rag rugs?... scraps?... new technique?... not quilting?

Ok, I don't know how to start this blog update... ...Rag rugs? ...Scraps? ...New technique?
All things I love!
I can't resist new (to me) techniques!!

Even when I'm not really looking, I've found I'm bound to run into something I haven't tried yet when scrolling through Pinterest 😉.  It's how I came across Romainian Point Lace, as blogged in Home is where the heart is.. a while back.  I also learned (am learning) igne oyasi, it's also called Turkish needle Lace.  I don't believe I've blogged about it yet!  Turkish needle lace is a little more difficult as I've been learning from YouTube videos and they're all in a foreign language.  Still, I think I've had some success and I have found one book written in English.   I'll have to dig out that project and keep it in mind for a future blog update..

But this time, while scrolling through Pinterest, it was a giant wooden spool wrapped with colorful handmade fabric twine that caught my eye.

screen shot from My Poppet Makes' blog

A quick click took me to My Poppet Makes blog post - Handmade Scrap Fabric Twine - where she also has a short video, and I was convinced that I have to make some fabric twine for myself!
Basically, it is spinning a two ply rope but using strips of fabric instead of hairy fibers.  First, the single plies are twisted seperately one way, then when plying two strands together the twist is in the opposite direction.  😊 it's like magic, the opposite twisting causes the fibers to cling to each other and locks the single ply twists.  It will eventually unravel if not secured properly, but the fabric twine can be set down for a quick picture without any worries.

ok, so I got started....

Someone had given me a pile of gingham fabrics.  Mmmm, I love those check patterns.  They would be perfect for quilts! except, these are the 65% poly/ 35% cotton. Not the 100% cotton that's ideal for quilts. This pile of fabrics has been sitting on my sewing table since Christmas! I couldn't add them to my quilting stash because of the fiber content... I couldn't bring myself to make them up into even a charity quilt.  (lol, fabric snob here? I'm ok with that 😋.)

Turns out this pile of gingham fabric is perfect for me to make into fabric twine and eventually it will be made into a rag rug.  So, I started cutting 1" strips...  

(btw, just about any fabric can be used to make fabric twine. I believe the 65% poly will be stronger than cotton, and so more durable for placing the finished rug under a dining room chair that's scratching the floors.)

... and twined two different colored strips together.  At first randomly selecting strips.
The twine makes up quickly.  Look at this beautiful mess. It kind of makes me think of twisted noodles.

I didn't think of taking pictures until the rag rug was well started. 

There are tons of rag rug techniques.  In the past I have made rag rugs using a few of them....

- crocheted/knitted rag rugs with strips of fabric

- crocheted string around a fabric cord base

- woven/twined rag rugs on a simple frame (a favorite is my favorite)

- toothbrush rugs (another favorite)

- locker stitch/hooked rag rugs

- fabric shag rugs - tying short fabric strips to a net base

phew!! I've made a few rag rugs!!

I decided to use my newly made fabric twine as the base cord.  I wanted the look of string crocheting the rounds together. However, I couldn't find the correct size crochet hook (I really need to organize my craft room again) and no patience to go looking for it either.  So I settled on hand sewing the rounds... (😏 in hindsight, I probably would have saved some time if I went searching for the crochet hook... aww, well.)

In the picture above you can see I started with a #10 variegated crochet cotton.  I liked the way the colors were working out but soon found out that the thread didn't do well being drawn through the rounds over and over.  It was breaking too much. A simple solution, if I had wanted to continue using the thread would have been to use shorter lengths of thread. Instead, I grabbed a spool of fine nylon cord I had picked up when learning the igne oyasi lace.

The nylon cord cord doesn't wear at all, so I cut 6 yard lengths so I don't have to tie lengths together as often.  However, with that long of a length, there's some tangling to wrestle with occasionally if not careful.  

I'm also using the knot I learned from the igne oyasi videos. I had tried a button hole stitch, but felt it was too loose and i couldn't get consistent tension.  The igne oyasi knot kind of locks the thread in place and helps make a tighter weave.

I take turns from making fabric twine to sewing the rug.  Partly because I'm impatient and want to see what it's going to look like.  Partly because twisting is tiring on my wrists.  And partly because I don't know how much twine will be needed to make the size rug I want.

Another benefit, is I can see a pattern emerging from the colors. I like the way light and dark rings are forming.

I'm having fun. I've learned something new. Actually, I've learn several things. I like that I can combine techniques and make what I want.

And if I spot a giant wooden spool somewhere for sale, I'm going to scoop it up because wrapped with fabric twine it would make a cool decoration in my sewing room 😁

(....see! not everything in my life is quilting! 😂)