Locker Hook: Indigo Dial Trivet

Today, I am very excited and feel honored to have Theresa here to show us how to make this beautiful locker hook trivet. It is such an eye candy and perfect for your dining or coffee table. Theresa also included a video of another similar trivet tutorial. So, sit back and enjoy watching it. To see more of Theresa’s projects, you can buy her books, visit and subscribe to her website – Color Crazy and blog, and/or like her Facebook Page.

If you remember my recent book review and introduction about Locking Loops, you will remember Theresa Pulido, the author of the book. I have been a big fan of Theresa Pulido’s locker hook crafts & projects, and her books “Locking Loops: Unique Locker Hooking Handcrafts to Wear and Give” and Hook, Loop ‘n’ Lock: Create Fun and Easy Locker Hooked Projects are really creative and inspiring. Theresa has brought me to the world of locker hook and I love this craft ever since.

I am going to make one of the projects from her new book, Locking Loops, stay tuned. Till then, enjoy this tutorial on how to make an Indigo Dial Trivet. Hope you make one soon.

Guest Post from Theresa Pulido, Book author of “Locking Loops: Unique Locker Hooking Handcrafts to Wear and Give” and Hook, Loop ‘n’ Lock: Create Fun and Easy Locker Hooked Projects.

I’m so glad for the opportunity to share one of my favorite locker hooked projects to make. When I first started teaching locker hooking, I wanted to create something easy to make that was fast, beautiful and useful in various ways. This is one of the easiest projects you can locker hook and it is featured in my new Locking Loops book. You can customize it to have your own colors and a favorite tile (you can find different tile designs at colorcrazy.com). You can also give it away as a beautiful hand crafted gift. This makes for a great trivet, mat or a wall hanging. I have several in different colors hanging on my office and studio wall. I hope you enjoy creating your own version of this lovely trivet.

Locker Hook Trivet

Make: 1
Pattern: Download here.

Materials:
1. 52 x 52 square piece of Locker hooking canvas 5-mesh
2. 22 yds. (20.1m) ½”W (1.5cm) Indigo color (or your own color choice) cotton strips
3. 12 yds. (11m) ½”W (1.5cm) Natural cotton muslin strips (or your own color choice)
4. 24 yds (21.9m) ½”W (1.5cm) Blue Rayon seam binding
5. 4” x 4” Ceramic Tile
6. Locking Medium: either a sturdy yarn or cotton twine that matches the fabric strips
7. Locker Hook
8. Tapestry needle
9. Permanent Adhesive
10. Scissors

Download pattern here. Print it if you prefer to have a hard-copy in hand.
{the pdf download will either open in a new tab or open a small window asking you to save it as a file. If you can’t find the saved file in your computer, the default folder usually is in “/downloads”}
{If you can’t download the pdf pattern, probably you don’t have acrobat reader, download the latest version for free, here.}

Prepare the Canvas: Cut and prepare the canvas by folding over 4 squares on each side. Crease the 4th row shown in gray on the pattern in half so you have three squares folded over. Transfer the pattern to the canvas with a permanent marker if desired.

Frame the Edges: Frame the edges of the canvas with blue seam binding by threading through tapestry needle (thread about 1 – 1/2yds at a time) and whip stitch to wrap the folded edges. Stitch around edge through each square. Corners may need two or even three stitches for proper coverage. Use fingers to adjust strip to cover edges properly.

Begin Locker Hooking: Locker hooks the design starting at the outer edge and working in a spiral around the edge toward the middle. Change fabric strip colors or add more as needed to follow the pattern leaving a 2-inch tail with each new strip you use. Leave an unhooked area in the center for the tile as indicated by the pattern.
Thread the locking medium (use black or matching yarn) through the needle eye end of the locker hook. Push locker hook through the top of the canvas starting at the very edge where you whip stitched the frame. Pull up the 1^st loop and give it a tug. Loop should be about ½” high. Continue pulling up loops and making sure they match the height of the 1^st loop.
TIP: Give your loops a tug every time you pull them up to make sure they are the same height.

Secure Loops: Once you’ve pulled up 4 or 5 loops or more, pull locker hook through loops along with locking medium to lock loops in place. Leave a 2 inch tail of locking medium hanging. Secure locking medium by tying to canvas if necessary. Continue locker hooking pattern and securing loops on the canvas until the design is complete.

Finishing Techniques: Once the pattern is locker hooked, begin finishing the design by sewing in tails. Trim all fabric tails to approximately 2 inches with ends cut diagonally. Take the needle eye end of locker hook and working from the top, push locker hook end through the top to the bottom where the tail is located.

Thread tail through the needle eye and pull through to the top.

Sew in each tail by taking the needle eye and threading through about five loops away from the tail.

Thread tail through needle eye again and pull through the loops to hide.

Use scissors to snip any visible end of the tail close to the last loop. Repeat with all fabric tails and do the same with locking medium tails.

Glue-On Inset Tile Piece: Protect your work surface and add permanent adhesive to the back of the tile and place in the center of the trivet.

Pull out any loops caught underneath the tile. Let the glue dry completely and enjoy your new locker hook trivet!