Do You Have to Use Tape on the Back of a Primitive Hooked Rug?

Prepping a Double Fold

• If you want to turn under the edge of your rug canvas with as little fuss as possible, think about dying your canvas the same background color as your yarn before you begin hooking the rug. Before you dye the canvas, run a zig-zag stitch around the perimeter of the fabric to limit the fraying and make sure your canvas is larger than what you need, as the dyeing process may shrink the fabric. After the canvas dries out, iron it flat. Sew a zigzag stitch immediately outside your stitch line.

Double Fold

• Hook your rug as normal. When you are done, paint No Fray one inch from the outside edge of the rug. After the No Fray dries, cut the canvas and turn the No-Fray edge under 1/2 inch and iron. Turn the fold under 1/2 inch again and iron. Sew a stitch securing the doubled fold. Because the canvas is dyed, the edge will look clean. Miter and tuck your corners for a neat appearance. Practice on scrap cloth to make your corners crisp.

Cording Fold

• To finish with a cording fold, first steam your finished rug. Then turn the rug face down and place cording just beyond the last row of hooked yarn. Wrap the edge of the canvas over the cord. Start your cord in the middle of one side to prevent a visible seam. Pin the canvas down with the cord inside and fold to create a neat corner. When you near the beginning, cut the cord to butt against the beginning cord. Turn the rug over and sew in the ditch for a nice welted-style finish.

Yarn Whipping

• With your double-fold or cording fold you can add two additional finishes to dress up the edges even more. The first trick is to whip stitch over the fold or cording, keeping all of your stitches in the ditch. Overlap your yarn so that none of the canvas is visible. Add fringe to this treatment by bringing yarn up through the ditch on a hook. Bring the tails of the yarn through the loop and pull it snug. If you attach long fringe, net weave the fringe for a lacy, long fringe appearance. This is particularly nice on pillow covers.