The Valley Forge Rug Braiding Guild
Online Exhibit: The Rugs of the Rugs = Food = Love Project
A project to raise money for Food Banks
This project was partnered with Groundworks, a non-profit based in Vermont
We raised over $21,000 in tickets and donations for Food Banks!
The rug-winners got to direct money to a local Food Bank in their community.
"2020"
Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Patsy Simon
29" X 37"
A patterned border in shades of blue complements Patsy's hooked and braided circle for 2020.
Won by: Patsy Simon
A close-up view of one of the rounds in "2020," showing Patsy Simon's timely advice to "Stay Home" during the pandemic.
"Autumn Blossom"
Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Kelly Filo &
Carolyn Newcomer
32" diameter
These braided circles from Carolyn and Kelly were the first I received and brought to mind the colors of Fall. I circled them in a green tweed and used complementary shades for the center and border. My granddaughter saw the rug and named it "Autumn Blossom."
Won by: Julie Bauer
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“Berries and Cream” Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Marcy Young &
Karen Levendusky
21” X 42”
The lovely plum and red colors in the circles remind me of summer berries. I surrounded with tan which reminded me of cream.
Won by: Margie Mutmansky
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“Cherries Jubilee”
Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Joyce Krueger
20” X 42”
These three braided circles looked beautiful with a cherry red tweed from my wool collection. An 8-strand braid on the outside complements the grays in the plaid wool used by Joyce.
Won by: Mary Ellen Franklin
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“Five Golden Rings”
Rug Designer:
Christine Manges
Rounds by:
Mary Hibbard,
Stephanie Allen-Kraus,
Lise Merchant,
Andra Auz-Olson
2'2" X 5'6”
These 2 rug-hooked and 3 braided rounds are united by the greens and flecks of gold found in their individual designs. The braided border of two gold colors stood out to me as the five golden rings in the whimsical Christmas song, hence the name.
Won by: Suzanne Jette
“Garden of Love”
Rug Designer:
Rose Robertson-Smith
Rounds by:
Robin Price
28" X 28"
Garden of Love was created with love of wool, combining rug braiding and hooking with 3's in mind. Three hearts and three flowers, with each flower having three leaves, the rug having three corners representing the balance of this project: Rugs=Food=Love.
Won by: Mary Hibbard
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“The Garden of Love”
Rug Designer:
Sandy Kub
Rounds by:
Val Galvin
Sandy Kub
Jane LeBaron
Delaine Miller
Kathryn Perry
Won by: Kelly Ray
36" diameter
The Garden of Love is a collaboration of love between rug hookers from Canada and the US. This shows what can happen when countries reach out to help each other.
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“Gemstones”
Rug Designer:
Christine Manges
Rounds by:
Sandy Kub, Janice Lyle, Christine Manges,
Diane Pecha
7'8" X 30.5"
As I was putting the rug together, some of the rounds seemed to sparkle like gems — giving rise to the name, Gemstones.
I added braided flourishes at either end to simulate the metallic swirls of gem settings.
Won by: Rebecca Smith
“Give Peace a Chance”
Rug Designer:
Kris McDermet
Rounds by:
Kris McDermet
39" X 39"
What we all need now is more PEACE in our lives and so I surrounded the Dove of Peace with
Love (hearts) and
Stars (nature).
Won by:
Beth Runkle
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“Give Thanks"
Rug Designer:
Kris McDermet
Rounds by:
Valerie Begeman,
Kim Falk,
Becky Gelder,
Karen Hawthorne,
Mary Henck,
Terri Schaefer,
Janice Sonnen, Peggyann Watts
3'3" X 6'4"
Nine artists contributed to this rug with an important message of
Love, Hope and Faith
said with both words and images.
I liked the brightness of the blue in the braid to represent the sky.
