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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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Latch Hook Basics

June 12, 2018 29 Comments

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Fans of the Very Serious Crafts Podcast and those who follow the Hands Occupied Instagram are well aware of the fact that I’ve fallen hard for another yarn craft in recent months: latch hook. Last month, I rounded up ten amazing latch hook projects to highlight just how much this craft has evolved from the rug-making kits that may have found their way into your childhood craft room (and creepily often involved clowns). Now it’s time to learn the basics of working a latch hook project totally from square one so you can try this fun craft for yourself as a grown up (and use up your yarn ends in the process!). Today we’ll cover the basics of how to latch hook, and next week we’ll tackle basic finishing techniques.

A quick plug: If you’re in the Chicago area, you can take my Intro to Contemporary Latch Hook Workshop in a couple weeks.This workshop covers so much more about color picking, yarn processing, and blending than I’m able to cover in this post, so it’s a great way to really up your skills! As of this writing, there are still open spots, so visit my local yarn shop’s website to learn more & sign up. 

How to do basic latch hook

Supplies

rug canvas
latch hook tool
scissors
ruler
cardboard
yarn (scraps work great!)

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.

Directions

Begin by thinking about how shaggy you want your project to be.
In rug-making (or carpet/rug buying in general), pile refers to the density of your rug, and pile height is a measure of how far the tip of your yarn is from the backing of your project. For beginners, please note that the backing of your project is the grid-like rug canvas into which you’ll work your latch hook project.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Next, prepare your yarn.
You can buy pre-cut yarn for latch hooking, but to me, that’s a little bit wasteful when you can very easily cut it yourself. To quickly cut your own latch hooking yarn, measure and cut out a rectangle of cardboard that is twice the length you want your pile height to be, plus another quarter of an inch.* Using your cardboard as a ruler, wrap your yarn around the cardboard several times, then cut the yarn at the top and bottom of the cardboard rectangle, creating the short lengths of yarn you’ll be working with.

*For example, if you want your pile height to measure 2 inches, you’ll need to cut your yarn into lengths that are 4.25″ because 2″ x 2 = 4″, and you need to add another 0.25″ to accommodate the knot you’ll be creating as you latch hook your yarn to your rug canvas.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, read on and come back to the first couple paragraphs of these directions. As with any new craft, there’s a bit of vocabulary involved, but once you see the photos of latch hooking in action, and especially once you try it for yourself, this will all start to click. I promise! :)

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Prepare your rug canvas.
Using a sturdy pair of scissors (rug canvas is tough – it’s intended to be walked on!), cut your rug canvas to the shape/size you’d like your finished latch hook project to be, plus an inch or two. Much like in sewing, latch hook projects require a little extra canvas past the edge of where your project borders will end. This extra functions a lot like a seam allowance when it comes to finishing your project.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Start hooking! 
To form a latch hook knot, fold a piece of cut yarn in half around your latch hook tool, just below the latch mechanism.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Insert the tip of your latch hook tool from front to back to front under one of the horizontal bars of your rug canvas. Wrap the tail ends of your yarn around the hook as shown above – in between the latch mechanism of your tool and under the hook part of the tool itself.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Pull the hook tool back under the horizontal bar of rug canvas. The latch mechanism will close by itself around the tail ends of your yarn, and the hook will guide the tails back under the horizontal bar as well as through the folded end of yarn.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
As you continue to pull, your latch hook tool will become free of the yarn and your latch hook knot (also known as a lark’s head knot or cow hitch) will be formed, securing the yarn to the rug canvas backing. To tighten the knot, pull gently on the ends. If you’re working with a fiber that’s not wool, you will likely want to give the tails of your yarn a tug now and then to keep the yarn in place. This is what several finished knots look like  in an in-progress latch hooking project:

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
Continue adding pieces of yarn to your rug canvas using your latch hook tool, remembering to leave a 1″ border on all sides. You can get creative and incorporate fun designs, color changes, varying thicknesses of yarn, varying lengths of yarn, different fibers, and more in your latch hook projects. Creatively combining different fiber combinations and pile heights results in really beautiful and interesting finished latch hook projects.

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.
You can see from looking at the back of my project here that I played with primary colors, stripes, and a few different yarns. In next week’s tutorial on basic latch hook project finishing, you’ll get to see the front of this fun little latch hook wall hanging! Don’t forget to tune in. ;)

Learn how to latch hook with an easy-to-follow tutorial. Make wall hangings, throw pillows, rugs, and more! Latch hook projects are a great use for scrap yarn too.

