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Lyle Drier: Class of 2018

Name: Lyle Drier

Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin

Tell us a bit about yourself. What are some of your interests and hobbies?
I have collected antiques with my husband for over 50 years and was an antiques dealer for more than 40 of those years. We have recently retired from the business and now spend some of our leisure time bird watching. This activity has allowed us to travel all over the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica. I love gardening and have had a vegetable garden for many years. While I used to do hand work of all kinds, rug hooking has been my medium of choice for the last 25 years. I just love it!

How did you get introduced to rug hooking?
In 1970, Women's Day Magazine featured an article on antique hooked rugs. I thought they would look wonderful with our antiques. The article gave instructions on how to hook, where to order supplies, as well as how to enlarge patterns. I taught myself how to hook without a frame from this article.

What was your first project?
A large Texas Star rug, which still graces our front entryway. Made entirely with "as is" wool clothing purchased at second hand shops. It still looks great.

Is there one rug that stands out as being particularly memorable?
This is a hard question to answer. Is there one? No, but there are several that hold a special place for me. Several of these have been in Celebration (Angel Oak and Fantasy Flight), but there is also a very large wall hanging titled Wisconsin Wild Life, which hangs in the local nature center lobby. It is the map of Wisconsin with various native wildlife that live there.

Is there a particular style of rugs that you're most interested in hooking?
I would say no. I love a challenge and doing different things all the time.

What's your favorite part about hooking a rug?
Designing the piece. But then there also is the meditative quality of pulling the loops.

What's a piece of advice you'd give to a new rug hooker?
There are no hard and fast rules. Follow your heart and make the rug your own.

What do you love most about Celebration?
Seeing all the spectacular things that other fiber artists are doing. It is inspirational.

My Town, Celebration IV

"This rug was fun to do. Although it was a purchased pattern, I was able to make it My Town by adding businesses that were..." Read more.

Windmill Weights, Celebration XI

"My husband and I have collected windmill weights for many years. Someone I know suggested I hook a rug that centered around the..." Read more.

Masks, Celebration XV

"One of my favorite rugs. I am intrigued by Northwest Coast Indian masks. I had seen a photo of the central mask many years ago and knew..." Read more.

Ense's Bedrug, Celebration XVI

"This wonderful pattern was designed by my friend Joyce Krueger. I love it because it is based on antique bed rugs. I have seen it done..." Read more.

Tropical Fantasy, Celebration XVII

"This rug was inspired by all the beautiful tropical foliage. We have a wonderful horticultural hall called the Domes in Milwaukee. On a winter day, I went and took..." Read more.

Gamla Stan: Swedish Doorways to the Past, Celebration XIX

"My husband and I were fortunate enough to vacation with friends in Sweden one winter. The countryside is quite picturesque, but what really took my..." Read more.

Fungi I, Celebration XXI

"My husband and I are great picture takers. Many of my rug ideas come from our photos. While hiking in Door County, we kept coming upon these..." Read more.

Fantasy Flight, Celebration XXII

"I attend a weekly guided meditation. The images often are quite vivid. One of the sessions featured a hot air balloon rising up into the stratosphere. From there, you..." Read more.

Woman in Sepia, Celebration XXIII

"When I knew I would be taking a workshop on hooking faces, I dug out a photo I had clipped many years ago from a local newspaper. I loved the..." Read more.

Angel Oak, Celebration XXIV

"Another vacation, many more photos. The Angel Oak is so magnificent that I had to hook a rug around it. On the same trip, we visited Savannah..." Read more.

Fungi II, Celebration 26

"After 6 years of collecting more photos of fungi, I decided it was time to do another Fungi rug. Also, people kept saying that since I named..." Read more.

The Circus Rolls Into Town, Celebration 27

"Another vacation, more photos, another idea for a rug! We spent the day at Circus World Museum in Baraboo and loved the antique circus..." Read more.

Borders, Celebration 28

"I wanted a fresh look for our back hall. It had two of the first rugs I ever made on the floor, and they were looking kind of tired at forty..." Read more.

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