Hook Along Tomorrow!

 

Reminder

Tomorrow (Jan 16) 

is the first day of our inaugural Hook Along!

This is a free event available to 2025 OHCG members, where we gather via zoom, to work on the free pattern published for the Annual. It’s hosted by Wendie Scott Davis and she’ll get us talking about the design and kick start a bunch of ideas on how to approach it. We can ask questions, provide input and generally feed off of each other’s enthusiasm. Everyone will bring their own interpretation to the pattern. Remember that it’s not a speed contest: some folks will finish right away, while others may not, and that’s fine! 

Jan 16 is our first gathering - and we’ll get together every 2nd Thursday: Jan 30, Feb 13, Feb 27. You can read more about it HERE. You can also get the free pattern HERE. 

It’s a wonderful way to while away a winter evening, and get enthused about the 2025 Annual in Cobourg on May 10: Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll, celebrating the 1960’s, coincidentally when the OHCG was first formed! 

If you’ve already registered for the Hook Along, you’ll get a zoom link tomorrow morning via email. Simply log in at 7pm on Jan 16, or just before. 

If you haven’t yet registered, there’s still room and a bit of time to do so! First of all, make sure you’ve paid your 2025 membership. Then, send an email to ohcghookalong@gmail.com before 5pm today! We’ll do our best to include all requests, but those received after 5 pm may not be able to join in until the following Hook Along date. 

Participation is limited to 100 registrants. Hope to see you there!  

Remember the mascot from one of our virtual wingdings during the  pandemic?   It seems that this guy has snaffled a few of the 2025 Annual Registration Forms and won’t release them until after the start of registration on Jan 1.  We had hoped that, with the resumption of postal services, all of you would have received the necessary forms by now, but some have not. (Drat that Moose on the Loose!)

Accordingly, we’ve sent the Registration Forms to you in a Constant Contact email on December 28, so you’ve all got them in hand when registration opens January 1 at 9 am.  Space is limited, so it’s a good idea to register as soon as you can.  

Here’s what you need to know.

First of all, please make sure that your 2025 OHCG membership has been paid. You’d be surprised at how many folks forget this step!  If you’ve paid online, you should have an email with your membership number as proof of payment.  You’ll also get an email if you’ve paid by mail, but some payments mailed just before the postal strike may be sitting in our backlog.

So…now on to registering for the Annual:  

If you’re registering for the Annual and paying by credit card (online), it’s really easy and secure!  Simply go THIS LINK and click on GET TICKETS.  From there, just fill in the necessary info and submit your credit card info.  Note, if you want to purchase tickets for more than one OHCG member you’ll need to enter each one individually.  For each ticket purchased you will receive 2 emails.  One is a receipt, and the other is your actual ticket confirming your registration.

If you’re registering for the Annual and paying by e-transfer, it’s a 2 step process.  You’ll need to submit the completed registration form either by mail or email to ohcgregn@gmail.com, and then submit the e-transfer to ohcgtreasurer@ohcg.org.  Please include the OHCG member name/email in the comments section.

If you’re registering for the Annual and paying by cheque, mail the completed registration form and payment to the address shown on the form.

After the registration process is complete, you’ll also get a welcome package from our Registrar with details on the conference, and coming to Cobourg, and all that good stuff.

Hope you had a wonderful New Year’s celebration!  And looking forward to seeing many of you at the OHCG Annual on May 10:  Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll!  We’ll have speakers, vendors, and even a Heritage Rug Registry!

(Oooh…and btw, don’t forget that there’s a (free!) Hook Along taking place Jan 16-Feb 27.  This is where we’ll focus on the Hippie Bus pattern and generally have some fun on a cold winter’s night!  To find out more, go to THIS LINK.)

Hook Along!

Are you here for the Hook Along details?  Simply click on the “HOOK ALONG” link above.  Just want the free pattern?  Head to the “FREE PATTERN” link above instead!

The Judging Process

The past few Constant Contact emails have been explaining the judging categories and how to submit your rugs. This week we’ll focus on how the rugs are judged!

