DIY Network

Latch-Hooking: Street Art Portrait Rug Simple steps to rug hooking From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-101

Whitney Lee, Olivia Bratich and Maggie Yao of the Hookers, a latch-hook group from Columbus, Ohio, share their street art design for a rug or wall hanging.

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	Street Art Portrait Rug
	PDF Click for a downloadable pdf.
	To transfer the design, lay it underneath the canvas and trace over it with paint.

Step-by-step instructions and design courtesy of Whitney Lee, Olivia Bratich and Maggie Yao.

Materials:

24"x48" 3.3-gauge canvas
waterproof paint
paintbrushes of various sizes
34 packs of MCG Textiles yarn in dark pink, 5 packs dark rust, 5 packs peach
Skein of uncut yarn to hide factory edges
Latch-hook
Scissors
Newspaper or something to protect tabletop while painting
Large color printout of design (the size of the final rug)
Color print from copy center or home computer printouts (standard-size paper, taped together)
Binding
2 1" D-rings

	Figure A
	Figure B

1. Hold the latch-hook so the hook is facing upward and the latch is open (figure A).

2. In the opposite hand, hold each end of the yarn piece to make a loop.

3. Put the hook through the loop.

4. Hook the rung of canvas where you'd like the knot to be, making sure the latch stays open.

5. Push the hook through so the latch is on top of the rung of canvas where the knot will be. The loop of yarn is still around the tool, near the handle (figure B).

6. Bring the loop of yarn toward the hook and put the tips between the hook and the latch. Do not let go of the yarn.

7. Pull slightly on the latch-hook and the latch will begin to close. Let go of the yarn tips once the latch reaches the hook.

8. Use your fingers to slightly tighten the knot.

Tips:

• Working either top to bottom or bottom to top is fine, but be consistent: keep the piece oriented the same way, that is, don't turn it upside down.

• If you hook by colors and small areas, the yarn can fray as you rub against it when you're hooking the other rug areas.

• If you prefer to bind the edges as you hook (method 3, below), fold the extra canvas over and hook through two layers at once (this applies to both the first and last five or six rows). If a rung of canvas is half one color and half another, you can hook with either color. When you're finished, use a tapestry needle and long yarn to wrap yarn around the factory edges to cover them.

Finishing, method 1: Apply iron-on tape to edges.

Finishing, method 2: Latch-hook the edges as you work.

Finishing, method 3: Sew the edges in place.

The final step is trimming all the yarn ends.

RESOURCES :
Rug yarn
MCG Textiles
Website: www.mcgtextiles.com

Felting Knife, Wire Tool
Dick Blick
Website: www.dickblick.com

GUESTS :

Whitney Lee
Made With Sweet Love
E-mail: whitneyleephotography@gmail.com

Olivia Bratich
E-mail: Bratich44@yahoo.com

Maggie Yao