Hooked Rug Grooming 101

OSV 134 Large Frost Oriental, 37" x 72", #3- to #5-cut hand-dyed wool and antique paisley on linen.  Designed by E. S. Frost and hooked by Nancy Z. Parcels, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 2010.

Groom (verb): "To tend carefully, make neat or tidy. To clean, brush, or otherwise tend."
—Dictionary.com, s.v. "Groom," accessed September/October 2011. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/groom.

As I pull those last few loops and finish a hooked rug or mat, my mind often wanders to my next project. I am ready to move on, but I remind myself to concentrate on the last important step of finishing my hooked piece: grooming.

The several steps it takes to groom a rug should not be overlooked. I can't tell you how often I have seen a rug on display and wished it would have gotten a good pressing! Judges are trained to look at detail and how the piece is prepared. Neatness counts, and a good grooming can make or break a rug.

This article is from the September/October 2011 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.