RARH is a small group, but we have incredible resources at our fingertips.
There are FOUR amazing rug hooking/fiber businesses in our area and membership!
We’d like to introduce our Rug Hooking professionals to you.
- Kathy Morton, Oak Ridge Cottage Rugs
- Sally Kallin, Pine Island Primitives
- Martha Reeder, Going Gray
- Pat Dee, Fiber Fanatic
“The focus of my business is designs that feature nature and cultural images. Most of my designs are geared for cuts 6-8…although some of them can be executed in finer cuts.
“My favorite things in rug hooking are the teaching itself and also picking colors!! (The colors themselves are a high!!)”
“Hard to think of my funniest story…I do remember the beginning student who came to her second class and everything she had hooked was in straight even rows. She had that approach in her mind because she was a cross stitcher!”
Martha Reeder
Going Gray
Rochester, MN
Website:http://www.goinggray.com/
Tell us about your business:
“I never intended to go into a rug hooking business, but did so as I was not finding the type of patterns and colorful wools that I wanted to work with. At the time, I had been rug hooking for 10 years . I went to my artistic sister and asked her to design a pattern which became ‘Monday Monday” , and the first pattern in our lineup. The rest is history. We wanted to offer patterns that fell between traditional and primitive. I like to work in a wider cut (#7-8), yet have some finer details. It needed to be fun to do and some whimsy is good too!”
“I also taught myself to dye brighter wools, and tweaked those skills with a week at the famed Green Mountain rug school. It is still one of my favorite aspects of rug hooking is to create colors of wools. The tools one uses also adds to the pleasure of rug hooking. My brother in law jumped in with beautifully made rug frames, rug hangers, and other exceptional wood products to add to the rug hooking supplies GoingGray offers. I believe we found a unique niche within rug hooking and have been going strong for 14 years. We’ve sold hundreds of our frames and patterns. It is exciting for us to see our products out there, and we are most appreciative of all who have supported us over the years.”
What is your favorite thing about Rug Hooking?
“Without a doubt, the best thing about rug hooking is the people. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people I have met. I have many good friends that I have met through rug hooking, and I treasure their friendships. I feel very fortunate to be in this business, and to have met people I would not normally have crossed paths with. What a bonus!”
What else goes on in your world?
“As much as I love rug hooking, I also spend much time on other fiber interests such as knitting, weaving, wool appliqué and embroidery, and all things textile.
My other greatest passion and usurper of my time, is my love for standard poodles. My fourth one, Lola joins us frequently in my studio.”
Sally Kallin
Pine Island Primitives
Pine Island, MN
Website: http://www.pineislandprimitives.com/
Tell us about your business:
“The obsession has taken over! My shop is stocked with over 1000 yards of gorgeous hand-dyed and as-is wool, rug canvases, hooks, backing, antiques and other handy items. After 20 years of being a graphic designer in Minneapolis/St. Paul my career changed direction when we moved to Pine Island, Minnesota. I had been hooking for a few years and was flattered when people started purchasing my canvases even before I had them for sale! I enthusiastically produced my first catalog in 2001 and the business has boomed since then.”
You really get around. Where is 2017 taking you?
“I’m teaching this year at my home plus in Phoenix, Eureka Spring, AR, Beaver Creek, OH, Crosslake, MN, Mineral Point, WI, and St. Louis. Plus, I am vending in Lenexa, KS, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Owatonna, and the ATHA Biennial in Cleveland.
And, of course, I’ll be at the RARH Spring Retreat.”
What else goes on in your world?
“My Husband Keith and I are blessed to live on our little farm nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Minnesota. We share the farm with three beautiful horses, a great German Shorthaired Pointer named Tucker (the German Wool Hound), four well-fed, friendly barn cats and two silly sheep.”
Do you have a funny story for us?
“After looking at my booth, a little boy asked me how long I have been making these rugs. When I replied “about 20 years”, surprised, he asked “Did you start when you were 9 years old?”
My interest in fiber started thanks to two dear friends. If not for them, I wouldn’t have discovered one of the great passions of my life!
And I wouldn’t have met the many inspiring people that I now consider part of my family.
I enjoy spinning, dyeing, knitting, crocheting, felt work,weaving, wool appliqué and rug hooking. Just like children and puppies, I could never choose a favorite and I always want more!
My focus when vending is on hand spun and hand dyed yarn. But you never know what surprises you might find because I never know what I might create next!
