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Animal Portraits in Wool

Mary-McGrath

Mary McGrath

4 Day Retreat 

Tuesday – Friday, August 12 – 15, 2025
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
$450.00 / $420.00 Sauder Village Member







Equestrian

DESCRIPTION:

Have a beloved pet you have always wanted to memorialize?  Maybe it’s a favorite photo you took that you would love to bring to life in wool.  This retreat will focus on creating an animal portrait with wool.

The retreat is an “open-class” format where you may work on your own pattern or request a design drawn from a personal photo.  Please note:  Any images that weren’t personally taken by you will require written permission from the original photographer/artist to adapt into a pattern.

Some of the topics covered in this retreat include:

  • How to read a reference photo
  • Working with values of wool for depth and realism
  • How to utilize textured wool in your animal portrait
  • Creation of the animal’s structure and hair, fur or feathers
  • How to hook key features of the animal such as eyes, ears, nose
  • Proper backgrounds that compliment your subject

Ram-birds-rug-McGrathIn order to create depth and realism in your pet portrait, most of the hooking will be done in smaller cuts ranging from #2 to #4.  Mary will color plan and kit the pattern and bring it to the retreat.  Project Kits for each student will include a reference photo, pattern (if Mary custom draws one for you on the foundation cloth of your choosing) and uncut textured and or hand-dyed wools sufficient to create your animal portrait. 

Additional textured and dyed wools will also be available in class.  

horse-hooked-rug-McGrathLEVEL: 

Intermediate/Advanced, comfortable or willing to work with finer cuts

PROJECT MATERIALS/SUPPLY FEE:

Dependent on project. 

STUDENTS NEED TO BRING: 

Hook, Frame, Cutter with blades (#3 - #4; #2 optional), Sorters, Scissors, Sharpie Markers (blue or purple and black), Pen for taking notes, Camera (on phone works great), patience and desire to have fun!!

Fox-hooked-rug-McGrath
Owl-hooked-rug-McGrath
cleo-dog-birds-nest-McGrath

BIO:

Mary began rug hooking in 2002 after seeing a primitive hooked rug of a crow and had an unexplainable desire to try creating something similar.  Upon trying it, she fell in love and has not looked back.  She have been fortunate to work with Joyce Krueger as her primary instructor since 2004.  In addition to Joyce’s knowledge, Mary has had the benefit of attending Rock River as a student of Carol Kassera’s since 2011. She has also had also had the opportunity to work with other fabulous teachers including Janice Johnson, Cathy Stephan, Michele Micarelli, Capri Boyle Jones, Anne Bond, Nancy Stowers and Judy Carter.  After having to delay the start of her McGown Teachers Certification by 2 years due to COVID cancellation, she started the formal process in 2022 and has started her teaching career.

Mary is proud to be in the inaugural class of Celebration Rug Hooking Hall of Fame, she’s had (11) rugs featured in Celebration, had several rugs selected as People’s Choice at Cream City Hook-In and Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week.  In 2020 her rug “Mitch” was featured on the cover of Celebration.  In addition, she’s proud to say that she’s had several rugs show on exhibit at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts.   While Mary has a passion for fine cuts and value shading, she also believes that anyone can learn how to work with values of wool and translate an image into a rug regardless of the cut size.   She enjoys working with other rug hookers on their learning journey.

Information on Mary McGrath can be found on her website:  www.marymcgrathrughooking.com 

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