Rug Weaving

My Beginners Rug



I am still working at my small first rug. This week I have tidied all the ends and decided to sew a row of crystal beads along the strip where the pattern did not work. I realize that for a rug with a row of raised beads might be rather unusual or even uncomfortable - but as it may end up as a wall hanging then I am not too bothered by that thought. As I have such a huge selection of crystal beads I may even add more. These are a few updated photos - next more beads, then the fringe needs to be trimmed before the washing and blocking to tighten the weave.

This week I have received some more equipment including some pick-up sticks and a boat shuttle all the way from Ashfords of New Zealand via Fibrehut. These should enable me to try something a little more elaborate (and realistic).

Sadly Fibrehut is out of bobbins and is awaiting a shipment from New Zealand, but as a clever relative has taught me to make my own from rolled up glossy magazine tubes I am not at all concerned! Thank you K.

More Weaving Progress

Update:

Well Sunday was a good day for trying to complete a project. I have spent a few hours trying to make something that looks suspiciously like a rug and am now about half way there.

Now for all the finishing off and sewing the ends in and decorating it (yes). The finished rug or wall hanging will be around 2 ft. 9in by 3 ft. 10in. Not as big as I would have liked but pretty good for a first attempt. Next time I shall have to measure it more carefully (the weave is wound around a bar on the loom and it is virtually impossible to know just how big it is until it is released from the loom).  I shall have to discover how this is solved for future reference. I recently saw a wall hanging which was decorated with small glass and pearl beads and I think that perhaps there might be a case for some around the first attempt at pink, which went disastrously wrong - it might just work as a camouflage. The tassels are far too long and will need a trim but this will be the very last thing I shall do after I tidy all the ends in and make the back look as interesting as the front. 

I have loved this my first project and learned quite a bit about warping the loom and ending the weave and also that the lack of pick up sticks makes it virtually impossible to attempt any sort of pattern. I shall now go to Fibrehut, (a wonderful online store), and buy the necessary tools to try something else - probably a scarf rather than something quite so wide and difficult for a beginner. I do like the little splashes of colour provided by the sari silk but they are rather thick so may and try and deal with that in future work also.

I shall post a further picture once this is finished - possibly in a few days time!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_y5LrjTNJw


A Gaelic Weaving Song