MORE GREAT RESOURCES FOR LATCH HOOK BEGINNERS:

  • Basic Latch Hook Finishing Tutorial
  • Looking for contemporary latch hook inspiration? Here are 9 Things to Latch Hook
  • Tiered Colorblock Wall Hanging – free latch hook pattern

Filed Under: Latch Hook, Yarn Crafts Tagged With: cow hitch, how to latch hook, lark's head knot, latch hook, latch hook tutorial, rug canvas, wall hanging

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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Comments

  1. Jodie

    June 19, 2018 at 11:00 pm

    Hi Heidi. Once again you’ve created a fabulous tutorial! I loved latch hook as a kid and am so thrilled it is coming back as a yarn craft. I’ve included your tutorial in our latest craft inspiration roundup. https://craftylikegranny.com/love-handmade/ Cheers Jodie :)

    Reply
  2. Joanna @DIY Project

    July 8, 2018 at 9:58 pm

    This is so awesome. Thanks for sharing all the clear DIY tutorial.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      July 9, 2018 at 12:05 am

      You’re welcome! ;)

      Reply
  3. Bianca

    October 18, 2018 at 4:34 am

    Hi Heidi
    I found your tutorial really helpful. I was wondering if you had any insight on how to attach two canvas’? I cant seem to find and helpful tips on this.

    Thanks 😊

    Reply
    • Heidi

      October 18, 2018 at 10:32 am

      Yeah! I should do a tutorial on this one of these days (no promises on the time frame – I’ve got a big old deadline coming up in January!). If you look at my latch hook finishing tutorial, you can use the whip stitch demonstrated to hold two piece of canvas together flat and sew them that way. I’m working on a sculptural project right now (more of an experiment) with latch hook, and I used fishing line to get a sturdy join at the seams. Hopefully this gives you some direction to start with! Feel free to reply here or email me at heidi-at-handsoccupied-dot-com with other ideas or questions! -Heidi

      Reply
  4. Ray

    May 4, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    Hi there,
    this tutorial is very helpful!
    I wonder what kind of yarn (how thick) are the best for latch hook?
    I bought some rug wool but they are too thin for the canvas…
    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 5, 2019 at 8:20 pm

      Hi! Thanks for the kind words. :) The size of your yarn and canvas should be complimentary when doing latch hook. You can get rug canvas in smaller (more squares per inch) or larger (fewer squares per inch) sizes. Much like you pair knitting needles or crochet hooks with appropriately-sized yarn, latch hook is like a less intense version of that. At the end of the day with most latch hook projects (most often using a 4 or 5-mesh rug canvas) worsted weight yarn will work great! Hope this helps, and thanks for reaching out! -Heidi

      Reply
  5. Jane Hamann

    May 11, 2019 at 2:58 pm

    Hi
    I recently found 100 one ounce little packages of precut virgin wool rug yarn in different colors that I had bought about 40 years ago on a close out sale. . I would like to make something but I’m wondering if you can tell me approximately how many square inches of canvas 1 ounce of four ply wool will cover? If you know this I won’t have to do a test run before I start designing.
    Either way, thanks for your time.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 13, 2019 at 12:08 pm

      Without the supplies on hand in person, I wouldn’t have a way of knowing that. But if it helps, here’s what I’d do to calculate this:

      • Cut a 4 or 5″ square of rug canvas, count the number of squares on your rug canvas and weigh it.
      • Then I’d latch hook that swatch and weigh the whole thing again.
      • Subtract the weight of the canvas from the weight of the finished swatch.
      • This final weight lets you know how many ounces of yarn you’re using in that swatch, so you can then divide the number of canvas squares worked from the yarn weight to determine how many ounces per stitch you’ll require.
      Reply
  6. John Kelly

    May 28, 2019 at 9:16 am

    Hi. Iam completely new to latch hook. I have a kit. But can’t work out. The canvas has colour on it. Do I go with it. To latch hook. Or. Do I use the paper. Instructions. And grid. As my guide. For colour. And where to put the wool. Your instructions are very helpful. For a beginner like me

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 28, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      Is the color on the canvas kind of like a pattern or color by number? If so, I’d say go for it!

      Reply
    • E

      November 3, 2019 at 10:35 am

      If you want the design to be correct, go with the paper instructions. I’ve run into the issue where the stamped colors on the canvas is uneven and can no longer be followed. Good luck!

      Reply
  7. Judith Barclay

    January 18, 2020 at 6:50 am

    Hi, my knots are quite loose and I have to keep tightening.. is there something I can put on the back of the work to stop the knots becoming loose? Some sort of fabric glued on for example?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 24, 2020 at 8:56 am

      There may be an issue with your fiber selection. If you’re making a short pile rug with artificial fibers, the knots will likely come undone since the fibers aren’t felting to each other to secure your knots. Totally ran into that myself – at some point I should do a post on fiber selection for latch hook. Thank you for the inspiration!

