Transcript

In this interview conducted as part of the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library’s oral history project, Longman discusses the early years of her rug hooking practice.

“I used to just decide on something and do it, mostly with browns and blacks and greys. But eventually of course, in the ’40s, along came nylons. They were much easier to cut and much more colourful. Not at first, but gradually, and I found that I was good at finding things to do which didn’t require much colour.”

“Where did you find your inspiration for some of your subjects?”

“Oh, whatever I saw. I remember the geese coming, and we had a pond nearby. A flock of Canada geese settled, and I was fascinated and found pictures. Of course they are black and grey and brown and navy blue. I could do them then, easily, and did. I don’t know where all those early pictures went, but we gave them away with pleasure. Eventually, when I came here, I just settled in to do it in my spare time, and I had almost no outlet at the time, until the Crafts Guild came into business, just over on Kennedy. I began to go as a volunteer first and took some of my things down to see if they could sell them. And then they did, and they became the outlet for me.”