How to Make 18th Century Hooked Rugs

In the 18th and 19th centuries, women often made hooked rugs from burlap feed sacks and scraps from worn-out clothing. Rugs made from free, leftover materials were placed on packed-dirt floors to keep family member's feet warm during cold months. The craft of rug hooking has remained virtually unchanged since the 18th century. Today, however, cutting strips is easier and pre-designed fabrics are readily available.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Burlap, monks cloth or other linen base
• Masking tape
• Rug-hooking frame
• Rug hook
• Strips of wool or scrap fabric (3/8 inch wide, 9 inches long)
• Scissors

1. This primitive rug features cats and chickens that are larger than the horses.

   Plan your rug design pattern on paper. If you are a beginner, make a simple pattern with little shading or excessive details. Primitive-style rugs usually depicted animals of the homestead, birds and often flowers and trees.

2. Lay out your base fabric on a flat surface. Place masking tape around all four sides so the base cannot unravel while you work. Following your pattern on paper, redraw the outlines onto your base fabric with a marker. Make sure your lines are visible, but not so wide that you won't be sure where to stitch.

3. Stretch your burlap over your frame and work along the outlines. Hold one hand under the rug and one hand above. The hand above will hold the hook (this is usually the hand you write with). The hand underneath holds the wool or cotton strips. Push your hook through the fabric to the back and pull up an end of your fabric strip. Push through with the hook again, a few threads away from the hole you just made. Holding the strip to the underside of the base, allow the hook to pull a loop up through the base. Hold the end in place with the under hand as you pull the loop ¼ to ½ inch above the base fabric.

4. Make your next loop. Repeat the process with the hand underneath, maintaining pressure on the strip so the previous loop is not pulled when the second loop is brought up. If the loop becomes too large, pull with your underside hand to shorten it, keeping the previous loop secure. When you reach the end of a strip, pull the end of the tail through to the front. Trim both the beginning and ending edges of the strip to match the height of the loops. Continue making loops, following the outline until all of the outlines are hooked.

5. Using the same old techniques, you can add a modern spin.

   Fill in any design items, such as flowers, horses or cats. Once the main designs are complete, create borders. Fill in the background last. Fill in any gaps in the rug where you can see the base fabric. Remove your masking tape and sew on rug-binding tape to complete the rug. Sign and date the back of the rug to complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Start with a small project to become comfortable with the hooking process.

References

• A History of Hooked Rugs
• Creating a Hooked Rug