#hooked rugs

[ilookattextile]

Horse rugs from the Textile Museum of Canada and the McCord Museum

[hornshaving]

Back on my early american hooked rug thing

[doubtspirit]

Large Grenfell Polar Bear Hooked Rug Grenfell Mission, Early 20th Century

[ellieolivette]

Scrappy Pumpkin and Mouse pattern on my Etsy Shop SistersThreeFarm

[primwitch69-blog]

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Hooked Mennonite rug, 1884, Ontario, Canada.

[0melancholy]

6/12/17

[the-tvma]

This close-up image of Heart to Hand, hooked by Anne Norvell following a pattern designed by Maggie Bonami, shows the intricate texture of hooked rugs. 

The distinctive appearance (and feel––but please don’t touch the art!) is created by tiny loops of textile material, most often yarn and/or very finely torn strips of fabric, drawn through an open-weave background (traditionally burlap; in the 19th century, sacking material was a popular choice). The depth and “pile” of an individual rug is determined partly by the hooking artist’s choice in how far they pull each loop “up” through the backing. To achieve a rug of even depth that looks smooth from a distance, each loop must be pulled through the backing to the same length. 

It takes time and skill––and a great deal of patience––to create an intricate and evenly-textured rug like this one.