A "needle punched" design
Maybe I am nit picking, or maybe it's the former technical writer in me, but I am bothered by the misuse of the terms used to describe the art of rug hooking and needle punching. As I noodle around the internet, I see the nouns and verbs completely misused in web site descriptions, catalogs, even books. Please don't anyone take offense - I don't expect everyone to be bothered by the way other people write - and I suspect that most don't even notice. It's just one of those things for me, and I feel compelled to point it out for anyone who wonders, "is that right?" So, for anyone else who has wondered or cares about such things, here's the way A Dictionary of American-English Usage or Strunk & White would tell you to use these terms:
needle punch - this is a noun; it describes the the art form, not the tool or the action taken to accomplish the art form. For example, "Needle punch is easy to do."
punch needle - the word needle is a noun; the word punch is an adjective describing what kind of needle. Together, they describe the tool used to pass the thread through the cloth. It is a needle used to punch - a punch needle. It is not the act of creating the design on the cloth, nor does it describe the art form of needle punch. For example, "I bought a new punch needle today."
needle punching - this is a noun phrase that uses a verbal (not to get too academic, but this is what it is). In other words, punching is a gerund acting as a noun and modified by needle. Anyway -- this phrase describes the act of creating the art. For example, "she enjoys needle punching" or "needle punching is a popular art form."
Okay? So what about rug hooking terms? Well, it's pretty much the same thing, but with a few minor differences.
rug hooking - this is a noun phrase that uses a verbal again, where, hooking is the gerund acting as a noun and modified by rug. The phrase describes the act of creating the art. For example, "she enjoys rug hooking" or "rug hooking is a popular art form."
hooked rug - this is a noun and adjective used to describe the finished product -- a rug that is hooked. For example, "the hooked rug adorned the hearth." And just for the record, reversing these words makes no sense (at least to me!) Haven't you seen sentences like, "I love this rug hooked pillow." A pillow has nothing to do with a rug! In that case, just say "hooked pillow."
rug hook - this is a noun and adjective used to describe the tool used to create a hooked rug. For example, "my rug hook is made of wood and metal." Misuse of this one bothers me the most! I have actually seen sentences like, "This rug hook pattern is really beautiful." Ouuuuch!! It even hurts my ears!
So there you have it, in a nutshell. If you think about it, it's pretty simple. The terms are so often misused that I think many folks see them that way, and continue to misuse them. If it doesn't bother you, then just ignore this whole entry. If you've wondered why some sentences written about rug hooking or needle punching sound odd when you read them, it's probably because the writer misused the words. Want to do your part as a rug hooker or needle puncher (that last one bothers me, too -- I would prefer to see needle punch artist, student, enthusiast, hobbyist, etc.) - when you hear someone misuse one of these terms, just repeat it back using the correct term. Sooner or later, a few more people will be using the terms correctly. And maybe I won't be bothered as often. Maybe I just need to go back to writing and editing?? Nah!!