What is the difference between punch needle rug hooking and traditional rug hooking?
Traditional rug hooking started in around the 1830’s and uses a rug hook, which is a short crochet-like hook in a wooden handle. A rug hooker pulls their loops up with their hook. Punch needle started in the 1880’s and is done with a punch needle. A puncher punches their loops down with their punch. Basically, hookers pull loops up and punchers punch loops down. Because punch needle isn’t done with a hook it isn’t technically “hooking.” Many people call punching “hooking” because it forms the exact same running loop stitch.
