Sugaring Off Rittermere Pattern – 24” x 35” Hooked by Sally Perodeau     Pictorials such as this are fun to do. You can draw the subject yourself, or order a scene from one of the many catalogs available; similarly gift cards are a good source of ideas. Pictorials are great for using a variety of materials. I used burlap for the sleigh, leather for the harness, old tweeds for the trees, plastic for the maple sap, my neighbor’s old coat for the red jacket and some knitting wool for the smoke and some of the snow. Lois Morris is a great inspirational teacher; she suggests, helps and encourages us always. Thank you, Lois.
	Half-Round – Ellie’s rug (Designer unknown) Hooked by Denise Vandenbemden   The pattern of this rug must be very old. I bought it at a rummage sale, the original price tag was still attached, $8. A pattern on burlap today costs about five times as much. The burlap was still in perfect condition and all I had to do was choose the colours. I have a hard time deciding what colours I am going to use. I often change my mind, even after dyeing all the wool. This time my grand-daughter Ellie helped me out. The colours I used are entirely her choice. All the wool has been hand dyed with Cushing Acid Dyes and the rug was hooked in #4 cut.
	Vermont Shells Chair Pad (Joan Moshimer Design)   Hooked by Louise G. de TonnancourThis is the very first rug that I hooked. I went to Kennebunkport, ME, in the summer of 1986 to purchase this Joan Moshimer pattern.
	Tabriz by Kay Cousineau     This oriental pattern measuring 38“ x 69”, was designed by Joan Moshimer of Kennebunkport, Maine. It was hooked by Kay who dyed all the wool used in this project. Kay reported that it was a very enjoyable project and not that difficult to do.

	Runaway Canoe Original Wall Hanging by Brenda Ticehurst This rug was inspired by a photo of boathouses at Lac des Seize Iles (16 Island Lake) in the Laurentians, past St-Sauveur, Quebec. The canoe is drifting unattached. The bay is often painted by local artists. The wall hanging was popular in an art show at the local recreation club. The reflections in the water were the most difficult part. The trees were done by pixilating.   N.B. Pixelation is the display of a digitized image where the individual pixels are apparent to the viewer. This can happen when an image is magnified to the point that each pixel becomes separately viewable (usually looking like little boxes).
	My Little Puppy Davey Original wall hanging by Maureen Rowe   This is my little Jack Russell terrier. He is 6 years old now but, for me, he is always my puppy. So playful and loving – he is a wonderful companion who follows me around the house and garden all day. I named him after another Davey, my son, Max’s dog. I was walking his dog in Los Angeles one day when he escaped from me, took off down a busy street and was hit by a bus. As you can imagine, I was distraught and felt so guilty as well because he died on my watch. When I got my little terrier puppy, I asked my son if I could name this dog after his dog and he agreed – so that is how Davey got his name. Doing this rug was a wonderful hooking time, filled with love and lots of ideas for the colours to get the dog just right. I did and I am so glad as I will always have this to remember him. And my son Max just adores Davey.   I used wool strips cut in nos. 2, 3 and 4.
	Beginner Floral A Rittermere pattern hooked by Jeanne Osler   In 1981, when I joined BHCG, a beginner’s course was required. Shading of six flowers and leaves in either a rug or bell pull, using no. 3 cut wool strips. Individuals could choose among Rittermere patterns.   I am pleased today to see that a beginner will be able to enjoy a completed project much more quickly.
	Sheepie A three-dimensional piece designed by Gail Dufresne of New Jersey, and hooked by Joy Wheeler.   I enlarged Gail Dufresne’s design. This is my first three-dimensional piece. It is a black, white and grey lamb that I hooked on burlap with No. 6 cut wool. It is 9 inches high and 10 inches long. The wool is all recycled except for the white. For the legs I used antique wooden pirns spools used in the spinning industry. The eyes came from my grandmother’s button jar. The lamb was filled with fiberfill.

