by Ardeana Hamlin
of The Weekly Staff
HAMPDEN — Toni Philbrick, owner of The Keeping Room at Hannibal Hamlin Plaza, 56C Main Road North, doesn’t dare to guess how many people she has taught to hook rugs since she learned the art in the 1960s. It could be hundreds. And that number will grow again this fall when she teaches rug hooking classes through the RSU 22 Adult Education program. She will teach rug hooking for beginners 6:30-9 p.m. beginning Wednesday, Oct. 1; “penny rug” making, which is a wool applique technique, 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9; and a Christmas-themed round hooked mat 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30. Sign up for these classes through RSU 22 Adult Education by calling 862-3255.
Philbrick said she started out doing fine-cut, shaded rug hooking in the 1960s. “I did not like that style,” she said of the type of rug hooking that uses a very narrow strip of wool. Her students will use wide-cut strips of wool, which gives a more primitive feel to a finished rug.
Though Philbrick said she is largely a self-taught rug hooking artist, her students have her many years of experience to draw on in her classes. In the classes, students learn how to use properly the rug hook, how to cut wool for the rug, the different kinds of rug backings, including linen, what to look for in wool fabric, how to treat new and recycled wool, and how to finish a rug. They will work on a choice of one of two of Philbrick’s designs — Hearts or Stars.
“I like muted colors,” she said. But she does not limit her students to those color choices. “Some prefer brighter colors.”
Over the years, Philbrick has created more than 100 rug hooking designs, sketched on linen backing and ready for hooking, which she names after Maine towns, such as Blue Hill Basket, Hampden Heirloom, Cornville Crow, Rockwood Roamer and View from Vinalhaven.
“I’m thankful I can hold the adult ed rug hooking classes at The Keeping Room — I have everything here for them. It’s so much easier for everybody.”
Supplies for rug hookers at The Keeping Room include wool on bolts, pre-washed and-or hand-dyed quarter-yard and half-yard pieces, rug hooking tools, backing material, patterns, and much more.
“Some know me as a rug hooker, some as an antiques dealer and some call me the lamp lady,” she said, referring to fact that in addition to everything rug hookers need, her shop carries vintage pottery, glassware and furniture; and that she also handcrafts custom made, cut paper, stencilled lampshades, and repairs and refurbishes vintage lamps.
Philbrick also offers, independently of adult education, specialty classes in making a hooked purse, a stuffed snowman or Santa, hooked flowers and how to dye wool. She also holds a drop-in class 9:30 a.m.-noon Thursdays for rug hookers with projects in progress who enjoy hooking with and learning from others, and having the opportunity to draw on Philbrick’s knowledge of rug hooking.
The Keeping Room is open 9:30-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For information, call 862-3181.