Latch Hook
Kimberly Luetge
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Table of Contents
Contents
Intro ............................................................................................................................5
Supplies needed for a Latch Hook ................................................................................7
Yarn .........................................................................................................................8
Canvas .....................................................................................................................9
Latch Hook Tool .....................................................................................................11
Instructions ............................................................................................................12
Rug Binding ...........................................................................................................13
Instructions on How to get started on a Latch Hook Project .......................................14
How to Start a Latch Hook ......................................................................................... 19
The First string .......................................................................................................19
The Rest of the Latch Hook ..................................................................................... 24
Trouble shooting .....................................................................................................27
Once the Latch Hook is completed .............................................................................30
How to bind your Latch hook ..................................................................................32
How to Make a Pillow .................................................................................................38
Works cited................................................................................................................42
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Intro
Latch hook is a traditional craft that allows one to create and build
a rug. In the B.C. eras, only the rich and famous used to own
exquisite rugs made by special artisans for a pricy amount. Starting
in the 1920s, a simpler way to create tasteful rugs was created
using a small hook with a latch on it; this allowed for the common
crafter to start their own collection of rugs. The height of the
popularity of Latch hook was reached during the 1980s- and has
been slowly declining ever since due to the time and patience
needed to make a Latch hook rug. There is a small but dedicated
niche of crafters, however I believe more people should learn about
this simple craft.
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Supplies needed for a Latch Hook
The following supplies are needed to create generally any Latch Hook:


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

Yarn- Most Latch Hook kits use Acrylic yarn
A canvas it is suggested for beginners to use one that is easy to count
Latch hook tool
Instructions- can be your own or created by someone
Rug binding
The next few pages will be explaining each of the following supplies in some
detail. If you wish to skip these sections because you have a kit, or are
knowledgeable about the following subjects, you may skip to the Section
Labeled How to Get Started.
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Yarn
There are several types of yarn, with the leading yarns either made with Acrylic
or Wool.
Acrylic yarn is a synthetic made yarn- due to it being made out of Petroleum
products. The advantages of using Acrylic yarn is that it is a lot of cheaper
than wool, and it stands up relatively well over time- due to the price difference
in wool and Acrylic yarn, you are able to get Pre-cut yarn for a Latch Hook Kit
without costing too much financially. However, the disadvantages of Acrylic
yarn are that it easily burns (as with all yarn, be careful how you wash and dry
it). (Knittinghelp.com)
Wool yarn is made from animal products, and therefore holds up better over
time. The other advantages of wool yarn is that it is flame resistant and
naturally insolates, allowing you to feel warmer during the winter. It also takes
less dye than Acrylic yarn and does not fade much over time. However, the
disadvantages of wool yarn is that it costs a lot more to process, therefore
making you pay an higher price for the end product. A number of individuals
are also allergic to animal products, so this yarn may not be an option for some
people. (Knittinghelp.com)
The reason Acrylic yarn is used Pre-Cut Latch Hook Projects is due to the
relative durability of the yarn and the smaller cost on the company and
consumers.
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Canvas
There are several kinds of canvas that one might see in a Latch Hook kit.
The first type of canvas that one will find is a standard canvas with a design
printed on the canvas, as shown below. The design that is printed on the
canvas helps a lot of beginners to the Latch Hook Craft because it shows where
to start the project. However, do not trust the picture on the canvas entirely,
sometimes the machine that prints the design messes up, or the colors on the
canvas do not match the project (Such as a company might print gray on the
canvas that is suppose to indicate where a white piece of yarn would go. This
might be confusing to even an experienced crafter.) The guide printed on the
canvas should be used as a guide only- the instructions should always be used
first. When shopping for a kit that has a pre-color printed Canvas, look for a
description that says “color-coded canvas”. An Example of a company that use
the Color-coded canvas is Caron Wonderart.
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The second type of Canvas that you might encounter in a Latch Hook Kit would
be what is called an “Graph n’ Latch” Canvas. This Grid pattern highlights
every 10 Spaces with a Blue Grid pattern, making it easy to count. The
disadvantage of this method is that you might not know where to start your
project. It would be recommended that you sketch out the pattern of the Latch
Hook you are doing, using the instructions as a guide of where to mark each
color. The disadvantages of this Canvas is that it does not tell you where to
start the Latch Hook- therefore you might take the risk of starting in the wrong
place and not have the ability to bind it later on. When buying a kit, if it does
not say in the description that it has a Color-coded canvas- assume it uses the
Graph n’ Latch canvas. Graph n’ Latch canvas with blue lines is typical of MCG
textiles.
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Latch Hook Tool
A very simple tool, it has a latch at one end, and a handle at another. You can
generally get this tool from most craft stores, even if they do not sell Latch
Hook Kits. This manual will show you how to use this tool later on. A picture of
a Latch hook is below.
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Instructions
The Instructions are a simple way to show where to put a piece of colored yarn.
Instructions should come with every Latch Hook Kit you buy. Otherwise, there is
almost no way to figure out how to make a Latch Hook, unless you make the
Instructions yourself.
A typical instruction is like one that is pictured below. The picture is put on a grid
pattern, and a different color of yarn is assigned to each symbol. By following the key
that is printed next to the picture, you can easily create a Latch Hook.
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Rug Binding
The purpose of rug binding is so you can complete your finished Latch hook project.
Without rug binding, the canvas edges might rip and tear, which could cause all of
your hard work to disappear.
There are two kinds of rug binding- Iron on, and Sew on.
The advantages of Iron on rug binding are that it is easier to apply to the product.
However, the disadvantage of this method is that it does not last as long as Sew on rug
binding.
For Sew on rug binding, you will need carpet thread. Once you get into the binding
process, you can sew this binding onto the canvas. If you use carpet thread, this
method is ideal because this rug binding will last a lot longer than Iron on rug
binding. However, this method is a lot more time consuming and requires a lot of
patience.
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Instructions on How to get started on a Latch Hook Project
In this manual, I will be showing how to create a large Latch Hook rug using the
design shown below. This Latch Hook is a 20 in by 27 rug.
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First, when you open up the kit, you will find several things, such as:




