Evening star., 1947-03-24
HOOKING RUGS

fFrom Mrs. G. S. c.. Arlington.)
Any one can hook rug! The
equipment is inexpensive; and as
for the difnculty of making the rug,
there are no stitches to count, no
stitches to drop and no intricate
directions to follow.
Start with a pattern on either
burlap or monks cloth. BY all means
choose pattern that appeals to
you, remembering that it Is no more
difficult to hook detail and it's much
more fun. You may buy the pattern
stamped or draw your own.
A frame is optional. I usually
have one rug on frame and an
other to hook on my lap for pickup
work. Use hook which resembles a
crochet hook and is set in q short
wooden handle. Automatic hooking
shuttles do not make as beautiful
nor as lasting q rug.
For your material, use wool. Hook
your silk and rayon pieces into chair
and table mats. Old materials of
Jersey, fannels, firm knitwear and
old blankets. My recent find" in
cluded dozen or so all-wool dis
carded mems ties. The materials
are cut as finely as possible. This
is very important. Knitted material
is cut lengthwise.
Choosing colors and shading is
the most fun. Recently spent a
week finding just the shade Of blue
I wanted. First dyed some mate
rial, and then I used color remover
on another. But finally found the
shade I wanted in small ball OF
regular knitting yarn. This folded
double and hooked. Experts rec
ommend five shades for large fow-
ers. For example, to shade a rose
use pink, rose, red, dark red and
maroon. For morning glory, dark
blue, medium blue, light blue with
a touch of white and in the center q
spot of green and bit Of yellow.
Use flowers from your garden for
models or pictures in the seed cata-
log.
To hook, hold the narrow strip in
your left hand on the underside.
Hold the hook firmly on the inside
OF your right hand, not like you hold
a pencil, more as you hold your
pairing knife. The hook Is pushed
down through the mesh, catches the
strip and a loop is pulled up. One
quarter inch Is good height. Fill
in the foundation firmly and evenly,
a loop in about every other mesh.
All the ends are brought to the top
and cut off even. A rug so made
can be vacuum cleaned, but should
be dry cleaned, not shampooed. This
is the reason do not recommend
making a room-siZed rug. Two or
three smaller rugs would be more
fun to hook and less care. Wool rug
yarn and wool materials may be
used together. The differences in
the texture adds interest to the de-
sign.
I recommend Mrs Pearl McGow-
ans article on hooking in the cur
rent issue of the American Home
magazine.
One of the best ways to learn
hooking is to meet ladies who hook.
Every one has her own style and
adds something to the art.
Il
CROCHETED EARRINGS?
From Mrs. F. G., Takoma Park
I would like to know If any one
could give me the proper directions
to stiffen some crocheted earrings.
I bought some from a bazaar and
would like to make some for char
ity cause. I can make the flowers,
but wish to stiffen them up so they
hold better.
4 II n
POEM WANTED?
From Mrs. E. P. B., Broad Run, Va.
I have long been a reader and
some times correspondent of RCH.
My chief interest in The Star is
the RICH page and This and That"
I have been wishing for a poem
which I knew as a child perhaps
50 years ago. I don't remember
much of it now, but the title was
Coming" Each verse ended with
the same refrain, but different words
such as Let the door be on the
latch in your home. 1t may be in
the morning, I will come, or in
the evening, or midnight I will
come" I had a copy pinned on
my wall and thought it beautiful
poem.