LIVING THROUGH YOUR RUGS WITH
​SHARON SMITH

In April of 2016, the Woolwrights hosted Sharon Alice Smith from Off the Hook Wool Rugs.  Sharon is originally from Minnesota, but resides in Walnut Creek, California.  Sharon relayed to us her way of viewing the original artworks of Van Gogh and other artists, explaining the ways of achieving movement in backgrounds and using different fibers to make the rugs come to life.  She stressed how important it is to design our rugs and use memories from our childhoods or adventures in other times or places.

"It was wonderful to spend the time with all there.  I came away with the inspiration to develop my life experiences into my Hooking." - Sharon K.

"I really enjoyed the class and was so inspired by Sharon!  I design and sell patterns and I have been admiring her work for quite a while.  This is what I learned in her class: resources for inspiration such as life experiences, fairy and folk tales, artists such as the impressionists like Van Gogh;  using clear plastic and a light table to transfer designs to backing instead of red dot or crack stop;  try hooking in a "painterly" fashion with smaller "brush strokes" of color and no straight lines; plus a cool App (dreamscope) for adapting photos into pattern designs.  I enjoyed the class and even got a few tips from classmates on how to improve one of my own designs.   Oh yes,  and how to put emotion into your designs with eyebrows! - Connie B.

"Sharon has a unique style to her patterns and they are colorful, whimsical and fun to do. I loved doing the poppies. The colors are great and the idea of using unusual embellishments like hat binders ribbon and lots of roving in backgrounds was inspirational for me. I loved the class and so did the classmates.  Thanks." -  Sarah V.

"I was having a bit of a "hooking" block and this was the kick I needed.  Her encouragement and painterly style made it very easy for me to jump right in and use the Silk Sari, the roving, funky yarns and other fibers in my own piece.  Her completed  pieces were great visual inspiration.  I can make her pattern MY piece.  A wonderful class." - Rhonda B.

"I loved the way Sharon used vintage lace, ribbon, watch face, buttons and other items in her handwork journals and cottages.  It gave me incentive to do something with great grandmothers tatting lace to preserve it in a different way." - Jeri L.