Hooking Information & Technique
“From Nina’s Notebook” One of the Nova Scotia teachers who has been a great mentor to me is Deanne Fitzpatrick. She has a website www.hookingrugs.com which has a gallery of her work as well as a blog. This morning I went out of my house and heard the birds tweeting and singing, and the smell of fresh earth and grass was in the air. The change of seasons brings back many memories and images which can be translated into a design for a mat. Last but certainly not least are family memories. My grandmother, Nanny as we called her, was an important person in my life. One of my fondest recollections of her is in the kitchen, baking bread. And so I hooked her kneading bread at her kitchen table and labeled it, “Give us this day.” May 2010—When asked to take over Joyce Comb's column on dyeing, I hesitated. Dyeing is still a mysterious process to me, although Joyce has helped to make it less so. We agreed to call the column “From Nina's Notebook”. Let me introduce myself. I am Nina Seaman, a two year member of HCRAG and a rug hooker of about 20 years. I spend half the year in Plainsboro, NJ and the other half on Bells Island, Nova Scotia. I am a member also of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. I am a primitive hooker, preferring 6, 8 and even 10 cuts done in a folk art style. I feel very passionate about rug hooking in all its forms, mats, purses, wall hangings...whatever width of strip or style of hooking, I love it all. I feel privileged to belong to two guilds that honor and celebrate the art of rug hooking. In this column I will write about rug hooking topics ranging from the serious to the trivial, and everywhere in between. If you have any suggestions for a topic, I welcome it. From Joyce’s Dye Pot Using natural dyes produced from flowers, herbs, nut husks and other plants is fun and consistent with the early origins of rug hooking. Onion skins and flowers are just two natural sources for dyes. Collect onion skins or day lilies. Soak them in water until the color leaches out. Remove the solids and use the dye as you would use acid dyes. There are several books in the HCRAG Library for those who want to learn more about natural wool dyeing.April 2010—Spot dyeing with just primary colors is great fun and the results are often surprising. Keep in mind that when working with the primary colors, yellow is at least twice as weak as red or blue. Working the dye into the wool in some manner is imperative for getting the dye to properly settle into the fibers. You can do this with a spoon, or a potato masher, or by hand. The dye sits atop the wool if this is not done, and may result in the core of the wool not being properly dyed. March 2010—This month I want to share a favorite and easy dyeing technique known as casserole dyeing. Wet wool is placed in a flat pan with at least 3 inch high sides. Dye formulas are spotted over the wool. White vinegar should be added to the dye formula. Cook for 45 minutes on the stove or in a 300 degree oven for one hour. Cover with aluminum foil. Watch the steam, it burns! February 2010— Overdye to make your wool more interesting. If you dye bright wool with its complementary color, it will calm the color down and make the wool more interesting to use in your rug. Primary colors (red, blue and yellow) are absorbed into wool at different rates. The order of absorption is red first, blue second and yellow third. For example: when a dye formula using red, blue and yellow is added to the dye bath, and several pieces of wool are dipped in the dye pot one at a time, the wool that is dipped last may differ greatly from the wool dipped first. Much of the red and blue dye may have already been absorbed leaving a stronger yellow dye for the last piece. December 2009—The amount of water in the dye pot does not affect the color just the evenness of the dyeing. Some people add 1 tablespoon of non-iodized salt. It may help the dye to absorb better. If you want a mottled effect do not add salt. Some dyers recommend a drop of Jet Dry or another wetting agent in their dye pot to make the dye absorb better. In the past two months, we discussed easy wool dyeing techniques. After removing the wool from the dye pot, it is important to always cool it slowly to prevent felting. Slowly run warm water, then tepid, then cool. Or just turn off the burner and let the wool cool in the pan. November 2009—Last month, we discussed two easy wool dyeing techniques — “marrying” and “stewing”. This month we will explore “marbleizing” wool. All three techniques are easy and require no investment in dyes or equipment. Thanks to Karen Kahle from Primitive Spirit (www.primitivespiritrugs.com), marbeleizing has become a routine for many rug hookers to enhance the colors of their wool. This is good for creating different colors of wools in the same background or in the same rug.
The results will surprise you and you will never be able to recreate the color! Some colors to marbleize:
October 2009—One of the easiest ways to play with the color in your rugs without any investment in dyes and equipment is “marrying”, “stewing” and “marbleizing” wool. This month we will explore marrying and stewing wool. To Marry Wool: Select several pieces of the same color wool. For this example we will use red. We often have several reds, but they do not match or look good together. You can marry them and bring the shades closer together. You can also use this method to tone down a color. One example: if you have a piece of bright blue that is too bright, put it with a piece of orange (complementary color). The two will marry to create two pieces of different colored but complementary wools that will be less bright but useable for the same project.