	Rose Hooked by Ailish O'Keefe   The rose pattern was very interesting as a tool to learn how to do shading. As usual, Lois gave a very good class on shading but I ended up having lots of problems trying to get the shading done correctly. After many efforts that I kept taking back out, I decided to do it as if I were doing a watercolour painting – this worked very well for me, and I finally was able to complete the rose. I used purples – who ever saw a purple rose? I took artistic license! After I completed the rose and the leaves, I decided to do a white background using cotton thread that Lois gave me. I ended up having the rug stretched on a frame and it looks really good – at least I think it is beautiful!
	Golden Rose Hooked by Sylvia Solomon       16 in x 16 in. recycled wool, no5 cut.   It’s a golden yellow rose on a royal blue background. It was indeed a challenge for me to do a piece with shading. I have made it into a pillow and display it proudly in my living room.
	A rose is a rose Hooked by Denise Vandenbemden   16 in x 15 in The rose is a free pattern from the book “The Rug Hookers’ Bible”. I hand dyed the wool and cut in no. 5 strips. When I finished the rose, I didn’t like what I saw, somehow it seemed as if something was missing. The rose looked unnatural and bland. Edging it in a contrasting colour brought it back to life and made all the difference.
	White Rose Hooked by Claire Fradette   14 in. x 14 in. Recycled wool, no. 6 cut   I made the rose in memory of my husband who had passed away that year. At that time, someone sent me a bouquet of white roses in sympathy. That is why my rose is white.

	Geometric rug Hooked by Ailish O'Keefe   This rug was the result of a geometric class given by Judith  Dallegret. The pattern is actually a quilting pattern which I always liked so I decided to use it as a really good example of a geometric design.   These happen to be favourite colours of mine, and I hooked with number 6's.   I chose the off-white background because I felt it would be the best way to highlight the main colours of the rug.
	Geometric rug  Hooked by Claire Fradette   This rug was started in a class taken with Judith Dallegret. I made this for my daughter who selected the colours. The rug measures 36 in. x 24 in. and was hooked entirely in no. 6 cut wool, some of which was dyed.
	Prairie Vista Designed and hooked by Lorayne Charenko   For this pictorial, I used a combination of wools. For example, the wall is hooked with reccycled wool, which I overdyed and cut with scissors, while the sky is new wool, cut in no. 2. I used no. 3 cut wools for the rest of the picture, which measures 26 cm x 36 cm.
	Summers' Glory Designed and hooked by Lois Morris   I designed, dyed the wool to match the quilt and hooked this floral rug this summer with impressionist shading, to go with a floral quilt that the women of "Christ Church Rawdon" were making to raffle and raise money for a new roof for the church.  Some lucky person will win them both.   Our Anglican Church has been in existence since 1821 and was rebuilt in its present state in 1859 after a fire. It is considered a Heritage Building and is therefore eligible for assistance for restoration from the Quebec government.  We have done other restoration under the Heritage Grants. The only stipulation is that we have to replace the roof with Cedar Shake Shingles which were original to the building and we have to raise 1/3 of the money before they will release the rest of the funds---- which are considerable. We have had many fund raising events and hope to reach our goal by years end.

	Scrolled Flowers  Hooked by Sylvia Solomon   This rug is a copy of a rug done in punch needle, which was in “A Passion for Punchneedle”. It was originally a pattern for a rug intended for a dollhouse. I enlarged it to 22 inches x 32 inches. I also changed the colours. It is done in a #5 cut and some #3. I used all recycled wool.
	Hamilton Lace Designed by Joan Moshimer, modified and hooked by Kay Cousineau   The rug measures 24” x 64” and is in a design that was modified somewhat, especially in the scroll areas. The rug was started during a course given by our teacher, Judith Dallegret, and finished with the help of Lois Morris, our other teacher. The rug was hooked mainly in #5 cut, using a lot of leftover wool from previous projects. I really enjoyed hooking this rug, as it was a total departure from the oriental themes that I had been hooking up till then.
	My mistakes Designed by Tara Darr Lais and Hooked by Sharon Clarke   I hooked this rug for my Mother’s 77th birthday. It is made of different wools that I dyed and which I had hoped would come out a different colour than it did. Hence, I gave the rug the name “My Mistakes”. Very apt, as my Mother has tolerated my mistakes all my life! It is based on a template for  “Primitive Flowers” by Tara Darr and hooked in a no. 8 cut on monk’s cloth. My other rugs have been much darker colours, so working this palette was quite a challenge. Mom loves the rug and moves it to a new room each day so she can show it off!
	Santa Claus Wall Hanging Designed by Polly Minick and hooked by Barbara Kerr   This wall hanging is an old style version of Santa Claus and was shown in a book called “Hooked Rugs” by Ann Davies and Emma Tennant. It is called Father Christmas and was designed as a floor rug by Polly Minick. It is somewhat different from the original design in that Santa’s body, the tree, and the bag are sculpted giving the piece a three dimensional look and the beard is a piece of loose wool which flies out behind him. I used her colours, which are strong but muted and give the rug a faded antique look. It has become part of our Christmas celebration that we all enjoy.

