{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"After teaching hundreds of beginners, I see the same three loop height problems over and over. If your geometric rug hooking looks uneven or messy, one of these is almost certainly why."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"1. Pulling strips too high on the first pass"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"New hookers tend to pull each loop as high as it'll go, then try to push them down later. This creates inconsistent heights across your piece. Instead, use a gauge block from the start — rest your hook against it as you pull up, and every loop comes out identical. A ¼\" block is standard for beginners."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"2. Changing grip pressure without realizing it"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Your dominant hand tightens as you get tired or frustrated. Tighter grip = shorter loops. Set a timer for 20 minutes of hooking, then take a 5-minute break. When you come back, consciously relax your hand before continuing. Your loop consistency will improve dramatically."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"3. Ignoring direction changes at corners"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Geometric patterns are full of 90° turns. If you hook straight through a corner the same way you hook a straight line, your loops will bunch or gap at the turn. The fix: on the last loop before a corner, insert your hook at a 45° angle toward the new direction. This single adjustment makes corners look crisp instead of lumpy."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Master these three fundamentals and your geometric pieces will look cleaner than most intermediate hookers. I cover all of this in depth — with video demonstrations — in my Beginner Bootcamp course."}]}]}