amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Katie · 01-14-2006, 03:13 PM

Ha! I'm hooked. Pun intended.

It's taking every ounce of restraint not to rip this out, flip it over and make a playmat. lol.

But, my loops need practice, so I'll keep plugging away.

Gronilot · 01-14-2006, 03:17 PM

Wow that is cool.. what craft is it? you said "hooked" so I am thinking something similar to the rug hooking? Linky linky!

starkl · 01-14-2006, 03:27 PM

That's funny, Duncan JUST asked me about hooking when we were in Hobby Lobby the other day. What a coincidence.

That's really darling, I bet it's gonna be SO sweet when it's done.

So I have to ask, why is the start up cost so much? Is it the wool yarn that costs so much?

Katie · 01-14-2006, 03:32 PM

Traditional rug hooking. Except in my case, I'm hooking on monk's cloth instead of linen or burlap.

I swiped these images from google. This looks like yarn is being used but the technique is
the same as what I'm doing with wool strips.

This one shows the wool strip loops better than my picture.

PolkaDot · 01-14-2006, 03:36 PM

Oooooooooo..that is pretty!

Now I want to try this. I used to love doing latch hook rugs...lol.. This looks so much prettier though!

Katie · 01-14-2006, 03:37 PM

Lorraine, the class was 20.00 the kit was 50.00(which included the pattern, strips and hook) and the working frame is 40.00. I still think I'm way below that pottery wheel class.

I've heard of people using yarn but we didn't try that in class today.I do want to give it a try tho because a strip cutter runs about 140.00. Eeek.

There aren't a lot of suppliers for strips either so it involves hand dying too. There's always ebay but they're pretty steep too.

Dannielle · 01-14-2006, 03:45 PM

I've got some linen burlap, a hook, a quilting hoop that'll work...haven't gotten around to it yet though.

My plan for strips is to use wool blend felt (since I'll make something not intended for foot traffic), dye to suit, and cut into 1/4" strips with a rotary cutter.

That really looks awesome! Way to go!!

Katie · 01-14-2006, 03:54 PM

I think I'll end up running the rotary cutter too.LOL. But the instructor had her cutter there for us to try and it was slick.

I think jo's wool felt is too thick, but I have some wool flannel around here that'll get recycled. Thinking on it some more, I think the felt would be cool for dimension, roving too.

Some of the gals were repeat students and they'd tried hoops too but the frame was easier. Our teacher will buy them back at full price if we lose interest, but I've already decided I 'need' it.

I can feel the pull already to throw myself into this.....at some point I'm going to have to quit using "it's still cheaper than a kiln" as my argument to do something new.

but not yet.

TeresaLock · 01-14-2006, 05:15 PM

My grandmother taught me how to do that about 20 years ago

I wasn't very good and eventually stopped. I just gave all her stuff away last summer. It's amazing how beautiful the pieces can be. Good luck

Dannielle · 01-14-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie

I think jo's wool felt is too thick, but I have some wool flannel around here that'll get recycled. Thinking on it some more, I think the felt would be cool for dimension, roving too.

Some of the gals were repeat students and they'd tried hoops too but the frame was easier.

http://www.jo-ann.com/catalog.jhtml?...0&PRODID=11977 I have this "hoop" for quilting and it was a bazillion times easier than working with a round hoop. I'll at least give it a try.

D'ya think the JoAnn's wool blend felt would work if it wasn't hand-dyed? ...just as it comes off the bolt?

Cuz ya know I've never actually seen it done irl. I was just gonna mess around with what I have on hand (and pretend like it was on purpose if it turns out good

)

lupineperriwink · 01-14-2006, 05:26 PM

That's something I have always wanted to do. I have a rug from my graet grandmother that she made for my Dad. It's a ship on the ocean and I adore it.

Katie · 01-14-2006, 05:38 PM

Yeah, that's how I craft too. Sucking it up and taking this class took a lot for me. I typically like to try and try, ruin and ruin and ultimately spend more money than had I just bought a finished product. Ha. The adventure. right?

Anyway, I do think the felt is too thick for reward/success on a first piece. The material is like a suit flannel. Pretty thin with an obvious weave. Sometimes the weave frays during the hooking process. Which is cool for dimension but frustrates my "perfectionist" impulses.

I can mail some snippets too you, to give you an idea of thickness and width. Width varies, I think size 2 to 8, we're using 8.

Gusty keeps pulling out my loops. I wanted to trim all my tails at once so they were even but I'll have to change my position on that. Gus thinks they're worms in a hole or something and just ripped out an entire leaf.

Dannielle · 01-14-2006, 06:09 PM

ok, I know what you're talking about then. I have a big chunk of khaki felted thin wool that I've been saving. I guess I'll aim for something with a lot of khaki

I have a book on rug hooking which is probably not a good book for the inexperienced. They get all crazy and use all sorts of odd materials. I think netting was the oddest. That book had me thinking that anything I could make a loop with was fair game LOL!

For a second there an insane thought ran through my brain. It went something like, "I wonder if it would be too thick if I cut it thinner than 1/4"...like 1/8" instead..."

And then I slapped myself silly for even THINKING about cutting 1/8" strips with a rotary cutter.

Yeah, I know, lay off the crack...

Katie · 01-14-2006, 07:38 PM

It's really pretty funny how we (crafters we) think a like on things. Because I was looking around to see what I could cut up and hook.

I think, eventually, you can indeed loop and hook anything. But to get the comfort, it's about following the rules...just for a very short time, mind you. LOL.

My teacher pulled her loops with great ease, but I'm struggling right now. She mentioned and motioned to her rather expensive hook making the difference. So, just like everything, it's how serious one wants to get.

Oh, that khaki, sounds like the perfect weight. And just about every one of my strips in the kit, is an over-dye job. Plaids, houndstooth, etc, all over-dyed a new color.

LisaC · 01-14-2006, 09:40 PM

I soooo want to do that too! I signed up for a class and the place closed before I could take it!!