How To Locker Hook

Do you have scrap fabrics?  Well locker hooking is the perfect way to use up lots of left over fabrics.  Even fabrics that you wonder what was I thinking buying that.....well gather it up and let's make some coasters.

Here is what you will need....a locker hook (looks like a crochet hook with an eye in one end, a tapestry needle, scrap fabrics, cotton twine, a rotary cutter or scissors, latch hook canvas, and scrap fabric.

Cut your canvas to the size desired.....I cut mine 24 holes x 24 holes.  Notice the edges are trimmed neatly.....makes it a lot easier to bind.  At the corner I cut away the corner so when folding it in it will reduce the bulk.

Fold in the canvas aligning the holes....try to keep them as aligned as possible.

Cut fabric strips 1/2 inch wide and thread through tapestry needle and whip around edge.  Notice I am going up to the 2nd hole from the edge.....It sure makes it a lot easier once I begin hooking to cover up the edge this way.

Go slow and untwist your material as you go.  I usually use about 22 inches length of fabric at a time any more and it will fray.

When you come to the corner fold it in and continue wrapping fabric around.  You will want to go two times right in the corner to cover up the corner edge really well.

Once you are completely around just take your needle and go between some of  the whipped  loops and hide your tail inside....clip off.

Next you will want to cut 1 inch strips.....there are two ways I connect my fabric strips together.  One way is to put two pieces of fabric together one on top of the other.

I then clip the edges off at an angle to reduce bulk.

Fold the fabrics up and clip about 1/4 inch slit making sure not to get to the end.

Here you can see the slit.

Take the one strip and place over the other and open up the slit.

Take and pull the other end of the yellow fabric up and through both fabrics through the slit.

Gently pull both fabrics here I am pulling the red and yellow fabrics and it securely ties it without making a big knot.

Here is the way I like to join fabrics when I plan to do a lot of locker hooking.  I just take it to my sewing machine and sew fabrics end to end and then snip the threads between and then it makes one long continuous strip of 1" fabric in various colors.

Now it is time to locker hook.  You will take your cotton thread and tie it to one corner of your canvas.  Thread your eye of your locker hook with the other end and insert your hook through the canvas from the front to the back.  

Take your strip of 1" fabric to the back of your canvas  and leaving about 1 1/2 inches of a tail lay your fabric over your hook and then bring the loop to the front of the canvas.

You will want to put a loop of fabric one at a time on your hook  and bring them to the front of the canvas as you slowly go over the tail of the fabric in the back to hide it.  

Once you get several loops on just run your hook all the way through the fabric and the cotton thread will hide inside the loops.

Load on more loops until you reach the edge continuing to glide your needle through the loops about every 4 to 5 loops to hide your cotton thread inside.

Once you are at the corner you go up one hole and pull up a loop and glide your hook through to lock this one in place with your cotton thread.

You can choose to work back and forth rows or go around and  around.   On this one I am working my rows back and forth.  Now once your cotton thread gets to short just tie on another piece  and then thread your locker hook again.

Load your hook with more loops and gently pull the knotted thread through hiding your knot inside the fabric loop.

Work all of your tows until finished.....leave about a 3 inch tail of fabric.  Thread your fabric strip onto your tapestry needle and bring the tail to the top of the coaster.  Gently weave the tapestry needle with the fabric through the loops on the front to hide through 5 to 6 loops.  Clip off close to loop.  

Here is two finished coasters the one on the left is worked with the rows back and forth and the one on the right is worked around and around until I finished in the middle.

These  coasters can be left just as they are or you can add a piece of fabric to the back.  If you choose to back your coaster  just cut a piece of fabric the same size as the dimension of the hooked coaster .   Then fold in the edges of the fabric just a smidge and  then press with an iron to make a fold. 

Place on the back of the coaster and pin in place....next take a needle and thread and slip stitch to back of coaster.  If you don't like to sew you can use heat and bond or you can use sticky back felt.  I like to leave them as is or whip stitch the backing on.

Happy Trails....Ginger