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What Are the Different Types of Rug Hooking Supplies?
Rug hooking supplies such as foundation cloth, wool strips and hooks are instrumental in every stage of the hooked rug-making process. Burlap and monk's cloth are typically covered in loops of wool strips buy using specially designed hooks, which are made in a variety of materials from plastic to steel. Patterns and measuring tools are also instrumental components of rug hooking supplies. Other key necessities in rug hooking are a quality pair of scissors and a sturdy frame on which the rug may be mounted during the assembly process.
The foundation cloth should be slightly larger than the desired size of the finished rug to allow enough extra material for binding the rug's raw edges. Rug hooking supplies include cloth, which can have a pre-printed pattern or be blank. Colored markers can be used to draw a pattern on a blank canvas, or a transfer pen can be used to trace the pattern on paper, which can be iron-transferred onto the foundation fabric. Foundation cloth is available in a variety of colors and materials.
Frames are an integral part of rug hooking supplies and are used to hold the foundation cloth taut during the rug-making process. Hooked rug frames range from handheld lap frames and floor stand models to sit-on styles, where a portion of the frame is anchored by the artist's body for added leverage. Frames are available in a variety of sizes to accommodate different-sized projects.
Rug hooking supplies are also available for cutting the wool into usable strips. Wool fabric is fed into the hand-cranked machine, which features a series of rotary cutting wheels. As the fabric is cranked under the cutters, the fabric is cut into a number of strips based on the number of cutting wheels the machine has. Rug hooking supplies for cutting wool include replacement cutting wheels, as they wear out with use.
Rug binding tape and rug cording are some of the rug hooking supplies used for finishing a hooked rug for use or display. Rug binding is a wide cotton twill tape sewn around the edges of the backside of the rug to cover raw edges. Rug cording uses wool yarn, which is available in a variety of colors, that can be whip-stitched along the rug's edge to provide a durable finish. Other rug hooking supplies include rug hooks, heavy-duty thread and specialty scissors, which feature angled blades to allow the artist to easily trim the top side of the rug.
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![Rug hooking supplies such as foundation cloth, wool strips and hooks are instrumental in every stage of the hooked rug-making process.]()
By: Alison BowdenRug hooking supplies such as foundation cloth, wool strips and hooks are instrumental in every stage of the hooked rug-making process.
Discussion Comments
I think if you're doing any kind of fabric or yarn crafts, it's important to invest in a really good pair of scissors. A dull pair of scissors just make everything more difficult.
Dull scissors make it harder to cut fabric, for one thing. It's much more difficult to cut in a straight line if your scissors can barely cut at all! Also dull scissors tend to make the edges of fabric fray, which isn't at all desirable.
Also, dull scissors just aren't good for cutting yarn. You need to thread the yarn through a needle if you want to use it to embroider a decorative edge. It's pretty hard to thread a needle with a piece of yarn that's been jaggedly cut.
Just get a good pair of crafting scissors!
@strawCake - Good advice.
I think one cool thing about rug hooking is that you can use scraps from other projects to make the rugs. I have a good fried who sews, knits, and does rug hooking. She often uses scraps of fabric from her sewing projects to make the rugs. Then she uses scraps of yarn from her knitting projects to finish the edges.
I know rug hooking originated with less well off, more "thrifty" people. I think those people would definitely approve of my friends method.
I've never done any kind of rug hooking, but I have done some embroidery before. I just wanted to say that if you're going to do rug hooking, don't neglect to buy a frame.
In embroidery, you use an embroidery hoop to pull the fabric taut. When I first started, I didn't think I would need such a thing. However, it's essential. It's very difficult to embroider correctly when the fabric is just held loosely in your hand.
I'm assuming rug hooking is probably the same way. If you want to do rug hooking, a frame is probably an essential item.
I find rug hooking to be very relaxing. I like working with yarn and find it much easier on the eyes than something like cross stitching.
I ordered a rug hooking kit from an online store. This is made on burlap and has a beautiful floral design to it.
Finished rug hooking projects always remind me of shag carpet for some reason. I like the plush feel of the yarn and enjoy the colorful designs and patterns that you can make with them.
When my grandpa was older he really enjoyed doing rug hooking. He would buy rug making kits and made several different rugs to give away.
He had a lot of family so not everyone had one of the rugs he had made. When he passed away and we were going through his things, there were a few of his rugs that he had made still around.
I got to choose one that I liked and it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I don't know how he got started in rug hooking because my grandma was never interested in it.
I just thought it funny that he liked doing it because it was something I pictured women enjoying more than men.
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