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| Traditional Proddy Mats
This traditional and homey craft originated in Northern England, where it is thought to be an early precurser to American Hooked Rugs. Simpler and faster than hooking, this technique makes the thickest, softest, pile; extremely long wearing. Proddy consumes TONS of wool fabric , so it is perfect for using up scraps from your stash. The procedure is very simple, as in all old fashioned crafts:
- Draw a VERY simple image on your backing of choice. Place in your hooking frame. The drawing is the BACK, the pile will accumulate on the FRONT, below your frame...
- Tear long strips of pre-washed wool about 5/8 inch wide. I start by snipping the edge, then vigorously ripping to make strips of any length.
- Wrap the strip evenly around the PRODDY STICK, then cut with scissors down the groove to make many little short rectangles.
- Use a PRODDY POKIE to push the end of a rectangle down through the backing to your other hand below. Skip 4-5 threads of backing, then insert the other end of the rectangle. Lower hand adjusts ends to protrude equally.
- Start next little strip in the last hole used by the preceeding strip.
Voila-la-la-la! Its so easy! Edges are bound as in rug hooking (see great new book Finishing Hooked Rugs, from Rug Hooking Magazine, availble from this website, signed and personalized from me.
Proddy sticks and pokies are sold on the “tools” page. If you need any blank linen, just e-mail me. 1/6 yard is aboiut 18x20, $10. It comes packaged with a handout about proddy mats history and suggested designs. If you need wool scraps, I can provide “Goody Bundles” at $7.50 each. (you will need 4 to cover a 15x15” space) Specify your favorite color family, then have a blast!
P.S. This is what the back looks like:
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