Rugmaking

If you google rag rugs, you will find many techniques and variations on constructions methods. Because I am a stitcher at heart, I prefer the method using a needle and thread (which is a strip of fabric). This is called a toothbrush rug or a blanket stitch rug. You can find short video tutorials at the Rag Rug Cafe using the method that I use, and you can find tons of information at the Rugmaker's Homestead on all kinds of techniques.

I made lots of progress on my rugs on the weekend.
I finished a small rug using up some fabric that was either a drapery or upholstery fabric. It is a thick rug, and it's the perfect size to sit under my Featherweight machine.






I made a little progress on this new rug that my friend Louise helped me start on Saturday.





And I made lots of progress on the dirt coloured one. I figured that since the rugs get so dirty from being walked on that I will make a dirt coloured rug that won't even look dirty :)
The google photos of toothbrush rugs have me wanting to make a pretty one next with lots of bright saturated colours. But I'll finish these two first :)

Slow Sunday Stitching - Rag Rugs

Yesterday my friend Louise and I were at the Fergus Scottish Festival teaching people about making rag rugs. It was a great day! Here are some of the highlights:


**Albannach - what a great Scottish band, and the bass rhythm drummer Jacquie (on the right) is unbelievable! You can listen to their music here.

**Raymond - he is the maker of my new needles! I had been using the plastic toothbrush needle (from Aunt Philly's) but my friend Louise has this very creative neighbour Raymond who made us each a wooden needle and a bone needle. 

This is what the needles look like when threaded with a strip of fabric.  The bottom needle is Aunt Philly's, the yellow one Louise made from a plastic toothbrush, the white one is bone, and the brown one is wood.
These needles are amazing and are like stitching through butter.  My new favourite is the bone, and Louise prefers the wooden needle.






**Steel City Rovers - another great band, and these folks are from Hamilton. To hear them, click here or come over to the festival right now!




**Students - we had great interest in learning how to make rag rugs. Most people couldn't resist touching the rugs we had on display. And we heard wonderful stories about rug makers from days gone by, who used all kind of different materials including ties, saris, bottom cuts on trousers, nylon stockings, and binder twine. 

**Handwork all day long - This photo is of Louise helping to me start another rug. The beginning is the hardest part of this whole process, and between the two of us, we can usually figure it out with a minimum of swearing.

**Quilting - I snuck over to visit with the quilters and couldn't resist putting in a few stitches while I was there.

Uh oh... busted!
Get back to the rug making table!








The things to watch out for:



**this guy, who usually carries a large hatchet and is scary looking!



and





**these guys, who shoot their old (LOUD) guns right beside the heritage tent, and scare the living daylights out of people who have sharp objects in their hands!


Today is day 2 of rug making at Fergus Scottish Festival, but Louise can't come today, so if you're in the area stop by and keep me company, and make some rag rugs.

Those of you who can't come to the festival, link up your blog post below and share what you are hand stitching at your place.

2014 Rug is Finished!

My 2014 rug is finished!
This is a small, two colour rug for my kitchen.  I used the Aunt Philly's Toothbrush tool and instructions. 
To see the other rugs I have made, click here for 2012 scrappy rug, and here for 2013 co-ordinated blue and yellow rug.
I bought yardage on sale for this rug (as opposed to using scraps) and it took 4 meters of fabric. 
I wish there was more green to add around the outside, but that is as much fabric as I had. So this rug cost me $16 to make...not bad for a rug that is machine washable that will outlast me! It is the flatest rug I have made so far.

I tried to teach my grandpup Max how to pose for photos but he had a difficult time comprehending.
"Okay, so you want me to do what?"

"You want me to actually sit on the rug and I won't get in trouble?"

"Show me the treats, and I'll think about it!"

He is a work in progress!

Slow Stitching Sunday

I cannot believe that the summer is already over and September is half over.  Did you accomplish your goals for the summer? 

Me either...not by a long shot. But I am okay with that.
I spent most of my non-working time this summer at my brother's place and did a lot of hand work. This is a dreadful photo that my brother took of me while working on my scrap rug late at night. He was having trouble getting comfortable and falling asleep, so I would keep him company by doing some quiet hand work.

My blue and yellow scrap rug is finally finished!  My technique must be improving because this is my second rug and it lays much flatter than the first one. I used the Aunt Philly's tool and instructions to make these rugs and really enjoy the process.

Here is Miss Molly the Princess refusing to look at me because I don't have treats. She doesn't co-operate in any way unless food is involved!
But she does love my her new rug, and lays on it every chance she gets.
I wasn't real happy with the way the last strip of the rug ends...it is very obvious where the last stitch is, so on my next rug I will try to improve on that ending part.

My slightly revised goal for the rest of September is some great advice from Dory... 
"just keep swimming, just keep swimming". 
Did you see Finding Nemo? 
LOVE that movie!

I will change Dory's advice slightly to "just keep stitching, just keep stitching"!
Did you see the 16 fantastic links posted on last week's Slow Stitching post? So many inspiring projects to peek in on!
What hand work are you working on this week?

