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About Joyce

Joyce (2020).jpg

I was born and raised in the  Central San Joaquin Valley, in Merced, California. Growing up in the country, as long as I can remember, my Mother was teaching me some kind of handwork, whether it was embroidery, crocheting, knitting, or sewing. She began hooking rugs, in the late 1960's when I went away to college.

In 1995, My husband and I moved our family to Minnesota in search of a better quality of life for our two young boys. My Mom gave me all of her rug hooking equipment, wool, books, and notes. Her advice was to get involved with a rug hooking group and it would be easy to meet a lot of people. She was right. I am a self-taught rug hooker and have been hooking rugs ever since. I've hooked over 50 rugs and wall hangings. I've met so many wonderful people that love working with fiber and share my passion for this art.

In the Fall of 2016, I entered a Retail Challenge sponsored by the Owatonna Chamber and the local Economic Development Agency. After going through 3 phases of the competition, I was selected the winner of the Retail Challenge. Winning the Challenge gave me the opportunity to open Straight River Rug Hooking in beautiful, historic downtown Owatonna.

I am very grateful for the support of my family, friends, and the local community. Their encouragement, generosity, and confidence in me, make everything work. I love working with fiber and teaching people how to create beauty with wool and other fibers.

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