Monday, December 12, 2011

Need a Rug?

I got the warp of rugs off the loom this past week and sewed the hems on each of the 9 rugs. I'm using carpet warp for the warp and felt that it would result in a fairly thin fringe so just wove about 4 inches at each end with a couple of the warp threads and I like how the hem looks now that it's done. I serge the raw edges, lay the rug out on my table and carefully pin the hems before taking it to my sewing machine to sew. I use my walking foot to sew the hem. Works great!
 There are 2 rugs like this. I had quite a bit of the main color fabric but wanted to add a bit of contrast so one end has 2 rows of the lighter color stripe and the other end has only one stripe.
 There wasn't a ton of the stripe fabric strips left so I pulled out about a yard of a blue and yellow patterned fabric and added that.
 I like how the colors play off of each other. There's only one rug like this. The nice thing about rugs is that you can make them all so different on the same warp.
 I bought the bolt of the purple and teal flannel and it's all cut into strips and sewn, rolled into balls. I made two rugs like this, pretty much the same size.
 This is the softest rug. Flannel feels just great under your toes. I've got a bunch left of this fabric, enough for at least 2 more rugs. I'm going to store them until I get another warp on that will work well with it.
 So then it was time for loopers. There are 4 rugs kind of like this, the last one is alot longer to finish the last of that warp. These are all pegged for gifts this year.
 Just using 7 colors of loopers, you get such a nice mix of colors, nothing planned except I had one rule. Never chain 2 of the same colors next to each other. They often are the same in the next row but as long as they're not side by side I didn't care.
 My Thelma nilus loom still has the placemats on it. I've woven 2 1/2 placemats so far. That's a pretty poor record and she is calling me every time I walk down there. This week I hope to get quite a few of those placemats woven. There's another warp planned with 2 other colors. The weft was from R & M's stash of strips when we went there ages ago.
 On my Nilus right now is a clothing warp waiting to be threaded. I'd like to get this warp off the loom this week too. It's 2 jackets, 2 tops and 3 vests. Shouldn't take me more than a few days to do it if nothing interrupts me.
Tomorrow my mother in law is having her hip replaced in Atlanta. Our own Tuesday Weavers Linda is recovering from her knee replacement being replaced here in Knoxville. A dear friend of mine's daughter and grandson have just gone through surgery in Atlanta as well. Her daughter gave her kidney to her son who's 12. Her son's still in ICU but from what I've heard both of them are slowly healing. What a wonderful gift to give! They'll all be down there through Christmas and probably well into January. Makes me thankful for my health and for friends willing to be there to help their family members..
Well, I've got to go get an oil change so my DH can drive my van down to Atlanta to be there for his Mother's surgery and then I have to tackle the Christmas cards. We send about 200 of them and I sign each card. However, this year my DH did print labels for the majority of them since they're sent to mainly to his music friends and other guitar players!
So once that's done I'm heading back down to the studio to thread that loom!!!
Stay warm and keep weaving, right?!!
Carol

3 comments:

LA said...

You sure did get a lot of weaving done this week! I love those rugs...and I know you have enjoyed weaving them! I'm sending positive vibes for your MIL!!!

Bonnie said...

Nice rugs. You have done alot this past week. Prayers going out for your MIL.

Tina J said...

Those place-mats are lovely as well! Great Rugs! Prayers for your loved ones in surgery. I hope all goes well!