?

well....
it looks something like this...
http://www.auntphillys.com/oval.gif
if you purchase a pattern from
http://www.auntphillys.com/

or you can follow the directions aunt philly gave to hgtv at
http://www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_20870,00.html

my/my mom's version that she learned while camping at Mountian Lakes in CA back in the late 80's/early 90's *may* be a little different since I didn't understand auntie phillys directions from hgtv. *but* I have changed my starting from a braid to her technique. the other diferences include I use 1" strips rotery cut vs her 2" strips torn & I make my own needles vs paying her for one. lol come on recycle your old toothbrushes.

Cool! I love them! Are they fast to make?

Those are really cool looking, but I don't understand the Aunt Philly's directions either :-( There weren't enough pictures for me to get it, lol!

totally depends on you :D and how much time you spend on one.

I went really fast when we were camping this weekend. No computer, not additional distractions, just the kids and I at the beach, kids playing in the sand and as long as I could see then & Missy stayed away from the street I could work fast.

The BEST thing about these is that it is easy to stop in the middle of a stich and do something else... ie grab kids out of the street, run to make sure they are not actually doing harm to each other, feed them, add a layer of clothing, run them too the bathroom as they are peeing in their pants, make sure they are not annoying the camping neigbor boys *too* much by wanting to play with them... hummm all that in two afternoons and an evening at the beach. Heck, I even did some sitting at stop lights on monday.

No counting necessary and the size of your thumb (for my technique) makes your stich uniform. I'm a failure/failure to try ever again at knitting and crochet and I love this!!!

Hummmm I might be persuaded to do a craft along but I'll have to improve my "teaching" techiniqes since I wasn't very successful at teaching it last Friday night.

YO BETHAN!!! if you are hanging out here could you help me do a craft along? Give me help on improving my teaching techinques?

shhh I'm even willing to make "needles" for up to say 10 people ... giggle I really like making the needles... they are easy and I get to play with fire and melt plastic fun fun fun... but only when the kids are sleeping ... no need to let them in on how much I like fire and melting things.

Oooh yeah, a CRAFT-ALONG! Yippee! Of course now you HAVE to do it.

My last attempt at making a rug was an eventual flop. It looked great for a few weeks and then fell apart. I wrapped old rope with torn fabric strips and then connected the coils with clear fishing line. It just didn't hold up.

I'd totally be interested in this!! Mama needs some new kitchen rugs :)

me too! I want one of your 'handcrafted' needles LOL

I really like those rugs too, but the 9 yards thing is scaring me...do you *really* need that much for such a small rug?

I saw it on HGTV and actually recorded just a few minutes.. the part when she was demonstrating it.. I particuarlly liked how they "tore" the fabric into strips.. that was so cool!

I would love to do this too!

Oooh yes, a craft along! Pretty please can we? I need a project or 2 for my week long camping trip next month! I like that you can do little bits at a time and stop and start...

Yay!

I would love to do this. I've been saving end bolts to do a cotton rug.

me too me too! so how do i make a needle...? I might get into this whole melting/fire thing!

What you need:

strips of fabric~

I use 1" cut with a rotary cutter.
aunt philly uses 2" torn so do what ever you want


*note* 44" wide is the easiest IMO to work with I've worked with as small as 16" and it bites to have to join the fabric that frequently. I'm currently working with 60" wide and imo while getting the hang of it that length might be difficult.

How much yardage? Well, it is my reccomendation that you start small in case you don't like it. Once you are hooked :D you can be like me... I cut 11 yards of fabric into 1" strips the other day... eeeks... thank goodness for $1 yd fabric at WM.

