Lucky me!  I\'ll be in Sarasota for the Searsport Hook-In on Feb 22.  I\'ll have lots of patterns and hand-dyed wool and a few other trinkets.  See you there?

Saco (Maine) Museum Hooked Rug Exhibit

Cozy up with some hooked rugs this winter with two warm and wonderful exhibitions at the Saco Museum! "Rugs All Marked Out" will celebrate the hooked rug innovator and entrepreneur Edward S. Frost, who launched a rug-pattern business right here in Biddeford, Maine, in the mid-19th-century. Originally presented at the Maine State Museum in 2006, "Rugs All Marked Out" features rugs, burlap patterns, and metal stencils from the Maine State Museum collection. The original exhibition will be enhanced with Frost rugs and patterns from the Saco Museum\'s own collections, all recent acquisitions. Also on view will be modern hooked rugs by members of the Maine Tin Pedlar, a group of local hooked rug artists named in honor of Frost. Both exhibitions will be on view at the Saco Museum January 14 through March 24, 2012

We have a new color catalog available!  Email Laura@rughookseaside to get one.

Did you know?

Our standard shipping in the US is Priority mail.  Yes, this is what you get for the $6 flat shipping rate for any size rug.  This lets us follow your order with a tracking number, and you get the package in 2-3 days.  And  free Priority Mail shipping for orders over $100. 

Where do I start?

If you are shopping for a beginner or if you are a beginner yourself, start small.  If you are shopping for a child or grandchild remember that instant results are what matters.  Start with a small pattern with simple lines. 

 Even for yourself, start simple unless you are accomplished in other needle crafts or arts.  The learning curve is amazing.  In a small piece your technique will improve noticeably.  You\'ll be glad to get that first piece done so you can start a new piece with your new skill.

Here are some suggestions for beginners.  All can be made up as kits with wool strips.  Consider these patterns:  Little House Stencil,  April Showers, Bear, Two Squirrels, Little Rooster, or most any of the Birdhouse rounds.

To find a list of teachers near you, go to the ATHA (Association of Traditional Hooking Artists) website, www.atharugs.com.  And SAVE that first hooked piece.  You will look at it many times and smile.

Facebook

The Hooked, Line and Sinker Club is on Facebook.  Join us for discussions on hooking and dyeing hints, gatherings, shows, and general stuff.    Stop in to browse other hooker\'s art or post yours for all to admire.

A Rug Hooking Poem

Quoted from Pearl McGown's book, The Lore and Lure of Hooked Rugs published in 1966:

"When one teacher brought her book of life to a close, a member of her family wrote this delightful poem:

Letter of Introduction (for a Rug Teacher)

You needn't bother to fit her with wings,

But please get together the following things:

One frame (a harp without strings will do);

Could someone fashion a hook or two

From a moulted feather? A square of sky

Will serve as burlap; she'll need some dye

(Your sunsets fade, but I'm sure she could use

A second-hand rainbow) and let her choose

Some ragged old clouds, she won't want new ones.

She'll bleach and then dye the gray or blue ones

With the patience of one of Your boys named Job,

Thank You so much, and hang on to Your Robe!

                -Mary Anspach Simon"

Kits Available
Many of the small pieces are available as kits, especially the Christmas pieces.  If  I only have one or two of a kind, they aren't listed on the website.  Just call or email me and I'll see if the piece you like is available as a kit.


First Frame

Just starting out as a newbie hooker?  One thing you will want is a frame. If you have lived in a hooking household, or you have good friends, borrow one.  If you do need to buy one, consider a quilting hoop to start out with.  You may never need to buy an expensive frame, or at least you can put it off for a while. Many hookers try other frames and go back to the hoop. One caveat:  Don't be cheap and try an embroidery hoop like I did for my first project. Too flimsy. 

One of the biggest advantages of rug hooking over needlepoint or embroidery is how much space you can cover so quickly, so don't buy a small diameter hoop.  If it is too small you'll be repositioning your work way too often.

Next, change out the screw for a much longer one.  A hooked piece is quite thick whether hooking with wool strips or yarn.  You'll need the extra length on the screw as you start to anchor hooked areas between the hoops. There you go...

Our patterns are all available on Monks cloth, linen, or rug warp.  We know that hookers choose their backing by what they want to work on, not what it costs.  We don\'t want anyone hooking a pattern on a backing that they don\'t like because it costs less.  So, we have never charged a premium for linen.

When you order a linen pattern from us, we routinely use unbleached linen.  Many other pattern makers use bleached linen because it is easier to transfer the pattern but unbleached is actually a little stronger. If for any reason, you don\'t like the unbleached, we have a some bleached linen available.  Just let us know that you prefer it when you place the order.

Rug warp is great for geometric designs because it is the only backing where the holes are perfectly square and the thread count is the same vertically and horizontally.  It is a little stiff but that allows it to really hold its shape.

Monks cloth is good for all cuts.  It moves easily to accommodate all but the largest width strips.  For fine shading, it is great because it will allow you to add just a few loops almost anywhere you want them to go.

We also offer Verel as a backing choice.  It\'s most commonly used in hanging or table top pieces when the background is left unhooked.  Ask Laura about pricing.