May’s meeting saw the completion of this year’s challenge to the group: A Postcard from Maine. (For the few members who could not be present yet participated in the challenge please bring in your challenge mat at the June or Sept. meeting.)
At the inital introduction of the challenge there was a lot of buzz around our state bird: black-capped chickadee. 
(Jackie Hansen)
We wondered how many we’d see once all the mats were completed? If not the chickadee what would members design and hook? With the sharing of the completed mats the variety was wonderful. Hearing the stories for the choice of design added another component. (Look for a later sharing of these.)
Here are the mats that were shared during the May meeting. (Owners are labeled clockwise starting at upper left.) * Copywrite protected – Please do not copy any of these designs without requesting permission first.*
1) “Maine Symbol” Priscilla McGarry; 2) “Whoopie!” Pat Ring; 3) “Down East Breakfast” Jeanne Voorhees; 4) “Baked Beans” Natalie Sanborn
1) Terry Parent; 2) Harriet Johnson; 3) “Tatah” Bob Galloupe; “Sea Dogs” Norine Bucknell
1) Connie Castles; 2) Joyces Knowles
1) “Puffin” Martha chaput; 2) “Loon” Linda Bradley; 3) Edna Olmstead; 4) Sheila Kilgore
1) “Maine State Bird – Chickadee” Janet Cameron; 2) Trudy Winne
1) Daisy Higgins; 2)”Buoys” Deborah Arcaro; 3) Joyce Goff; 4) “Fish Market” Patricia Connors
1) Ann Galloupe; 2) Kathleen Newell; 3) Trudy Brown
1) Ann MacIntyre; 2) “Chowdah” Chris Antonak; 3) “Weather-beaten” (by Winslow Homer) Bailey Ruckert
Jon started rug hooking because he was looking for a hobby. His wife suggested a visit to an area shop. When Jon 
Start by being aware of the light source direction as that provides your shadows. Shadows go from darker color to lighter to provide depth.
ooking fur think about direction fur going on the animal you are hooking. Hook in that direction. Our eyes pick up ditches in the hooking. Hook in the direction that you would pet that animal body part.
In cats eyes when the light shines on them the pupil constricts to a vertical streak/line.
Not all eyes will be whole. It will depend on the head position and direction the creature is looking. It will also matter on where the eyes are naturally set on the head – front or side – prey will be on the side (squirrel).
Beverly joined us in April 2014 to demonstrate different finishing techniques that she has used over the years to finish hooked pieces.
using a binding start by pre-sewing the binding at what will be the finished edged of your hooked piece. This allows you to hook right up to the binding.
Start by taking your finished rug to the store with you to get the correct sized frame pieces.
For a pillow with a wool border get it in place before you start hooking the pillow top.
Finishing round pieces has different issues. 
This unfinished Tote bag. The foundation has a sown edge and will be sown together to form the purse/tote. There is no binding.
If you look close enough you can see the red shaker markings. A few black diagonal lines. But finally some extra buoys set under the already hooked ones to work as most of the background. I’d figure out how to complete the background once the buoys were all hooked.
It was a wonderful workshop with clear information, helpful tips and a teacher willing to help and allow time for members to work each step. Members were definitely busy hooking away. We seemed to have a much larger group still hooking after the noon pot luck than usual. 
(just one of 3 table areas)
Using a real leaf, Cindy designed a special leaf pattern for use at this workshop. The pattern was copied onto foundation of choice. Red dot is great for that.
These who participated in the workshop got an informational folder with such items as the pattern and photos showing progression/steps 
and casserole dyed wool. 
It was fun to see what members chose for their pieces. Wool was cut #4 
, then carefully placed in order. Tip: use folder with masking tape to maintain the cutting order. 
Tape over ends or loop the tape so a sticky side is up to just lay cut strips on. 
One side can be used to organize the cut off pieces. 
Once have these main points hooked in, time to start work on center. First draw in additional curve lines into design for guidance. Start at base (vein) with opposite color end than points (dark here since points light) and hook the strip out. 
(Can see the dark blue in the center along vein. Hooked all the way to a minor point.)
(I would also be checking those cut off sections to match up colors, as I’m a use every piece type of rug hooker.)
Tip: to sample the look the ribbon will give once whipped, wrap some around a pencil and check against your background fabric.
John recalls this rug as being inside the door of Ellen’s home. The family used their rugs throughout the house, but also hooked over the winters to have rugs to trade for linoleum mats/rugs. Interesting how they saw more value in the linoleum than their hand-made pieces.
I got to try one of her hooks with aged metal shaft and well-worn wooden handle. Hooking a #8 strip it worked just fine. Ellen also knit (find some gloves knit for John in a photo above – clue look for the cat and eagle). In talking with John afterwards about Ellen’s creativity he told me she had crocheted her own wedding gown. She truly sounded like an interesting and many talented lady.
Mouths often have a white part to them.
Tin Pedlar of Maine 