BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Rugmaking Mmmm! where are the rug makers??

Hi, I am Sue from Spinning. My ancient LeClerc floor loom is capable of making rugs, but I never have gotten around to warping for a rug. My spinning is on the very fine side +24 wpi, which isn't very conducive to nice thick rugs.

I have crocheted quite a few rugs in past years. I even knitted one and made one hooked rug. That is in the floor covering areas. In some countries what I call baby blankets, afghans and laprobes, are called rugs.

Hello Sue,
I make rugs from time to time but honestly I have made so many that I have no more room in my house for another rug..hee..hee..
I made a few as gifts too for family but I don't think they will want another one this year.
We are thinking we may have to move and if we do I hope to find a house with more room for more rugs!...lol..
I'd love to hook a whole rug! I have seen some really nice ones of those but never have sat down to do a whole one myself.
I do have ONE rug project (rag rug) that I am loom knitting now and then. To be honest tho, I sew so bad that when I each time I need more material I kind of drag my feet to get to sewing the sides of the material up (if, I had this one to do over with I just wouldn't sew it and let it fray some on it's own. I think it would add to it. Oh, well live and learn I guess.)

Dora Renee' Wilkerson
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Hello, Are there any rug makers getting busy in 08?
I've just completed a commercially designed latch-hook rug, and am very pleased with it(and with myself). Now I want to try a larger rug from my own pattern(I'm talking about tufted floor rugs here)and would appreciate any tips from more experienced rug makers.
Is it essential to use special wool, or can I incorporate knitting odments if I make each "pull" to the same thickness?
How to construct a large piece? Do I make a series of small pieces then join them, as with a granny-square throwover,and if so, how to avoid a "part" where the seams run.
I do hope there is another rugmaker out there somewhere!
I'm new to this.

I was attempting to make a rug with unspun wool but could not figure out if I was doing it right or not. Has anyone attempted to do this or know where I could find more information on doing this? I was going to felt the rug once I was finsihed.

Thanks!
Sheri

[quote=EllieMC]
Is it essential to use special wool, or can I incorporate knitting odments if I make each "pull" to the same thickness?

It depends on the yarn. Wool yarns for knitting are usually woolen spun (as opposed to worsted spun) which means that they are soft, airy, elastic, and contain both long and short staple length fibers which can lead to pilling. These are not hard wearing yarns and may not hold up to the hard usage that would be expected of a rug.

Worsted yarns are firm, more tightly spun than woolen yarns, are inelastic and contain only long staple fibers. They wear better.

Note: Worsted spun in this context does NOT refer to yarns commonly called "knitting worsted". Knitting Worsted is a term used for designating the grist size of knitting yarns and the term has nothing to do with how the yarn was spun. Commercial knitting worsted yarns are usually woolen spun.

Knitting Worsted yarns would be good in chair mats and table pads because they are more resiliant and much less crush proof than worsted yarns.

Thanks Lyn, that's helpful advice. I've modified my ambitions and intend making the next latch-hook "rug" suitable for use as a chair liner to brighten up winter. My wool stash ought to be durable enough for this purpose.