Area Rugs Crafts

Craft Site Directory: Rugs and Rug Making
A guide to handcrafted rugs and rug making supplies and how to instructions on the Internet, covering rag rugs, weaving, rug supplies, patterns, kits, crochet, handmade, oriental, Indian, hooking and wool.

Design a Navajo Rug - a Lesson in Symmetry
A project devoted to the exploration of Navajo culture as expressed through their weaving and other art forms. Create an original symmetrical Navajo rug-like design by completing a "learning template" based on graphic design elements from other linked-to pages.

Resources for Making Hooked Rugs
Traditional hooking uses a hand hook, similar in shape to a crochet hook, to form a looped pile from fabric strips or yarn on an even-weave base (such as burlap, monks-cloth, divider cloth, or linen). This technique isn't only used to create rugs, of course; you can also make chair seats, wall hangings, trivets, Christmas tree ornaments, carpetbags, clothing, and jewelry, among many other things. I've designated it as "traditional" to keep confusion at bay, since the use of latch-hooks, punch-needles, or speed hooks is also commonly called "rug hooking". Punch-needle hooking and speed hooking also form rug piles from the running loop stitch, and are sometimes mentioned in the same reference books and supplied by the same companies as traditional hand hooking - so, if you are interested in these newer techniques, you may also find a starting point in this document. Rug hooking resources website contains tips on rug cleaning, care and restoration, as well as rug hooking descriptions. Design tools, bulletin boards, newsgroups and other rug hooking websites are provided.

McGown Guild
This is the website of the National Guild of the Pearl McGown Rug Hookrafters for fans of rug hooking. Includes a feature rug teacher guide, as well as information about other rug crafts and the history of rug making. A wealth of library materials are offered here for those interested in rugs, and the guild can send packages of rug information. This is a well known rug association.

Hooked Rugs Gallery
A rug hooking gallery gives ideas for rug hooking patterns, as well as rug making tools. Much of the site is not written in English, but a selection of rug hooking books and news is included. Links to rug hooking websites are also provided.