Last week we looked at an easy learning project a simple rag rug. I like these projects as they are an inexpensive way to learn or teach weaving, and they work up quickly. Speed is nice for learners particularly if you are teaching kids.
Here are several more country look projects to be made with rag strips used for both warp and weft. Obviously, you can expand from these at will adding some of the pattern techniques from the other weaving articles on the site.
Mug Rug
Materials: rag strips cut to a half inch width pot holder loom or cardboard loom cut to similar size and notched at half inch intervals
Directions:
Wrap rag strips around pegs of frame or around the cardboard loom up and down to create a warp. Add rag strips by sewing them together with sturdy stitching.
Fill in by weaving other rag strips over and under for a simple weave. To make a side fringe cut pieces slightly longer than the desired width of the finished mug rug and just let ends hang out as you weave.
Finishing:
For looped edge: pop project off loom and pull each suceeding loop through the one proceeding as in the directions that come with the pot holder loom. Stitch the one remaining loop down.
For fringed edge: Cut project off loom. Stitch each rag fringe to the body of the project so it won't ravel. If you made a side fringe as you wove, stitch these free ends down also.
Expanding this basic concept is easy.
Several mug rugs can be joined to make place mats. A place mat can be woven by using the techniques above on a larger loom made from piece of a large box or wraping a small frame loom.
Two place mat sections sewed together make a nice rustic pillow cover.
Any of these sections pieced like giant quilt blocks, and sewn with carpet thread can be used to make a rug.
Use your imagination! Be creative!
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