Chippewa County is home to some pretty outstanding hookers. Now fellows, don’t get excited. I’m not talking about that kind of hooker but the kind that works with a five inch rug hook and narrow strips of wool. I know one gal who has taken the art of hooking to soaring heights. Her name is Karen Sutton-Boger of Dafter. Although she doesn’t call herself an artist, once people see her work they agree she is. Karen has turned hooking into an art form worthy of a place in the Smithsonian.
I’ve know this hooker since we were five years old. She was the most popular girl in our class if not the entire school. She was a cheerleader who turned her love of sports into a career. She coached summer softball leagues for Rudyard and Dafter schools and was an assistant coach for Lake Superior State University’s women’s softball teams. The girls admired and respected her and many stayed in contact. She retired in 2010 and still receives invitations for weddings and other significant events from team members. That’s quite a testimony to the lasting friendships Karen inspires.
So when she retired why did a successful coach turn to hooking instead of collecting sports cards? The answer is simple. She combined her love of sports with a hobby that gave her the opportunity to create sports pillows and wall hangings. As Karen put it, “I knew how to crochet and for years I had given friends and family handmade items for special occasions. My people knew that whether it was a wedding, christening, birthday, or Christmas, a gift from me would be handmade. Although everyone appreciated my gifts there’s a limit to the number of afghans folks want to throw on their couch, favorite easy chair, queen size bed, or baby’s crib.
“The afghan market, once so alive and thriving, had cooled. People who attended the Christmas craft shows where I sold my creations smiled and admired my work as they quickly passed by. My regular customers and old friends waved from a distance as if I had suddenly developed an infectious disease. If you’ve ever rented space at a craft show and ended up taking home most of what you brought, you know the disheartening feeling of disappointment.
“I knew it was time to retire my crochet hook, but I’m not one to sit idle and twiddle my thumbs. My hair salon kept me busy, but when my last client left for the day my hands wanted to continue working. With the bottom out of the afghan market, I looked for something else to occupy my evenings. My husband, Tom, and our pets are good company, but my lap yearned for the touch of yarn. That’s when my friend, Sharon Dorrity, invited me to a gathering of hookers giving a demonstration at the Alberta House Arts Center in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. As I watched the women create beautiful designs, I was intrigued and knew this was something I wanted to learn. It didn’t take long to discover I was hooked on hooking. That was about 12 years ago and my fondness and respect for this craft continues to grow with the passing of time.
“When I joined the group, the late Joan Muckelbauer was our leader and taught me the basics. She scribbled a simple design on a piece of burlap, lent me a twelve inch hoop and a rug hook, and showed me the proper way to pull a strip of wool from the back side of the hoop to the front. I worked with burlap or cotton warp cloth for a backing. Since both materials fray, Joan, as well as artist mentors, Maureen Mousley and Judy Colein, taught me to tape the edges and leave a couple inches of extra material all the way around my design.
“Once I completed my practice pieces and felt confident in my ability, I decided to hook a wall hanging. I’ve always loved the Tigers so naturally I turned to them for inspiration. For one month, I spent five hours a day working on that piece but when it was finished I felt my initiation as a novice was over and I was a full-fledged hooker. My next project was meant to be a rug for my salon, but I abandoned that idea. As a hair stylist and the owner of cats and a dog, I knew the rug would be covered with hair in no time. So my rug idea quickly morphed into another wall hanging.
“As I gained more experience, I became prolific. Now I fill in a twelve inch hoop in five hours instead of 30 days. Initially I made my own designs, but as I progressed I turned to the Internet for ideas. When I select a design, my husband scales it to size. I cut it out and trace it onto whatever material I’m using. For more detailed or complicated artwork, I trace the exterior. An amazingly talented artist and my good friend, Collette Coullard, sketches in the interior.”
Karen prefers to work with wool strips, but sometimes uses wool or acrylic yarns for detailed work. If she doesn’t have the color she needs, she’ll dye what she has. “I dye white wool or sometimes over-dye light colored wool to get a specific color. Because I focus so much on sports themes, I use a lot of bright colors. Much of the wool I use comes from recycled woolen garments or blankets. It isn’t easy to track down an orange woolen jacket or skirt so when orange is required for another Detroit Tigers project, I break out my dye.
“I never tire of making Central Michigan University items. My grandson, Gage Kreski, is on CMU’s football team. I’ve hooked lots of items with CMU’s Chippewa logo. Monotone hues bore me so I follow advice offered by Maureen a long time ago. I remember she said, ‘Just take off and go with it. Put your hook in and make geometric shapes, change colors, and have fun with your project.’ Her words inspired me to create complex designs that add interest and beauty to my projects. I usually make at least three or four pillows or one or two wall hangings each month. Square pillows range from 16” to 22”. The dimensions of wall hangings vary according to what I’m designing or a specific customer request. When I accept special orders I prefer a month’s notice for each item, but sometimes I’m not given that much lead time. Once I made six 13” pillows in four weeks. Along with completing whatever else I was working on, my fingers flew as I made those pillows for graduation gifts.”
New customers and inspiring designs keep Karen busy. Sports themes continue to be her favorite, but Bert and Ernie are gaining on the Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings as well as the Packers. Green Bay items don’t stay long in stock. Her hook is never idle. As holidays approach, people want a personalized gift, something they can pass from one generation to the next. They often turn to her because they know whatever she creates will be a treasured heirloom. If you’re looking for a unique gift—a pillow, a wall hanging, or even a beautifully designed afghan—the hooker to contact is Karen Sutton-Boger.
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