Meeting Information:The Nutmeg chapter currently meets every second Saturday of the month from September thru June at the Unitarian Universalist Church located at 328 Paddock Avenue, Meriden, CT.
Our meetings are informal and sometimes include speakers, allow members to sell items, share work in progress, show our completed work and provide instruction on all aspects of hooking. To that end, twelve ladies from the chapter are currently working on a challenge rug that was inspired by the ATHA issue number 260 (April/May 2023) which featured a challenge rug titled Fanciful Tree of Life. Starting in September 2024, each month a demonstration is held on different techniques that can be used in the rug such as beading, Waldoboro, prodding, French knots, reverse hooking etc. The monthly challenge demonstration will end in April where finishing techniques, displaying rugs and cleaning rugs will be discussed.
Our guest speakers for the 2024/2025 hooking season include Deana David from Ribbon Candy Hooking who came in October 2024 and spoke to us about her current book The Haunted Rug and brought several mats that were featured in the book. Melissa Pattacini of Honey Bee Hive Rug Hooking will be coming in May 2025 to speak about the Golden Age of Fairytales rug exhibit she curated and in June of 2025 Benita Raleigh of Fancy Work Rug Barn will be conducting a workshop on fine shading. We are also looking forward to demonstrating rug hooking at the 2025 Connecticut Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival held in April and the Farmington Public Library Maker Fair. Please email our chapter president for any further chapter details. We can also be reached at AthaNutmegChapter@aol.com
Chapter History:
The Nutmeg Chapter has the distinction of being the first ATHA chapter and was certified on February 12, 1980, with many thanks being given to Betty Kelly who helped found ATHA as well as founding the chapter. See the gallery photo of Betty Kelly holding her first rug, hooked in 1970, which was still in excellent condition 48 years later when the photograph was taken in 2018
Our members generally come from central and southern Connecticut. Our chapter strives to keep ATHA’s vision of sharing our rug hooking talents by having monthly meetings, regularly scheduled speakers, demonstrations, and workshops. We produce a monthly newsletter, exhibit our rugs at local libraries and museums, hold demonstrations in public Venus such as local and state fairs, maker space forums and world and sheep shows. At our demonstrations, we provide handouts and encourage anyone interested to come to one of our meetings where we will teach them to hook by providing a free pattern, supplies and instruction. All our meetings are open to the public.
