I don’t know about you but I am a Country Threads blog reader. Â I love Mary and still like keeping up with what she’s doing. Â She’s such a wealth of information. Â I love the way she decorates, her animals and her plants and of course the way she still creates beautiful projects.
Right now Mary has been hosting a Gypsy Wife quilt along. Â Many of her blog readers are making the quilt along with her. Â So far, it’s been fun to watch it come together. Â I’m sure by the time I see the finished quilts I’ll be kicking myself for not joining in.
Anyway some time in the near future, I don’t think a date is set in stone yet, Mary is going to be hosting a Rugs from Rags Along. Â I’ve made many rugs from rags following the pattern that Mary and Connie put together. Â I love the rugs and honestly, they are the best rugs ever. Â When I went with Connie and Mary to Cincinnati Mary was working on a rug made from old T shirts. Â I was in love and wanted to make one..but alas. Â It didn’t happen. Â I even collected a few T shirts with the intention of getting one made. Â Still, it didn’t happen.
This photo is courtesy of Mary’s blog. Â It’s the rug she was working on…Awesome right??
Well if she’s having a rug along, I think this is the perfect opportunity to get me to make a rug again. Â I am joining in the group that’s going to make a rug….Anyone else want to join in the fun?
As of yet I don’t see an actual start date but that’s okay. Â You’ll need a little time to build a frame. Â It’s not hard…and you will likely want to read through the instructions or watch the dvd so you are familiar with the technique. Â If you don’t have it you can get it from Mary. Â Here’s a link to get more info.
If T shirts aren’t your thing…no problem. Â You can make them from fabric you no longer love, sheets, denim, wool…whatever.
All of the small throw rugs in my house are made using this technique. Â They are all at least over five years old….one needs some repair. Â The rest just keep on – keeping on. Â They are still in great shape.
Rugs can be made in whatever size the frame is made. Â Here is a long narrow one. Â I love it. Â I use it for the little kiddos shoes to sit on.
Anyway…I thought I give you all a heads up…just in case you might want to twine along with Mary and make a rug too. Â I know I am. Â I can’t wait….Sadly, my T shirt stash got turned into rags when we moved so I’ll be collecting T shirts again.
She posted a couple of days ago that it starts in January. I’m just going to watch! I have too many other projects, both quilting and knitting, to work on.
I ordered my frame! I’ll order the book after Columbus Day. Sounds like a lot of fun and this is what I was looking for. Have been trying to figure out American Girl’s Kirsten Weaving Kit-this class might help :)
When you said rugs from rags I immediately thought of the rugs my grandma made. She had a homemade frame like that with nails along the end. She used cheap muslin for the warp and mostly old men’s work shirts. It looks like the same method. All I know is they were extremely durable. I’ve bought woven rag rugs and the makers never seem to fasten the ends of the fabric strips together so after a few washings they start coming loose and unraveling. Sometimes the warp string breaks to and speeds up the deterioration process.
Sounds like a good way to use up ugly fabric! My question: are those rugs slippery on a hardwood or other non-carpet floor?
I’ve made a LOT of twined rugs like this and have taught many people to make them, too. I learned the technique from my mother. I still make mine with all recycled materials: old blue jeans for the warp and old clothing for the weft. They wear like iron!
I got your frame for placemats from rags to rugs by lora. I got your video but you said you have a book.where can I purchase it how much does it cost.please let me know where to send the money.thank you.carol (run me ragged rag rugs)from Utah.
Here is Mary’s link for the rug along info.
http://country-threads-chicken-scratch.com/uncategorized/ordering-the-rug-book-and-dvd/
I’ve made one rug from the directions in the book, but I want to make another, using 2 1/2″ strips. Do you think this would be okay, even if I don’t change the width of the warping? Thanks in advance.
It shouldn’t be a problem.