Rug Hooking: How to Hook Scrolls

Purchase engineering sized graph paper at 1/8-inch scale. The scale of your hook rug backer may be different from your graph paper. Determine the size of your rug based on your backer measurements. Your graph paper is used simply to create the pattern you wish to transfer. One 1/8-inch square on your graph paper will transfer to one mesh square on your backer mesh.

Draw your rug design onto the graph paper in pencil. Often the pattern of rugs repeats from side to side and from top to bottom. This means that many patterns may be one quarter the full size of the rug. After one quarter of the rug is designed, the pattern is flipped horizontally to create half the rug, and then the pattern of the top half is flipped vertically to create the bottom half of the rug.

Draw scrolls that finish in a spiral. Scroll patterns are available online and in many clip art books or collections. Often scrolls are paired with flowers or other design elements. You can also use scrolls to create fancy monogram style lettering by adding the scroll to the ends of the letters.

Color in each 1/8-inch square block on the graph paper using a color marker that represents the color of yarn you want to use on the rug. This will help you see how the scrolls look with the rest of your rug design, and it will make it easier to count your squares during the hooking process.

Place the shorter side of your rug backing onto your rug making frame and tighten the backing into position. A rug making frame is like a quilting frame that stretches the backing fabric, making it easier to hook.

Position your pattern close to your working area so that you can reference it easily. Measure 3 inches from the lead and side edges of your backer. This will give you backer beyond all edges of the finished rug for more finishing options later.

Slide your latch hook tool under the first horizontal bar of the backing mesh. Place hooking yarn around the metal shaft of the tool, centered and close to the handle. Press the latch hook tool up through the mesh opening above the horizontal bar so that the hook and latch emerge above the backing fabric.

Slip the folded yarn forward, over the horizontal bar and into the hook part of the tool. Draw the tool back toward you. The latch will close and the hook will pull the ends of the yarn through the folded center loop end of the yarn. Pull the ends of the yarn so that the knot that has been created is firm against the horizontal bar of the mesh. Repeat this process across the horizontal bars of the first row. Usually the first row of a rug is a border row that is all one color. Follow the pattern on the graph paper as you hook each additional row and change yarn colors to incorporate the scroll design exactly as it matches your design pattern.