Monika steaming her finished rug
Dee-Dee Patrick
“There are many small rug patterns. I prefer to work on large projects.” This was stated by Monika Jones when describing her most recently finished rug which was in the process of being completed over the course of one year. Since the 8 x 10 foot rug was not easily transported, it was hooked at home and sandwiched in-between other smaller projects. The size of the rug and the colors were chosen to match the décor of her PebbleCreek home. The Jones’ had just had a wood floor laid and this work of art was hooked in floral designs and geometric patterns to add a personal touch to the living room. As with all her other rugs, Monika designed the pattern herself.
A necessary step in the finishing of primitive wool hooked rugs is mandatory but not very sexy. All hooked projects are steamed after finishing and before displaying to smooth out the wool loops and provide a smoother, more even surface. This step makes a huge difference in the final appearance of the rug. Due to the sheer size of this particular rug, the garage floor was the selected work area. Using a steam iron eliminates the need for a damp pressing cloth being used. Monika steamed a small area of the wool at a time, working her way across the entire rug. This process took a couple of hours to complete. Thank goodness she is flexible and agile as she got a real workout moving over each section of rug. It took a couple of people to move the rug from the garage floor to its place in the great room.
The Rug Hookers meet every Monday afternoon from noon to 4:00 p.m. in the Fiber Arts Room of the Creative Arts Center. Don’t worry, you will not be expected to kneel down on the floor to steam at any time. For further information on our club, contact our current President DeeDee Abolins at [email protected] or phone her at 253-278-1230.