Instructions
Bundles of yarn
A Canvas
A Color coding chart
Along with these items, you should also have:
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

A Latch Hook tool
A highlighter
Plastic bags
Step 1: Sort the yarn
When you get the yarn in the Latch Hook kit, it is typically bundled like so:
On the instructions, next to the key, there is two columns that say how many yarns of
a color are in each bundle, and how many there should of the color in total.
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Generally if you were to divide the total number of strings by the number of strings per
pack, you should get a number that indicates how many packs should been in the kit.
Usually at the top of the instructions, it should say how many packs you should have
as well. As a warning: The number on the instructions tells you how many strings are
needed to create the Latch Hook- usually there is a bit more string left over. It is
advised that you save the extra string, just in case one of your strings in the Latch
Hook falls apart- therefore you would have a replacement string.
Once you have figured out if the kit has the correct number of packets, you may start
sorting it. First, take one packet, and undo the plastic binding that keeps it together.
Then, using the color chart, sort the yarns into their respective colors. It is advised to
sort the yarn in a well-lit room, due to the nature of some colors.
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When a packet is completely sorted, you may place it in a plastic bag- preferably a ziplock bag so you can close the plastic bag. The number of plastic bags you need
depends on how many colors you have to sort- the key will tell you how many colors
there are. Repeat this for all the packets. What you should get is many plastic bags
with yarn in them. It is recommended that you label what color each plastic bag has in
it.
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How to Start a Latch Hook
The First string
To Start a Latch hook, you first need a:





