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Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Square Latch Hook Finishing Tutorial

July 1, 2020 Leave a Comment

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding

Last winter, I spent most of my time writing an introductory latch hook book. (More on that here!) During the design and writing process, several requests came via comments and emails for more latch hook tutorials on Hands Occupied, and for the folks who have patiently waited, thank you! Today we’ll be getting back into the swing of things by tackling how to finish a square latch hook project. Something easy to get us started, but a useful technique that I wish I’d known as a latch hooking beginner!

When hooking a square latch hook project – that is, a latch hooking project with square/straight edges, you may elect to finish your canvas as you work, rather than saving all finishing and binding of your rug canvas edges for after your project has been knotted.

Lost? Let’s talk vocabulary.

Seam allowance in latch hook is not unlike seam allowance in sewing for sewists in the room. Seam allowance is the excess canvas beyond where the knotted portion of your work ends. In the photo below, it’s the canvas that remains plain all around the edges of the knotted work.

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding

Finishing vs. Binding in Latch Hook

In my book that’s coming out this fall and on this blog, I differentiate between finishing and binding processes in latch hooking. At some point, project seam allowance needs to be folded to the back of your work and secured in place with hand stitching or knotting. This is called finishing.

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding
A latch hook project with square finishing done, but not yet bound. You can see how the canvas is secure, but without binding, the edges aren’t as crisply defined or structured as they could be. The corners aren’t completely secure yet either.

In quilting, binding is the process makers use to finish the raw edge of a quilt, preventing fraying and securing layers together. In latch hook, binding refers to finishing the raw edge of a seam, preventing fraying but largely done to hide and reinforce the folded canvas edges and help prop up yarn strands at the edge of a project. The binding process can vary a lot from project to project (or be skipped entirely).  When it is done in latch hook, binding occurs after finishing.

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding
A completed latch hook project with square finishing and an edge bound with yarn and whip stitch.

Square Latch Hook Project Finishing

You may knot an entire latch hook project, leaving your seam allowance intact and untouched. (If you’re hooking a project without square corners, that is the only way to do it- but that’s a subject for another tutorial!)

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding
An example of a very non-square latch hook project that has been knotted, but no finishing or binding work has been done.
Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding
An example of a square latch hook project that has been knotted, but no finishing or binding work has been done.

If you’re hooking a project with square corners, you may finish your project as you go, saving yourself needing to stop to finish edges by hand after the fact. You may also use this finishing technique on part of a project if you’re working on a rug with a combination of square and non-square corners.

How to accomplish square finishing as you knot

To finish a square edge, fold the unhooked seam allowance to the back (non-fuzzy side) of your work, aligning the grid of your canvas to avoid a twisted edge.

If you haven’t already knotted the rows of canvas stitches that your seam allowance will be folded over, please do so now. When folding back seam allowance, I recommend using clothespins or sewing clips to hold it in place as you work to maintain canvas alignment. (Similar to straight pins in sewing, but better suited for working a rug. 😉 )

The actual finishing is simple. With your grid aligned, hook your latch hook knots around two layers of rug canvas: the canvas comprising the body of your latch hook project and the folded back seam allowance canvas. Doing this holds back the raw canvas from the right side of your finished project, in addition to providing some strength and structure to your work.

When square finishing the edge perpendicular to your first square finished edge, you’ll notice something. There will always be a small rectangle of unnecessary canvas at each corner. Simply cut out or fold under the unnecessary piece of canvas before finishing its perpendicular edge. “Unnecessary canvas” isn’t an official latch hook vocabulary word – it’s just canvas that needs to be removed to avoid excess bulk at the back of your work. At the corner of a square project, you could end up with up to 6 layers of overlapping canvas because of how the canvas must be folded to create a corner.

Pro tip: If your canvas is falling apart or fraying at the edge, you may want to knot through two canvas layers to reinforce an edge that’s feeling/looking weak to you. Often by “weak” I mean literally shredding before your eyes – lock it down by working through more layers of canvas.

Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding
In this sample, I’ve done square finishing, removing excess canvas in the corner, as well as whip stitch binding my edge. As you can see in the corner especially, I’ve knotted 2 and even 3 layers of canvas together to secure my canvas edges and prevent fraying.

About the Rainbow Latch Hook Project Featured in this Tutorial

If the rainbow in this tutorial looked familiar, that’s because it’s from the teaser my upcoming latch hook book. The Rainbow Back Patch pattern will be exclusively available in the book, coming out this fall. Never fear, though! If you’re impatient like me, but also like my design style, I have a few fresh patterns headed to the blog this summer – stay tuned. 😊

The teaser image for Heidi Gustad's new latch hook book, publishing fall 2020 with Leisure Arts
Read more about my upcoming book here.
Image credit: Jason Masters, Photographer / Lori Wenger, Stylist
Square latch hook finishing tutorial: Learn how to do finishing in latch hook projects with square corners. This is a work-as-you-go method that helps you save time during the finishing process in latch hook rug making. #latchhook #rugmaking #rughooking #rugbinding

All images featured in this post are by me save for the book teaser image.

Filed Under: Latch Hook, Yarn Crafts Tagged With: finish a rug, latch hook, latch hook binding, latch hook finish, square finishing, square latch hook corners, square latch hook finishing

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

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

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

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There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
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A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
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Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
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Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
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rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
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Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
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Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
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