Come and join Susie Stephenson, primitive folk and fiber artist, at Spectrum Generations' Coastal Community Center, 521 Main Street, Suite 8, Damariscotta on Monday, March 30 and April 6 at 1 p.m. for a fun, and informative yet informal introduction to rug hooking.

The fun begins as students learn to create a design, cut strips, pull loops and hold a small chair pad. As students learn to turn their designs into reality an assortment of recycled, hand dyed wools will be available to pick from, as well as handspun yarns. The $95 dollar participation fee includes a small kit and all the supplies students will need to make a hooked rug chair pad (wool and linen backing frame or hoop and hook).

Susie notes that she is "ready to teach you how to draw your own design, pick out the wools and other fibers that make your heart sing, pull up the loops to bring your work of art to life and give you confidence to complete your first hooking project. Bring images and ideas...together we will plan and begin executing your chair pad" Please bring a sharp pair of scissors to class. Advanced registration required. To express you interest in being enrolled in Susie's workshop call 563-1363 by Friday, March 27.

Susie, a retired teacher and author, has always been creative. Over fourteen years ago, Susie's mother placed her hook in Susie's hand and said try this. In one week she had finished her first rug and had started another one. She was hooked! As a rug hooker she expresses without inhibition the world around her in a simple and real way. Because she hooks alone without a group she does not have the influence of other people's ideas or rules.

Like many Mainers, Susie recycles everything, in this case wools. Her hooked rugs are folk art. Susie hand cuts wide strips of recycled hand dyed wools on linen backgrounds. Susie lives in Edgecomb with her husband Tom, four children and a variety of pets and animals. In December of 2014 Susie and Tom opened the Stephenson Fiber Arts Gallery in the former Edgecomb Salt Marsh School on River Road.