Do the Twist! The History of a Popular Classic!

Hello Friends!

A three-cable version for the floor--I might have hooked this in 2017 or 2018. I bought my pattern from Anita, but I believe she bought it from Cushing. I used triad colors and loads of texture in my twist.

Around 2017, Anita White introduced me to the New England Twist design, and like many other students, I utterly enjoyed hooking a large floor runner with her.  Years later, Anita began to experiment with the twist as a design element. And last year, Terryl Ostmo of North Dakota tipped me off to the history of this design. 

So today, we will admire a variety of applications for the twist design, but first, let's learn its history.

Midred Peladeau wrote more than one book to illuminate the history of rug hooking. (Many of us own a copy of her Rug Hooking in Maine.)  While we were sitting at Terryl’s kitchen table talking about the histories of rug hooking designs, she opened another of Peladeau’s books, Art Underfoot, which explores the Waldeboro Tradition.  Terryl turned to page 32, an image of a cable design dating back to about the 1860s.

Anita's 5-cable Twist for the floor, 40 X 80, pattern from W, Cushing and Co, designed by an unknown rug hooker, probably back in the 1860s and hooked by Anita Whte. Don't you love how her textured woolens seem to pulse along each twist.

Title page of McGown book

In her own book, The Dreams Beneath Design:  A Story of the History and Background of the Designs of Hooked Rugs, Pearl McGown included a similar image of an early twist rug (see below).  “Even the simple twist of a skein of yarn,” wrote McGown, “served their (sic) purpose….  Aided by artistic blending and a wide range of shades, this pattern can be one of the loveliest.”  McGown clearly identified the image as an early American original design. In fact, she admired very simple designs, composed of everyday items like tea boxes, bricks, and stars, “elevated by careful and artistic blending or combination of colors.”

the early cable design, circa 1860s, which became the popular New England Twist

So McGown suggested that the twist design was inspired by a skein of yarn, while Peladeau suggests in Art Underfoot that a historic event, the laying of the Great TransAtlantic Cable inspired this design.  The Atlantic Cable, a long and difficult endeavor taking ten years and five separate attempts, greatly increased the speed of communication between the continents, and it’s possible that a rug designer whose identity is now lost mimicked the look of the cable in her original design. 

Terryl's 4-cable twist, so beautifully and artfully hooked in reds and blues

McGown was born in 1891 and didn’t start to design rugs until the late 1920s, but she adapted this original and it will probably always will be associated with her.  It should be noted that Pearl McGown made every effort to preserve the provenance of many old rug designs—those of Ralph Burnham and Edward Sands Frost in particular.  But there was no designer’s name to whom credit could be given for the cable design that has become so very popular today!

Terryl Ostmo of North Dakota hooked a New England Twist Runner for the floor. "I wanted to hook mine after seeing Anita's in progress at the Kansas City Hook In years ago," Terryl said. "Hers was huge! The neutral palette was really attractive. Cushing has many sizes to choose from, and I can almost see myself hooking another one of these--but I have many projects going already!" We hear you, Terryl!

This was the first twist-bordered mat, designed and hooked by Anita, placing an old rose at the center of her twist border. She based the rose motif on a truly old rug she found in an antique shop.

Fast forward to this decade.  Anita has been teaching students to hook the New England Twist for years (patterns are sold by W. Cushing and Co. in various sizes).  Only recently has she been designing twist borders around many different motifs in the center. The motifs include the antique rose, a paisley, a bird, a little flock of sheep, a pumpkin, a chicken, various Christmas designs, and perhaps more to come. Please keep scrolling for many of these rugs/patterns.

That first design led to many more, including this one with a little flock of sheep surrounded by the twist border. This one was designed and hooked by Anita White, and you'll notice the delightful differences between the sheep. I used to believe that we had to have odd numbers of motifs, yet here is a pleasing arrangement of six.

Anita's Summer 2026 workshop with her home chapter, the State Line Rug Hookers. She said it was possibly the most fun she's ever had teaching. Good friends!

Lovely Linda Stoker hooked Anita's bird design.

Another version of the sheep, hooked by Jaclyn Graber.

Anita has taught multiple classes (more than one at ATHA Conventions) centered around her twist designs. A few years ago for the Cleveland Convention, she designed and taught a version with a vine growing between two twists (photo below), but lately the twist surrounds the design. I love how she has fitted the corners of these designs! I asked her for ONE tip to share with all of us today. She offered TWO.

1. "When hooking the twist, it's best to start on the outside and work towards the center eye—-outside rows of your twist need to be darker than the center lights."

2. "Don't be a packer on your twist. You can lose the curve if you pack too tightly."

For more guidance, plan to take a class with Anita. I'd be hard pressed to name a teacher who cares more about making her students successful in whatever they're trying to hook. 

Anita must have printed a little name card for each hooker. The "throw down" photos are so much better with these cards, and I must remember to do this!

How to Contact or Order Patterns from Anita: Write to anitahooksrugs@yahoo.com

As ever, I'm grateful to Anita for her endless creative energy for beautiful design! Having hooked my own twist, I found it gratifying to learn from Terryl the nearly 160-year heritage of this simple design. 

Although I am the WORST person in the world for documenting and labeling my rugs, I have made a label for my own twist runner, which will record the history that Terryl uncovered for me. 

Renee Jalowiec hooked the pumpkin version. I notice her orange "eyes" and the 3D flowers that remind me a little of bittersweet.

I'll include a few more photos below. I hope you are inspired to learn about the origins of classic designs AND to put a new twist on something yourself! Thank you for reading my Noodlings today, friends, and I wish you Happy Hooking!

Jeanne Johnson, with her beautiful fall pumpkin in progress, using a slightly darker background than Renee, and a dark pumpkin stem.

Sue Revelle is endowing her sheep with texture!

A few years ago, when Anita first started to experiment with the twist as a design element, she hooked and taught this version, with a vine between two twists.

Designed by Anita White

Designed by Anita White

Designed by Anita White