Heather Ritchie
Heather Ritchie was one of Britain's most experienced
rugmakers and teachers of rug-making. When she and her husband
moved into a house with cold flagstone floors in North Yorkshire,
a neighbour showed her how to make a rug using hessian sacking
and old lisle stockings. Heather was immediately inspired by
the idea and developed and refined her rug-making skills to
the highest standard. She travelled widely running workshops
and was internationally recognised for her skills: some of her
most complex work has been described as 'painting with fabric'.
Shades of Heather
Through her workshop, 'Shades of Heather', Heather introduced
an enthusiastic new generation of crafters to the hobby. The
annual rug-making 'retreat', which she ran in the North Yorkshire
Dales with Cilla Cameron, attracted rug makers from all over
the world. She was featured in a number of TV documentaries
and her rugs appeared regularly in international craft publications
and books. Her work, including commissions by the celebrated
artist MacKenzie Thorpe, has been exhibited widely. A book about
her life and work, Hooked Rug Storytelling: The Art of Heather
Ritchie, was published by Schiffer in 2011.
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