Rug Hooking tools

Here are most of the tools I use to make hooked rugs, scissors, hook and "cutter". I use a Fraser Model 500-1 cloth cutting machine.

It has to clamp onto something--so I use this old stool. There are lots of cutters out there (in the USA anyway) but this one really suits my needs and I like it. In the photo I have a "number 8" blade on it --which cuts a strip about 1/4 inch. This is the cut I usually use. In my Primitive Cat rug I used an 8.5 cutter blade which cuts a wider strip. I use wool fabric for my hooked rugs....sometimes I make decorative hooked pins using old t-shirts and other materials, but for my hooked rugs it is exclusively wool fabric....I get 2nd hand wool clothing and wash it, tear it apart and use it as-is or over-dye it....sometimes I buy new wool yardage but it is the exception....

here are my 2 rug-hooking frames....(My first 3 or 4 rugs I used a quilting hoop with an extra large screw-bolt thingy to accomadate the thick rug). The little one is what I graduated from a hoop to, and the larger one--I bought for myself this past spring....I still use both, the little one is very light and easy to take with me to hooking events....

The backing material is held onto the rug-hooking frame by stretching it over these metal velcro-like prongs, which are very pokey and sharp....Repositioning is easy--just lift the backing off the "velcro" and reposition and pull it taut over the metal "velcro" again...

So---these are the tools I use to hook my rugs. I don't think I have forgotton anything---I like to keep my scissors on a chain, and wear them around my neck--that way I do not misplace them so often!

Comments

[macati]

Hi and wow!
as I said before I never worked on rug making and for me this is amazing! thank you for sharing! I liked your explanations very much!
bye, manela

[Angie]

Your rugs are beautiful!! I'm a beginning "hooker" and love it! What kind of dyes do you use? I want to try my hand at that but I'm not sure what to get on a limited budget. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[katie]

well - what a surprise! the cutter is like nothing I have ever seen! I cut with a rotary cutter on a cutting mat, or with scissors by eye for small amounts. the frame looks just great - I have to sew my backing onto a wooden frame - then the whole thing is so bulky and cumbersome - the 'vecro' sides means you can move the work around to wherever you need it - this must be wonderful! I thought you would cut thinner than that as you get such a wonderfully detailed finish. go and look at http://www.jujulovespolkadots.typepad.com/ today - she has 2 wonderful rugs on her blog.THANKYOU for this close up of your work - I love it!!
take care
katie

[julia]

Hi,
Thanks for the photos on the process. It was very interesting. I never did hook rugs. I love the design.
Take Care Julia

[Jennifer]

what kind of hook do you use?

[DanaSmith]

Love your Blog! I'm a Hooker too!
dana

[David Hinz]

Where did you get that cool octagonal hooking frame?! I would like more information please.

[kay]

I have the same type of frame for my rug hooking but I've had problems with moving my rug. When my rug is hooked and then moved, sometimes the hooking gets pulled out by the velcro. How can one avoid that? While I know that ideally the velcro would not touch the hooked part of the rug, because of the size of the rug sometimes that cannot be avoided. Any helpful hints?

[brenda]

The only hint I have is lift it and pull it off slowly and carefully.....sorry not very insightful. I have one pull sometimes, but not often.