Sunday, January 15, 2012

Musing-a-long and fat necks


It may surprise you guys to find out I have know idea how to run an a-long....No idea at all.
So here is the plan. I have made a page up there under my blog header called rag rug-a-long and have listed all the definite joiner-inners on it. (If you were a maybe , I didn't add you cause I didn't want add to the pressure but please join in if you want.) Its a great list with some new-to-me-blogs on it that I visited this morning while making the list.

I have also made a flickr group. Don't get stressed about flickr guys , its just a place to upload photos and an awesome way for us to keep an eye on each others progress. You can also post questions and discussions there. Okay so I guess the first thing is to choose what kind of ragrug you want to make.
Today I had a quick go at a bit of braiding or plaiting, just three strands - dead simple. I used selvedges because that's what I had to hand. It was much quicker than I thought...



So I coiled it up and thought...hmmm its a bit flippy floppy, but then again those selvedges weren't one and a half inches wide either.



Inspired by Clare, I thought I'd give the toothbrush method a go....errr.... No, this method is waaay beyond me !


So I went for a tighter plait - and although I had a little moment with that awful yellow where I thought of bad school camp craft, I took a few deep breaths and moved on. The tutorial on Moda bakeshop stresses having a loose braid and I know this is going to be my stumbling block..I'm a tighty whitey by nature.


So I'm definitely plaiting, 3 strands and they will be one and half inches wide.....now do I cut, or can I get away with a bit of snip and rip? Should I try both? Have you decided yet ? Get started, post some pics to flickr, ask questions, email me , bookface, twitter, whatever floats your ragrugging boat people.


Oh and the prize of the week goes to Clare, who not only joined, and started but got her husband to whittle her a "needle" as well. She is a woman of action !





For those people not rag rugging a long, I promise I won't be blathering about it all the time, there are still 3 patterns in the works, and Little red Riding Hood had some liposuction earlier today as well...Why didn't any of you tell me how fat her neck was ?

26 comments:

  1. Hellllooooooo back to you!!!!
    I'm crocheting a scrap t-shirt rug, does that count in the rug-a-long?
    A short while ago I borrowed a rag rug making book from the library. It was amazing, with some quite beautiful (and some not so beautiful...). I decided then and there that it was too much for me to braid and then stitch - much too much work for lazy old me.
    Can't wait to see how yours goes.

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  2. OK! Now I get what all this hash-tag ragrugalong stuff is all about. Very exciting indeed. Not sure if I can justify another project but I am rather keen on having a go. I think I'll sit in the maybe pile for a bit. Looking forward to seeing it kick off tho.

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  3. You know, I think it's really great that you try stuff that you have never tried before, and claim to have no idea about, but you jump right in there and have a go.

    I am thinking your rug-along is going to be great. I might watch from the sidelines though, as I'm thinking a rag-rug would end up a being a disaster in this house at the moment.

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  4. Oh dear... you know serendipity and all that?
    I'd promised not to join any a-longs this year or swaps just in case I got the call, but cleaning out my scraps thisafternoon, I found a big tub of random 2 inch strips of fabric that I'd cut to make binding over the years. Maybe it's a sign?

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  5. I'm in ... I'll make mine in Spain, so who knows how it will turn out (upside down??). I have been admiring rag rugs for aaages, so thanks for the incentive to have a go-go! Now, I need to read up on the "how to" part!

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  6. Loving little red - not quite getting the rag rug thing . . . YET! Remember the bags?? I have to laugh at myself . . . OFTEN!

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  7. Biggest diff I can see with the cut v snip and rip is that the ripping produces more stray threads you "should" tidy off. And the its so much faster of course. Got a crochet jumper on the go so it will be a week or so before I can jump in but I'm getting ansy

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  8. I would love to join in, I have some old sheets that would be perfect to use

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  9. I'll happily watch from the sidelines. I can't wait to see it.
    But I know myself I'll get all excited and then loose enthuasium ( because it's not a bear) I'm terrible aren't I? xo

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  10. Gosh, you've already made samples? I'd better get wriggling on!

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  11. okay, so as I said, I'm in...and have done abit already, but having just read your comment (loose braiding) and seen Clare's method, well, I'm all a dither, I think the best thing for me to do is shut my eyes and pretend no one is following instructions...either that or come up with a special name for my, ahhhh, 'technique'!

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  12. I'm not rag rugging along but oh my gosh you give me the giggles. Many moons ago I made rag baskets. Liposuction, huh? Only her "doctor" would know. Anyone in line for botox? Little Red Riding Hood is very sweet.

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  13. Hi Jodie: it's true, I do have heaps of blogs, all group blogs, but my personal one for the rag rug a long is scraps and strings. thanks for getting this going.

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  14. I never noticed Little Red's neck. I was focusing on her sweet face and charming demeanor.

    Thin necks tend to be floppy any way (yes, I know you can use something to stiffen them up) and I just think she's cute as is!

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  15. Did she go to the same clinic as Madonna?

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  16. Voice of experience here (said in a big booming echoy voice). If you rip, you will get all those stringy strandy bits showing on your rug. Depends how you want it to look and feel at the end. Thats's why I i folded and ironed mine into bias like strips ( except not cut on the bias if you know what i mean) before plaiting. If you want to see my finished rug (and itwas really made from rags- old cusion covers, curtains etc), you can see it here
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/47065090@N00/5726290400/in/set-72157621917376897

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  17. I would like to join in too! Can you please bring what you have done fit a staff meeting! Thanks so much, emma

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  18. DAMN!!! Even fairy tale characters are getting lipo. Please don't make me get lipo for my neck...please??!! I will only endure pain for necessary reasons. ;p

    I have to say, she DOES look 10 yrs younger now...hmmm. Nope. Still not worth it! It's cheaper to dye my hair. ;p ina

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  19. "... tighty whitey..."
    Made me LOL

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  20. This might take 10 years but I will make a start.

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  21. Yep, 'tighty whitey' definitely looks best. Good luck!

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  22. First off, that needle is awesome. I don't know what I'd do with it, but I need one! I'm torn between using t-shirts or sheets, whatever it is it's gotta be cheap! Tomorrow is 50% off at the Goodwill though so maybe I'll find something good!

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  23. Oh yes please, today I have been replacing tired curtains in the children's bedrooms. How thrifty would I be if I rag rugged the old curtains!!!

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  24. Hi, I just found your blog and now I have to stay because I added "make a rag rug" to my list of things to do in 2012 last week! Not that I really have any idea where to start. Hooray!

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  25. Oh dear, I'm on the list. I'd better get myself to a fabric shop!

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  26. Woohoo, you're just what I need. I've lost my sewing mojo so plaiting is going to keep me busy 'til I can find it again. I have an entire studio filled with soft furnishing samples, I know these can be used for rag rugs, I just need to knot them together.

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Hellloooooo !!!!