Branching out to Rugs

As I have said earlier, I (Barbara) have always been interested in making rugs. Well I have been experimenting this last month on some new techniques using my stash of wool blankets and sweaters. I have a friend who weaves rugs on a loom. I din't have a loom, but some rugs I looked at online seemed do-able without the actual loom. One source called them potholder rugs--after the little square thingie with the loops that you get for Christmas as a kid. I had a rug size frame (discarded side to my grandchildren's baby crib) to which I tied strips of a wool blanket. Then I began weaving strips of sweaters through these. In the first rug I tied all the edges, but on the second one, I ran a seam around the edge with my sewing machine. I could finish one in one or two days.

                                                                            


This is my second "potholder" rug with the sewn edges



My first "potholder" rug



A couple of years ago, I had made a penny rug by sewing layers of concentric circles to a woolen blanket base by hand. I liked the look of these rugs, but I did not like the hand sewing. I thought I could do something similar using my machine. The trick was not to go through too many layers--although I must say that my little, old Bernina is amazing in what it will sew through. If I can get it under the presser foot, it will sew! I wanted to try to only sew through two layers, so I began at the top and sewed a piece to a slighly larger piece. Then I sewed this to a larger one along its edge. I ended up sewing my pieces to a rug sized blanket (the hardest part, maneuvering the big rug) and ended up with 5-6 layer rugs. Plush!





 



My favorite "penny rug" mostly because I love the color combination



I made this for Grace and Emma's room. They helped choose and cut out the flowers from my stash of sweater scraps.









This one went together quickly, and is very soft!

My next project is to make a standing wool rug. This achieved by rolling up 3/4 inch strips into little cinnamon rolls and sewing thm together. You are actually standing on the edges of the fabric. It is pretty easy, and leaves room for loads of creative decisions as you go. I'm not sure how durable or washable it will end up being. It is still a work in progress.

flower crazy

I (Brynn) love making flowers and using them to embellish things and decorate my house.  I have mainly found these online at various blogs, but some of them are ones that I figured out how to make myself. 

These are super simple (which, for me, they would have to be to make so many!), and I made them out of some of mom's wool and also some regular sweaters.  Then I glued them onto a grapevine wreath and hung it on my door, for a warm and cosy fall decoration.

These flowers are made the same way as the wreath, but just with paper.  They were so cute I just had to try them. 

These are some projects that I made to take to Ostara's.  This one has a nice rustic, natural feel... since I just went out into the yard and found a bunch of twigs:). 

I love the calm restful colors on this one.  I made a whole variety of different flowers, and then just arranged and rearranged until I liked the result. 

I liked the one I made for my door so much that I made another very similar, with just a variation in the colors. 

These flower belts were fun to make, and wear!  A great accessory!