Please link up your blog post below and share your stitching with us.

Slow Stitching Sunday

I am back to making rugs again. I made my first rather "ruffly" rug last year using up scraps, so now that I am an expert (ha!) I am trying again. This is a more co-ordinated rug using only yellow and blue fabrics. I decided I better get it finished because I just bought some sale fabric to make a third rug, which will be for my kitchen.

I am using Aunt Philly's needle tool and instructions, and once you get the center part of the rug made, this is a mindless and relaxing hand work project to enjoy.  

I hope you will take time to slow down to turtle speed and enjoy some hand stitching today. Share your project by linking your blog post below.

Slow Sunday Stitching

I have finished my first rug!
It was quite a learning experience and although it's a little ruffly and doesn't lay quite flat, I am happy with it!

It is a great way to use up old scrap fabric, and you can just toss it in the washing machine for cleaning, which is great when you have an old dog (if you know what I mean!)

And speaking of dogs, the Pets on Quilts show is open for voting, so you can go to Lilypad Quilting and vote for Miss Molly - she can win a new doggy toy and I can win some new fabric! She is dog photo #69!

Here is Miss Molly trying to smooth out the ruffly parts of my new rug. She doesn't mind at all that the thing doesn't lay flat, and loves to roll around on it...maybe it's like a doggy massage mat?!?! 

Rugmaking (and life) lessons learned:

1. Regularly monitor the tension. It always looks like you are doing well, but you don't realize until it's done and you stand back to look at it, that there were mistakes made, and big problems that can't be fixed, unless you unravel the whole thing. Not doing that!

2. Figure out where you went wrong and get advice from the experts. I found some advice on Aunt Philly's Toothbrush Rug website and now understand what causes the wavyness and how to even out the tension. 

3. Focus on your effort and be proud of the accomplishment, even if it didn't turn out at all like you had hoped. Be kind and gentle to yourself, say encouraging things, and give yourself an "A" for trying your best.

4. Weigh the pros and cons of another attempt.  Decide whether the agony of the errors and frustration of the process, plus the satisfaction of the final outcome (or lack thereof), compared to the enjoyment of the activity, is worth the effort of another try. 

Can you guess what I decided?  
I have already washed the fabric for my next rug, which will be a light blue and yellow rug for my bedroom. I am hoping that the mistakes I made lessons I learned will make for a better result this time. Now I just need to visit my friend Louise to get help to start me off!
If you are interested in rug making, hop over to Pokey's blog and see the beautiful rugs she crocheted from yarn...I love the funky bright one!

What hand work are you creating this week? What are you learning about your project (and life)? Link up your hand work blogpost and you will be entered to win the August giveaway (sewing theme fabric and co-ordinating thread).

Slow Sunday Stitching #5

This is week #5 of my hand work link ups and I am having so much fun with it. I have found some new blogs to visit, with new inspirations and project ideas. It's also a way to help stay on task with handwork and keep track of progress (or lack thereof!)

This week I did some work on my Aunt Philly's Toothbrush scrap rug. I borrowed the tool and pattern from my friend Louise to give it a try, and she helped me get the rug started in June. Here is the photo that Louise took of me fighting with starting the center strip for the rug. We worked on building the rug, had a few rhubarb slushies, but mostly enjoyed a visit in the sunshine at her country paradise. Isn't this a great photo of the view at Louise's home?!? 
Starting the rug was the hardest part so far, and the directions might as well have been printed in Chinese for all that I understood! But Louise said it was a lot like crochet, so she easily figured it out.
I am making the rug from old fabric scraps to try out the technique, and if I like it and it turns out okay, I want to make a nice blue and yellow rug for my bedroom.
This is the tool/needle that is used for making the rug.

This is as far as I have gotten and I really like it so far. It is starting to be a little ruffly on the edges and I'm not sure what that means? Any rug makers reading this can feel free to give me advice! 
Looking forward to seeing what your hands are stitching today...post a link to your blog posting and you will be entered in the July Hand Stitching draw.

It's "Friday Night Sew In"!

Are you signed up for FNSI??!? 
There are about 100 sewers signed up, who have committed to make time in their busy lives to spend some time sewing tonight.My family have plans for the evening, so what else is there to do... except sew until I fall asleep at the machine?!?!

I plan to turn these scraps into crumb blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge post tomorrow.
Then I hope to cut out some Civil War Blocks, and sew the Sweet Treat cornerstone blocks. Want to take bets on how much of that will be accomplished?!?

I am also trying to work a little bit each day on the scrap rug that I started this week. I spent a glorious afternoon with my friend Louise, who taught me how to make a "toothbrush rug" using 2" strips of fabric. We used the tool and pattern from Aunt Philly's Toothbrush Rugs company. Louise says it's just like crocheting, but since I don't know how to do that, I couldn't say if she's right or not! It seems quite challenging to me, especially starting the centre rows. Hopefully it will get easier as I go along and get more used to it. Happy Friday!