Any latch hook rug makers out there?

[erebus]

A question- do you have to make a rug one complete row after another? Or can you do a line or block here, a line or block there on the canvas?

TIA

[threadsoffeeling]

you can do it any way you like. Its easier to do it row by row as you can see the colors better, but it is possible to do it in blocks too. If you are just starting out, then i recommend sticking with row by row

[erebus]

Thanks. My ishoo is I have an odd assortment of cut wool to use and I don't know (without counting every strand) how much is in each wrap so I was planning on doing a random pattern thing, maybe wide swirls, where when I run out of a colour, it doesn't look too bad!

[threadsoffeeling]

i havent ever done anything but the kits, and even those not for about two decades, so no idea really. what i did find was that it was harder to see the pattern on the base thing whatever its called (?) if you are doing your own pattern, then it wont matter so much.
good luck with it. post a picture up when your are done. :)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I had a go of this yesterday and was thinking of doing one. Are the kits better for someone who hasn't done it before and isn't very crafty? Where can I get the kits or canvas from too?

[CliffTumble]

Watching with interest

[erebus]

Hi, have strated mine now. It's a door mat and I'm using all the wool a MNetter kindly gave me. I am working in 'curved rows'. I have already made 2 errors:

I, smartypants, thought I would make the edges neater before I started by folding up 2 squares width all the way around and tacking it down, then hooking my wool through both layers- of course, this makes the loop bit bigger thus the tuft shorter; and I also assumed all my wool was the same length but in fact some were a cm shorter, so, although the effect on the rug is quite pleasing, these shorter tufts are almost too short to go around my double thickness edges so the knots are in danger of coming undone!

I will post up the finished result, anyway!

[erebus]

I think there is an online company called Iriss of Penzance who will also send you a sheet of tufts to get your colours right.

[kellestar]

If you have some graph paper, you could make a rough pattern idea to work from. Sections of colour are easier if you've got odds and ends to use up. I have done one before that was just random threads in no particular order, just make sure you have tones that work well.

[erebus]

kellestar hi! It was you who equipped me to rug hook! Many thanks!

I am having a lot of fun with it. I have 'roughed' out a sort of pattern on a piece of paper and my plan is to keep going using all of a given colour of wool, half working from one corner inwards, the other half from the diagonal corner opposite, and should I have insufficeint wool to finish, I will order some more.

[kellestar]

sounds fab, it's a really addictive craft. Glad it's going to good use :)