Rug Hooking

Our daughter, 8,  and I are going to make a run up to Hobby Lobby (an arts and crafts store) this afternoon after her doctor’s appointment (she broke her arm last week in a trampoline accident) to buy some polar fleece so we can try our hand at rug making.  She was given a rug (latch) hooking kit from Nana recently, and was having such fun learning the craft when she broke her right arm and can no longer hook! 

Her rug hooking reminded me that I’ve been wanting to learn “real” rug hooking, the kind that uses burlap or other cloths like that, and in which you design your own rug.  It’s not that I’m an amazing artist – I’ve never even taken drawing classes — but if it doesn’t work out, I can always say I was purposely trying to create a  Picasso-esque design. 

I’ll share our attempts with you if we ever get anywhere with them.  For now, enjoy this website (click here), which will teach you rug hooking the traditional way (but with modern materials such as polar fleece).  If you can’t find an antique rug hook, you may use a regular latch hook, but just tape down the latch – you won’t need that part of it.  You may also use a crochet hook.  Traditionally, a bent nail was used (the nail was hammered into a piece of wood for a handle). 

 by Lori Seaborg 2006