Won by: Karen McCaslin
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“Helping Hands from Canada”
Rug Designer:
Dianne Tobias
Rounds by:
Lory Dempster Reynolds
Dianne Tobias
40" x 17"
Lory traced her grandson's handprints for 2 rounds and I hooked the
Canadian flag. I decided to tilt the hands because I thought it looked like waving across the border.
I thought of all my Canadian fiber friends while assembling the rug which might be a table top runner, wall hanging
or ruglette.
Won by: Dottie Feest
“Home Sweet Home”
Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Liz Marino
Marcy Young
19” X 43”
The sweet hooked house and
braided circles are blended together
with shades of green.
Won by: Katherine Findlay
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55" X 39"
My circles in this rug were original ones not used in the “Sun Inn Rug.” I used one of Christine Manges' circle designs. There are 9 circles filled in-between with black triangles. I added a scalloped border. The rainbow wool made the colors blend together, hence the title, “Kaleidoscope.”
“Kaleidoscope”
Rug Designer:
Pam Rowan
Rounds by:
Judy Borger
Sandy Busby
Christine Manges
Pam Rowan
Dianne Tobias
Debra Weinhold
Won by: Gordon Sloat
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“Midnight Flowers”
Rug Designer:
Christine Manges
Rounds by:
Mitch Anderson,
Judy Borger,
Colleen Blaisdell,
Anne Morton Caldwell,
Linda LaMontagne,
Christine Manges,
Lise Merchant, Diane Pecha,
Terri Ratcliffe,
Leisa Robinson-Collin,
Jean Warren
5'5" diameter
Triangle Maker:
Debbie Wykosky
The rounds are from all over the US and northern Canada. Set against the black of midnight, the vibrant braided rounds that I received seemed to glow out of the darkness…giving me the feeling of flowers seen in the soft rays of moonlight.
Won by: Judith Kuhn
“Pansy Possible”
Rug Designer:
Dottie Pepe
Rounds by:
Mitch Anderson
Bobbi Mahler
36" diameter
I received eight beautiful purple rounds and was reminded of a flower. Following that vision, I selected wools to begin a dark center and progress toward light to emphasis the petals of a flower. Combining my wools was a progression through color and prudent use of available materials.
Won by: Carol Broadbent
“Purple Passion"
Rug Designer:
Bobbi Mahler
Rounds by:
Bobbi Mahler
34" diameter
Bobbi Mahler made this rug of 4 vibrant purple circles with a curvy diamond in the middle, surrounded by shape-hugging rows of braid. A perfect rug for a place that needs a bright pop of happiness!
Won by: Gail Seay
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"Raspberry Delight"
Rug Designer:
Mary Bird
Rounds by:
Sandy Kub
23" X 44"
I was given 3 rounds of different colors and picked a raspberry that I felt married all of the colors. The rug can be used as a table topper or a small rug for any area.
Won by: Selina P. Johnson
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"Rosebud"
Rug Designer:
Sandy Kub
Rounds by:
Heidi Diefenderfer,
Kirsten Ervin, Val Galvin, Mary Hibbard, Sandy Kub
39" X 39"
A number of the rounds have lovely shades of pink, therefore the name Rosebud. Shades of pink and green were used in the braiding used to join the rounds together, to include the colors used in the multistrand border.
Won by: Amy Oxford
"Stars and Stripes"
Rug Designer:
Jenn Kiarsis
Rounds by:
Jan Watson
34" X 16"
Red, white and blue triangles connect the rounds. Two four-strand braids at the border represent the Field of Stars and Stripes of the American flag. This patriotic rug is a braided interpretation of “Old Glory.”
Won by: Louise Brown
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"Stepping Stones"
Rug Designer:
Karen Levendusky
Rounds by:
Eileen Colligan, Jan Cushman,
Sharon Hutchinson, Mary Ellen O'Connor,
Dottie Pepe, Carol Rizzo, Anne Roy, Celicia Thomas, Donna Witmer
7'5.5" x 28.5"
Many braiders contributed to this 7-1/2’ runner. The design reminds me of garden stepping stones. Red, blue, and cream in the border echo the colors in the braided circles.
