Resources on the Craft of Area Rugs

Inspiring Rug Designs
If you're a rug hooker looking for some fresh inspiration, this site is a must-see. The designs by Sandra Brown are mostly nature-centered: dogs, leaves, trees, scenery. And they're all gorgeous. This page specifically discusses the art of rug hooking, which Brown says is one of the easiest and most centering handcrafts in the world of fiber art. To start, one needs backing of either burlap (rug weight works best), cotton cloth (such as monk's cloth or rug warp) or linen, a hook and some wool cut into strips to hook into your backing, and rug hooking frame. Rug hookers often purchase a cutter machine if they prefer an alternative to hand-cutting the wool. You can start with a pattern already printed for you by the dozens of design houses or draw your own pattern on the backing and begin choosing colors to fill the pattern. Finding other rug hookers to learn from and visit is also good for beginners, so the site offers information on other rug hookers.

Free Crochet Rug Patterns
Instead of purchasing hooked rug patterns, you can find some here that you may enjoy. There are not many patterns available over the Internet, so this is a good choice for beginners looking to take on a project. There are some patterns for rag rugs, accent rugs, circular crochet, chain medallion, door mat, floral round rug, hearth rug, natural stripes, oval rug, rug with ridges, a rustic rug, and more. Some are perfect for the seasons. In addition, be sure to visit links about the art or rug hooking, felting your wool, making wool strips and finding a rug-hooking group in your area.

Craft Site Directory: Rugs and Rug Making
A guide to handcrafted rugs and rug making supplies and how to instructions on the Internet, covering rag rugs, weaving, rug supplies, patterns, kits, crochet, handmade, oriental, Indian, hooking and wool.

All Fiber Arts
On this website you'll find over 1,000 pages of information, free patterns, resources and instructions for weaving, knitting, crochet, needlepoint, sewing, dyeing, spinning, papermaking, and other textile handcrafts. There's also a discussion forum and chat rooms where your can meet and interact with other people interested in the fiber arts. Here's just a small number of categories under which the site organizes its resources: braiding (kumihimo, sami, tablet), crochet, cross stitch, dyes and color (fungi and natural dyes), ethnic textiles, fiber art classes, fibers and yarns (alpaca and llama, angora rabbit, cashmere, chenille, cotton, flax and linen, hemp, mohair, sheep's wool, silk yarn), knitting, looms, patterns (crochet, drafts, knitting, weaving), rug hooking, tapestry art and yarns.

Basic Rug and Carpet Cleaning Tips from H and M Carpet Care
Wool area rugs and carpets are not cheap, so you should know how to take care of them. If you are not sure if you’re doing right cleaning method, check these basic tips from H and M Carpet Care. As a start, you can use an anti-allergen treatment, an insect repellent, or a rug protector treatment. For regular checking, you can use a vacuum cleaner. In case there is already stubborn dirt or stain, you can remove them by yourself. You can use a towel to soak up the spill, but you should be very careful. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, search for some online tutorials or bring it to a professional steam cleaner.