gown to complete the project!

This is from the 1970’s - click on it for a larger version.  
Mrs Mervin Haight:  aka Dorothy Haight - i bet there were a lot of oriental rugs on display.  
“10 different ways of dyeing wool? - really? can you name them?

Does/did your community have a branch of the WI?  Take a gander through the archives, and see what you can find - you may learn something about the history of your area….and you may even come across some references to rug hooking.  Hooking was a very popular craft for WI members - there are many references to hooking, classes and more.






Monday, July 10, 2023

A Vintage Rug from Fogo

If you ask around, you’ll find that lots of folks have a vintage rug or 3 tucked away somewhere.  Such is the case with my friend, Susan.  She and her partner, Norman, have a lovely cottage near Minden, that’s been in Norman’s family for some time.

It contains several rugs that are clearly vintage treasures.  No one is sure of the provenance of these 2 rugs.  They could have been made by Norman’s mother, but maybe not.

Check out the tasselled fringe that’s been added to this one!  Susan thinks it had been stored folded, as you can see some repairs on the reverse.  Likely the burlap backing started to perish…..but how’s about those hot pink cherry blossoms!  This was not a dull rug in its day.  It was a focal point of the room.

The pattern on this next one is a bit hard to discern, as it’s faded on BOTH sides (likely, in part, due to the dyes used), but the flowers look kinda like roses.



The pièce de résistance of the collection, however, is this one.


Reverse side, showing the original colours.

Here’s what Susan has written for us about the rug:

Norman's dad, Oscar Rogers, was with the RCAF and was posted to a radar station at Tilting on Fogo Island during the war.

Photo of Oscar Rogers at Fogo Island, taken during WW2.

He was impressed with the rug hooking by the local artisans and commissioned a woman to make a rug for him, based on his own design.The resulting rug has been hanging on the wall at the cottage for as long as I've been going there (1990) and of course for decades before.

Norman tells me he learned that someone else at the station liked it so much, he got the woman to make one of the same design for him too (without Oscar's permission).

When we were there in 2017, Norman took a picture of it with him, to try and learn something about it. Despite a potential lead on a woman who had known many earlier hookers in the area, we never were able to connect with her. :^(


I looked closely at it, but I have no idea what it's made from. Wool?Cotton? You might be able to tell.  [looks like wool blankets to me]  I've included pics of both front and back (slightly richer colours on the back).  Also the bound edging, front and back bottom corner. [interesting to me that the burlap edge was not whipped - just folded under, but still visible on the right side!] In the picture of the back, at the top corners, you can see the elderly pins that Oscar used to hang it on the wall.



So we know that one of the rugs at the cottage came from Newfoundland….is it possible that all 3 of them came from there?  2 purchased, plus one commissioned?  (Bonus, there is (or was) at least one more rug of the same design.) 

What do you think???


A big thank you to Susan* and Norman for allowing us to post photos of their vintage rugs.

(*Susan is an acclaimed writer of short crime fiction.  Check out her work here!)