Getting hooked by rug hooking

I just went to a presentation on rug hooking, Jayme you definitely should have been there! this is something I think you and I should take up together...it is amazing and useful and all you need is a hook (kinda like a crochet hook) some burlap or linen cloth and lots of old woolen clothes and blankets which you cut into strips and make amazing art!
East coasters and anyone else tell me what you know of this craft, it looks so simple and useful and fun all at the same time!
Here is a link to some of it, what really floats my boat is the landscapes, just like oil paintings, but what I want to do is prairie landscapes, sunsets and northern lights, lots of fun in doing the skies!
website of Deanne Fitzpatrick, rug artist
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This is my favorite:
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I would like to draw my own and use my own pieces of fabric but there is some wonderful inspiration in here.
A bit more relaxed than quilting, there seems no wrong way to do it and it's portable, I really want to try this too (I love crafts! ') ) Anyone else like this?

I did some rug hooking when I was a kid, it was fun and easy. Something to do in front of the t.v. on long winter nights!

These are fantastic! I grew up surrounded by old hooked rugs - some fantastic art! We had an elderly friend, a Norwegian man, who did many of them in winter. I was talking to a wool spinner who buys my fleece and she hooks rugs using carded fleece. I want to see some of those rugs!
Would love to do some of them.

authenticfarm wrote:I did some rug hooking when I was a kid, it was fun and easy.  Something to do in front of the t.v. on long winter nights!

Was it latch hooking or rug hooking af? I did the latch hooking as a kid with yarn ( I remember a very bright shocking butterfly kit)and it is more of a knot you tie, this is not a not, just loops you pull up and the back is just as nice as the front only flatter, and you use fabric not wool.

Wow, that is beautiful stuff.
Please share your finished projects  

Oh. Hmmmm ... might have been latch hooking. Short pieces of yarn and a hook with a flippy thing on it. It's been a couple of decades, my memory may be faulty.

The ones I used to do were leftover from the 70's, lots of orange and brown and yellow ... but they kept me busy.

I have done several pieces and found it enjoyable.  My favorite piece was done with raw sheep's wool.  Hand rolled the wool into a long rope, cut to the desired lengths and then used the latch hook the same way you would with yarn.  Made a darn fine saddle pad for a friend and my hands were soooooo soft from the lanolin

My mom rug hooked when i was a kid. Her rugs lasted a loooong time and were lovely. The patterns were easy to follow

That really looks like fun. I'll have to watch the video. Thanks for sharing.

I also hooked a saddle pad this same way. I will never do one again! Gordon bless you Miry, you have more patience than I do!

I have often admired these rugs and plan to get in to it one day. I always thought the thrift shop would be my supply center  .  I am sure Macklemore would agree :-).

Thrift stores are a great place to find unusual treasures!

Here is my first attempt!

I love the feel of rug hooking and all the colorful wool fabric strips, still working on technique( so the back looks as good as the front!) and getting over it "looking messy!"
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This is too small for a real rug but I am already planning my next one...

That is adorable, would it work in a frame?

Oh Miry, that's a beautiful piece of work. I am very inspired now. I wonder if they (pieces of art like this) could be made into broaches and things like that? I reckon' it would be lovely in a frame. Or a pillow cover? I did a few crewel embroidery pieces that I made in to pillow covers for the couch and they worked very well.

brilliant! Can't wait to give it a go. Maybe after Christmas when spare time is more abundant. Thanks for putting that up.

Love it!

you guys are awesome encouragers! Thanks! The second one I have started only had a few lines in it and like I said I find it really hard to follow so I went crazy and drew lines all over even though I am so not an artist! The nice thing is you cover it all up anyhow so if I don't color in the lines who cares?

Finished another small rug and have 2 more on frames and 1 at the design stage.
Thought Id post a pic here of my second rug:
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holy smokes. Gorgeous rug. You are a talented and prolific crafter.

very nice, how long does it take to complete one that size?

Took me about 12 hours I think but ofcourse I was learning and kept " reverse hooking" on bits that I didnt like the first time.  I think the landscapes would be a lot slower than a set pattern.  I am working on 3 boats now and am going a lot fastet.  My other one is a nativity scene and I just mapped out one based on the old barn we used to have. It will be my biggest one yet at 20 x 40 inches

that seems pretty fast! you must have good technique and I guess you will achieve speed demon status once you have a few more under your belt. I am totally impressed and inspired. Would you take a picture of the next work in progress? so we can see a bit of what it looks like? is that 12 hrs counting the time it takes to cut the fabric in to strips also?

the hooking itself is incredibly simple and really anyone can do it! Cutting the strips can be quick and rough or slow and even depends what kind you like, I used some precut strips then quickly cut my own by hand with a rotary cutter at first and then just with sharp scissors.
Here is the start of my boat one:
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I love the fact that there is no real wrong way to do it, you can use whatever color you like and it looks interesting and folky.

thanks Miry. looks way cool and too much fun. you have achieved "enabler" status now! sharp scissors looks the way to go.

Fantastic! You've been very quiet - wonderful to see what you've been doing!