rughookingmagazine.com

Judy Carter: Class of 2018

Name: Judy A. Carter

Location: Willow Street, Pennsylvania

Tell us a bit about yourself. What are some of your interests and hobbies?
I have been hooking since 1993. I started by taking a beginner class, and I am now the author of Hooking Animals, a Master Artisan with the PA Guild of Craftsmen, and an accredited McGown Teacher. My interests and hobbies have changed since I found this art form. I love to hook, take photos, and combine these two passions. Since I learned to look and see details everywhere, my hooking has become more detailed and more realistic. I love to experiment, push myself out of my comfort zone, and see if I can hook what I see.

How did you get introduced to rug hooking?
I took a beginners Rug Hooking Course by Pat Moyer in 1993. I signed up on a whim, have been hooked ever since, and enjoy every minute! Pat not only taught me how to hook, she taught me to see details and understand color. In the beginning, I took as many classes and teachers as possible so I could learn as much as possible. I’ve hooked all styles and cuts but over the years have developed my favorite style which is using many textures to create realistic animals.

What was your first project?
Strawberry chair pad. It was a kit, hooked in the beginner class. It fascinated me that everyone started with the same kit, but our ending projects looked so different. That is still one of my favorite things about rug hooking. We each add our own style to whatever we hook.

Is there one rug that stands out as being particularly memorable?
My most memorable rug is Eye See You. I prepared for this rug for many years. I visited zoos and animal sanctuaries, gathered photos, thought about the design, and visualized the rug for so long; it was a dream come true. Hooking it was a pleasure; each block felt like a new project and it’s always exciting to start a new project.

Is there a particular style of rugs that you're most interested in hooking?
Realistic animal rugs are my favorite. It is so exciting to see an animal come to life at the end of my hook. That feeling keeps me thinking, planning, and creating the next project. It’s also rewarding to see I can mix wools to recreate what I see in the photo. Details, it’s all about the details.

What's your favorite part about hooking a rug?
This is very hard for me to answer. I enjoy the excitement of selecting the wools and starting a new project. But when I am “in the flow” and able to just hook and create, a calmness comes over me that is very soothing. Then seeing the results is very rewarding.

What's a piece of advice you'd give to a new rug hooker?
Just get started. Experiment and see what you can do. Determine what you like to do and go with the flow. Also, expose yourself to as many hookers, teachers, and classes as possible. You will learn something from everyone, and each experience will help you grow.

What do you love most about Celebration?
Celebration gives everyone the opportunity to share their talent and creativity with others. Being selected is a reward and allows your work to be published and shared throughout the world. Celebration allow us to give and receive the gift of inspiration.

The Trip West, Celebration IX

The Trip West, Celebration IX

"This was one of my first original designs and my first entry in Celebration. I decided to create a memory rug that included scenes from a car trip we took through 14 states. I learned so much from..." Read more.

Chimera, Celebration XIII

Chimera, Celebration XIII

"What a fun rug to hook! When I look at this rug, I remember how much fun I had dyeing all these colors. I dyed two or three colors on each piece of wool and started with..." Read more.

Peacock, Celebration XVI

Peacock, Celebration XVI

"After Chimera, I was ready to continue with bright colors, so a peacock was the perfect project. The head and neck were fun to hook. The background was an experiment. I made weak..." Read more.

Tiger, Celebration XVII

Tiger, Celebration XVII

"This is one of my early animal portraits, but I love the intense stare and the contrast of the white in the tiger with the dark background. The contrast makes the tiger the star..." Read more.

Leopard, Celebration XVIII

Leopard, Celebration XVIII

"The turn of his head, the distant look in his eyes and all those spots drew me to this pattern. It was so much fun to hook the spots. I used many different darks..." Read more.

Mountain Lion, Celebration XIX

Mountain Lion, Celebration XIX

"The alert look in the eyes of this mountain lion is what attracted me to the photo and made me decide to create the pattern. This rug helped me understand the challenges of..." Read more.

Hunter, Celebration XXI

Hunter, Celebration XXI

"This lion “spoke” to me at a zoo. I captured his expression and decided I needed to hook it. I used leftover wool from a fruit project for his eyes. In my other project..." Read more.

Southern Leopard, Frog, and Tri-Colored Heron, Celebration XXII

Southern Leopard, Frog, and Tri-Colored Heron, Celebration XXII

"This rug makes me smile. I think the frog looks like “Mighty Frog” with his chest muscles, and I am convinced he got away from the heron. I also enjoyed but found it..." Read more.

Mojo, Celebration XXIII

Mojo, Celebration XXIII

"Mojo was my first pet portrait. I love his color changes! The brindle coloring added challenge and variety. My favorite way to hook is to mix wools to create color..." Read more.

Sapphire, Celebration XXIV

Sapphire, Celebration XXIV

"The eyes. This dog was a very special pet, and you can see why when you look at these eyes. Hooking a pet that is mostly white creates challenges, but by looking..." Read more.

Mailman Carter Wedding Rug, Celebration XXV

Mailman Carter Wedding Rug, Celebration XXV

"This rug commemorates special events for two very special people in my life; my son (Chris) and daughter-in-law (Roseanne). The scene incorporates..." Read more.

Cougar Close Up, Celebration 26

Cougar Close Up, Celebration 26

"This rug is special to me because I loved the photo and it was the first time I used #8 cuts to create a realistic animal. The eyes are my favorite part, and they..." Read more.

Shadow, Celebration 27

Shadow, Celebration 27

"My favorite part of this project is the fluffy hair that makes me want to run my hands through it! And the background. I needed a cold, white, snowy background that wouldn’t..." Read more.

Tiger Close Up, Celebration 28

Tiger Close Up, Celebration 28

"The beautiful photo spoke to me and I knew it would be a great companion piece to my wide cut Cougar Close Up. This tiger is at the animal sanctuary I visit every..." Read more.

Wolf Close Up, Celebration 29

Wolf Close Up, Celebration 29

"Wolf Close Up is the third in a series of wide cut, close up rugs. This rug was created by mixing many different textured wools in order to create the realistic look of fur. The cropped, close up perspective allowed me to create a realistic piece while using #8 cuts. The focus on the facial features encourages the viewer to form or feel..." Read more.

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