Needle:

thank you auntie philly for the pict:
http://www.boomspeed.com/bonadeamama/needle.jpg

I take toothbrushes and heat them up over our gas stove (bad bad mommy) and then take my kitchen/utility sissors and cut the head off... ::eg:: then back in the fire it goes to heat it up/melt the plastic then while still hot I mold/smooth/create the point by pressing the hot plastic on a non flamable surface... last time I did it on an old tile that I use as a spoon rest... the plasic cleaned off well after it cooled. Then take the hole that exists at the other end (or it it doesn't then create one) I just increase the size of the hole my heating up that end and putting a screwdriver through it to make the hole larger. Try to make every thing as smooth as possible because you will be pulling it through the fabric.

Here's the link to the hgtv & auntie philly's site so if you want to go ahead you can... I'm not sure when I'll get around to posting the next step.
www.auntphillys.com/
www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_20870,00.html

on the hgtv directions they made more sence to me the more I read it and when I actually had the strips and needle in front of me and did it as I read.

hay!

found this (http://www.ruggingwithjulie.com -- Julie sells cheap pre-cut strips apparently).... Some Things to Remember

Here are a few helpful hints for the patterns that ruggers
tend to forget or overlook.

Lay your rug down every couple of rows to make sure it's laying flat. If it is cupping, increase MORE. If it is ruffling, DON'T increase for a round or so, or do decrease at the ruffle. It's not necessary to tear our this rug.


The pattern says to go three times in the SAME hole only ONCE on the oval and heart. After that, do increase about three times on each end, but as it shows on the top of page three. Two ways to know if you need to increase:
Two big holes - go in between (increase)
Long distance to the next stitch (material has to pull too far) increase.


The worker and filler (runner) are normally the same color. Change colors at the end of the oval or heart, and at the same place on the round.


Pursue - When starting a rug, it looks ugly. Go three rounds and it will improve. If all else fails, I do sell the starts. The practice start that you receive with the pattern is for you to "practice" on. It is much easier to start a rug when you have learned how to hold the needle, your fingers and have your tension even.


It's important that your material be the same weight (width). Wool and denim should be narrower. Place mats require narrower material. Basket material should be about four or five inches wide.

I need a needle, though. I love to crochet and macrame (my first biz venture was selling handmade hemp necklaces, LOL)...this would be right up my alley! I'm also nuts...I have wall to wall carpeting! :D But I need a kitchen rug and in a couple years I will have tile and need machine washable/dryable rugs.

I read the directions on the hgTV site and I don't "get it" yet...the stitch that is...but I'm sure I can pick it up when it's actually in front of me.

So...Jenn...would you make me a needle? Sounds like fun but I'm not up for melting plastic. :) I think you said you would do this in the other thread?

Thanks! I'm excited...this is going to be FUN!!!!!

Originally posted by mamabear
So...Jenn...would you make me a needle? Sounds like fun but I'm not up for melting plastic. :) I think you said you would do this in the other thread?

Yes I will!

I just need some harrassment to get it done. But the PM/emails can't start until tomorrow (Friday) or at the earliest late tonight (Thrus). I'm being flaky and need to get through today before I'm ready to commit to something else. kwim?

Harrass me with you snail mail addy's also.

I'll make 10 and they will go to the first 10 interested.

OK, thanks! I'll PM you tonight or tomorrow. I know what you mean about committing to something else. I think I am nuts for even starting a rug when I have seventeen thousand sewing projects I want to do! LOL!

Originally posted by BonaDea

I use 1" cut with a rotary cutter.
aunt philly uses 2" torn so do what ever you want

Is the 1" easier to work with? Does the 2" make a thicker rug? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

We are moving and I just tore out the carpeting in several rooms. There are hardwood floors but I want some area rugs. This will be perfect! Are you just doing the oval rug or can you give directions for a round rug too? Any chance you want to drive up to the LA area and do a demo :D I'll cook lunch and we can sew/craft a day away. Janna and I are planning to get together. Want to join us? All are welcome!
THANKS!

Originally posted by CheekyBabies
Is the 1" easier to work with? Does the 2" make a thicker rug? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

I don't have a clue. I like 1" and have never tried 2". Don't think I'm willing to try 2" since anything 2" would be put away for a log cabin quilt instead of rugging... well untill my latest obsession here.

