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Books
About these BooksAmy's Latest Book!
Hooked Rugs Today IV: Expect the Unexpected (2008)
By Amy Oxford with Photography by Bruce Waters
Explore expertly crafted, contemporary hooked rugs with designs ranging from abstract to political statement, and from adorable pet depictions to painterly expressions. The Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild mounted a great exhibit for a few short weeks in November 2008 at Shelburne Museum in Vermont, and now displayed forever in the pages of this rich book. Two featured artists - Rae Harrell and Diane Kelly -display their personal styles through retrospectives of their work. Members from the guild were challenged to think "outside the box," and they came up with a variety of imagery and form ranging from lifesize, three-dimensional sheep to extraordinary miniature punch needle works. Other categories include animals, florals, landscapes, penny rugs, and even a small section dedicated to the smallest members of the group: the children. The colors, forms, and variety will astound and inspire anyone with an interest in fiber arts.
Size: 8 1/2" x 11"
400+ color photos
176 pages. Soft cover
ISBN: 978-0-7643-3283-8
Price: $30
Punch Needle Rug Hooking
Techniques and Designs
By Amy Oxford with Photography by Cynthia McAdoo
Learn to make beautiful punch needle hooked rugs with veteran instructor Amy Oxford. A complete "how to" photo essay walks you through every stage of rug making. Never dry, Oxford entertains as she teaches. A question and answer section, fascinating interviews with professional punch needle rug hookers, a look into the origins of the punch needle technique, and exciting photographs of work from some of the field's most innovative and inspired craftspeople make this book a must for any textile lover. A gallery of more than 140 rugs, pillows, chair pads, and stair runners shown in full color will inspire your original designs.
Size: 8 1/2" x 11"
424 color photos, 37 black and white illustrations
160 pages. Soft cover
ISBN: 0764316893
Price: $25
Reader’s comments about “Punch Needle Rug Hooking,” by Amy Oxford
I collect craft books on a variety of topics, mainly weaving and knitting. Your book has to be just about the best-photographed, most thorough, clearly written instruction book I have ever seen. If only ALL books were written this way!
I think I have seen every single rug hooking book out there, and own most of them, but truly none compare. The information is excellent and the photos are just brilliant (in both color and instructional value). I’m so certain that my students will want a copy that I’m going to order a crate load.
I wish I’d had a book like yours when I began this whole venture [of punch needle rug hooking]. It’s a treasure to those who want to learn this process.
...you troubleshoot any problems that a novice could have.
The book is incredible... a very unusual book in that the instructions were clear and the rug examples were so varied.”
All I can say is WOW! WOW! WOW! It is absolutely magnificent. I had no idea it would be so unbelievably comprehensive, covering EVERYTHING including such a wonderfully illustrated how-to section--never mind so many, beautiful, odd, mysterious, funny and inspiring rugs.
Have you seen Amy Oxford’s new book? I never thought much of punch hooking until I looked at her book.
Hooked Rugs Today 2004
By Amy Oxford with Photography by Cynthia McAdoo
Showcasing the talent of some of the finest living artists in the field, this armchair exhibit features over 625 outstanding color photographs of hooked rugs. A multitude of subjects are portrayed: the love of family, country, home, children, pets, flowers, history, wildlife, hobbies, and holidays, to name but a few. There are animals, both real and make-believe, rugs that tell a story, and rugs that make you laugh. They run the gamut: classic forms to abstracts, traditional to modern, rugs for the floor and rugs for the wall. Some deal with difficult issues, like war, terrorism, death, and grief. Others rejoice in capturing the moments that make life sweet: bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital, dancing the tango, celebrating a wedding, and playing the cello. There are many surprises, including a dog wearing a party hat, a whale spouting a bouquet of flowers, and a sheep knitting her own sweater. This wonderful book is a celebration of the love of rug hooking.
Size: 8 1/2" x 11"
600+ color photos
192 pages. Soft cover
ISBN: 0764321528
Price: $30
Hooked Rugs Today by Amy Oxford are the most used [books] in this house. They're invaluable for beginning students. I hand them one of the books and ask which ones they like the best, and that way, I have an idea what direction to go with them. They're also great for me for ideas…
Hooked Rugs Today 2006, Volume I
Strong Women, Flowers, Animals, Children, Christmas, Miniatures, and More
By Amy Oxford with Photography by Cynthia McAdoo
A giant high-top sneaker embellished with golden scissors floats in a polka dot sky along with the surprising motto, "Run With Scissors." Hooked rug maker Jill Cooper explains, "The older I get, the more I don't follow 'the rules.' This rug was a way to share my belief that you must take every chance you can to enjoy all the beauty of life." Taking chances with hooked rugs - those cozy accessories of hearth and home - is just what members of Vermont's Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild do best. They tackle unconventional subjects, delight in using unheard-of fibers, and love the challenge of designing their own contemporary work. At the same time, they are experts on "traditional" rugs and can replicate hooked pieces from the 1800s with uncanny precision. The guild's annual exhibit in 2006 featured more than 900 wonderful rugs, of which half are presented here and half in the companion volume. Feast your eyes on winners of the coveted Viewers' Choice Awards, rugs in Oriental designs, florals, abstracts, animals, architectural designs, and delicate miniature rugs smaller than a credit card. Rugs by one of the show's three honorees, Pat Merikallio, are featured here, as are rugs made by children, rugs illustrating "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and over 100 pieces depicting the theme "Strong Women." This book is a delightful, inspiring look at what can be accomplished with the versatile and exciting medium of hooked rugs.