First up, meet Cheryl Boyd, who is our Awards Advisor. It’s her job to oversee the judging process and to assign the judging teams. For each of the categories (remember the ones we outlined a few weeks ago?), there is a team assigned, made up of an OHCG Teacher, and a non-teacher. These people have never seen the rugs in their category and don’t know who the artists are, so they can view them fresh, with no bias. (Hint: if your name is on the back of the rug, make sure that it is covered.)

These teams, who remain anonymous, will review each rug, using the criteria set out in the Judging Scoresheet. Here are the areas they consider:

- Overall Impression

- Composition

- Technique 

- Finishing

There is a separate scoresheet for the Alternative Fibres & Techniques. They tally up the scores for each rug, with the highest number of points receiving First Prize and the 2nd highest number of points receiving Honourable Mention. You can see the actual scoresheets here (or click on the link at the top of this page) - this is valuable information to those interested in entering their work for judging.

The completed scoresheets are passed to Cheryl who pins the Rosettes on the winning rugs, and provides the results to the Board for announcement at the Annual Conference. The completed judging scoresheets remain confidential and are not released.

In addition, OHCG members may vote on entries in the Theme category for their favourite. Judges do not score these rugs. The results are tallied by Cheryl and the winner announced at the Conference.

So…now you know:

- what the judging categories are and how they are defined.

- how to submit your rugs this year (different from other years).

- how your rugs are assessed.

We hope you’ve found this series of posts informative, and that maybe, just maybe, you can be enticed to enter one or more items for judging. See you at Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll in Cobourg on May 10!

#onthookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs #rughooking #cobourg #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Submitting Your Rugs for Judging

Your friendly OHCG Annual Conference team is back with more info on the judging process! Last time we told you about the judging categories and prizes to be awarded. Next up is the submission process:

Submitting your rugs is going to be handled a bit differently this year. Previously, you simply brought your rug to the Annual on the Friday, it was judged that day, and winners announced the following day.

This year, because we’re displaying things in the Art Gallery of Northumberland (AGN), you’ll need to get them to us ahead of time. Rugs can be viewed by the public from April 29 to May 10 - check the gallery hours at [art gallery website]. This is a groovy opportunity to showcase rug hooking (and YOUR work!) in an accredited gallery.

We’ve created a Judging registration form to smooth out the submission process, and it will be available in the December newsletter. Here are some tips you’ll want to be aware of:

- Rugs (and the registration form) can be delivered to Cobourg any time between January 1, 2025 and April 23, 2025 at 4 pm*. Check in with your rug hooking colleagues to see if they, too, are entering items and work out how best to get them to Cobourg. We know of some folks who are arranging to coordinate delivery to Cobourg on behalf of their branch members - check in with your branch today to see if this is a possibility!

(*corrected.  Previously shown as Apr 25, when it should have been April 23.  Sorry!)

- As is standard for any art gallery, the AGN requires you to supply a valuation for your rug, as they must insure it against Fire and Water damage. Only you know how to value your work, but a rough guideline is $200/square foot for wide cut and $300/square foot for fine cut. This information is to be entered on the registration form, but will only be used for AGN’s insurance calculations. It will not be publicly available.

- You may retrieve your items from the Gallery on May 10, after 4 pm. You’ll need to specify on the registration form who is authorized to drop off and pick up your work.

- Remember that you mustn’t publish photos of your work ahead of the annual! The judging process is anonymous. More on that in our next post.

- Can’t make it to the Annual? Maybe you could visit the AGN when the display has been hung, April 29-May 9.

We hope to see you (and your rugs for judging) in Cobourg, May 10, for Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll!

#onthookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs #rughooking #cobourg #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Award-Winning Rugs at the Annual

One of the exciting elements of the OHCG’s Annual Conference is the display of rugs for judging. This year’s event in Cobourg on May 10 (Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll) will be featuring the judged rugs in the Art Gallery of Northumberland, which is really special (cool & groovy, too)! The rugs will be on display from April 26 to May 10, and at the conference, we’ll be announcing the winners!

For many of you, judging of rugs is something you’re very familiar with....but for others, it’s a bit of a mystery. We’re going to take the next few Constant Contact emails to explain a bit more about the judging and what to expect. We also hope it will encourage more folks to enter items for consideration!

First of all, you’ll need to know what the categories are, so you can select the right piece from the works you’ve completed in the past year that have not been shown at a previous Annual, posted on social media or published.

