Crocheted and Braided Rug Making

Carol's woven hat

The Buellwood Weaver and Fiber guild met again in February at Gloria Dei Church in Hancock MI. This month we had our usual show and tell. Some of the items brought to show and tell were a cute woven hat by Carol Kreher.  Barb's very first handwoven towels and a sample of Phyllis salvaging a warp from her beginning weaving class using weft colors that compliment the existing warps.

Barb with her finished towels

         

Barbara's handwoven towels from one warp.

Phyllis use of various weft colors in class existing warp.

Carol presents Crocheted Rugs and Braided Shepherd Rug Demonstration. 

Carol reading some of her favorite quotes form The Shepherd's Rug book

 Carol brought a few samples of rugs she crocheted out of Wool, cotton and T shirt strips. Carol suggested using a K hook and strips that are cut to 1 to 1.5 inches in width. She uses coat weight wool or flannel for her rugs. But she also likes to use T shirt fabric for a softer more absorbent rug. She gave us a few tips to get us started. The crochet hook goes into the back loop if you want to have ridges on the front of your rug and into both loops if you prefer no ridges. She recommends you keep the crocheted rug on a flat surface to work on it as it tends to curl if you have it on your lap.

T shirt fabric used in this rug. Note the ridges in the Crochet rows.

When making a turn if you cannot get your hook into the next loop it is time to make an increase. Ending with a solid color tends to frame the design. Some of the following pictures are rugs Carol has made out of Various fabric strips. My favorite rug is the round one made out of velvet and satin fabric, Carol left the ends in places to represent flowers on the rug.

The heart shaped rug is a little trickier to make as it requires a little more knowledge of Crochet.

Carol getting us started with the Crochet steps

Velvet and Satin fabric strips I love the ends left to look like flowers.

A special rug Carol made

 Braided Wool Shepherd's Rug

Wool roving braided and felted rug sample

Then Carol showed us how the Braided wool rugs are put together. 'The Shepherd's Rug' by Letty Klein and Ann Brown is the source for these rugs. Carol loves this book because they have some fun quotes. It also has detailed instruction for making wool roving rugs.
Carol warns that these rugs require a lot of wool roving to make.

First you braid the roving as seen in Carol's sample then felt the braids in the washing machine and finally tack the braids together into your rug.

Roving braided and ready for felting in the washing machine

  Upcoming 2014 Events you might be interested in:

For Our Buellwood Guild members we are planning a workshop at the Marsin Retreat Center in Houghton for May 5 and 6, 2014. We are open for suggestion! but we are thinking of a round robin with various types of rug weaving on each loom. We can learn from each other and try out various types of looms. Not to mention getting to know your guild members better. If you do not have a loom we encourage our guild members to attend and bring a crochet hook or knitting needles or your favorite craft and of course a dish to pass as we will be having lunch both days at the center.

 OPEN to the Public:

Mary Sue Fenner - Weave, Cut and Sew workshop and trunk show at Finlandia U on May 19, 20 and 21 contact Debra Goldman if you are interested or want more information. Email me for her phone number or email address. Fee will be determined by number in attendance. 

 

Ruth Manning workshop on Saturday July 12 at Gloria Dei Church in Hancock 'Creative Design'
if 8 people are interested in attending at a cost of $42 per person we can get Ruth to do this class in Hancock. contact Leslie Toombs if interested. Email me for her phone number or email address.
Class description from Ruth:  Do you want to develop new ideas that give your weaving, quilting, garment making, or felted pieces more personal meaning? This class will help any fiber artist look at ideas in a new way. The class will explore the use of metaphor to investigate a theme and connect those ideas to our own work. We will use existing images and drawing materials to create designs as a group and individually. The elements of art will help guide you as you link these ideas to your chosen media. Understanding your materials and refining your technique is important; now learn how to expand your knowledge and create new possibilities. Instructor will provide student supply list prior to class.


Sunday July 13 'Handspun Landscape Tapestry' a one day workshop with Ruth Manning at the Porkies folk school at Porcupine Mountain state park. check out the folk school website for cost and time www.porkies.org/folkschool info at 906 884 7663