	Oxen in Summer Designed by Maud Lewis and hooked by Maureen Rowe   This was hooked from a Maud Lewis kit purchased in the boutique of the Art Gallery of  Nova Scotia where there is a permanent Maud Lewis exhibition. I was so taken with Maud’s primitive art and her colours that I decided to do this piece of “Oxen in Summer” with variegated wool in the same colours she used, rather than the solid house paint coloured wool that came in the kit, so it is hooked à ma façon. It was lots of fun to do as Maud’s  subjects are always so whimsical.
	Fall (sampler) Designed by Mary Lou Lais and Hooked by Lucie Geneviève  Lambert    I used #6 cut and new and recycled wool on monkscloth.
	Jacobean A Rittermer design hooked by Audrey  Colliss   is a print I bought from Rittermer the late eighties.  The colors I used were "Joan Moshimer Jacobean Colors". She spent one whole summer experimenting with the dyes with her windows wide open in her kitchen and the cool breeze coming in off the Atlantic ocean to keep her cool.  The end result was the beautiful dye colors she produced and we are the fortunate benefactors.
	Provence (an inspiration from a wrapping paper)  Hooked by Denise Vandenbemden   One of my Belgian friends came to visit one day and admired our work. She couldn't wait to give it a try herself, so I quickly created a small pattern, inspired by a piece of wrapping paper, provided her with the necessary material and got her started. Her stay was to short for her to finish the piece and fearing that I might have forgotten what it looked like if ever she called me later on for instructions  I made the same one for me. I called it Provence and this is how it looks.  And hers? Once back at home and her daily occupations she never took it up again. It still sits in her suit case  Well... that's life.

	Round trip to New Mexico Designed and hooked by Louise de Tonnancour   I always wanted to see New Mexico.  My dream became reality during a March school break.  Upon my return, I designed and decided to make this rug in the punchneedle technique.  60" in diameter
	Sudoku Designed and Hooked by Brenda Ticehurst   When planning my next rug, I wanted to do something that would be more interactive for viewers.  In the summer at the cottage our family does Sudoku contests.  It gave me the idea to hook one.  I chose a puzzle that was symmetrical.  It is a medium difficult one.  To make it more colorful I assigned a consistent colour to each number.  At the bottom I made a pocket to hold pencils and a paper copy of the puzzle for those who wanted to try it.  I also hooked a few individual numbers that could be pinned in place when viewing the work. It is hooked on burlap with #6 Wool strips.
	Maureen and her boys Designed and Hooked by Ailish O'Keefe   When my children were small I used to draw "stickmen" for them - we would make up stories (like in comic books) and do stickmen for illustrations.  My daughter Maureen reminded about that and she asked that I do a rug showing her and her four boys, using the old stickmen - she drew them so she could put in the particular smile of each of her sons - so voila!!!  Here they are - hooked by her Mom. I used number 6 cuts -  from three colours of fabric that I put together because I love the combination of those bright colours.
	Chasing Salmon (an inspiration from a gift card) Hooked by Sally Perodeau   My daughters who live in B.C. are enthralled with the exceptional artifacts produced by the Haida band, and may I suggest a visit to any exibit of their work should not be missed. One such visit encouraged me to attempt an eagle. My eagle wall hanging was made on rug warp, this I use as it is a strong material, and there is no fear of any holes developing ---- the bird was hooked with a no.2 cut, the background on no.3 cut, and the sea with no 4 cut. The red wool is hand dyed oriental red, for the white parts I finally settled for some white and nylon fabric from a local store (pure white wool seems impossible to find.) The sea was easy to do as it was originally a pale blue blanket abashed with royal blue dye. I just zig zagged the lines and the waves appeared. For the sky I dip dyed natural wool for the palest of shades of the royal blue dye. In order for the border not to be too dense I used various shades of black, this was hooked back and forth. For finishing the hanging it is on a stretcher and at the sides where the burlap showed, black electric tape was used.  It is a companion to the whale I did last year, with the help of my teacher Lois Morris.

