 I
started hooking rugs in 2001. Within a couple months I had such
nerve pain in my finger and thumb, I was unable to continue. I had
been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Although this had presented me
with some challenges, I always tried to find a way to make things
work.
One evening as I was paging through a magazine, I
ran into an advertisement for the "Oxford Punch." The handle looked as
though there would be many ways to hold it and I thought it was worth
a try. I have been successfully punch hooking ever since.
I told my husband "I have such a passion for
this. I know with every fiber of my
being that I am my authentic self and following the right path with my
rug hooking/punching. I don't know
where it is going to take me, if anywhere at all. But I know I am
doing exactly what I should be doing." He said he didn't understand
what I was talking about (imagine that). I asked him if he had ever
been fishing and just had a "feeling" about where to anchor the boat,
or when he was in his deer stand sleeping if a feeling ever came over
him and he would wake to find a deer standing there. Then he
understood.
I really wanted to be able to hook as well as punch. One day while rug hooking with a group, some women offered me their
various hooks to try. Within a short time the nerve pain came back.
That very night I went to bed and dreamt, my perfect
hook. The next day I hand sculpted one and my husband carved it for
me. Due to the unique grip, I found that this hook worked for me. Its
shape gives me many options for how to hold it
and what part of my hand to put the pressure on while inserting
the hook into the backing or pulling the strip up.
People started telling my husband and I that we
should start selling them, that they may be helpful to people with
arthritis, carpel tunnel, tendonitis, etc.
A few weeks later my stepson Nick got a job at a
woodworking store. He heard about the idea, and
said he would keep his eyes open for a quality craftsman. Within days
he had found someone. We got a copyright on the design and found a patent
attorney. A few months after the dream our handle was available
to purchase.
My hope is that the comfort of this handle will
enable you to hook or crochet longer, allowing you to create beautiful
heirlooms that will be enjoyed for generations.
The way everything fell into place
continues to amaze me. 
Story Update
Shortly after our Meno Trigger Grip
came out, we found a distributor and it was picked up by mail order
catalogs.
In 2006 our patent was approved and we
signed a license agreement with Provo Craft. Provo Craft produced our
handle in plastic with interchangeable crochet hooks. These sets have
been available at Wal-mart, JoAnn Fabrics & Michaels, as well as many
other retail and online stores.
In 2008 we signed a
license agreement with Todco for kitchen tools. This past August QVC
introduced & currently offers a five piece set. The tongs are available at Target.com, Amazon.com and at specialty kitchen stores.
 
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