Published on
by Christina Edholm
a Missouri State Fair Blue Ribbon.
Christina Edholm is one of three artists featured in the Missouri Folk Arts Program 2026 exhibit “Folk Arts in Bloom,” a showcase of three hooked rugs by artists from three different regions bringing their knowledge and innovations to the tradition. In the exhibit case, her vibrant rug is visible in the lower right corner of the case. In her own words below, Edholm explains what drew her to the “Dawn’s Daisies” rug pattern during a workshop taught by Katie Hartner of Tyler, Tx. Read more and check out images of patterns she created grounded in her family’s genealogy.
For me, a hooked rug is more than wool on linen. I’ve always been drawn to pieces with a story, and whenever possible, I want the story behind the rug to become part of the piece itself. When Katie NimbleThimble Hartner returned to Boonville for another workshop, I couldn’t sign up fast enough.
During the workshop, as Katie spoke about Dawn Hiemstra’s infectious laugh and her love of bright colors, the rug began to feel less like a pattern and more like a person. Before the workshop was over, I knew exactly which pattern I wanted to hook.
As I planned the rug, I discovered a photograph of Dawn wearing her brightly colored apron. That became my guide. Rather than choosing colors from my ever-growing wool stash, I decided to dye wool similar to the colors she had chosen to surround herself with every day. The wool came from England and was hand-dyed using ProChem dyes, allowing me to blend shades that reflected both the photograph and the vibrant personality Katie had described.
People sometimes ask why I hook rugs. The answer is simple. I hook stories. Long after the last loop is pulled, the colors and design continue to introduce someone to a person they may never have met. That is what I hope this rug does for Dawn. I hope that when viewers stop to admire the daisies and the vibrant colors, they also catch a glimpse of the woman whose laughter and spirit inspired this piece.
To view [my take on “Dawn’s Daisies”], visit the exhibit at the Museum of Art & Archaeology at the University of Missouri. To learn more about Dawn and rug hooking, I encourage you to read the accompanying “Dawn’s Daisies” story.