Alternative Fibres and Techniques

• Not traditional hooking. May include rug hooking with loops, sculpturing, Proddy and punch needle. It may also incorporate appliqué, pennies, tongues, hand stitches, needlework stitches, buttons, bows, pins, ribbons and use any fibre material that one can hook with.

Fine Cut

• 5 cut or less or yarn equivalent. Can be commercial pattern or original design

Multi Cut

• Combination of Fine Cut and Wide Cut or yarn equivalent. You can use commercial pattern or an original design

Oriental

• Fine or wide cut or yarn equivalent. Again you can use a commercial pattern or create an original design

Original Design

• Any cut (wool or yarn). Must be your idea, your sketch, your “one of a kind” design.

Pictorial

• Fine or wide cut or yarn equivalent. You can use a commercial pattern or an original design

Primitive

• Any cut wool or yarn. This should be a basic or simple design that reflects rugs of yesteryear whether it is a commercial or original design.

Wide Cut Design

• 5 cut or more or yarn equivalent using a commercial pattern or an original design

3 Dimensional

• Any item having length, width and depth such as clothing, footstools, bags, purses, pillows

And finally....are you ready for this? There’s also a non-judged category: Theme

• Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll: the retro theme for 2025: colourful, carefree & fun! The design must be your own. Commercial patterns or adapted pieces are not acceptable for the Theme competition. Have fun with your design!

 Rosettes are awarded in each of the judged categories, for First Place and for Honourable Mention. The Theme Award, however, is determined based on member votes at the Conference: only the winner is awarded.

Next up, we’ll describe the submission process, and after that we’ll get into how the judging itself works! Stay tuned in!

#onthookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs #rughooking #cobourg #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Membership has its privileges!

 

Here’s a friendly reminder from your 2025 Annual Conference Committee: It’s time to renew your OHCG membership! You’ll need to be a member in order to attend the 2025 Conference, taking place in Cobourg on May 10. Why not get it done now, and out of the way?? 

 It’s easy to do: 

• You may renew online (www.ohcg.org) using a credit card. The website is a secure site. 
•  You may etransfer the renewal fee to: ohcgtreasurer@ohcg.org making sure to include membership renewal, their name, full address, phone number, email address and indicate permission to receive OHCG emails in the comments section.
• You may print the membership form from the website and mail it with a cheque to: Bonnie Waterfield, 6 West Village Drive, Inglewood ON L7C 1H4
• Inquiries can be sent to ohcgmembership@ohcg.org. 

 

So... what are the advantages of membership to the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild or OHCG, you ask?      

• Become a member of a group whose members include many of the best crafters from Ontario and other parts of the world.
• Receive quarterly magazine-style newsletters featuring the work of our creative group, with helpful articles from award winning rug hookers, news from different branches and ads from a variety of vendors covering yarns, fabrics, patterns and hooking accessories.
•  Get access to a our website with up to date info on events, suppliers, rug hooking schools/workshops, and more.
•  Locate & join rug hooking groups in your area, for an opportunity to socialize, learn and be inspired.
• Receive regular emails announcing local hook-ins across Ontario and other important news updates.
• Take beginners to advanced courses from OHCG teachers to learn techniques, often at a reduced price. Gain access to courses that allow you to become an accredited OHCG teacher. Many of these workshops are offered virtually.
• ….and finally….attend the members-only OHCG Annual Conference which includes judging displays, interesting speakers and access to many vendors all under one roof. Meet up to exchange ideas and tips with like-minded people, and just generally become more inspired and enthused about rug hooking!

248 Sleeps Left!

Only 248 sleeps until the OHCG Annual Conference, May 10, 2025, in Cobourg!

This year we’re holding the event at Cobourg’s historic Victoria Hall - in the Ballroom, no less!  It’s a one day affair with interesting speakers, vendors, a display of judged rugs, and the all-important Annual General Meeting.

The theme for the day is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s, which is exactly when the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild got its start!  Look for our free pattern later this fall, to get you in the mood!

We’ll publish more details about all the things you’ll need to know in the coming months.  Registration will open January 1, and space is limited to 240 attendees, so you’ll want to get tuned in (aka registered) early.