String
Latch Hook tool
Canvas
Instructions
Highlighter
To begin, first lay out the canvas so that you can see the image in front of you. Then,
look at the instructions and see what the first symbol says. It should say “Starting
Point”.
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Taking the Latch Hook Tool and string, wrap the string just above the metal part of
the tool. Take care to the two string ends together with a finger
Using the reference picture on the canvas, start where the first colored rung is. First
turn the hook part of the tool so that the hook is facing to the side. Then pass the
hook part beyond the first rung of the canvas by passing it through the bottom, then
the top- taking care to keep the latch on the same side as the hook.
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Gently drag the string up so that it is right next to the latch. While gently pulling the
tool towards you-being careful to not pull up on the tool- take the two sides of the
string and place both sides on the right side of the latch. This motion will put the
string ends through the actual hook of the tool. Refer to the picture below.
After the string is looped into the hook, continue to pull the tool towards you. Once
you pull enough, the tool will come out, and the string will stay on the rung you just
used. The following diagram is from a side view.
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Take the two strings that are sticking out, and gently pull both upward so the string
forms a tight knot on the canvas.
The finished rung should look as follows:
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After completing this string, you should take the instructions and mark the symbol
you just hooked with the highlighter- the highlighter is a good way to keep track of the
progress you have done.
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The Rest of the Latch Hook
This step you will use for the rest of the Latch Hook Rug.
Generally, you may either hook the next space over- going by rows; or you may hook
on the rung above the first string- hooking by columns. In this example, it will show
you how to hook by columns.
First, flatten the string you just hooked so that the two ends of the hooked string are
facing towards you. This will allow for you to hook the next string easier.
Next- referring to the instructions- pick out the string color that you need, and wrap it
around the base of the tool, taking care to keep it right above the base. Hold down
both ends with a finger. Take the tool and hook it under the rung that you wish to
hook. Weave it under the canvas and then above the canvas, taking care to make sure
the latch is on the same side as the hook.
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Pull the tool slowly towards you, while also wrapping the two ends of the string around
the right side of the latch, and pulling it through the actual hook area. Be very careful
to not catch the ends of the first string in the hook as well. If that does happen, refer
to the section called Troubleshooting.
Continue pulling until the string stays on the canvas and the tool is free.
Mark the symbol you just did on the instructions with your highlighter. Continue to
hook until there is no more symbols in that direction, then move on to the next row or
column. For a bigger latch hook, it is recommended that after every few rows or
columns, check your work against the instructions. Continue until the rug is done. An
example of a completed Latch hook is on the next page.
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Trouble shooting
While completing a Latch hook, you might misread the instructions are pick out the
wrong color of string to latch on to the canvas. This is a easy fix using the directions
below.
First, locate the string that is misplaced on the canvas. Generally, you can just look at
the picture to figure out what string looks off. You can do this by turning the canvas
over so that the reverse picture is facing you, as shown below.
You can now look at the instructions and get an idea of where the string is. Once you
find the string, there are a few steps that you have to do to unhook the string from the
canvas.
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First, locate the string and push the other strings surrounding the needing to be
replaced string out of the way, as shown.
Once the other strings are out of the way, look for a small ridge on the string that you
want to get rid of. It should look like a loop of sorts. The black circle on the photo
shows where this ridge should be. Gently tug this ridge up and over the two ends of
the string. Once the loop is over the two ends of the string, the string is free from the
canvas. Then proceed to add in the right string.
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Once the Latch Hook is completed
Once Your Latch Hook is completed, it might be nice to showcase your work. To do
this, this part of the manual will show you how to make a complete rug or pillow out of
your Latch hook.
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How to bind your Latch hook
To bind your Latch Hook, you will need the following supplies:





Completed Latch hook
Carpet String
Rug binding- you may use either kind as referred to in the supplies
section; however this example uses Iron on Rug binding.
Ruler
Iron
First, lay the completed Latch hook in front of you.
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Then, measure the canvas so that all sides of the canvas are half an inch away from
the last row or column of strings. (Crafts) Take the canvas and sew it to the underside
of the Latch Hook.
Cut the rug binding so that it measures one inch bigger than the canvas on all sides.
Take sure that the corners line up.
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Then take the rug binding and put it on top of the canvas on the underside. For extra
strength, you can use a sewing machine to sew the binding to the canvas.
Then, using the low setting on the Iron, Iron the Rug Binding so that it fuses with the
canvas. Make sure to go over it a few times with the Iron to make sure all parts of the
Rug Binding is secure. Let cool for a few minutes as the underside of the rug will be
hot. You have now bound your rug.
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You may now put your bound rug in any place you choose.
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How to Make a Pillow
What you will need:
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A completed 12 by 12 inch Latch hook
Backing that is twice the length of the Latch Hook- any color you would
like
Sewing machine- with Carpet string
Stuffing- any kind you want
First, complete the steps of “How to Bind your Latch hook” as outlined in the previous
section.
Turn the Latch hook over so that the binding is facing you. Take the backing and pin
it to side of the Latch hook with the binding on it. After the backing is pinned to the
Latch hook, proceed to sew three sides together, leaving one side open.
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Take the still open side, and flip the Latch hook insides out. The correct picture
should be facing towards you. At this point, you may stuff the pillow with at much
stuffing as you would like.
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After you have stuffed the pillow to your liking, sew the last end closed. The finishing
project should be a small pillow that you can use to decorate any room.
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Works cited
"How to Finish a Latch Hook Rug." Crafts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
"WOOL FIBER VS ACRYLIC FIBER - KnittingHelp.com Forum." KnittingHelpcom Forum
RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.