Brave Hunter is all bound and giving it's hooker and owner pleasure. As much as I dread the task of binding, there is something very satisfying when that task is finished and you can see the fruits of your labor of love.
For the present time the rug is gracing the table in my kitchen where I will see it each time I walk thru there to the rest of the house. I think it looks rather nice on my harvest table.
Now I have to bind the Magdalena Eagle but think I'll hook another lighthouse purse so I can get those assembled and lined. Yes, putting off the inevitable and I know that the rug can't truly be enjoyed until it is completely finished.... which means being bound.
I have cut some wool strips with my #8.5 cartridge. These are the needles which should be available at most craft or fabric stores. The blue plastic ones are made for kids but they work just fine for adults to use as well. It doesn't really matter which width wool strip you choose to bind your rug with as the process will be the same. However, with a more narrow cut you use it may take a wee bit longer and you would place them closer together. And it doesn't make any difference as to the length of your strip, but the longer the better as you will have fewer ends to tuck in that way. These happen to be about 31" long.
As with hooking, where you gauge your loops every two or every three holes away, it is the same with whipping your edge. Yet, the previously pulled loops just might provide the rhythm you need.
As you can see from the photo below, I have tucked the first end entering under the black thread, and now I will double back, covering that edge with my whipping. You could also tuck it inside the rolled up backing (foundation).
I usually enter my needle in thru the back of the rug, that way I can be sure that the strips are entering in the same row all the way down the line. You could enter thru the front but to me it takes a little more effort to see if I am keeping in a straight line by having to push the roll of backing to view it when it is so easily seen from the back. But I also check the front to be sure my needle hasn't caught a loop. So in reality I am looking at both the front and back as I go along.
And then when I come to the end of that strip, you can either tuck it under the previously whipped stitches or tuck it under the rolled backing.
This is only one way to bind a rug. As I do other projects I will show you other ways of binding. Good luck on your project and feel free to write me with questions or ask us on Rughookers group.
As with most hookers, I enjoy the hooking process but not particularly fond of the binding process ~ yet it needs to be done to give your rug the longest possible life. There are many ways to bind a rug and I have tried several ways. With this particular rug "Brave Hunter" by Woolley Fox, I have decided to whip the edges with the same wool strips as in the border. I will use up some of the strips I've already cut and they may be in either #8 or #8.5.
This is the rug Brave Hunter which I hooked with Barb Carroll this past November. The rug has been completely hooked for several weeks now but as I mentioned I love hooking and binding is not my fav thing to do, so I immediately started working on my Magdalena Eagle again. But, I really do want to enjoy this rug and I can't until it is bound. In case any of you wonder..... those flecks of white in the middle hills (not the trees) is the white section of the textured wool I used for that area.
It is very important to do a row of straight stitching about 1/4" away from the last row of hooking. This helps prevent stress on the weave of the foundation during movement, thus keeping the loops firmly planted. Then I drew a line about 2" away from the rug and did a row of straight stitching. Then I usually do two rows of zig zag on top of that to keep the ends from fraying, but this time I did the straight stitch, one row of zig zag and since I have a serger thought I'd serge the edges also.
I will roll this 2" margin forward and whip it with wool strips without a cording. Some people use cording wrapped with the backing, and I have also done that, but I've also had great success whipping a rug without the cording to fuss with.
As I progress in this task I'll be sure to post pictures of the next stage.
Again I'd like to say how very important it is to take the time to properly bind your rugs; and that isn't just cutting it and covering it up with binding tape or whipping it. The raw edges of the backing should also be well protected from raveling because even covered up, with the rug hanging, being walked on and moved, the weave will undoubtedly unravel with time. And what a shame it would be to spend all those hours hooking and money spent on wool for a beautiful project just to have the wool loops pull out or shift.
