The Healing Side of Hooking

Cherished Memories, Childhood Dreams, 10' x 4', yarn hooked on hessian with a speed needle.  Designed by Norma Hatchett and created by residents at an Australian hostel for patients with dementia.

While living in the United States in 2001, I took up rug hooking, a craft I’d not seen in Australia. In 2002, while on holiday in Australia driving on the freeway with my mother, I saw a sign on the back of a van that had me urging Mum to grab a pen and write down the phone number; the sign said “Hooked on Hessian.” 

Eager to connect with what I was sure was another rug hooker in Australia, I called the number and found Norma Hatchett, a rug hooking teacher who worked with blind students. Her students were using what looked like an eggbeater but is actually a speed needle used with yarn. The tool was well chosen since all the students could use it.

This article is from the September/October 2012 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.