Cindi Gay Rug Hooking

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How to finish a hooked rug

How much yarn do I need to whip my hooked rug?

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Fold Forward Finish

test

June 2016 update: I cannot get the calculator embedded into the website. Click this link to visit it in another page. If it ever stops working again, please let me know. In case you are curious, here’s how to do the calculations yourself:

Width + Width + Length + Length = Perimeter inches

Perimeter inches divided by how many inches your whipping covers = number of pieces you need

Number of pieces you need * the length of strand you used = Number of inches of yarn needed

Number of inches of yarn needed divided by 36" = Number of yards you need.

calculator

Whipping a rug takes a long time. Ripping it out because you run out of yarn and have to start over with something else is a nightmare. Run the numbers before you begin.

Do a whipping test

Use a piece of scrap backing and prepare the edge so you can practice whipping. A section about 8″ long should be enough. Here are some posts to get you started:

  • Finishing a hooked rug – zig zag or not?
  • Fold Forward Finish- Zig Zagging the Edge
  • Fold Forward Finish: Baste the Edge in Place
  • Fold Forward Finish: The Whipping Yarn
  • How much yarn do I need to whip my hooked rug?
  • Whipping Tips for Finishing your Hooked Rug
  • Fold Forward Rug Finish: Whipping the Edge


    • I typically use a 5′ or 60″ long piece of yarn to whip my rugs. Do not let the yarn shop wind the yarn into a ball for you. Instead, leave it in a skein and untwist it so it is a circle. Cut through one place on the circle through all the strands. That will quickly give you strands of yarn that are approximately the same length, about 5′ long.

    Use one piece to whip your scrap sample. Now enter your numbers above and count out the number of strands you need. Do you have enough? You’ll know right away.

    No time to do a test? Most rugs will only use a fraction of a skein. You can whip 594 inches or just under 50 feet using my example of 4.5″ of whipping from a 60″ strip using my favorite whipping yarn.

    Finishing a hooked rug – zig zag or not?

    This entry is part 1 of 7 in the series Fold Forward Finish

    My rug hooking workshop schedule has been very full the last few years. I enjoy teaching so it was a joy, but it did not allow much time for musing. This summer I’ve had time to slow down and think. One topic that has been whirling around in my head has been rughooking finishing.

    To zig zag or not to zig zag the edge of a hooked rug?

    Finishing a hooked rug: zig zagging the edgeI learned my first finishing method from Rug Hooking Magazine. I was then exposed to the fold forward finish at Sauder Village by Evelyn Lawrence. Jule Marie Smith, my teacher that year, took the method a step further and eliminated the cording because of the thicker nature of rug warp. I’ve used that method ever since.

    Using a sewing machine on a hooked rug

    I remember a scheduled slide show with Jessie Turbayne that turned into a very small group discussion – just three of us. One thing Jessie said that has stuck with me is how the sewing machine is very destructive. It slams into the fibers and splits them to make the stitches. To reverse machine stitches is very difficult without damaging the backing even further. Hand sewing is much more forgiving.

    Conclusion: Am I perforating the edge when I so carefully zig zag?

    Am I doing more harm than good by zig zagging? I think so. Once the backing is folded up and whipped, it is not going to unravel any more. Not sure how the custom of the stitching started, but I’ve been carrying it forward.

    No more. I hate the process of prepping the backing. I do need and benefit from zig zagging the outer edge after I cut off the excess. I can live with doing that much. I tried to finish one of my stair risers once without a sewing machine when I was out of town. I’ll never try that again. It unraveled so fast it was all I could do to get it stitched up quickly.

    No sewing machine? Here are some solutions

    1. Have a friend do it. Just ask. Offer rughooking wool if needed.
    2. Use fray check. I’ve never tried this because the stuff is just too darned expensive but I’ve been told it works. If you do use it, be sure it says acid-free on the label. You don’t want your edge decaying from the inside out.
    3. Hand stitch over the edge enough to keep the fibers from unraveling as you work with it
    4. Work fast, only cutting as you need it. I tried this and it was a dismal failure for me.

    To secure the edge as you are rug hooking:

    1. Duck tape. Lenny Freeman using this on the edge of his patterns. It comes in a really cool animal prints. It looks like duct tape, but is intended for fabric and is much softer. Doesn’t matter if it is acid free or not, you’ll be cutting that part off later anyways.
    2. Fold the edge twice and stitch.

    Close up of Cindi GayCan you think of any other ways to finish the edge of your rughooking so that the backing does not unravel as you sew up the edge? Leave a comment and I will add it to this list.

    A simple way to hang your rug hooking on the wall

    I’m describing this method as a way to fix a mistake. signature

    This method only works on small pieces such as the wrong sized stair riser I hooked recently. I whipped it with my usual finishing technique instead of folding the edges back and whipping.