Won by:
Margaret McManus
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“Sunrise/Sunset"
Rug Designer:
Cheryl Hanline
Rounds by:
Cheryl Hanline
34" diameter
The rug includes (7) 9” rounds each begun with the 6-double-corner butted center. All rounds are completely butted and attached with triangular butted pieces. Rounds are surrounded with a multicolored border and finished with a picot edge. The colors represents a variety of skies that I have enjoyed from “sunrise to sunset.”
Won by: Marge Beard
"The Friendship Tree"
Rug Designer:
Cathy Winship
Rounds by:
Carol Broadbent, Barbara Carlson,
Lou Ann Griswold, Lucinda Nieuwkerk, Melanie Rhoades, Pam Rowan,
Cathy Winship
52" X 65"
Mindful of the beauty in my woodland surroundings, I was inspired to design a rug in the shape of a tree. Several friends braided rounds which we combined in a variety of greens and Lucinda hooked the brown trunk. It truly was a project of friendship.
Won by: Barbara Carlson
"The Glory of Ammonite"
Rug Designer:
Kris McDermet
Rounds by:
Dana Psoinas &
Kris McDermet
46" X 43"
Black and deep purple were the vibrant colors that made Dana's beautiful Ammonite fossil rounds glow.
From the Britannica: "Nowadays, ammonite fossils are often found in most sedimentary rocks from the Devonian to Cretaceous periods, and outcrops of these rocks can be found in mountains and sedimentary basins. Such outcrops include quarries, sea coasts, river shores, deserts, canyons and even underground cellars."
Won by: Melanie Maxwell
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"The Right (and Left) Direction"
Rug Designer:
Jenn Kiarsis
Rounds by:
Jessica Calhoon, Jenn Kiarsis, Dianne Tobias
53 X 18"
The separate strands of a braided spiral at the center - one going left, one going right - embrace the other four rounds creating a slightly different look to each side. Color changes tone down the vibrant pink, ending with the more neutral and unifying grey.
Won by: Richard Hamel
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"Trees Are the Answer"
Rug Designer:
Kris McDermet
Rounds by:
Diane Ayles, Kris McDermet, Dianne Tobias
33.5" x 38"
This rug honors my friend Helene Henry who loved trees and was an important person in our community planting trees for all of life to enjoy. The Tree of Life by Diane Ayles is the centerpiece of lovely braided rounds representing the communities of the world made by Dianne Tobias.
Won by: Shermain Hardesty
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"Queen Bee's Realm"
Rug Designer:
Christine Manges
Rounds by:
Kathy Meyer & Jennifer Roddewig
5'6" diameter
At the top of the rug photo you can see the Queen Bee with her golden crown. There are two Worker Bees, her hive, and all the flowers around her. All of these features are set against the vivid blue of the sky.
Won by: Beth Lander
"Island Sunset"
Rug Designer:
Christine Manges
Rounds by:
Norma Batastini, Kirsten Ervin, Robin Kershaw, & Missy Mackin
4'4" X 3'2"
The rounds reminded me of islands surrounded by a sea of blue; the hooked nighttime sky and hooked yellow sun reminded me of the path of the sun through the sky; and the oranges reminded me of sunset.
Won by: Robin Kershaw
"Sweet Autumn"
Rug Designer:
Kris McDermet
Rounds by:
Sandy Kub, Suzanne Flynt
Tricia Miller, Pat Dodge
Toni Jette, Fritz Mitnick
Kris McDermet, Susan Feller
Lori Cravens, Linda Terrien
& Catherine Powers
3'8" X 6'6"
The 13 rounds represent the pretty warm colors of Autumn -- shades of oranges, pinks, yellows, and greens plus the hopes and dreams for a restful and peaceful winter! The bird in the upper right made by Pat Dodge is the logo for the Vermont Food Bank (with permission).
Won by: Wenda Lythgoe
