OT: Waayyy off topic - Rug Hooking

I was at a store tonight and saw some beautiful rugs and thought to myself, "Self, could you do this?" From what I've been able to dig up online, it seems quite expensive. But absolutely beautiful at the same time.

Just curious if anyone's dabbled in the craft. If you have please let me know how you like it.

Thanks!!

[Ingrid]

I did this for years! I think I did my first one when I was about 14, and maybe 6-8 rugs after that. I remember getting kits from Shillcraft. I really liked it, come to think of it. It did start to get expensive, especially for the wool ones; then they came out with an acrylic or an acrylic blend and they were less expensive.

Now you've got me thinking. I've got yarn. . . if i got some mesh. . . . :thinking:

[Jenelle]

I know you can get them at walmart for 5-10 dollars(depending on the size of it). I want to start that though, looks easy, but then difficult.

[Ingrid]

It's not difficult. . at least the kits I did weren't. The colors were printed right on the mesh and you use a latch hook to pull the yarn pieces through. Sort of like color by number.

[dustinac]

I've done latch hook rugs they are really easy to do and can be found almost anywhere like wally world or Joanns... now my mom does the rug hooking and it can be expensive to buy the wool and patterns.. she tries to buy it in kits if she can... she really loves the primitive ones she has been working on one for about 2yrs now on and off its pretty neat... I keep thinking I'm gonna have her show me but I never do...
This site seems to have alot of info on it... I remeber when mom started we had just got a computer and internet lol I was still at home we typed in rug hooking to search the internet and wowza never seen my mom blush so hard or fight me for the "x" button :rofling:

http://www.rughookingonline.com/whatis.html

I think you also need a frame.. mom always uses a frame but with my latch hooking I don't need one... I have a raggedy ann and andy that was suppose to be done for my little girl's nurseray she is now 2

edited to ask: Did you mean latch hooking or rug hooking I meant to ask before and thought I did :rofling:

Now, is Rug hooking the same as Latch hooking? Or did I just make up a word there!!! I went on Joann's website and they mostly had Latch hook and hardly any rug hooking things. I used to do the latch thing when I was a kid with the cheepy pieces of whatever they were called.

But this rug was much more beautiful than what I used to make. Is it basically the same principle? I want to learn how to do the rug hooking, much more 'adult' looking than Latch hooking - again, if that's a word??!!!

So many questions...

[dustinac]

nope they are different...

Rug hooking uses a different type of hook from latch hooking... also with latch you take one piece of yarn and pull it through a hole in the cavas then get another piece of yarn .. with rug you have a motion of picking the fabric/wool through to the front on the burlap... You place your wool strip onto the back of your burlap and mom does this motion that catches it brings it up through that little mesh hole then moves onto to the next mesh hole and grabs the same strip pulls that through till she runs out or changes color... I'm prolly being confusing the way I'm explaining it but the link above has some good info and one page that shows you how to hold the hook and do the process...

[Ingrid]

What I did was latch hook--large, gorgeous rugs, done like the little kits, but more 'grown up.' I remember my MIL had a canvas on a frame that she used to push yarn through and catch on the other side with her other hand like dustinac was talking about. She never finished it though.

The canvas ones lay in your lap.

This is from the Shillcraft site.

[gardenmommy]

I love that topiary design one on the Skilcraft site! Although it would take me into the next century to get it done!

nope they are different...

Rug hooking uses a different type of hook from latch hooking... also with latch you take one piece of yarn and pull it through a hole in the cavas then get another piece of yarn .. with rug you have a motion of picking the fabric/wool through to the front on the burlap... You place your wool strip onto the back of your burlap and mom does this motion that catches it brings it up through that little mesh hole then moves onto to the next mesh hole and grabs the same strip pulls that through till she runs out or changes color... I'm prolly being confusing the way I'm explaining it but the link above has some good info and one page that shows you how to hold the hook and do the process...

Oh my goodness that does sound complicated. But I know what the end result looks like and I'm thinking it may be worth the initial frustration.

They are just so beautiful, I'm really wanting to learn more, thanks for the website link. My poor hubby, I'll have to find a p/t job just to pay for my knitting and now maybe rug hooking!!!