Welcome to Celebration of Hand-Hooked Rugs XIX.

Each year for the past 19 years, Rug Hooking Magazine has published this book, featuring the finest rugs, narrowed down this year from a field of close to 200 entries by four respected judges, chosen for their expertise in the rug hooking community. Their task is daunting- to jury images submitted by the entrants and to evaluate the rugs based on color, execution, design and interpretation of design.

The results of the judging are presented on the pages of this year's Celebration edition. These rugs represent "the best of the best" from this year's applicants.

Order Celebration XIX here.

The deadline to enter your rug in Celebration XX has already passed, but please see the the September/October 2010 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine for next year's rules and entry information.

Below are examples of the exquisite rugs featured in Celebration XIX. Enjoy!

Original Designs

The Many Colors of Savannah, 35 x 45, #6-cut wool on monk's cloth. Designed and hooked by Christi Winter, Defiance, Missouri, 2008.

Commercial Designs

Hibiscus, 42 x 60, #3 and 4-cut wool on monk's cloth. Designed by Connie Charleson, hooked by Betty Taylor, Roseville, California, 2008.

Adaptations

Dempsey's Dogs, 62" round, #7-cut wool on linen. Adapted from a Celtic design and hooked by Ellen Jaworski, Dexter, Michigan, 2008.

To view more Celebration rugs, and to vote for your favorites in our Readers' Choice Contest, order your copy here.

Enter your hooked piece in the Celebration XX contest before November 30, 2009!

Corrections to rug credits in Celebration XIX:

Decorating with Hooked Rugs, page 15 ("bunkhouse" image)- the rug Bee Buzzing Around is designed by Barb Carroll of Woolley Fox, based on the art of Carol Endres. We incorrectly credited Edyth O'Neill as the rug's designer. O'Neill's rug appears in the same photo. We apologize to Barb Carroll for this error.

Always Spring, page 20- Liz Quebe worked closely with Diane Luszcz to create this original design. We mistakenly omitted Liz's name from the article about this rug.

Here Comes the Sun, page 24- The designer of this rug, Vicki Hardcastle, studied with rug hooking teachers Diane Gay and Charles Gay. We incorrectly listed Cindi Gay as one of Vicki's teachers in the designer biography on this page.

The Appraisal, page 104- Although the rug hooked by Barbara Lekstrom was designed by Liala Ralph, the rug design is based on a 1931 painting by Grant Wood.