Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. Wikipedia notes that Bakelite was made by “a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde”. This product was invented by Leo Baekeland, a chemist from Yonkers, New York, in 1907. The Bakelite Corporation was formed in 1922. The company was acquired by Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation in 1939. Bakelite production ended after World War II when more economical plastics were available. Bakelite was popular as it could be molded into various shapes. Popular Bakelite products included clocks, jewellery, radios, telephones, electrical devices, billiard balls, automobile caps and insulators. Originally made in Illinois and shipped to Canada until 1920 when the Westclox Bakelite clocks were manufactured in Peterborough, Ontario. The model “Moon Beam” was designed in 1930 and is the subject of this rug design. It is one of several Bakelite clocks that our rug hooking artist owns. The Westclox factory located in Peterborough was closed down in the 1980’s when it became more economical to produce them overseas. Biography Janice is an accredited rug hooking teacher with the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild (OHCG), received a Certificate in Fibre Arts – Traditional Rug Hooking from St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario and is an accredited McGown Teacher in U.S.A. She has been rug hooking for 40 years. In addition to rug hooking, Janice is an accomplished fibre artist who enjoys spinning, wet and dry needle felting, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, needle pointing, tapestry weaving and quilting. She is also an accomplished dyer.