	The covered bridge Designed by Anna Gratton Fielding and hooked by Marion Hood   This is the “New Zealand” pattern by Anna Gratton Fielding bought a the Green Mountain Rug Hooking Show. The scene reminds me of River John, Nova Scotia, 100 years ago and of the covered bridge and my grandfather Murray M.D, making calls in his sleigh and Trixie, his horse. Hooked in # 4 and # 6 . The sparkly snow is a skein of mohair and wool, acrylic and nylon (sparkle)
	Pond Hockey Club Designed and Hooked by Alice Hamilton   The idea behind the picture came from 3 sources. My great nephew Alex was learning to skate and spent a lot of time laying flat on the ice, refusing to get up. Can you find him in the picture? You're right. He is the one flat on his tummy. The second source was an article I read in Canadian Geographic Magazine about pond hockey tournaments in New Brunswick. That triggered a memory of my father cleaning the snow off a section of the river at our farm so that my sister and I could skate.  The end result came together in this winter scene. It is done in # 3 and # 4 cut wool with some white yarn for highlights on the snow in the foreground on a linen background.
	Autumn Chrysanthemum Designed and Hooked by Lois Morris   I had been thinking about hooking this girl for a while and last year I set about putting her on paper.  The first few drawings were not quite what I wanted. In fact I had the whole thing on my rug warp and she looked at me and I don't like my surroundings.  So I changed them along with her dress.  I made it longer added the coat instead of the scarves I had around her neck and took her off the flagstone patio and put her where she is today.  She has an Eurasian look to her and I had a Chinese friend name her in Chinese, I do not have the where with all to write the Chinese figures on the computer but the translation is "Autumn Chrysanthemum" (a Chinese girls name).  I feel it fits her perfectly.
	Magic at Night Designed and Hooked by Maria Margarita Romero   Volcanoes are one of the most amazing wonders of nature that I have ever seen in my life. I went several times to Costa Rica where I visited Arenal Volcano, which is one of the most active in the world. Feeling the power of nature has always been an incredible experience. During the day, I saw this giant throw ashes and rocks. By night I saw its lava flows, I heard its roar and I felt the ground tremor. I used number  6 cut and some number 3. I used new and recycled wool and a little of acrylic for the lava, and I have chosen a two color whipping: blue lavender for the sky and brown for the earth.     Lois Morris has dyed the wool for the background. This piece is part of a series of world's volcanoes.

	Candles in the window Hooked by Denise Vandenbemden   We wanted to do something special for our 2008 exhibition and the first idea was to create a small piece with candles. I love stained glass and downloaded, from the Internet, a free stained glass pattern reminding me of the beautiful windows in art deco houses. I adapted it to my own taste by making it a double window and choosing the pastel colors I like, although these are more often seen in church windows than in art deco houses. I added the candles and that was it. The result is what you see here. The size is 16 x 16" hooked on burlap with cut #4. The colors are dyed on new natural wool.
	Memory of my wedding day Designed and Hooked by Maureen Rowe   Our wedding photographer made a composite photograph of my husband Hugh and me, kissing inside a brandy glass on a table next to a candle and a rose. So this rug is my recreation of a wonderful memory of May 21, 1977.
	Christmas candles Hooked by Denise Morissette     I was looking for an inspiration for the “Candle Challenge Rug” and I found it on the Internet. I saw a picture with Christmas decorations and candles and I decided to do an adaptation of it. I used cuts number 6 and number 3.

