Steaming Rugs

I do not always write in my patterns about steaming before assembling. 

Steaming plumps up your wool. It also helps to even the loops out. 

I would do this step for every rug hooked project. 

For really good instructions on how to do this I suggest this web site. 

Cindi Gays Steaming Rugs Instructions

Another step I do not always put in my patterns is taping your finished piece. Take strips of packing tape and lay it over the rug and then pull it up. Use as many pieces as you need to until the tapes starts to come up clean when pressed onto the loops. This cleans off the fibers that were created when your strips were cut. This really helps.

Needle Punch and Rug Hooking

If you browse through my Dimensional rug hooking blog 

you will find many dimensional dolls and creations.

The tip that I want to share today is that you have to rug hook or punch your loops close together. 

The close together loops are necessary to keep the backing from showing through 

after the piece is assembled and stuffed.  

If you were to needle punch or rug hook as you have been taught to

keep the backing from buckling 

your backing will show when you stuff.

It is a little hard on your hands to do this as you must

force the hook or needle punch into the backing fabric.

If you have any questions about Dimensional Rug Hooking or Needle Punch just post it in the comments.

 

♥ Sneak Peek Dimensional Rabbit ♥

I like to take photos of works in progress as you see things from a different point of view this way. It is also good to hold the project up in front of a mirror to see a different perspective. 

This is my Dimensional Rug Hooked Rabbit in progress. 

As you can see the apron on the one side doesn't match so this showed me that I need to add more purple to the one side. This has been a fun project. She is over 14" tall. 

Stay tuned for more... on this primitive Dimensional Rabbit. 

This is a copy righted original design from me JoEllen of BeFRuiTFuL KReaTioNS.

Tip Using A Rug Hooked Frame for Needle Punch

 Tip Using A Rug Hooked Frame for Needle Punch

I use my rug hooking frame for keeping my fabric tight for punch needle projects. Most fiber artists use Weavers Cloth for their needle punch projects. The cost of this fabric can get pricey. My tip of the day is to sew the Weavers cloth into another piece of fabric. You can pick up fabric at yard sales or the sales fabric at fabric stores. You can reuse this over and over. 

Just cut a piece of your inexpensive fabric large enough to fit on your frame and large enough to go around your needle punch piece. Fold the outer edge under and sew to keep the outer edge from fraying. The with a pencil and ruler draw out a section in the center that is a little smaller then the outer edge of your weavers cloth. Then cut this center section out. Kind of like a picture frame goes around a picture. Pin your weavers cloth to the outer fabric and sew your weavers cloth into the opening. 

When you are done punching your piece just cut out close to where you sewed the weavers cloth to the other fabric. 

Reuse this outer picture frame fabric over and over again.

To keep the weavers cloth from fraying around the edge and getting into your needle punch project while working it just fold under the edge and sew before you attach it to the outer fabric.

I have not found this to be much of a problem so I do not do this step. 

Rug Hooked Teddy Bear

Sewed the fabric bear yesterday and it is a good thing that I tried this before I hooked the pieces.

The pads of the bear feet do not fit well into the leg parts so will choose a different pattern for this bear. In fact I had to cut some of the leg to make it fit.

My first rug hooked Teddy Bear I did not do this initial first step. Lucky the Ending was good.

Here is a picture of my first bear.

Do you want to make your own Rug Hooked Teddy Bear?

It is easy to do this.

The hardest part of dimensional rug hooking is the assembly. I hope to help you out with different steps here and in an online tutorial.

Would you like an on line tutorial about the Teddy Bear?

JoEllen

Hairless Linen for Dimensional Rug Hooking

Hairless Linen will work with dimensional rug hooking.

Things to keep in mind.
There is not as much give in linen. This can be a plus and a minus.

My experiment was with a #6 cut. When using Linen for a dimensional piece you will find that you do not have to hook in every hole. In fact at times I found it hard to hook as close as I thought I should be. Packing your loops in a 3-d stuffable dimensional piece is a must.

I did like that the cut ends did not seem to unravel as much as monks cloth does. Thus not as many threads hanging out as you sew.

I think it was harder to assemble the piece I was working on. This I believe is due to the linen not stretching as much as monks cloth does.

Linen is easy to sew with a sewing machine. The sewing machine likes to pull the strand of the monks cloth some times.

JoEllen

Bee Skep Dimensional Rug Hooking Tutorial

So excited to share the news of my upcoming Online Tutorial on Dimensional Rug Hooking.

Bee Skep 3-D Rug Hooking

This will be a interactive on-line tutorial. By this I mean through a questions and answers format we will interact. This will be a group atmosphere. Step by step photos will help you see how this form of Rug Hooking is done.

To take part in the Bee Skep Tutorial you must have a basic knowledge of how to rug hook. You would also need to have access to a sewing machine and a Paypal account. The cost for the tutorial is $10.00. You will need to have an adobe reader for the pattern to be sent to you. Adobe reader is free online.

Please Email me to enroll in this class. befruitful76@yahoo.com Please title your email Bee Skep Tutorial. After you enroll in this class I will send a Paypal invoice for the cost of the tutorial. So I suggest enrolling early.

Tentative start date is April 14
This could change.

A list of needed materials will be emailed to all enrolled students.

Things in the tutorial
Best Backing Fabrics
Transferring the pattern
Preparing Backing for hooking
How to hook a dimensional piece
Assembling stitches for all stages
Helpful relevant Tips and Tricks
Lots of Photos

JoEllen

Progress

The bee Themed piece is coming along nicely. All the hooking is done and I did get to start on the assembly. This is going to work.

Some times with dimensional rug hooking when you first envision something it just doesn't turn out as you envision it. I can say this doesn't seem to happen often though.

Will post a photo soon of the finished project. Look for more details about the on-line tutorial to be posted soon.

Would love to hear from you if you are interested please post a comment.


JoEllen

Tips for Dimensional Rug Hooking

Here are a few tips for dimensional rug hooking.
I will be adding to this list

1. Hook tight. When you go to assemble a 3-d piece you will see the backing if you do not hook tight enough. In fact you will need to pack you loops. A no no in the rug hooking world.
2. I suggest using a backing close to the same colors that you are using to hook your project. Like brown for my Indian Corn pattern.
3. So far I prefer using monks cloth (the kind used for swedish weave, it is loosely woven) for my dimensional rug hooking. It is a bit stretchy which can be a bonus.
4. You can leave the end pieces on your strips of wool (worms) on the under side if you want because they will be inside of your project. In fact my first patterns I suggested to do this.
5. Try to use plump wool. Scroll down to the Easter Eggs. The very first photo shows some loops that do not lay right. I am sure when you look at the photo you will see which ones I am talking about. This wool was to thin. I am glad I left that Easter Egg that way because it shows what I am talking about very well.