How to Finish?

Bud Vase Treasure Keeper

So many steps go into making a rug.

First, there's that dreamy beginning, when ideas swirl around in your head of what to design or what pattern to buy. Then there is the color planning and wool choices. What wool will you use... as-is, over-dyed, textures or marbleized etc. As you hook, your motifs and background come to life. You make changes and adjustments along the way. Finally you are finished with the hooking and have a beautiful rug, almost....

The hooking is complete, however the rug isn't finished....yet!

Now you get to choose how to bind the edges. There are so many choices! How you use the piece may narrow your choices. Will it be used on the floor, the wall, a table top or chair. As an ornament, purse, tea cozy or pillow.

Crocheted Edges

Will you use cording to wrap your selvage over, or will the selvage be rolled and take the place of cording. Do you like to wrap the edge with wool strips or yarn. Will you use wool strips or yarn to crochet the edge (my personal favorite)? There's always the method of sewing on rug binding tape or using wool fabric as your binding material. Maybe you want to use wood frames to mount your piece like a picture? There are many other creative ways to bind your rug, maybe you will want to experiment with any one of these on your next piece.

Heart-Felt Mouse Framed

 

Wrapping with Yarn

 

Garden Hideaway, crocheted with yarn

 

Wool strip and yarn whipstitch finish

Over the years, I have found it really is worth the effort and time to be a perfectionist on this one subject, and to make the edge be a quality finish that reflects the beauty of your overall piece!

So, how will you choose to finish your next hooked rug?