      Reply
  8. Carla

    March 11, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    Is there any other craft you can use latch hook yarn with? I don’t want to resort to latch hook right now but I have inherited 2 large trash bags full of yarn all cut to use for latch hook but I would like yo find another craft. Please help!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 12, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      Yarn scraps can be used for a lot of things. Stuffing, padding for packaging, tying things together. Stuffing is probably your best bet.

      Reply
  9. Jennifer

    August 13, 2020 at 9:21 am

    Thank you for sharing this tutorial! I’m not new to latch-hooking but usually buy pre-cut yarn. I was intrigued when you mentioned yarn scraps. What kind of yarn can be used? I think the pre-cut ones are all acrylic yarn, right? Does milk yarn work, too?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 14, 2020 at 9:47 am

      Nice to meet you Jennifer! :) Any kind of yarn can be used, but natural fibers and natural fiber blends work best because natural fibers interlock on their own (a.k.a. felting), helping keep each knot secure. I’ll do a whole post on cutting yarn for latch hook in the next few weeks and I’ll make sure to talk about this. Let me know if there are more questions you’d like covered in that post.

      Best,
      Heidi

      Reply
    • Heidi

      August 14, 2020 at 9:48 am

      P.S. I must admit I’m unfamiliar with milk yarn, but I love to learn. Tell me more. :)

      Reply
  10. judith monchamp

    December 2, 2020 at 9:02 am

    how many precut 2 1/2″ pieces of yarn do i need to make a 3×5 latched rug?
    thank ou

    Reply
    • Heidi

      December 8, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      It depends whether you’re working with canvas featuring 4 knots per inch or 5 knots per inch. Regardless of strand length, you’ll need to do math.

      3 feet x 12 inches = 36 inches tall
      5 feet x 12 inches = 60 inches wide

      From there, you’ll multiply the number of knots per inch times inches per side to find your total. 👍🏻

      Reply
  11. Paige Lott

    July 11, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    Hi. My name is Paige Lott. I am JUST starting to latch hook up keep my hands busy because I scratch myself until I leave marks on myself. Anyway, my question is AFTER you get done latch hooking and the design is all done, will there be any more yarn leftover? Thank you for your time and patience.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      July 15, 2021 at 11:44 am

      Welcome, Paige! :)

      It depends how big your project is. You use a certain amount of strands of yarn per project, so you can do a bit of math to calculate exactly how many strands your project takes. For a square or rectangular project, multiply the number of rows on your canvas by the number of columns to calculate the number of total strands needed.

      Yours in yarn,
      Heidi

      Reply
  12. Lori Hogan

    November 25, 2021 at 12:13 am

    Hello, I am wondering where I can purchase the rug backing. I have done many kits and have a lot of yarn left over. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      December 1, 2021 at 9:50 am

      My favorite rug canvas comes from a company called Color Crazy. You can buy the rug canvas by the foot, and also in multiple sizes (3.75 or 5 mesh, a.k.a. 4 or 5 knots per inch). When I wrote my latch hook book (more on the book 😉 ), I sourced most of my project canvas from them.

      Here’s there supplies page: https://www.colorcrazy.com/collections/supplies-1 I can also vouch for their ergonomic hooks being worth it!

      Yours in yarn,
      Heidi

      Reply
  13. Cosetta

    January 18, 2022 at 8:09 pm

    I started a rug to hook and realized I have put the yarn under the twisted row instead of the straight row of the canvas does this matter. Thanks Do I need to take it all out and start over. Ugh. Lol

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 24, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      In all honesty, unless this were a large scale project or a project I intended for heirloom purposes, I’d just keep on hooking. (😆 That joke never gets old!) Live your life! :)

      Best of luck,
      Heidi

      Reply
  14. Jane

    February 17, 2022 at 2:59 pm

    Hi Heidi!
    Interested in how you hooked the yellow yarn. Did you separate the pieces to get them to fit in your latch hook tool? I have some thicker, almost roving type yarn, but I have trouble fitting it in that little hook. Interested to hear your solution!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      February 18, 2022 at 1:04 pm

      You can read about the pictured wall hanging in more detail and get the free pattern for it (including how to handle bulkier yarn) here: https://www.handsoccupied.com/tiered-colorblock-wall-hanging/

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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Working on a sample for some upcoming videos. It’s an overcast day with intermittent sunshine & I have a scruffy little sidecar. 🐶 Can’t complain! 
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Peg boards and craft room organization go together Peg boards and craft room organization go together like peanut butter and jelly. So, as you can see, do latch hook tools and screwdriver organizers! 🪛 
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