Are you just doing the oval rug or can you give directions for a round rug too?

I'll do an oval since that is what I started with. I'm currently doing a rectangle but I haven't even figured out how to change directions at the end ,.. I just wing it... so I'd hate to try to teach something that I can't even do.


Any chance you want to drive up to the LA area and do a demo :D I'll cook lunch and we can sew/craft a day away. Janna and I are planning to get together. Want to join us?

Thank you! for the offer. They way my kids are behaving these days they are not user friendly to others if you know what I mean. 2yo Miss Julia is quite the bully right now and I don't like to take her much of anywhere :( not a huge deal we still get out locally but *I* need to be within easy access of home for my sanity. kwim?

Thanks again for the invite.

This will mostly be a pictorial.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416717
Get a toothbrush. Prefeably one with a hole in one end... I'm not sure how easy it will be if there is not a hole... you'll be on your own for figuring that out. I've found that the kids size brushes work well. Shhhhhhh I aquired these from my dad's dental practice and they are Butler Brand 311's but I'm not sure if/where you can buy them IRL kwim?

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416719
Melt toothbrush over flame.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416721
Cut off head with utility sissors.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416723
Heat up ex-head end again.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416726
Let cool slightly. If it is too hot it will stick to the surface instead of roll kwim? Then roll/press until pointed/flat head screwdriver like. Either one works and you will eventually find that you may like one better than the other.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416727
http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416728
Heat up the hole end of toothbrush. Better to have to reheat at this stage than to have it too hot/melted.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416729
Gently use a screwdriver or chopstick or ??? to enlarge the hole. After making 10 needles my screwdriver ended up with too much plastic melted to it and it was sticking to the toothbrush so I switched to wooden chopstick.


TA DAAAA You now have a toothbrush needle.

Just finished mine. Who would have thought that plastic toothbrush handles can catch fire?? ROFL!!! (Don't ask.... :D )

diane, the arsonist

::snort:: yup they can :D

Is calico okay? I'm going to Walmart today or tomorrow to get $1/yd fabric. I think I'm going to go ahead and get 11 yds as I want a good-sized rug and I KNOW I will like this. :D 100% cotton, right?

Also, about colors...I want to do blues and greens. Do I just get two different colors? Any advice on print vs solid?

Thanks! I cannot wait to get started!

Originally posted by mamabear
Is calico okay? I'm going to Walmart today or tomorrow to get $1/yd fabric. I think I'm going to go ahead and get 11 yds as I want a good-sized rug and I KNOW I will like this. :D 100% cotton, right?

Also, about colors...I want to do blues and greens. Do I just get two different colors? Any advice on print vs solid?

Thanks! I cannot wait to get started!

Calico is great!

I was experimenting with knit ($1 a yd at Walmart) and I wouldn't reccomend it for a first try... well unless that is waht you have avalible kwim?

Colors. :D did you say colors? Totally get the colors that you want. You'll be able to do stripes (circular) or blocks or ??? whatever works for you. In the past our family has only used scraps that we have around so co-ordinating was really never a thought.

Great questions!

Hey-this is my first time lurking here at the sewing board, but this sounds liek fun! Can I get in on it? I'd be eternally grateful for one of those needles, LOL.

Starting the RUG! & Joining lengths of fabric.

So you have your fabric all stripped. Your needle has cooled :).
And now you are ready to start your rug.

Take 2 lengths of fabric and knot together Or simply fold and knot in a single piece... your choice.

Get that saftey pin or helpers hands ready.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416730
* think half hitchs (knots) or friendship bracelets.

I like to repeate until my needle "thread" is used and then take the needle off and use the other/bottom thread as my new needle thread.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416731

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416741

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416734

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416735

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1416733

whew it's all there. I hope I'm not the only one who can view it.

nope I can see them! Great pics Jeffy-babes!

These images are all courtesy of BonaDea/ Jenn

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and one I missed before