Size: 8 1/2" x 11"
456 color photos
160 pages. Soft cover
ISBN: 0764325787
Price: $30
Hooked Rugs Today 2006, Volume II
Holidays, Geometrics, People, Animals, Landscapes, Accessories, and More
By Amy Oxford with Photography by Cynthia McAdoo
The Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild has done it again, bringing us another delightful book showcasing works from their latest exhibition. Their 2006 rug show featured over 900 wonderful rugs, of which half are presented here and half in a companion volume. Enjoy rugs made by featured artists Michele Micarelli and Emily K. Robertson, as well as rugs depicting people, landscapes, fruit, cabbage roses, flower baskets, holidays, geometric designs, and animals (including dogs, horses, chickens, roosters, rabbits, fish, and many others). Purses and handbags, pillows, footstools, a tea cozy, and a crown are just a few of the unusual and creative hooked pieces found in the book. From traditional to contemporary, the results are both exciting and surprising. As one rug show visitor put it, "I never knew hooked rugs could look like THIS!" With over 500 stunning color images, this book captures the beauty of hooked rugs and celebrates the widespread love of this age-old craft.
Size: 8 1/2" x 11"
502 color photos. Soft cover
ISBN: 0764326363
Price $30
Signed and personalized copies available
I received my beautiful autographed copy of ‘Hooked Rugs Today’ and oh my!!... It’s as if I had been there – Thanks so much.
About These Books
I'm often asked how I got started writing books...
In 2002 I was approached by Schiffer Publishing to write a book about punch needle rug hooking. I’d always wanted to write a book on the subject so I was thrilled. I wanted the book to be really thorough, covering everything a beginner would need to know to be successful at the craft. I wanted to include history, features about famous “punch needlers” and lots of pictures of punched rugs to show the versatility of the medium. So… I asked for a two year deadline. This surprised my editor. “Two years?” she asked, marvelling at my request. “You could have two babies in that amount of time!” None the less, she gave in, and two years later, Punch Needle Rug Hooking – Techniques and Designs was born.
I enjoyed writing my first book so much that I asked my friend and expert rug photographer, Cynthia McAdoo, if she would like to do a rug “picture book” with me.
I’m a member of the Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild and every year we have a hooked rug exhibit at Shelburne Museum here in Vermont. The rugs in the show are mostly traditionally hooked but also include punched pieces. The work is always incredible and the show has the reputation of being the best in the country. In 2004 I asked the guild if I could write a book about the show. I wanted to include every piece that was entered. From the beginner’s first piece to the expert's masterpiece. It was important to me to include all the rugs in the book, and not to have it be juried or elitist in any way. All guild members were encouraged to be in the show, and I wanted that to be true for the book as well. Besides, for people who’ve never hooked before, seeing beginners rugs can be very inspiring, encouraging them to give the craft a try. As a teacher, I value every rug and love to see them all! The guild gave us the OK, and we were off and running. Little did we know what we were getting into.
In past years, before the book, we had an average of 350 rugs in our exhibit. When word got out that we were doing a book, everyone wanted to be in it! We got 640 rugs! The book was a hit so we decided to do it again in 2006. This time we got 940 rugs! So many that the book was printed as a two volume set. Confusingly, Schiffer decided to call all three of these books Hooked Rugs Today. To make it easier we call them Hooked Rugs Today – 2004, Hooked Rugs Today – 2006, Volume I, and Hooked Rugs Today – 2006, Volume II.
Cynthia and I decided that we couldn’t take on another project of this magnitude but Schiffer approached me in the fall of 2008 about doing another Shelburne rug show book. I have to admit I was nervous. OK, actually I broke out in a cold sweat. If the members made over 900 rugs for the 2006 show what would they do in 2008? It might have to be a three volume set! Besides, the show was less than two months away! I thanked my editor but said no. Then she made me an offer I couldn't refuse. She offered to have Schiffer do the photography and take care of all the paperwork as well. I said maybe! In order to limit the number of rugs I asked if we could please keep it a "secret rug show book" and that we not tell the guild members. The board agreed. I said yes! Somehow it remained a secret (mostly) for 6 weeks and I was happy when "only" around 400 rugs were entered in the show. Not only because it made the book easier to put together, but because it allowed us to use larger photographs. Many visitors at the rug show also commented that they loved having the show less crowded. "The rugs have room to breathe now," I heard one woman say. It was a fabulous exhibition. We all say this each year, but I think it was our best show ever. I hope you will enjoy the new book: Hooked Rugs Today IV.