In a world where self-expression has found countless forms, a surprising yet soulful pairing has emerged—journaling and rug hooking. While one is often thought of as a private, reflective practice, and the other a tactile, visual art form, the fusion of these two creates a powerful synergy. For many artists, journaling doesn’t just complement rug hooking—it shapes, inspires, and even transforms it.
As we explore this creative intersection, we’ll discover how journaling has become a foundational element in the work of contemporary rug hookers. Their stories illuminate how words on a page can spark the design of intricate mats, each loop of wool imbued with emotion, memory, and meaning.
The Many Faces of Journaling
Before diving into the loom of creativity, it helps to understand the diverse ways journaling can take shape:
- Daily Journaling captures life as it unfolds—a record of people met, emotions felt, lessons learned. It’s a living autobiography, stitched together one day at a time.
- Art Journaling blends text with mixed media, transforming pages into vibrant reflections of inner landscapes. Think of it as painting with both words and color.
- Bullet Journaling brings clarity and structure. It’s a tool for organizing creative ideas, tracking progress, and setting intentions—perfect for managing long-term art projects.
- Gratitude Journaling centers the heart. By focusing on life’s blessings, it nurtures the emotional well-being that often fuels creativity.
- Free Writing invites the subconscious to speak. Through unfiltered streams of thought, hidden themes emerge—raw, emotional, and often deeply inspiring.
- Structured Journaling provides guided reflection, helping artists explore their work through thematic prompts or focused questions. It’s a purposeful tool for those seeking depth.
Each method holds potential for artists, offering pathways not only for documentation but for creative ignition.
Rug Hookers Who Write Their Way to Art
The blend of journaling and rug hooking isn’t theoretical—it’s vividly alive in the stories of several artists who rely on writing as an integral part of their craft.
Terri Vetter – Stitching Support into Symbolism
For Terri Vetter, journaling was the beginning of The Window of Inspiration, a piece born from gratitude for a friend’s unwavering support. Reflecting on Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis, who painted what she saw from her window, Terri used her journal to shape a visual tribute. Her mat became not just an artwork, but a symbol of resilience, love, and artistic vision rooted in memory.
Michelle Palmer – Sketchbooks as Memory Keepers
With over three decades of experience as an illustrator and watercolorist, Michelle Palmer considers her sketchbooks sacred. They hold flashes of inspiration—fragments of a leaf’s curve, the silhouette of a bird in motion. Her rug Dance of the Harvest Crow emerged from such jottings. Her journals, packed with contrasts, atmosphere, and color concepts, guide her creative process like a trusted compass.
Deanne Fitzpatrick – Weaving Freedom Into Fibers
Deanne Fitzpatrick sees rugs as metaphors. In her journal, she writes about midlife not as a decline, but a fertile season of freedom and creative resurgence. Her rug Wild Roses Roam encapsulates this idea. Loose, free, and bursting with movement, the mat reflects what journaling has taught her: trust the process, and let your instincts lead.
Janine Broscious – Writing Through Wonder
Janine Broscious has journaled for over two decades. Influenced by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, she embraced free writing to document everything—from her thoughts on a summer RV trip to the emotions behind each design choice. Her rug Untamed is the result of that inner excavation. Through her journal, she explored not just color palettes but her own emotional landscapes.
Meryl Cook – Rewriting Her Life, One Loop at a Time
When Meryl Cook faced a turning point in life, she turned inward—journaling, sketching, dreaming without boundaries. Her writing gave birth to One Loop at a Time, a book that chronicled her healing journey through rug hooking. Pieces like Curvy Lines reflect her journal’s themes: sensuality, non-linearity, reinvention. Her mat is a celebration of what happens when you let intuition—and a pen—lead the way.
Remi Levesque – Healing Through Words and Wool
After a traumatic cycling accident, Remi Levesque reclaimed his identity through journaling. As he recovered the use of his right arm, he filled pages with thoughts and fears. These reflections evolved into his rug healing series, beginning with My Roots. The tree-like mat honors the memories he feared losing and serves as a grounding symbol of his family and past. For Remi, writing was not just therapy—it was a blueprint for transformation.
Journaling as a Creative Companion
So why combine journaling and rug hooking?
Because words give shape to feelings, and rugs give form to those shapes.
Whether it’s sketching an idea in the margin of a page, writing through uncertainty, or mapping a story through color and texture, journaling opens the door to authentic expression. It’s the quiet partner in the creative process, holding space for ideas before they’re made visible.
For the artists featured here, journaling is more than a habit—it’s a vital tool for reflection, planning, healing, and dreaming. Each rug they hook begins as a whispered thought in a notebook, a scribbled sketch, a journal entry charged with emotion.
Conclusion: The Power of Pairing
In the hands of these artists, journaling becomes more than just writing—it becomes a launchpad for visual storytelling, a mirror for personal growth, and a thread that connects heart, hand, and material. Rug hooking, in turn, gives those thoughts a voice, looping them into tangible beauty.
Together, these two practices remind us that creativity doesn’t always begin with color or cloth. Sometimes, it starts with a pen and a blank page. And from there, anything is possible.
