I Want to hook a Santa!

Lately I've seen all these cute Santa pieces being hooked and needle punched and each year promise myself that I'll hook one and have it ready before Christmas.  Uh, don't see that happening this year either since it is almost Thanksgiving and I've got 3 rugs going already.

There are many cute designs with a Santa and the one which keeps beckoning me is the antique Santa.  My friend hooked it and since the original antique is faded, she initially forgot to hook the mitten going around the back of the deer.  Not to worry, she pulled out wool and hooked in the mitten.  This is a picture before but you now see which design is calling my name.  Probably mostly because it is an antique rug.

And now to Newbie Hooker Tidbits. 

As I was self taught how to hook can remember the most frustrating thing for me was pulling those first loops.  I knew to start with the tail up, and that you pull the loops up as high as the strip is wide.  That I learned in reading the information in Rug Hooking magazine. 

Okay, .....maybe I did have to tug on the tail a little when the first loop was pulled.  Next was the second loop to be pulled and the first loop dropped down.  So there becomes a battle of lifting the first loop up and pulling up the second loop again.  Over and Over. 

That is UNTIL I realized what I had to do was roll (lean) my hook backwards and upward against the first loop.  That is what prevented the first loop from dropping down because it applies pressure to that first loop.  And yes, the second loop is now a little higher than that first loop but your weak hand (under the frame) can adjust that loop. 

It will go a little slow at first but soon you will get a rhythm and move along faster.  Sure hope I was able to describe it okay since there is no one here to take pictures of the process.

And, if any of you newbies have a particular question or topic you'd like for me to address, please write me. 

Have a great evening.

Saundra