To Stew Wool: The same approach as above is used, but you will have many different colors in the same pot. It blends all the colors and makes the wool compatible. |
Tips from Heloise May 2010—Heloise is visiting a very good friend and realizes just how important it is to talk things over with an understanding friend. For example: We have mutual friends in Scotland who are going to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in August. We wanted to send a little something but couldn't figure out just what would be appropriate. So in discussion we came up with the following ideas. The rug hooker will create a small mat with a thistle and a 50 on it and the quilter is designing a table runner in lovely floral fabric. So, what seemed like a problem turned out to be a sharing of ideas and excitement over creating the gifts. Moral- use your hooking guild friends as a sounding board. — Good bye from Seattle April 2010—Photos of our created rugs are a great idea not only for remembering what we have hooked but also for insurance purposes. When organizing the pictures remember to put the size of the rug, date, and any additional comments. It is fun to add the place you hooked the piece if traveling, vacationing or the event that triggered the rug. Such as the addition of a baby in the family, an anniversary or a job oriented rug. The designers name and pattern name should be indicated. It is important to do this for all the large pieces that sit around the house-displayed or stored, any donated piece or a piece that has been given as a gift. March 2010— Here is an opportunity to use your ingenuity and have fun putting together several small rugs to form a larger one. For example, Heloise has 4 stair raisers that are not being used and if put together they would make a cute small rug, or used as a border on a square rug. To combine completed rugs, join them by whipping the binding together. If the bindings are of different colors find a coordinating color. Plan the rug carefully, making sure that the squares are of matching size- or if used as borders - of correct size to fit perfectly in the final assembling. February 2010— February is the month of LOVE! Years ago making a hooked rug was a labor of love despite its discomfort. Great Grandmother had to use flour sacks, rags or burlap and a hook fashioned by hand which was rather rough, and a crude frame. The materials were recycled clothing perhaps those damaged by the sparks from the open fireplace. Her designs were probably those of nature- trees, flowers, animals, etc. Those living near the sea might have had ships and seafaring motifs. Today hooked rug making is a little easier with our materials, fancy hooks, good linens and delicious wools. Our frames are designed for comfort and flexibility. These modern conveniences have not changed the old time charm of our craft but they do help us sit longer and help us create with ease. We LOVE our craft, our creations and appreciate all our talents. December 2009—Who Dun It?! Remember when a good book or movie kept you in suspense and it was difficult to figure out who “dun it”? Well, we as rug hookers do not want that to happen to our creations in the future. We need to put some identification on our hooked artwork — whether it is our initials, name or cute logo and the date. It is important to have the date spelled out....as 2010 rather then '10. If Heloise was doing a rug, she might make a huge H in a contrasting color or blend it in a little or even turn the H sideways. It depends on the background or border or where you are putting the ID. Also, we learned that the binding can be embroidered with all sorts of information for the future. Sewing machines can do miracles today.No matter how you ID your rug, just remember to do it. November 2009—Holiday Hooking—With all the busy days ahead- it is important to still find time to hook. I know I relax and find some quiet time to contemplate and reflect on my day when I hook in the evening. Even if it is just for a half hour or so- I feel better when I shake off the stress of the season- Hooking is so enjoyable that I just have to smile and relax! Sometimes, I reflect on a problem and I realize I have solved it. Answers seem to come when we least expect them. So if I hook I can solve how many cookie batches to bake this year, how will I find time to write Christmas and holiday cards, where will the hours be found to decorate both inside and outdoors, and most of all when will I see the grandkids, friends and family over the holidays. So with this in mind- just hook away- the rest will all get accomplished! October 2009—As the seasons change sometimes it is enjoyable to redecorate and perhaps some rugs might need storing in a safe place. If so- shake the rug free of any loose dirt before storing. Avoid a vacuum cleaner or carpet sweeper- just shake!! When in doubt, think how a homemaker of a hundred years ago might have cleaned a rug. Old methods are still best. It is really best to air the rug for a few hours outdoors on a lovely day. Be sure not to fold the rug but to roll it instead, backing side in, worked side out. Rolling with the pile out places less stress on the pile by not squeezing it together. Rugs may be stored in the back of a closet, under a bed, in a cabinet, or on a shelf. Put some material between the rug and the shelf. Rugs can be draped over a curtain rod or dowel and hung in a closet-for a short period of time. Do not use clothespins or pins, as the weight against the pins will pull the backing. |
Support Local Vendors Goat Hill Studio located in Lambertville, NJ is a new spacious rug hooking studio. Gail Dufresne is known for offering “more wool than you can imagine”. She also carries a full range of hooking supplies including cutters, hooks, dyes, and backing. Workshops, classes and custom dyeing are available. Visit her website at www.goathilldesigns.com or contact her at gailduf@aol.com. Homespun is a quaint retail shop located in an early 1900s style general store in Hereford, PA at the intersection of Routes 29 and 100. Kay Leisey offers a full range of rug hooking supplies including hooks, backing, wool, books and punch-needle supplies. Kay is known for her creative seasonal hooking projects that are always available. Weekly classes are offered. Quilting fabrics and antique sewing items that are creatively displayed add to the fun of visiting Homespun. Visit her website at www.homespunwollens.com or contact her at 215-541-0565. The Blue Tulip is located in Harmony, NJ. Guild member, Karen Worthington, offers primitive hooked rug designs, kits, supplies and classes. Karen was recognized by Early American Life Let them know that we value their support. |
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