	Laurierville, Quebec, my village Designed and Hooked by Denise Morissette   The landscape reproduces the countryside where I grew up. These images are a product of my imagination and memory of the beautiful Appalachian region where I lived my youngest years. I choose to recreate the color of spring when nature wakens after the winter. Photos are used as model for the design of houses and the church of the village. The dimension is 39 x 26 ½  inches. This work is made with number 6 and 3 cuts. The wool used is from clothes bought in second hand stores. For the sky I used wool bought by the meter. The graduated blue color was done under the supervision of Lois Morris in a workshop on dyeing.
	Floral Fantasy # 1 Designed and Hooked by Sylvia Salomon   I like crewel-type florals and I like to draw my own pattern. This is an asymmetrical design with different kinds of flowers with a bird and two butterflies as accents. I created it two years ago and I had a wonderful time hooking it. I used a # 5 cut. I used mostly recycled wool, some of which I dyed. The background was hooked in different directions to add texture and movement to the piece. I also used different blues to add contrast. It measures 30” x 29”.
	Nova Scotia Village Designed by Joe Norris and hooked by Jeanne Osler   Joe Norris (1924-1996) is a great Canadian folk artist and I love his colorful paintings. I bought one of this landscapes from Highland heart Hookery, in Halifax, Nova-Scotia. The pattern JN404 called “Winter Village” is 14 x 15 inches. The printed burlap original painting was a winter scene which I adapted to autumns because it is my favorite time of the year. For this rug, I used dyed wool and number 3 and 4 cut.
	Orange cat Designed and hooked by Audrey Colliss   I drew a picture of our cat “Tiger” as I saw him: big and quite strong. It was my attempt at art, which is all very primitive. The orange color of the cat was an old plaid skirt, cut in strips of about 1/3 of an inch wide. The cement walkway was from an old pair of pants from a man’s suit. The material was washed and dried in the drier* and then cut by hand. The grass was regular hooking wool died green.   * When fabric (clothing) is dried in the dryer it shrinks and the strips stay together better for hooking.

	Fisherman Designed and hooked by Lorayne Charenko   This is a rug I made with Lois Morris in one of her portrait workshops. I learned a lot about shadows and portraits and I was very excited. After this course, I was looking at people differently, observing shadows skins tones, people’s noses and other features. I was looking for an inspiration for my portrait and I found it in a National Geographic Magazine. I saw a male portrait and I decided to do one fisherman smoking a pipe. So, this is an adaptation from a picture in an old National Geographic Magazine. I used a number 3 and 4 cut. I over dyed old pieces and material reclaim and I dyed the background myself.
	Haida Whale Designed and hooked by Sally Perodeau   It was once believed a whale could capture a canoe and transform its occupants into whales. They are held in great awe for their size and power and a typical life span is 20 to 40 years.   The inspiration for my wall hanging was from a gift card. My mentor, Lois Morris, suggested that we just use the whale and enlarge it, then reverse the pattern for the small one that goes up into the border. The sea is hooked diagonally with the bubbles which makes it more realistic. Number 2 and 3 cuts were used. The spotted sections were from a check black and white skirt. The border was hooked “back and forth” which takes longer but makes a nice frame. My daughter was happy to receive it for her birthday.
	A fish in your dish Designed and hooked by Lois Morris   My daughter and her family are great fish eaters so I made them a set of placements to use when they are eating on their deck. This is one placement of eight. The mats are all hooked with the same colors arranged in a different manner making all the fish look different, while they all go together color wise as a set. The fish designs were hooked with left over cut pieces of wool and are made of many different cuts mixed together.
	High Tide, Low Tide Designed and hooked Louise G. de Tonnancour One day, a friend quilter gave me a bag of scraps (100% wool). The whole of the colors inspired me to design and realize this rug. I have hooked in the traditional way and I have used the old technique of proddy. The bubbles were hooked with transparent plastic bags.

