Two Firsts for the Kawartha Rug Hooking Group.

I have been hooking with this group since I moved to Peterborough. We meet in a local repurposed school that is now called "Activity Haven", and has more activities for seniors that you could ever imagine.

Before COVID, we had our own room and averaged between 12 and 22 people each Monday morning. It has always been a very welcoming group.

When COVID hit, we decided to see if Zoom would be a fit for us and began meeting online at the same time. Some weren't as comfortable with the online meetings, for a number of different reasons. But a core group galvanized in this format. And not only did we hook on Zoom, we solved one another's problems - and those of the world. lol.

Now we are back to in-person and occasional Zoom meetings when we feel the need. And we are back to something else. A sense of a group that can do things. And this month we have done two REALLY BIG things.

NORWOOD FALL FAIR

Early last spring, the OHCG was approached by the Norwood Fair committee to see if there would be any interest in having a rug display at the fair. Our group was contacted to see if we would be interested and we jumped at the opportunity. Rug Hooking had never been part of the fair, and we were taking the space from the Tole Painting/Decorative Painting folks.

To drum up interest, another member of the group and I did a demo night at the Norwood Library, bringing lots of rugs and demonstrating both Traditional and Punch Needle hooking. There were about 25 people present.

Dial forward to October 6 and we were ready to get this display started!! There was drop off and tagging on Thursday evening, judging and display on Friday, and pick up on Monday dinner time. The display looked great.  Neighbouring Campbellford group also entered pieces in this display. 

Apparently the feedback about having a Rug Hooking Display was very positive. And next year will be a breeze with the learning curve behind us. 

"ESTATE/STASH BUSTER SALE"

Over the past few years, many of our members have received calls from people who are no longer able to hook. Some are Estates, but some are also long-time hookers whose stash is a lifetime of supplies, which they are no longer able to use.

We decided to hold an event, in our usual Monday morning time slot, and see what the interest would be. People who were donating their supplies were given a free table. People who were selling were to pay a $25. table fee.

The group had unanimously decided to give any funds we collected to KAWARTHA FOOD SHARE. With the exception of one cutter and one frame, most of the proceeds were from "free, with a donation to Kawartha Food Share". We expected to raise a few hundred dollars, but we never dreamed that we would be able to take $992.00 to them on Monday afternoon. 

There was quite a bit of work involved, and a LOT of learning. But we are all eager to do it again next year, bigger and better.

We know that many of us have more patterns, more wool, more hoops and hooks than we can use. But as long as there are new hookers coming into the fold, or hookers who are looking to build stashed versus busting them, there will always be this way to raise fund for Food Share.