We’ve negotiated preferred rates at 2 local hotels, if you’re interested in making a weekend of it (and we hope you do!).  Details can be found here.  Many of you live nearby, however, so it may be a short drive to downtown Cobourg.  Alternatively, if you live along the Toronto-Montreal corridor there’s always VIA Rail:  it’s a 15 minute walk from the train station to Victoria Hall.

So bust out that tie dye outfit and make plans for Cobourg!    

(The photo above was snaffled from the 1968 Sears Catalogue.)

#onthookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs #rughooking #cobourg #numberlanding #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Theme: Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll

Have you started your entry in the Theme category for the 2025 Annual? We hope you’re dusting off your go-go boots and breaking out those love beads in anticipation of our event in Cobourg on May 10!

The overall theme is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s. It’s all about tie dye, mini skirts, rock ‘n roll and all that good stuff! The 60’s, when the OHCG was first formed in 1966, were such an exciting time there’s no shortage of topics to consider.

Some of the top songs from that year include Yellow Submarine, These Boots are Made for Walkin’, Summer in the City, Last Train to Clarksville, Mellow Yellow by Donovan

The Academy Award for Best Picture in 1966 went to The Sound of Music.

The 60’s also saw TV shows like Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, Gilligan’s Island, Get Smart, Batman, Star Trek, Laugh-in, Dragnet.

A quick search of headlines from the day will bring up lots of news stories: the space program, Vietnam War, civil unrest, the Pill, and more.

Check out the Northumberland Rug Hookers latest blog post for a few fashion ideas.

Still stuck for ideas? Consider some help from the 21st century: the photo above was created using the free version of an IPad app called Dream by Wombo. It uses AI to turn your instructions into interesting images. Results will vary, but it’s fun to try out.

Hope to see you (and your theme entry!) at the OHCG’s Annual Conference, May 10, 2025 inCobourg!

#ontariohookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs

#rughooking #cobourg #northumberlanding #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Accommodation for the Annual

We hope you’re getting excited and geared up for the OHCG’s 2025 Annual Conference, taking place May 10, in Cobourg! It’s a lovely location, and so close to many of you! For those travelling from afar, here’s info on the local hotels where we have reserved a bank of rooms:

Best Western: 930 Burnham Street, Cobourg. This is the largest chain hotel close to Victoria Hall, located near Northumberland Mall. It has an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool, and a fitness centre. Arthur’s Pub is located onsite.

Hampton Inn: 80 Henderson Street, Port Hope. This is a bit further out, but is a new hotel with lovely facilities. It offers a free deluxe hot buffet breakfast, indoor pool, fitness centre, and more.

Both hotels have special rates available to OHCG members on May 9 and 10. Click on “‘Accommodation” in the menu bar above to get the details on how to book. Remember that conference space is limited, so you’ll need to register early for the Annual (in January) to ensure your spot!

Also on the link above is information from Experience Cobourg on other accommodation options, and lots of details on other things to do in the area - a great planning resource!

More of what you need to know!

Last week we told you that the Northumberland Rug Hookers and area branches will be hosting the 2025

OHCG Annual Conference: Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll on May 10, 2025. A big thank you for your enthusiastic responses!

We’re doing some cool things:

• It will be a 1 day affair, entirely within the historic Victoria Hall in downtown Cobourg. The Concert Hall holds 240 people, so you’ll need to book early to ensure your spot. There are separate rooms to house all of the great vendors.

• We’ll publish more details about the judged rug process in the coming months. The main difference this year is that the Art Gallery of Northumberland (housed within Victoria Hall) has set aside 2 weeks prior to the conference to exclusively showcase your judged rugs, open to the general public. The AGN is a fully accredited gallery, hosting many fine exhibits throughout the year. Given the limited space, however, we will not be able to have branch displays of rugs.

• The theme is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s: tie dye, mini skirts, rock ‘n roll and all that! We think you’ll have fun with this and produce some spectacular entries in the Theme category. We even have a free pattern available in the fall, to help set the mood.

• Why not consider making it a weekend to remember in Cobourg? We’ve negotiated with local hotels for preferred rates on the conference weekend and will supply info on restaurants and shops to visit. Odds are we’re only a 2 hour drive away for many of you….even the VIA Rail station is just a 15 minute walkfrom Victoria Hall.

Be there or be square!