Back from Cheticamp, Nova Scotia

This is the demonstration area at the "Co-op Artisanale" in Cape Breton where I spent most of last Saturday with a couple of local "hookeuses" (as they are called in French) who taught me some of the finer points of traditional Cheticamp rug hooking, including different ways that they use colour and shading in their flowers and different techniques for filling in the background of these beautiful pieces. I might have had time to accomplish more if we hadn't spent so much time trying to identify which branch of the Aucoin family that my mother was from ( la fille a Arthur, a Eusebe, a Eustade) and who my father's great grandmother was related to. I believe that they should just give it up and accept the fact that all Cape Breton Acadians are related on one if not both sides of their families.

The difference between regular traditional rug hooking and the style from Cape Breton Island is that they use fine yarns and hook a loop in each hole of their backing, creating beautiful images of great detail, texture and beauty. Yet it technically isn't any more difficult to do than the primitive or "fabric strip" type of rug hooking, just a bit more detailed. Consequently, it lends itself beautifully to smaller pieces: wall hangings, table runners, bags, glasses cases, etc.

Anyway, back to the store tomorrow and it will be great to get back to see everyone.

Just a fun bit of trivia from the world of the internet: while I was away, I received a great note from a woman in Gatwick, England requesting permission to use some of the patterns from our companion WOOL-TYME KINGSTON FREE PATTERN site (link at right) to use to make products for sale with her home-spun wool. I am always so excited to see how the internet has played such a great role in making the lives of knitters and crafters much richer by introducing them to other people, ideas and services all over the world. What an honour to have my designs seen "across the pond."