Advice to a New Hooker

Here is a couple of terrific questions from a new hooker. It helps me tremendously to think like a beginner.

Here is my favorite quote on the topic.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few.

Shunryu Suzuki

Wanda, I am a new hooker. I am ok if I am going horiz. or vertical but when I want to make a curve, the loops are always twisted and I have to pull the wool up to untwist. Also, if I have 6 loops going vertical and I want to start a new line next to it and come down, should I just bring the strip up and cut and start at the bottom again, even if its only about 4 loops left? Thanks for any information.

Many hookers have problems making curves. The best cure is practice. When I start some one hooking I have them hook a straight line, a slightly curved line, like a big S, a circle, a square and a triangle and then ask they fill the shapes in. Through this I think they run into to every single circumstance they might encounter while hooking. They also use all manner of different width strips, and nylon, yarn and other materials thus finding out what they like to hook with. If you have a space on your current project to draw some gentle S shapes or Cs please do so.

To hook curves I turn the work so I'm always essentially going straight toward myself. There is an old school of thought that countenances the rule "NEVER TURN YOUR WORK". The touters of that rule all went to Chinese contortionist gymnast yoga school and are currently undergoing spine reconstruction. My general belief is rug hooking should neither hurt nor be difficult. Take it easy and make it easy on yourself. Never hesitate to cut your wool. It is the constant threat of cutting that makes wool sit up and behave ! It doesn't matter if you have only one loop to pull up in a given area. They aren't giving out prizes to people who have the longest,continuous strip. Do what you need to to make it work for you. If this did not help you please ask me more questions.

Here is a rug that is largely created from curved lines.I called it Let's Be Friends If you click on it you can see it more closely.

By the way, another great quote on curved lines:

William MacCall: Straight is the line of duty; Curved is the line of beauty; Follow the straight line, thou shalt see The curved line ever follow thee.