Friday, July 30, 2010

Teaching Rug Hooking



A book about how to teach rug hooking is finally available. Development of this text has taken many years - it really started about thirty years ago when some of the earliest members of ATHA (Association of Traditional Hooking Artists) tried to start a teacher training program. The effort to start a teacher training program through ATHA continued right up through my almost four years as ATHA Education Chair, but the ATHA Board, almost all already McGown certified teachers, could not see their way to approving an ATHA teacher training program. My intention then, and now with this teacher training manual, is to provide the information a teacher needs in an open and cost effective way. When the teacher training program was turned down by the ATHA Board, I turned to developing a program for rug hookers that could provide the incentive for individuals to organize their own education program - sort of a Girl Scout merit badge idea. This program, also rejected by the ATHA Board, became the Rughookers Merit Program, which can be found on http://rughookingdaily.ning.com and on http://rughookersmeritprogram.wordpress.com .

This new manual can be found at by clicking here: Teaching Rug Hooking


It's a simple book, full of information, without photos of colorful rugs. A combination of the manual and the Rughookers Merit Program could give a beginning teacher everything needed to get started, including a series of lesson plans. However, I will also throw into the bargain an open line of communication about teaching - please feel free to use the comment section of this blog if you want a public discussion, or feel free to email me at phylblade@yahoo.com if you want a private discussion. I will be happy to share my experience with you in any way that will help you as a teacher of rug hooking.