Create Iridescence in Hooked Rugs

May your butterflies glow

Iridescent Butterfly,

10″ x 8″, #2- and #3 cut wool on rug warp. Designed and hooked by John L. Leonard, Wilmington, North Carolina, 2021.

For a long time, I have searched for iridescent dyes or paints that could be used to create iridescent effects in hooked rugs. I have longed to create iridescent effects for butterflies, birds, jewels, and fish.

DHARMA TRADING CO.
Pearl Ex Pigments are available in these colors: 630 Citrine 631 Scarlet 632 Magenta 633 Shimmer Violet 634 Sapphire Blue 635 Apple Green 636 Emerald 737 Dark Brown https://www.dharmatrading.com

Scroll below for a full-size, printable pattern

HOOKING THE BUTTERFLY

I hooked my butterfly on cotton rug warp using a variety of mostly #3-cut and some #2-cut wools. Two 6mm black beads were used for eyes.

I created the antennae by first hooking the tips of the antennae in the green background with black wool. For each antenna, I tied a knot in the end of a piece of black bamboo cord and used a tapestry needle to bring the cord up from the underside of the rug warp to emerge at the base of one antenna tip. The needle was then inserted just in front of the eyes to emerge through the back of the rug. I left enough cord to tie with the cord from the other antenna.

GOING IRIDESCENT: APPLYING PEARL EX

Dharma Trading Co. suggested mixing 4 tablespoons of the extender with 1 tablespoon of water. Then, mix in as much Pearl Ex pigment as desired. I reduced the proportions of the extender and water because I only planned to use small amounts. I used a mixture of 3/4 teaspoon of extender, 1/16 teaspoon of water (3 drops), and 1 mini-scoop of Pearl Ex. I used toothpicks to mix the amounts of extender, water, and Pearl Ex in 1-ounce disposable medicine cups.

Using a small paint brush with 1/8-inch-wide bristles, I applied the Pearl Ex. The amounts of extender, water, and Pearl Ex that I used for each area are:

Beads

• 1/4 teaspoon Jacquard Neopaque 579 Flowable Extender
• 1/16 teaspoon water (3 drops)
• 1/2 mini-scoop Pearl Ex Shimmer Violet and 1/2 mini-scoop Pearl Ex Sapphire Blue

Blue areas

• 1/4 teaspoon Jacquard Neopaque 579 Flowable Extender
• 1/16 teaspoon water (3 drops)
• 1 mini-scoop Pearl Ex Sapphire Blue

Red areas

• 1/4 teaspoon Jacquard Neopaque 579 Flowable Extender
• 1/16 teaspoon water (3 drops)
• 1 mini-scoop Pearl Ex Magenta

Yellow areas

• 1/4 teaspoon Jacquard Neopaque
• 579 Flowable Extender
• 1/16 teaspoon water (3 drops)
• 1 mini-scoop Pearl Ex CitrineI tried using Jacquard Textile

100 Colorless Extender instead of Jacquard Neopaque 579 Flowable Extender, but this extender produced only a faint amount of iridescence.

DURABILITY OF PEARL EX PIGMENTS

I was most pleasantly surprised how the fine mica particles of Pearl Ex produced such beautiful iridescence. Also, I was amazed at how realistically the beads became eyes when painted with the violet and blue combination.

I experimented with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon of extender, 1/16 teaspoon of water (3 drops), and 1 mini-scoop of Pearl Ex. to see how well it would adhere to wool.

Here is what I learned. Several techniques are recommended for maximal adhesion of Pearl Ex to wool:

• wet the wool by first soaking it in water
• then squeeze out as much water as possible before applying Pearl Ex
• usea stiff brush to scrub the Pearl Ex into the wool
• iron after application

Even though these techniques seemed to help adhesion, I decided to use Pearl Ex only for wool rugs that would be hung on the wall.

Applying Pearl Ex using, or not using, these techniques, for a rug that will be used on the floor might be a fun project. If the rug is placed in an area of little traffic, there would be little abrasion of the Pearl Ex. If the Pearl Ex wears off, more could be applied. (Also, the rug would probably look great even without the Pearl Ex.)

FRAMING THE BUTTERFLY, STEP BY STEP

I used an 8″ x 10″ frame with a narrow black border. I discarded the glass piece. On the cardboard backing, I used a small pry bar to remove the four clips normally used to hold a picture in place and the two holders used for hanging the picture. I used a pencil to mark a line on the rug warp 1 1/4″ from the edge of the hooking. With a sewing machine, I sewed a zigzag line close to the hooking all around the rug. I sewed another zigzag line just inside the 1 1/4″ line. The excess rug warp was trimmed away just outside the pencil line. I then placed the hooked butterfly, face side up, over the side of the cardboard from which I had removed the hardware. I adjusted the butterfly until it covered the board with the attached rug warp covering the edge of the cardboard. I pressed the butterfly with the cardboard backing gently into the metal frame to see if it would fit. It did not, but when I removed two rows of hooked background and tried again, it fit. I attached clips all around to hold the butterfly in place. Next, I mitered the four corners of rug warp and used an overlapping stich to hold each of the 45° angles together. I used this method to hold the butterfly flat against the cardboard. I used a tapestry needle and Size 10 heavy duty cotton thread for lacing. The needle was inserted through the top side of the rug warp about 1/2″ above the lower edge of the cardboard. Then the needle was brought to emerge through the underside of the rug warp about 1/2″ from the top edge of the cardboard. The needle was then inserted through the top side of the rug warp, about 1/2″ to the right of where it emerged. The needle was then brought to emerge through the underside of the rug warp about 1/2″ from the bottom of the frame and 1/2″ to the right of where the thread was first inserted. The two ends of the thread were pulled tight at the same time to bring the butterfly flat against the cardboard. Then the threads were tied. I used separate stitches so I could have more control over tightening each stitch. For this small rug, only a few lacings seemed necessary. Since I did not cover the back of the framed rug, I can add more if needed. After lacing, I removed the clips and gently pressed the cardboard with the attached rug into the frame. Ithen folded the edge of the rug warp under itself and sewed the halves together close to the edge of the frame. I thought this step would make the back of the framed rug look better but this step is not necessary. This step could also be done before lacing. I attached a picture holder near the middle of the top edge of the cardboard back to be able to hang the rug. A piece of cloth could be sewn to cover the back to make the framed rug look more professional but is not necessary.

Iridescent Butterfly

Final rug approximately 10” x 8”

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