Ring Out Joy is easy to transfer and can be hooked in a fine cut, a wide cut, or as I prefer, in multiple cuts. My love of embroidery inspired me to add a flame stitch to the bells. That addition proved to be challenging and a good experiment for future patterns. To simplify the pattern, try hooking Ring Out Joy in a wide cut using colorful texture for the bells in place of the flame stitch design. 
Ring Out Joy, 13" x 13", #7-, 8-, 8½-, and 9-cut wool on linen. Designed and hooked by Linda Fernandes, South Lyon, Michigan, 2009.
The finished piece makes a beautiful holiday add-on for the front of a gift basket. Fill the basket with goodies or greens, and give it to a friend or neighbor. Or think pillow. Or mat. Small patterns like Ring Out Joy are a creative way to use up leftover wool. You’ll be ringing out the old and ringing in something new!
Before You Begin
Cut a piece of linen 23" x 23", which includes an additional 5" on all sides. I like extra linen in case I decide to change the size or add a border. I prefer a serged edge, but a zigzag stitch or masking tape over the edges will also work.
Find and mark the center of the linen. Measure from the middle of the linen out to the border on each side, and mark. Draw the border lines by dragging a pencil in the ditch of the linen. Confirm the size, and go over the pencil lines with the black permanent marker. Place the Red Dot Tracer on top of the linen, using the border and center mark as a guide. Weight or pin the Red Dot to the linen, and trace the design with a black permanent marker. Remove the Red Dot, and darken any light lines.
Prepare plenty of wool: four to five times the size of the area the wool will cover is ideal. For this pattern I chose predominantly hand-colored wool over textures and naturals. The background is a dark green over a plaid texture. It works well with the red, gold, and greens of the bells and bow. The orange adds the spark.
The flame stitch is used for the bells, and the knot of the bow is sculpted. Draw a line down the middle of each bell. Now turn the pattern so the bell is straight up and down, facing you. This position helps to keep the flame centered and the bell shape from becoming lopsided. Lightly draw guidelines for the flame stitch, then hook a background line around part of the bells to help keep their shape.
Materials Needed
23" x 23" linen backing
Black permanent marker
Red Dot Tracer
60" cotton binding tape
Wool
4" x 16" medium green for the bells
4" x 16" light green for the bells
1/8 yd. red for the bells and border
3" x 16" orange for the bells
1/8 yd. mottled gold for the bow and bells
5" x 16" dark gold for the bow
1/4 yd. dark green for the background and bells
Hook the Top Bell
The first section of the flame stitch is the most important as it sets the pattern for the rest of the bell. Refer to the paper pattern for the numbered sections. The colors used in each section are as follows:
Section 1
• Follow the line of the bell, working from the top. Hook 1 row of red #6 cut.
• Form the points of the flame stitch using red #4 cut.
• Then one row of orange #4 cut next to the red.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut next to the orange.
• Step back. You will see the flame stitch starting to take shape.
Section 2
• Follow the flame design with one row of light green #7 cut.
• Then one row of orange #4 cut.
• Then one row of red #6 cut, forming points with red #4 cut.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut.
Section 3
• Next hook three rows of mottled gold #6 cut.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut
Section 4
• Follow the flame design using light green #6 and #4 cuts.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut.
Section 5
• Start with one row of orange #4 cut.
• Then two rows of red #6 cut.
• Then one row of orange #4 cut.
• Then three rows of light green #6 cut.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut.
Section 6
• Hook one row of orange #6 cut.
• Then two rows of red #6 cut at the bottom; use #4 or #5 cut to form points.
Hook the Bottom Bell
Hook the top two-thirds of the bottom bell with medium green #7 cut. Create highlights with light green. Add a shadow between the bells with dark green #3 cut. The bottom one-third of the bell is the flame stitch as follows:
Section 7
• First hook one row of dark green #4 cut.
• Then one row of orange #4 cut.
• Then two rows of red #6 cut.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut.
Section 8
• Hook two rows of mottled gold #6 cut.
• Then one row of dark green #4 cut.
Section 9
• Finish with two rows of red #6 cut at the bottom; use #4 or #5 cut to form points.
Hook the Bow
I found a wonderful mottled gold for the bow. It worked nicely for highlights and shadows. Follow the line of the ribbon using a #7 cut. Hook the inside of the bow in dark gold using #6 and #7 cuts. The crease lines on the ribbon at the knot are dark gold #4 cut.
Hook and Sculpt the Knot
Hook one row of #4 cut of dark gold low around the circle of the knot to form a shadow. For the knot, hook mottled gold #3 cut beginning on the outside line. Hook about ¼" high in every hole. As you work toward the middle, hook higher each time you go around the circle, ending at 1¼" high in the middle.
Take the pattern off its frame, and cut all the loops in the knot. Beginning at the outside, start cutting off the ends to form a ball. Now hook several scattered, high, #3-cut loops in the center. Cut the loops and pull the wool off the strips, leaving strings. Fluff to give the wool a wispy look.
Hook the Background
The dark green is hooked in #7 and #8 cuts. Framing the piece is a single red #8½- or #9-cut row surrounded by two dark green #8-cut rows. Hook the three outside rows first, and then fill in the background. (Because I finished the edge with cord, I only hooked one row of dark green next to the red row; the cord serves as the second row of dark green.)
When the hooking is complete, measure your mat from top to bottom, side to side, and corner to corner to make sure it is square. Make any necessary adjustments.
Finish the Rug
Everyone has a personal preference for finishing a rug. I prefer cording covered with the background fabric, but on smaller pieces, I sometimes use rug tape. Serge or zigzag around the pattern about ¾" out from the hooked edge. If you zigzag, cut off the excess linen.
Clean off wool dust and other debris. Press both the front and back using a wet towel and steam iron. Work around the knot to avoid flattening it. Fold the excess linen under and press. Fluff the knot. Block and dry.
When I bind the edges with cording, I cover the cord with my background color, allowing enough wool to turn under and stitch to the back. Fold the wool over the cord and machine stitch close to the cord using a zipper foot. Sew a second stitch close to the cord for stability. With strong thread, hand-stitch the cord close to the last row of hooking. Fold the wool under, covering the linen, and blind stitch it to the back, incorporating your label.
On smaller patterns that I attach to baskets, I line the back with a piece of the background wool to give the rug a finished look.
To order a pattern or complete kit, contact Rug Hooking magazine, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055; 1-877-462-2604. The cost of a hand-drawn pattern printed on linen is $24 plus $6 shipping. The cost for the kit, which includes hand-drawn pattern on linen, color picture, uncut wool, and rug tape, is $78 plus $11 shipping. This pattern is for personal use only. Reselling of the pattern is prohibited. November/December 2009
