Mentored Early ~ touch my photo!

Little Laura My training began shortly after I was born. My mother, Emma Webber, was always hooking rugs. She was back in Ohio visiting her folks in 1948, when her mother taught her to hook rugs. With a Log Cabin pattern tied on a lath frame and Aunt Em's hook, Emma hooked her first rug. The lath frame was awkward and cumbersome and Emma quickly learned to hook without it. Back in southern Oregon where we lived, my mother hooked rugs for our family home, a log cabin in Applegate. She also hooked personal rugs for each member of the family. At the same time, Emma started braiding rugs and enjoyed both methods of creating artistic furnishings. By the time I was a teenager, Emma was still braiding rugs, but hooking Art. Growing up with this artistic mother, I assumed that I too, would make rugs at some point in my life.


New Guild in Town

Early in 1996, Emma was invited to join a new ATHA Rug Hooking Guild, Wine Country Rug Hookers, that was starting in Santa Rosa, Ca.  Since I had recently quit working, I had more time to spend with my mother. We decided it was time for me to learn Rug Hooking and we would attend a meeting of this new guild. We were not sure we would enjoy 5 hours with a group of women we had never met, but it turned out to be great fun. We met at each other's homes once a month and shared information about Rug Hooking techniques and events. It was fun meeting these other women; we found we had some things in common and other things that were quite outside our experience. I learned to hook rugs by observing, listening and gleaning as much information as I could get. My mother wanted me to learn to hook the correct way, not like her. She felt her method was too rough and textured so she wouldn't teach me. However, Emma was a 'colorist' and her rugs are beautiful!  We demonstrated at the Sonoma County Fair and I learned alot from the questions that were asked. After attending a McGown Rug Show in Sacramento that October, I was inspired!

Active in Rug Hooking Community

I have served as Treasurer, Historian, President and Newsletter Editor of our wonderful ATHA chapter! The guild has given back even more to me; with many talented teachers presenting workshops, rug challenges, support and finally, encouragement to become a teacher.   I began teaching Rug Hooking in April 2003 and attend McGown Teachers' Workshop - Western Division in Eugene, OR. each June.  I have enjoyed working with all the talented teachers that attend and have gained confidence and experience while earning my McGown Accreditation.   I started directing Little River Inn Rug Camp in October 2004 and enjoy hosting the best little rug camp on the Mendocino Coast!  Visit my blog; Laura's Loop, to find many of my posts about rug camping at Little River Inn!

Teachers' Workshop

Yes, I attend Western Teachers' Workshop each June. It's a worthwhile endeavor as it provides new ideas, interesting challenges and wonderful support to the rug hooking teachers that make the pilgrimage each year.