But first here is my progress on Alphabet Sampler. Just a couple more letters to go and I get to start on the borders.As I was hoping, my first rug hooking kit arrived yesterday at home and was just waiting for me to arrive. It came in the cutest little package from a rug hooking store called The Blue Tulip. I'm already a fan. :-)
Here are all the goodies that came in the kit, linen with pattern drawn on it, wool of course (I asked it to be cut since I don't have a wool cutter) and some very nice directions. That is Aoife's head - she wants to be a hooker also.
And as for my first attempt - it was as I had read everywhere - very easy to do but there is some technique involved. At this point I'm not sure if I'm placing my rows too close or not. The house looks too tight to me and the roof portion a bit too loose. But I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. I have never really seen a hooked rug in real life so I have nothing to compare it to. I really need to take a drive to a rug hooking store but the closest ones are at least an hour and a half away but I think it's important to check out so I can see if I'm close to what I want. I'd like to learn it correct from the get go so I don't have to unlearn bad habits. I also found it hard to keep the loop size the same and since I'm anal retentive girl I took a 1/4 bar that I have for quilting and kept it on hand to try to make sure that I'm consistent.
I was also unsure if I should outline everything first but the instructions that came with this kit said I didn't have to because of the size so I jumped right in. So all my hooking friends, how am I doing so far? :-)
17 comments:
Oh, you just couldn't wait to use that title, could you. :D
I'm really interested in watching your progress. I, too, am interested in rug hooking, but have absolutely no experience with it. I've just seen really cute kits - like yours - and know I'd love to have some cute, handmade rugs.
I love the kit you chose, I popped over to the Blue Tulip (love their stuff), and now I'm going to sit and watch you do it for a while before I commit. But I'll admit it...I'm...um...hooked.
How are you doing it in a hoop? That's impressive in and of itself.
I took a rug-hooking class several years back and enjoyed it, but I'm far from an expert. I do remember that you don't want to get the rows too tight or it might not lay flat. Seems that I also remember that you can trim off the pieces that end up too long on the front side after it's done. At least, I think that's right. I'm sure a more experienced rug-hooker will have better advice, though.
I do have to say that I did both the standard-width (3/16-inch) strips and the narrow (3/32-inch) ones, and the narrow ones were my favorite.
Glad to see you became a hooker! I like the pattern. Hopefully you will enjoy your new hobby.
Margie ~ aka Hooker Margie ~
Congrats on jumping right in! I'm sure you will do fine. The hardest part is keeping the loops a consistent height! I still have problems with that.
I was recently told to hold the hooked piece up to a light source and if you can see the linen, the loops are too far apart. You definitely don't want it too tight. Putting a loop in every second or third hole is a good rule of thumb.
Very cute pattern!
EM if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer them.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren
Well, if you don't mind I'm going to just sit right here on your shoulder and become a virtual hooker. I just checked out a video showing how to do this and almost put my shoes on to go buy everything I need to get started.
Then my brain kicked in.
So rather than blow the equivalent of the national debt on yet another new obsession, I'm just going to watch for now.
Also, I'm not allowed to start any new hobbies without adult supervision.
(But I think it's fabulous and can only imagine what wonderful things you will produce!)
Woo Hoo, you!
I don't know if you're going it right, but it looks great to me. I'm taking my first rug hooking class tomorrow and I can't wait. Not that I needed a new craft or anything! LOL
Oh wow! Fantastic progress! I like the piece you picked out too. It's going to be fun watching you try out this new craft. I'll be watching anxiously and listening for any hints or tips! Love your Alphabet Sampler too!
I love hooked rugs. I can't wait to see your progress. I think my husband would kill me if I became a hooker. :) I have too much stash as is. I will have to drool over your WIPs.
Hi Margie - darling kit!
I know you are anxious to get started but I usually recommend that new hookers practice in the margin outside the design until their loops become stable and you hit upon the right distance of placing your loops so they are not "packed" in the linen - rule of thumb is that when you look at the back of the work - you should not see a lot of visible canvas showing thru -I'm not very worried about that - I am mostly concerned about how my loops look on the front and I am always striving for that golf course unformity in my loops. If you are going to outline anything in a different color than the backround - for instance if you were outlining the windows of the house in black and your inside window was yellow - you need to do the outling first - it is far easier to set that line in the beginning - also - never go outside the black line - that is a very bad habit to pick up as tiny mofifs like those berries will become WAY too big. If you need add'l info - just email me mbryan10@comcast.net and I would strongly encourage you to take the drive to visit and see some rugs in person.
Good luck Ms Hooker! Mel
Oh~~~ That looks like so much fun!!! I have never tried hooked rugs before and would sure like to take a class someday!!!!! I'll be tuning in to see your progress!!!
Well, I'm no hooker, but it looks great to me! :) Great progress on your Alphabets as well!
I know nothing about hooking, but that's a cute kit and it looks great to me.
Awesome! I've always been so intrigued with hooking, but I really don't need another hobby (at least that's what I keep telling myself!)
LOL, love your blog title :-). Your rug looks gorgeous to me and I am way impressed you are teaching yourself to do it too.
Your blog title cracks me up. I would love to learn how to do hooking, but I can't even master punch needle! Your alphabet sampler looks familiar (is it a BOAF design?). In any case I like it!
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