Rag Time Fun!

The Macomber has languished a bit since we brought the Leclerc home, as the latter has required a good bit of work and new parts.

Near the end of May, I warped the Macomber for a pair of rag rugs. I completed all of three inches and did not touch it again until yesterday afternoon.

This morning, I pulled the first of two rugs off it.


Ordinarily, I would have left the first one on until the second one was done, too, but a few of the warp threads were perpetually loose, and it was annoying me.

Additionally, I ran out of t-shirt weft about a third of the way through.  Fortunately, the younger daughter had cleaned out her closet and I had a whole bag of them awaiting a trip to Goodwill...they didn't make it.

Thus, I spent the evening rotary cutting half-inch strips and attaching them together to use as weft.

It actually took me longer to do that, than it did to weave the rug.

This time, I also used a temple to keep my edges straight and uniform. I am sold on them now.

While not the most attractive things, I love these t-shirt rugs.  They cost very little to make, as I already had well worn and stained tees.  The warp is Maysville 8/4 cotton rug warp in "Linen." They are $8.10 a tube at Webs (before any discount), and I used five of them. So, probably about $40 for two rugs or $20 each.

The best part about the rugs is how durable they are and how easy they are to care for. I literally throw them in the washer and dryer.

With a house that is truly lived in, kids, and dogs, I could not ask for anything better.

In fact, the 110-pound Bane (1-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback) loves the first rug I did so much, he spends a good portion of his time lying on top of it, picking out pieces of the t-shirts through the warp.  However, he has not yet managed to destroy it. It just looks a little bit nubbier than when it was first done back in September.

The finished dimensions of this one are 40.5" wide and 73" long. PERFECT for my kitchen.

As I am tired of looping together pieces of t-shirts, I think I will cut up some fabric, as well as a lime green sheet that has seen better days, to use on the next one...

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