All Fiber Arts

Weaving - Help with rug yarn

From:	ragtimedog	12/19/2005 11:23 am
To:	ALL	(1 of 9)

836.1

I'm in the middle of a nice rag rug on my 4-harness floor loom. I really would like to do some yarn rugs but I'm having trouble finding any info on them. I can find a lot on tapistry rugs, but I'm not looking to do that particularly. Every pattern I read says to use rug yarn. I have my own sheep, spin and dye. What makes a yarn "rug" yarn? Someone told me that long fibers hold up better. How long?
Would the Navajo rug info apply to what I'm trying to do?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Lil

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From:	Doug4027325	12/19/2005 7:54 pm
To:	ragtimedog	(2 of 9)

836.2 in reply to 836.1

Hi Lil
I was fortunate to be around when our Local woollen mills closed
down so the group I belong to and myself got quite a lot of Rug Wool at a very reasonable cost.
This however dosn't answer your question.
I have in the past used all sorts of wool (knitting etc.) in my weft
and all of it seems to go alright.
If I have different thicknesses I just double up on the thinner ones
until all the weft is nearly the same thickness (Gauge).
So some times I will have two yarns in the weft and in the same rug
6 or eight yarns in the weft.
At present I have just started to get out all my almost empty cops of wool which I intend to use as weft irrespective of colour or type,the only thing I will do is to try to make each throw of the weft the same thickness.
The one thing I would say is get a good strong warp around 8/4 cotton
or linen,but stay away from the very high twist wool it can be a headache to thread up at times.
As for hand spun wool it can make very good rugs,(but expensive)my wife is the spinner (but most of her wool is used for jumpers etc) but we were given some Tuki Dale and Romney fleece which was way to hairy to wear once spun.So I would say if its too hairy to wear make a floor rug.
I did use this fleece when spun in a few rugs and it went well.
I can't help you with the staple length of the wool as I have never
bothered with this.
Hope this helps and doesn't confuse further.
Happy Weaving
Doug.

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From:	ragtimedog	12/19/2005 9:04 pm
To:	Doug4027325	(3 of 9)

836.3 in reply to 836.2

So you're saying I should just "GO FOR IT?" ha?
Do you sell your rugs? Have you ever had problems with them not holding up? I guess I'm just paranoid. My first rug was a disaster - really thin (but strong) silky nylon stuff for warp (what a HEADACHE) and cut up t-shirts for weft. Selveges like ski-slopes.....but it's still in use in the downstairs bathroom...
I want to make rugs to sell, but I really want to make sure I'm doing it right and that they'll last. I do have a couple of what I think will prove to be double coated sheep - Shetlands. Their fleece might serve. I've seen articles on making rugs using the outer guard hairs of double coate breeds. And I just learned that the Churro's are double coated as well.
OK I'm rambling. Thanks for your comments. I'm inspired by your rugs.
Lil

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From:	Tuatara51	12/20/2005 3:10 am
To:	ragtimedog	(4 of 9)

836.4 in reply to 836.3

there are some good tests for a finished rug

one is to roll it up lengthwise and stand it up - if it will stand up on it's end without toppling it's pretty good

the other is to throw it on the floor and it should "whack" and then STAY - walk on it to see if it will definitely STAY

if the 2nd test fails then it's best as a bedside rug or if it's able to stand it in the bathroom.

Look here for a dedicated list that is sure to be able to help further than us. Especially as you aren't Down Under with me and the Aussies. Even our sheep breeds at times are different.....
http://hem.bredband.net/ronpar/ListOfLists.html :-)

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From:	ragtimedog	12/20/2005 8:41 am
To:	Tuatara51	(5 of 9)

836.5 in reply to 836.4

I knew about the roll test, but didn't know about the wack test. I'll have to try that one on my rag rug. Ha. Thanks!
Lil from the frozen north.....

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From:	Doug4027325	12/20/2005 11:04 pm
To:	ragtimedog	(6 of 9)

836.6 in reply to 836.3

Hi Lil
I have sold quite a few rugs over the years and so far have only had one small complaint from some one who washed her rug in hot water in a washing machine and wondered why the wool shrunk.!!!
We have as you can imagine a house full of rugs some in every room,so far I have had no trouble with any of them.If they get slightly soiled ,I first vacuum them,then I hose them down on the lawn on a sunny windy day and when nearly dry I hang them over a large piece of PVC piping which I have bored many holes into,so that the air circulates on both sides.So far I have had no trouble with dye running or shrinkage.
Happy Weaving
Doug.

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From:	warpedrags	12/21/2005 1:36 am
To:	ragtimedog	(7 of 9)

836.7 in reply to 836.1

There is a group on yahoo called "rugtalk" that might be helpful.
Mel

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From:	ragtimedog	12/21/2005 8:52 am
To:	warpedrags	(8 of 9)

836.8 in reply to 836.7

Hey, thanks. I'm encouraged. (Anyone who throws wool into a washer, except to felt it, deserves what they get.....) I'll check out the group too. I'm really taken with my first rag rug. I don't want to put it on the floor and get it dirty though - lol - it's hanging up in the living room right now....
L

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From:	mzmitt	12/22/2005 11:10 pm
To:	ragtimedog	(9 of 9)

836.9 in reply to 836.1

hi, lil-
i was just perusing webs, and they have the jason collingwood wool rug yarn on sale:
http://www.yarn.com/
click on the 'sale'.
enjoy-
judy (the enabler)

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