The doors at the Dundee Old Mill Museum didn’t open until 10:00 AM for the Southern Michigan Annual Spring Hook In, but the line started at 9:15.
Southern Michigan Annual Hook-In
History is great and all, but let’s get real! These hookers were there for the reunions with friends and browsing wool with people who all agree that “another fat ¼ yard for the stash” is a perfectly reasonable life choice.
This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Latch-Hook
If you can remember the shaggy acrylic kits of the 1970s, this is not that! Modern rug hooking is a sophisticated mixture of heritage and fine art. While 19th-century homemakers launched the craft out of necessity by pulling scraps of fabric through recycled burlap bags, today’s artists use precision tools and exquisitely dyed wool to create beautiful artwork.
This year’s host for the Hook-In was the Southern Michigan Rug Hookrafters (SMRH), a chapter of the National Guild of Pearl K. McGown Rug Hookrafters. They are dedicated to keeping this craft alive, rotating hosting duties for this annual event with the Great Lakes Rug Hooking Guild and Wild Wooly Women (both ATHA chapters). Most importantly, they want you to know that hook-ins aren’t just for guild members; they are the perfect gateway for anyone curious about starting their own fiber art journey.
Shopping Experience
Shopping is a major draw, and the planning committee knocked it out of the park. In an era of online shopping, nothing replaces feeling the softness of the wool, seeing the subtle shading in natural light, or the way the color changes when paired with another wool.
Kudos to Kelly Hoard and Joan Egeler for curating a stellar line-up.
Linda Harwood (Hooked on Ewe): Her iconic finished rugs greeted you with a sea of overdyed wools waiting to be explored. It was a “hidden” gem in plain sight.
Kris Miller (Spruce Ridge Studio): Brought a variety of kits, patterns, and those elusive “bits and bobs” that are impossible to find online.
Teresa Kinman (Woolen Heirlooms): Traveling from Indiana, Teresa and her husband, Jay (in his signature cowboy hat). The energy was crackling in a booth packed with patterns and smiles.
Kimberly Hurt (Because of Ewe): The go-to source for hookers craving bright, bold, and modern palettes. Her booth looked like a beautiful, vibrant Easter egg basket.
Jenny Smallridge (The Wooly Horse): Between her racks packed with gorgeous wool and “cross-stitch” style patterns, her booth was a mecca of inspiration.
Worms and Winners
No Hook-In is complete without the “Worm Sale.” For the uninitiated: a “worm” is a strip of wool already cut and ready to hook. Volunteer Bess Ohlgren-Miller organized bags of worms by color so shoppers could stuff a Zip Lock bag for a single dollar—a bargain that kept volunteer Candy Walters busy all morning!
The generosity of the guild was on full display with the raffle baskets, but the crown jewel was the Door Prize. Designed and hooked by Sue Speziale, the door prize included a “Michigan Spring” Bucket and a hooking starter kit, complete with yellow and blue wool, serrated tweezers, and a “magnetic hooker helper.”
Vendor door prizes
Raffle Baskets
Patti McCabe was the master of ceremonies and expertly called the winners, with Tracy Darrow delivering the goods.
Inspiration Everywhere
As you weave your way through the tables, you’ll find hookers at work, their frames showcasing an array of styles. Don’t be shy! These artists are ready to offer tips on everything from frame selection to wool sources. The room was packed with experience, including Sibyl Osicka, who began her rug hooking journey in 1982.
Finding Your Crew
If you’re standing on the outside looking in, wondering how to start your own journey, I get you. I started exactly where you are: on Etsy, confused by which kit or tools to buy, and hovering over YouTube.
My own “hooking journey” was paved by the generosity of this community. It started with an email to Michele Mueller’s Wild Hare Rug Studios, whom I found on the Amy Oxford Punch Needle website. Michele sat with me to cover the basics of punch needle. Pro tip: Subscribe to Rug Hooking Magazine and make time to attend the Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week in August.
My first steps into traditional hooking happened in Kris Miller’s studio. When I lamented that I didn’t have a wool cutter yet, she shared the wisdom that a rotary cutter and mat would do the trick.
I was hooked.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my encounter with another hooker at an estate sale. Talk about serendipity. She was leaving when I burst through the front door into a tiny hallway, shaking rain off my coat. She was carrying a huge pile of wool. You could barely see her.
She asked, “Are you a hooker?”
“Yes,” I said rather breathlessly.
We swapped numbers on the spot. My husband caught only the end of that conversation; the look on his face was priceless.
That encounter introduced me to Keith Kemmer and the lovely group at Heritage Spinning & Weaving in Lake Orion. Many of them made the trek to Dundee for this event.
Get Involved
Whether you use a traditional hook to pull wool strips or prefer the punch needle method (using a hollow needle to push yarn through the back), there is a seat at the table for you.
I missed out on the camaraderie of 4-H and band as a kid, but I found my creative home here. If you’re looking for yours, check out the National Guild of Pearl K. McGown Rug Hookrafters or ATHA for a chapter near you, or join the Rug Hooking Camps, Shows, Workshops & Classes Facebook Group.
A Heartfelt Thanks: Events like these don’t happen by accident. Huge kudos to Jean Musson, Mary Kay Bailey, Kelly Hoard, and Sue Speziale, along with Pat Sahakian and Patti McCabe (our Master of Ceremonies). Thank you to everyone who helped with the heavy lifting—from setup and teardown to the all-important task of making name tags and the registration table —Donna Majeske, Bess Ohlgren-Miller, Andrea Dowhal, Candy Walters, Tracy Darrow,, and Joan Egeler, I see you!
More Photos
We’ve got a few more photos from the hook-in in our gallery.
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