    Back of stair riser with 3m strips in place over sticky Velcro
    3M strips stuck to back of sticky Velcro

    Since I had already sewn on the Velcro strips (a difficult task that I was not going to undo) I added the hook side that has a sticky back. Normally this is the point where I would remove the protective backing and stick the stair riser to my stairs. But alas, this one is too large.

    Years ago I found some 3M hooks on sale. I think they were for Christmas lights. The hooks were too small to do anything with, but the sticky parts have been priceless. I added a bunch of them all around the edge. Then I let it sit for a few minutes. The glue gets stronger with age. I think the packaging recommends 30 seconds or something like that.

    Next I test fit the stair riser into place. I noted how much room there was on each side and how far below the mirror I wanted it to be. I removed the second side of protective paper from the 3M strips and gently stuck it to the wall. I then stepped back to be sure it still looked level, made a few adjustments, rechecked and then firmly pressed on the tape for several seconds in each place. My goal was thirty seconds, but geez that took too long. I probably got a good 10 seconds of pressure on each 3M piece.

    I rechecked it in about an hour and since it was still up, so I hoped for the best. Twenty four hours later it is still up.

    If you are thinking that this is a crazy way to get there, you are right. Remember that I started with a stair riser complete with the Velcro already sewn on but it did not fit on my stairs. With this method, I can change my mind without damage to the wall. I can always use the sticky Velcro later to attach it as a stair riser if I discover one of the stairs is taller than the others. I like options.

    Whipping Tips for Finishing your Hooked Rug

    This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Fold Forward Finish
    • If whipping is frustrating for you it may be because the wool gets tangled as you work. Hold the wool yarn as you would if you were crocheting using your left hand. (Reverse these instructions if you are left handed.) Insert the needle in the correct position and pull the yarn through while continuing to hold the wool with your left hand. Both halves of the yarn should be separated enough that they won’t tangle as you pull the yarn through. Release the wool in your left hand when you are ready to pull it tight.

      Finishing-avoiding tangles while whipping

    • Use a single strand instead of a double. You may have to go into some of the holes twice depending on the thickness of your yarn, but you will have an easier time of it.
    • Pull the yarn firmly but not extremely tight. You can hold the tension on the previous stitch with your left hand as you work. If you whip loosely the yarn will tend to move around and your backing will show through. By pulling tighter you will have a neater edge and probably a longer wearing one because friction will be reduced.
    • For rug warp and 3-ply Paternayan yarn, stitch once in each hole. If it looks like the whipping is too thin, double up every so often. Every yarn and every backing will be slightly different, so double up when you need to by stitching in the same hole twice.
    • As you stitch, the whipping may begin to lean. Stop every so often and gently adjust the yarn by tugging with your fingernails along the very outer edge to keep the whipping at a 90 degree angle.
    • If you are unsure of your technique, practice on the backing you cut off until you are comfortable to finish your piece. Be sure to practice a corner or two.

    Having trouble finding the right color of yarn?

    • If your background wool is tightly woven you can cut strips from #6 – #8 and use these strips to whip the edge. You know the color will match perfectly but you will have to work slower to keep each strip from twisting and you will have more ends to begin and stop.
    • If you used a plaid for the final border (as in the picture above), the best solution may be to use a 3-ply yarn and separate the plys and reconstruct them using multiple colors. In the picture above I used 2 navy and 1 red for 2" then changed to 1 navy and 2 red. After whipping 2" I changed back to the previous combination. This edging was very subtle and goes well with the plaid. I wasn’t clever in developing this technique. I couldn’t decide if I wanted more red or more blue so I whipped 2" of each side by side. I liked the look so well that I continued this method around the rug. Experiment! Audition the wool – you can’t be sure what it will look like until it goes to work in your piece.
    • Don’t try to match the last row. Consider using a different color for the outer edge. Match a different color in the rug or use a dark neutral.
    • When in doubt use my favorite whipping yarn.

    Finish with rug tape made simple

    Doris Eaton demos the Eaton EdgeIf you are looking for a simple finish, try this one.

    Doris Eaton demonstrates the Eaton Edge.

    The way to evaluate a finish is to ask where is the knife fold edge? Simply turning back the edge with sewn on rug tape is not a long wearing finish because what causes our backing to fail is the sharp fold and time. I’ve often heard, “It’s just a wall hanging.” You still have to deal with time –unless you’ve figured a way around that and if you have, give me a call.

    This finish is supported by the first row of upside down loops so there is some support but you have to be comfortable with the look of the finish. When the binding wears out, you could probably whip over it with yarn, but you will have to do the entire rug instead of just the wear spot as you would for a whipped rug.

    Be sure the tension on your sewing machine is just right. I’ve seen this done by a new student and the tension was so off her rug could not lay flat. Picking out sewing machine stitches is very difficult without damaging the backing. You may consider sewing it on by hand or sewing it down with a embroidery chain stitch and yarn as I did for the purse below.

    Closeup of chain stitch edge on hooked purse
    Closeup of chain stitch edge on hooked purse

    I’ll have a post on this purse soon.

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