# Making Rag Rugs?



## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Well, it's kind of fibery...

I'm looking for a 3rd fiber art thing to add to the craft show circuit (hey, after staying for 10 days working on this, I am pumped to actually make money..) and I noticed Weever's etsy shop has gorgeous rag rugs made on a loom. This is something I've always wanted to do. Are there any good tutorials? I should add, I'd probably be doing it without a loom, if it's possible as I don't think my loom would work and I hate to buy more equipment..

I LOVE the idea of the jeans one, I've been saving jeans and I knew there had to be a craft there SOMEWHERE...


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

I don't have a net vid for you OceanRose. I do make rag rugs myself on a loom my H made for me. I saw the idea at the living museum in This is the Place, Utah. It's called Rug Twinning. Found the book through our local libary. Then bought it at the book store. 

I have a 4 by 3 ft. frame that H has made into a floor stand that pivots. Nails at the top and bottom about one inch apart. I use yarn as the wrap( don't know the correct name) Then rotory cut fabric at 1 in in width. This is twinned around the yarn in a double rotation. You need the book to really get the idea. 
It's lots of fun and a great way to use fabric found at second hand stores and at garage sales. Hope you find what you want and have a great time.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

off the top of my head I don't know tutorial sites (there ARE some, I just don't have any on bookmark  )

have you thought about either hooking rugs (you can make some GORGEOUS shading with old blue jeans..and the rugs last FOREVER). Or possibly braided rugs? all that takes is a set of 3 braiding tools (maybe 10.00 for the set) and strips of material. you CAN braid without the tools, but it takes more time to do the folding/etc.

as to a loom..you could make a rag rug loom pretty easily, I'd think...something simple like the triangle looms? 2x4s in a shape (oblong, triangle) with pegs to hold the warp thread (need heavy weight rug warp...cottolin, cotton, linen, or wool) and then either fold and iron your strips if you want tidy rug, or leave them unfolded if you want a more...er...irregular? look 

Could make squares and sew together...interesting if you did triangles and put them together into shapes....

just some thoughts


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The book is Twined Rag Rugs by Bobbie Irwin It is also called twisted weft rugs.

Warp your frame loom loosely. You use 2 wefts ... pass one over and the other under each warp, for the next warp, you switch... the weft that previously went under, now goes over and vice-versa. 

When working a weft pattern, do one side, then flip your loom over and do the other side an equal number of passes.

This has a good illustration http://www.marlamallett.com/ef-twini.htm


Makes heavy duty rugs!




http://www.wssaustin.org/gallery/rugtwining/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/62055/a_survey_of_rugmaking_techniques_from.html


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oceanrose, you are my new best friend.  

What kind of loom do you have? If you want to get into loom rag rug weaving, Rag Rug Handbook by Janet Meany and Paula P? is *the* book to consult.

However, if you don't want to add to your loom collection, and your loom won't handle rag rugs (you really do need a fairly heavy loom), there are other options. 

I thought of twined rag rugs (like someone else), but they are very time consuming.

What about braided wool (fabric) rugs or wool (roving) rugs? Or rugs crocheted from roving? I've seen some stunning roving rugs that didn't come off a loom. I'm guessing you have access to wool.  

Best wishes!

--Lona


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Lots of ideas here...

I think I need to cut up all these old jeans and start experimenting.

For equipment. I have a Bekka rigid heddle loom, and a cromaine crafts 36" wide antique loom. Neither of which I've used (except the cromaine crafts one makes a GREAT yarn/roving drying rack.... )

I also have a huge closet of wool - raw, regular etc. And I do have a wheel that'll spin heavy. A closet of scraps, and access to a Huskvarna sewing machine....

Lots of ideas. I should add, I like fast crafts. Which is why I want to learn to weave, everyone says it's so much faster than knitting....


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Here's a rug making site that I knew was out there but it took a few days to find it!
http://www.rugmakershomestead.com/contents.html


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Great Link Liese, thanks for posting it.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oceanrose said:


> and a cromaine crafts 36" wide antique loom. Neither of which I've used (except the cromaine crafts one makes a GREAT yarn/roving drying rack.... )


No way! Photos, please! I will also post photos of my cc loom if you are interested. Too funny that you also have one. Does it say "Things Useful and Beautiful" on it? Lots of history in those looms.

If yours is similar to mine, it is a very nice loom, but not one heavy enough to make rugs on long-term. 

Lona


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Here's mine. I still have to take the time to play with it and figure out how to warp it. Yes it does say that, though it's fairly smoothed out. I love it though even if it is just a pretty yarn holder right now


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## WeaverRose (Jun 29, 2007)

I have one of those looms. I warp from back to front, if that means anything to you (there are various schools of thought on the Direction for Proper Warping). But basically it's a very simple loom to warp (wind the warp on the back beam, bring the threads up over the back bar, thread through the heddles, then through the reed, tie onto the cloth beam and weave. It's also direct tie-up, meaning each treadle is connected to its own harness, so pretty simple to operate.
For rag rugs, use cotton rug warp and cut your strips of rags pretty thin if you're using denim, like 1/4 inch is good. Denim wears forever, and if people find out you weave rugs, they'll inundate your front porch with anonymous grocery sacks of used jeans. Beware!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I've woven several rag rugs from fabric scraps and jeans. I strongly suggest that you sew the pieces together before you start. I didn't do that, just overlapped them when weaving, but with wear, they always managed to pop up to the surface.

I finally pulled my Macomber floor loom out last night and started pulling off a cotton warp that's been on the back beam for close to 15 years! I had just unthreaded it and wound it up on the back beam when we moved. It kills me to undo all the work that went into the warping, but I don't want to use it since I didn't like it when I first put it on. I was hoping to salvage it for use later, but despite my good efforts it's ending up in a tangle  Once I do some minor repairs to this old lady, I'm planning to put a linen warp on and do a couple of wool rugs. I never thought I'd be weaving again!


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Gee I'll add the pile of denim on top of the mountain of wool... On the bright side I keep saying it's more insulation for the house 

Ok, this weekend I'm going to try warping the girl. I need to redo my brake first cause I did that wrong when I first got her.

Thanks for the help!


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## WeaverRose (Jun 29, 2007)

When warping back to front, I forgot to mention you'll need a raddle. It's a 1x2" board the length of your loom (the home made version) with finish nails driven in, not very deep, every inch. Tie it to the top of the back beam, separate your warp threads into the desired number of ends per inch by putting them in the raddle.
Example: 12 ends per inch fabric to be woven = put 12 warp threads through each space in the raddle.
Good luck with the denim, I second the emotion of sewing them together first.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

I remember my Gram sewing strips of rags and rolling them into balls before her church ladies group sent them out to be woven into rugs. I have a rug from the ladies that is about 25 years old.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I fond this link today. Can't remember if it's been posted before.

http://www.geocities.com/rugtalk/


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

I crochet them


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

Sorry, mistake!


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