Primitive Rug Hooking Instructions for Beginners and Experts

The History

Primitive rug hooking was first introduced into the society as a savior from chilling winter. These rugs were kept on the floor to cut down the cold from below. To make them the father would make the hook of the rug and hook the linen backing or burlap on the stretcher, so that the linen would remain taunt during the making of the rugs. The children would tear small and equal pieces of wool from old clothes that may be used as strips to make the rugs. The mother would then make the rug within days or months together.

Today the rugs have become wall hanging decorative items. Their sizes have reduced considerably and they are equally used as decorative items for the floors. Nowadays readymade kits are available in the market which are easy to use and time saving.

Raw Materials Needed For Making the Wool Rug Hooking Basket

You can now buy the wool basket rug hooking kit from the market. You will also need wool strips or wool balls of various colours and the binding materials. You will need the rug foundation or pattern and the hook. You can also create your own designs on the linen by using pencil or pen.

Rug Hooking Instructions for Beginners and Experts

Follow the below steps to recreate the magic of your hands and mind on the linen and earn compliments.

• It is very important to keep the linen tight so that your final product doesn’t get shapeless. Either uses a stitching frame for locking your linen or else stitch the cloth on the frame from all four sides to keep it taunt.
  
• Now sketch the design of your choice or else you can also buy it ready made from the market.
  
• Try to start with the smallest designs first and then move on to the big, bigger, biggest; finish the background last.
  
• Hold the wool strip tight in between your index finger and middle finger and thumb. Hold the strip below the linen and the design from where you want to begin.
  
• Now insert the hook in the hole of the design and twist the hook to catch the strip and pull back the hook with the wool strip.
  
• A loop will be formed, try to control the length of the loop by pulling back the extra piece of loop from below.
  
• The loop should ideally be of the same breadth as the length.
  
• Repeat the above process till you have finished the design. Start the next piece of wool strip from the same hole as the one where you ended your last piece of strip. Pull the older strip below to complete the loop.
  
• Once you finish the design just cut down the extra pieces of strips and you may now either frame the design or keep it on the floor as decorative item.