This is the way I am plaiting / weaving my rag rug guys - I got the idea from Sue.
Make a plait and begin to wind it into a circle, Just pin it together for now, you can sew it later.
The three strands above from the left are called white, yellow, blue. (crazy huh ?)
Bring the white one into the middle
Then bring the blue one into the middle
Now the white is closest to the rug, so I poke it through one of the loops on a previous plait. I have safety pins on all three strands and I need them 'cause no matter what I tell myself, the plaits on my rug- are tightey whitey all the way.
Pull it all the way through
to continue I would bring the yellow to the middle and start again.
and so on and so on and so on.Ok, I'm not going to pretend this is not a looong process, but I figure it would be about the same as having to hand sew all the coils together..yes ? It is also giving my rug (err coaster) a better heft, it certainly feels like it will be holding together forever.
and this beauty belongs to Brin who left a comment on yesterdays post - How gorgeous is that ?It's like some crazy fully formed love of rag rugs just invaded my brain from nowhere....It could have been worse I guess, it could have been bread varnishing.
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21 comments:
It's looking great Jodie.
I was wondering about how you were going to thread them through - safety pins - just the thing.
It does look good and so does Brins , very nice . I can remember people selling the varnished bread at markets .
Lovely, beautiful and nice work !
And thank you for the decription!
Hello!
Have you seen the hula hoop rug on the Disney Family site?
what's bred varninshing?
If I get time this week I'm cutting up the vintage sheets I intend to use.
And Brin's rug is GORGEOUS!
Thnks for the pics Jodie, I was understanding you correctly.
Wow! you are really getting somewhere! think you better take my name off your list, doesn't look like I will be joining in any time soon, boys and injurys in my house are taking any spare time I have!!! Grrr..... I will enjoy watching everyone else..
Lovely!
That inter-lacing technique is a great idea. The weak spot of most braided rugs is the stitching. I have had several over the years and they always fall apart because the thread rots or gets broken. Can't wait to watch the progress!
Are you taking orders? I would like a lovely rug in red, grey and cream....8ft x 12ft for my living room. Are deposits required? ;p
Okay, I'm just being a smart arse. I really do like the look of them but I already have so many sewing and embroidery projects going I just can't start something new without crumbling under the heap of feeling guilty. ;p
BTW, that sewing room is still looking dandy! ;p ina
You're driving me craaaazy with these rag rugs! Don't you know that I don't have time for this? A year or two ago, I got obsessed with this idea (I think it was in an issue of "Romantic Homes") and I kept buying bits of cheap quilting cottons at WalMart, and I finally got a hold of myself, and put away the fabric and backed away. (Actually, I think it was probably the hiatus I took when my carpal tunnel was really bad.) And now, you're bringing it all back. Don't you know that I have laundry and vacuuming and grocery shopping and cooking to do? And just who do you suppose is going to scrub the toilets?
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I hope you are laughing. I love you. I love your blog. I especially love your infectious way of going on a project binge and taking everyone with you!
Looking good :) You've convinced me - I'm going to have a go at weaving in as I go too (just watch me become tangled and confused!). Hopefully getting a start on mine tomorrow, but we have done a little rag rug inspired crafting with the Small Person today which you can see on my blog :)
Looking good Jodie.....I thought it might be a good way to use up all the fabrics in my stash that I know I am not going to use otherwise.....and I used to varnish bread rolls...LOLOL thanks for the trip down memory lane on that one!
Looking good Jodie
Hi Jodie,
Loving your rag rug-just gorgeous.
Your new look sewing room looks oh so amazing too.
Hope you have enjoyed your holidays:)
I am sure with that lacing your braided rug will last almost as long as a varnished challah. Those mofo's last forever.
i'm getting a headache ...
I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this, but I have a tip for making the centers of the rugs lay flat. My grandmother used to make rag rugs for sale and for county fairs. I remember her saying that for the centers to lay flat you needed to periodically double wind your braid. What I mean is that as you begin to braid, instead of left, right, left right, on the braid, you braid left, left, right, every so often (or vice versa). The direction of the double wind depends on the direction you are winding the braid to make your rug. Altering the order of the braid creates a curve in the braid. As you move out from the center you do them farther apart, until you're just braiding a straight braid all the time. That's how she made a tightly braided rug that lies flat. Hope that helps!
My husband's grandmother used this same method for braided rugs, using old rags. They last for years!
This looks like so much fun! I'm twining a rag rug right now.
Hi everyone. I used to crochet rugs. I never got one to be very big. They get heavy and awkward to work with. I have also made them out of breadwrappers. The breadwrapper ones last a long time and they make really cushiony non-slips bath mats for the tub. I have braided rugs too. I used the method of intertwining the braid rather than stitching it.
I can always count on your blog for a chuckle or an outright LOL! lookin' good! thanks.
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