The 25th Anniversary Rug: A big challenge for the big year

Small Cumberland Crewel, 30" x 45". Pattern by Joan Moshimer, available from W. Cushing & Company, www.wcushing.com.

Sometimes ideas spring to life seemingly out of nowhere, and sometimes these ideas grow and grow until they grow themselves into reality. I love it when several ideas coalesce to create an opportunity. Four distinct threads of ideas came together this spring, and—to continue my textile analogy—we here at RHM wove them together to develop an exciting project: the 25th Anniversary Rug.

Thread number 1: Many months ago, the publisher of Stackpole Books and magazines, Judith Schnell, and I were talking about hooked rugs—old ones and new ones, primitive rugs and contemporary designs, traditional fine cuts and modern wide cuts. Judith goes way back with Rug Hooking magazine. As editorial director for Stackpole Books, she helped with getting the magazine started. Back then, a team from Stackpole worked with Joan Moshimer to transition Rug Hooker’s News and Views into Rug Hooking magazine, and in 1989, RHM came into being. Judith has worked with the magazine throughout the subsequent 25 years. Now, as publisher, she and I meet and talk often. As our conversation came to a close that day, she said, “You know, I’ve always wanted a hooked rug...”

This article is from the September/October 2013 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.