	Kiss the Cod, Goodbye Designed and hooked by Judith Dallegret     The story of my Cod Fish rug This rug is hooked in very wide strips of number 9 and 10 (1/2”) wool, all hand dyed by myself. I like a primitive textured antique look for my own work. The bright colours will disappear over time, but it won’t matter, as that is the life of a hooked mat. The rainbow design was used in the old days for quilt and rugs.   Why a Cod Fish? Having strong roots to Nova Scotia and being a great, great granddaughter of sailing captains who ventured around the world on the tall seas, I have always had a love and respect of the sea and all that lives in the oceans. My most notorious great, great, great-grandfather, was Capt. David Morehouse who found the very famous mysterious ghost ship the “Marie Celeste” sailing off the coast of Africa.   I once read in Rug Hooking Magazine that a rug hooker from Maine had a hooked a rug of this ship for her summer home in NS and that it was stolen. I have always wondered if it was ever found and how nice it was to honour this majestic sailing vessel in a rug.  I should have done so myself but I chose the Cod fish instead! Each summer, when I return down home to Sandy Cove on Digby Neck, NS., it seems that the supply of fish, although plentiful in the stores of Montreal, is harder and harder to get in Nova Scotia. In the market of Toulouse, France, one day I saw piles and piles of fish form all over the world. All types of fish have cards to say what country these fish were from, but not the Cod Fish which is Canadian and is disappearing faster than any fish alive. The supplies are running out, not just in Newfoundland, but all over the world. Suddenly I felt sad. If we can’t save the Cod, how can we save ourselves? So I hooked a rug to honour the mighty Cod Fish, title “Kiss the Cod, Goodbye”. It rests in front of my fireplace in Nova Scotia.
	Smoked Salmon By Ailish O’Keeffe   I saw a picture of a fish smoking a pipe, and I thought this idea could be great for a rug. I discussed the idea with Judith Dallegret who gave me a drawing of a fish that I could use as a basis for a rug called “Smoked Salmon”.   I used monk’s cloth to work on, and a number 6 cut wool. The colors include a deep salmon, purple and yellow mixed with spot-dyed wool to make an interesting combination. The piece is 37” x 20”. It is  to be a wall hanging.
	Aquarium Designed by Pearl McGowan and hooked by Sally Perodeau   The aquarium is a very old pattern which challenged my imagination. I fell in love with this McGowan’s design, because it is such a different rug hooking pattern!   The design is hooked with number 3 cut with material gleaned from my fellow hookers. The greens which I took from a monochromatic class filled in well for the bull rushes. For the turtles, I used tapestry wool. The sand is from some variegated knitting wool.   I was in a hurry to get started and I did not transfer the pattern to good linen or rug warp, after 30 years I should have know better!! Alas I paid for my impatience as the burlap developed holes and consequently I had to patch a few times. So, please, learn from my experience and never hook on old burlap!   Because of the weakness of the burlap the only option I had was to create a wall hanging. I pressed it myself as it was too frail to be stretched and put on a frame by a professional, as long as it hangs on the wall it should last many years in my grandson’s room. I really like pictorials and I have, after all, a very enjoyable pictorial rug that I really love. Many thanks to Lois Morris for her help with this rug. She has helped many people over the years.
	Misty Morning Bar Harbor, Maine By Lois Morris   A Gannet There is nothing nicer that being by the ocean and experiencing the peace and quiet of a very early morning before anyone else has risen. We were camping in Bar Harbor, Maine, and I was up before everyone in a misty morning and took my coffee and went sat by the shoreline. There was an island off shore that was hilly and you could see the top of it through the early morning mist. Closer to me on a pile of rocks was a large shore bird. I did a quick sketch of the bird and filed it away in my mind intending to perhaps paint this picture when I got back home. But instead I decided to hook it. I went to my dye pot, and did some dyeing for the sky. I found some left over pieces of spot dye for my water, and various and sundry pieces of left over strips from other projects that I used for my rocks. Then I dirtied up some white for my bird along with a few more leftovers I found and the results are what you see.