Rug hooking started in the United States in the Mid-1800's. It was very popular in in the New England states and the Maritime provinces of Canada.  Like many crafts it was started out of sheer necessity.  The rugs were used on the floors in the summer and on the beds in the winter. The first rugs were made out of any scrap material that could be found, including worn clothing and old discarded wool blankets. The base of the rug was made from the burlap sacks that the livestock feed came in.

Traditional Styles

Fine Hooked Rugs with thinner strips of material and a variety of shading techniques are used.

Primitive Hooked Rugs use wider strips of material and generally little shading is involved.

Tools for Traditional Styles

The tools are the same in either of these forms. 

Here is a list of the basic equipment needed:

1.  A hand hook - to form a loop pile on the surface of the backing material

2.  A Frame -  to hold the base material in place for hooking, there are many different types of frames from very simple needlepoint frames to large floor frames

3.  Scissors - These are normally small scissors with a bent handle that allow the "hooker" to cut the material very cleanly

4.  Cutter and Blades - Used to make strips of wool (or other material) from larger pieces.  The thinner the strip of wool the finer the finished product will be.

5.  Rug Pattern - The pattern is drawn on the Backing Material and is used as a guideline for hooking.  The backing material is usually either burlap, monk's cloth or Linen.

6.  Wool Material - Wool can normally be purchased by the yard of the piece and can be purchased in many different colors.  You can also use old wool clothing for this and more experienced "hookers" will often custom dye their wool for a specific project.

Punch and Speed Needle Hooking

These newer forms of rug hooking have gained quite a popularity and are quite fun to do. The tools required to actually “hook” the rug do not resemble hook used in Traditional rug hooking, but this form of rug making is commonly referred to also as “rug hooking”.

This form of rug making also creates a finished project with a loop pile on the surface of your backing material. Backing material may include the same types as with Traditional rug hooking. The Punch and Speed needles are two types of specialty needles used to create the project.
 

Tools for Punch and Speed Needle Hooking

Equipment needed for this craft varies depending on individual preferences and many wonderful specialty items are available, but a common list includes the following:

1. Needles - May include the Hand or Speed Needle, Adjustable Needle or Oxford Needle

2.  A Frame -  to hold the base material in place for hooking, there are many different types of frames from very simple needlepoint frames to large floor frames

3.  Scissors - These are normally small scissors with a bent handle that allow the "hooker" to cut the material very cleanly

4.  Cutter and Blades - Used to make strips of wool (or other material) from larger pieces.  The thinner the strip of wool the finer the finished product will be.

5.  Rug Pattern - The pattern is drawn on the Backing Material and is used as a guideline for hooking.  The backing material is usually either burlap, monk's cloth or Linen.

6.  Wool Material - Wool can normally be purchased by the yard of the piece and can be purchased in many different colors.  You can also use old wool clothing for this and more experienced "hookers" will often custom dye their wool for a specific project.

Latch Hooking

Latch hooking is what most people think of when someone mentions rug hooking, but it is very different than the other methods of making rugs.  Latch Hooking is a newer style of rug making than Traditionally hooked rugs. It uses pre-cut yarn strips, one strip per knot, and forms an open, knotted pile on the surface of the rug. The backing material weave is typically larger than that of Traditional or Punch hooked backing material.