Dee-Dee Patrick
Members of our club were taught to work with strips of wool to create their colorful patterned rugs. Wool is the standard media that is used in all the craft magazines and websites. So, it was unexpected and surprising to have a newcomer to our group work her first project entirely in yarn. Donna Holbeck designed the geometric pattern and spent approximately six months on the rug, working intermittently. She chose to hook yarn as it was a more economical material and a means of honing her technique. That was a humble comment for someone as talented as she. More experienced hookers who have worked with yarn describe it as “challenging” as the material splits easily and tends to pull out if you are not methodical and careful. It requires a lot of patience and precision. Yarn is often used in finishing hooked rugs in a technique called “whipping” but is not the media of choice for the actual rug.
Donna may have been a neophyte in primitive rug hooking but is an accomplished weaver with over 13 years of experience. She has completed over 300 woven projects during her career. She had her own business in Kansas City, Missouri and was commissioned to weave many of her works of art. Looking at her first project, it is obvious that this is no textbook artist! She describes herself as needing to “have my hands busy all the time.” This is evidenced by her proficiency in American Sign Language as an interpreter for the deaf. Donna has been a welcome and colorful addition to our club.
Come and interact with our energetic and creative group members. The Rug Hookers meet every Monday afternoon from noon to 4:00 p.m. in the Fiber Arts (Diamondback) Room in the Creative Arts Center. For further information, contact our current club president, Dee-Dee Patrick, at [email protected] or phone her at 708-494-0008.