Friday 18 January 2013

A new project using up scraps

I've got far too much fabric, I need to get rid of some. This is a pile of old clothes, some of them mine,  some I bought from car boot sales, and some given to me. I am fed up of it lying around, I need to do something with it.
I have got one of these, goodness knows where it came from, it was probably in a box of stuff my friend gave to me when she was having a sort out. My mum used to have one, she made all our rugs with it, I remember helping her to cut up our old clothes into strips.
I think I'll have a go at this. Today I spent a few hours cutting up several teeshirts, two bits of sweatshirts, and two pairs of shorts. The jersey fabric stretches quite well and is soft. It will make a nice rug.
I found this mesh kind of stuff in my garage. It fell off the back of a lorry, ha ha. It is very strong, I think it was used to secure the contents inside a container so they wouldn't move about and get damaged. No one wanted it so I nabbed it. It will do nicely as a backing for my rug. I don't know how many strips of fabric I will need, I have never made one before. I've checked out a few videos on yootoob to see how to do it. I will make a start tomorrow.
If anyone is still wanting to know what I eat, here is my menu for today. Breakfast was bran flakes with diluted evap milk and a greek style yogurt on top. The yogurts were only 15p for four, and I got two packs. Lunch was a cheese sandwich in lovely seeded bread, with masses of water cress stuffed inside. Dinner was the usual steamed veg, with half a tray of cauliflower cheese. Fandabidozi :o)
I didn't bother going out at all today. I kept thinking I might go out and get some snowy pics, but then got on with the job of cutting fabric, and by the time I was ready to go out it had started snowing. At least we haven't had it as bad as some parts of the country. I've been listening to the weather reports on the radio, there has been accidents all over the place with lots of road closures. I aint goin nowhere when it's like this. I hope you are keeping safe and snug if the weather is affecting you. And for the people in Australia, don't forget to put loads of sun cream on, and eat lots of ice cream to keep cool.
Toodle pip.

25 comments:

  1. I can't wait to see how you make the rug. Please can you post up a tutorial? I too have shed loads of scraps leftover!

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  2. Make sure you show us the finished rug. I'd like to make one too one day.
    Very snowy here in Buckinghamshire.

    Sarah. X

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  3. Hi Ilona. I'm just popping in to say hallo. We now have about 3inches of snow, and everything has ground to a halt. I went out in the car, almost had a couple of crashes but my superior driving saved me! Always steer into the skid.

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  4. My mom used to tell me how she made those rag rugs as a kid. Very clever idea - and they look so bright and cosy too!

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  5. Looking forward to seeing the finished rug, I was watching a program the other day and they had a clip on where a woman was making a rag rug, they were truly amazing.

    I'm in Suffolk and the snow is no where near as bad as they keep prediciting, stay safe and warm x

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  6. My searching mind would like to know. Where you are situated, does your "weather" generally reach you coming across the country from the Atlantic or does it drift your way over the North Sea? Cold in my part of Cda today.

    Looking forward to the new rag rug. Waste not! Want Not! :)

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  7. Looking forward to seeing the rug !

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  8. Can't wait to see your finished rug.

    Plenty of snow here. Like you I go nowhere in this weather.

    Toni

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  9. Looks like a great project, looking forward to seeing the end product
    Judy xx

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  10. I make rag (hooked) rugs..the "hook" you showed is for latch hook rugs..you need to use a hook that is more of a crochet hook...look up both kinds of rugs so you can see the difference. You may be able to use your hook if you take off the hinged bit!

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  11. Rag rug making is quite slow going I found, but its also a good job for winter as it keeps you warm as you are working on it. I did a cheats version a couple of years ago using a sewing machine. I sewed a row of strips to a piece of backing material. I sewed the strips right across the middle so each strip made 2 tufts. Then sew another row about half an inch away and so on. As I sewed I pushed the strips up close to each other to keep the rug nice and full. I used old t-shirts and it made a great bath mat.
    Still no snow here. There is loads just a few miles away but this bit of coast often misses out, its still flippin' cold though.

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  12. Great minds think alike eh MQ ? mine is almost finished, getting big and heavy on the knees now ! but it will be worth the work - I just love the colour combination. I'm hoping to have enough fabric left to make some matching placemats too.

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  13. Dinner looks lovely! I was about to go out in my car yesterday (don't work Fridays) but the roads were starting to look a bit iffy. Then, all of a sudden 2 cars collided on the corner and that made up my mind for me- i left the car and walked to my local shop and to the chemist.
    I too cant wait to see your finished creation!
    Ruth x

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  14. We finally got a little snow yesterday, and today it`s slowly melting again. I love the snow. Sad to see it disappear again.

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  15. your meal looks lovely. I am looking forward to seeing the latest Mean Queen creation.

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  16. I've been collecting wool fabric/clothes/scarves from charity shops, jumble sales to make a peg rug. I've got a device which I got off Ebay on the advice of a lady who teaches it. It's like a large, very long, wooden carved tear drop, narrower at the top so you can get it in your hand. I might start cutting mine up too. My gran used to make them.

    I've been knitting a bathroom rug out of old T shirts from charity shops, the ones at 50p, and raided the rag bag and what other people have given me, to cut round and round. Knitting needles thicker than my thumb and it's so heavy. I was going to knit a shopping bag but it would weigh a ton empty. Your colours do look good.

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  17. A snowy hello from frosty the snowman.Ok House Fairy.
    The rag rug is a good way of using up old material. It will keep your legs warm wile making it.
    I am saving my cotton clothes to do patch work one day.

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  18. That looks like a great warming meal! I got a day off school yesterday with the snow but didn't bother going out in it. I'm hoping to go sledging later though!

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  19. Really, really looking forward to seeing how the rug turns out. Always promised myself I'd have a go at it one day and never have so far, maybe your end result will spur me on.
    Briony
    x

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  20. Can't wait to see your new rug Ilona. I remember them as a child growing up, my godmother had a few scattered around on her kitchen floor.

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  21. Can't wait to see the rug! I have always thought I'd make one but nothing yet.

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  22. I remember using a hook like that to make a 'Readicut' rug when I was a teenager, can you still get them? I think a rag rug will be far superior...

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  23. I love the look of rag rugs. My gran used to hook rugs in Durham. I also used to know a lady who made rugs out of bread bags. They worked great by the kitchen sink or back door and lasted for years.
    Joan in cold, snowy Michigan

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  24. Ha! Thank you so much for identifying the mysterious 'thing' that I found lurking in the box of knitting needles that belonged to my baba and my mum. I've been staring at this on and off for years wondering what on earth it might be. I don't see me ever having the patience to make a rug this way but I am quite irrationally excited to know what it is at last! :)

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