Quite a few of you commented about, or have asked about the crocheted rugs I make. I haven't time to do a tutorial today, but I WILL do one. Today I will just give you a couple of things to get you going if you are interested. The rugs are crocheted with regular cotton fabric...not always NEW fabric either. Cotton sheets work great and give you a nice long strip.Fabric from skirts or shirts works well also. I tear mine, and usually down vs. across the grain. One tear will show you which direction it will tear the easiest...poly tears VERY hard.You will need approximately 6 yards of assorted fabric, cut or torn into 1/2" to 5/8" strips. You will need to join them to each other. Under "Rugs" on my sidebar, you'll find a link to Darcie's rug beginnings. That's how I started. She does a slit and slip method of joining the fabric strips. I prefer to sew mine together on the sewing machine. I then snip the 'chain piecing thread', trim off the excess overlap and roll them into balls, like in the picture above.
I'm mostly made multicolor balls as I prefer the scrappy look. For a rug of all one color, see the October 4, 2006 of Angie, over at The Threadcatcer. She was one of the first to have me help her make a rug. Hers finished at 29 1/2" and is all from one fabric...6 yards of one fabric!
I use a K crochet hook, and I just measured off 36" of 'strip' and that amount will equal a WHOPPIN' 10 stitches!!! These rugs really suck up fabric! I don't use anything much heavier than a quilting cotton would be, but a poly blend works(but makes more strings off the cut sides) and believe it or not seersucker works just fine. I WOULD NOT use denim...my hands just aren't that strong.
Sooooo....if you are thinking R.U.G., get going. You need strips of fabric, cut or torn, sewn and rolled into balls. The size you make the balls matters little. I anchor the last end with a pin til I use it. I hand join when adding a new ball. More tomorow *VBS* Hugs, Finn
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3 comments:
ya know, i have tons of fqs from swaps from years and years and they arent exactly my cup of tea but this would be a perfect use for them. i have never done this before but i guess i could give it a try. i love the look of all those colorful balls in the basket, they in themselves make a nice artful statement. wishing the thermometer could inch its way up into the 30s...hey by next week it is supposed to get to a whopping 55 or 56, i dont know if i will be able to contain myself...happy rug making
Oh boy - one of these days I'm going to have to make one of these . . . I just need to practice up on crochet *s*
Thanks so much for the info. I've got at least 7 yards of uglies and a size J hook. I'm makin me a rug! But first I've got some rippin' and ball windin' to do....
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