Comments on: Real Rag Rugs http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/ Your online simplicity village Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:07:56 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Diane McIntyre http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Diane McIntyre Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:46:40 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-281 OHIOUSA: Sorry I've taken so long to reply. Adding additional stitches will help to keep the rug from curling but tension is really the key. Your tension just has to be really "loose". Each round or row has to be checked for tension. I started making knitted rugs several years ago because the material I was using (undershirts and old t-shirts) had different degrees of stretch. Doing horizontal rows on size 15 circular needles evened out the stretch which evened out the tension. Because my fingers are being "blessed" with arthritis, I'm knitting more and more because the movement is different for my finger joints and far less painful. I hope this helps a little. OHIOUSA: Sorry I’ve taken so long to reply. Adding additional stitches will help to keep the rug from curling but tension is really the key. Your tension just has to be really “loose”. Each round or row has to be checked for tension. I started making knitted rugs several years ago because the material I was using (undershirts and old t-shirts) had different degrees of stretch. Doing horizontal rows on size 15 circular needles evened out the stretch which evened out the tension. Because my fingers are being “blessed” with arthritis, I’m knitting more and more because the movement is different for my finger joints and far less painful. I hope this helps a little.

]]> By: RonWyo http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-153 RonWyo Sun, 04 Nov 2007 21:32:45 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-153 MY Mom made rag rugs for all the kids upstairs bedrooms in our 1800's farm house, We had a Navy duffel bag that was called "The Rag Bag" ( I wonder why) any way all well worn items that none of us could use or didn't want went into the rag bag.Now these were good rags not to be confused with tractor grease rags which were of a lower order and not welcome in the Rag Bag. During the winter months Mom would sort through for likely canadates for rag rugs. I wish I would have paid more attention as to her manufacturing process, as I recall it was cutting the strips and sewing them together and then rolling the sewn strips into a ball until she had enough of the raw material to start the rug. The rugs were almost always oval in shape and maybe 4x6 ft. It's too bad that none of these survived as looking back they were truly works of art and a labor of love. MY Mom made rag rugs for all the kids upstairs bedrooms in our 1800’s farm house, We had a Navy duffel bag that was called “The Rag Bag” ( I wonder why) any way all well worn items that none of us could use or didn’t want went into the rag bag.Now these were good rags not to be confused with tractor grease rags which were of a lower order and not welcome in the Rag Bag. During the winter months Mom would sort through for likely canadates for rag rugs. I wish I would have paid more attention as to her manufacturing process, as I recall it was cutting the strips and sewing them together and then rolling the sewn strips into a ball until she had enough of the raw material to start the rug. The rugs were almost always oval in shape and maybe 4×6 ft. It’s too bad that none of these survived as looking back they were truly works of art and a labor of love.

]]> By: OHIOUSA http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-145 OHIOUSA Thu, 01 Nov 2007 06:27:59 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-145 yarncrazy102 - I have trouble w/my crocheted rugs laying flat. I know you got to add a stitch here and there around the edge BUT is there another secret? yarncrazy102 – I have trouble w/my crocheted rugs laying flat. I know you got to add a stitch here and there around the edge BUT is there another secret?

]]> By: Sarah N http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Sarah N Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:21:21 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-60 OK, I spelled "epitome" wrong in my above comment, which was quickly pointed out to me! Sorry... OK, I spelled “epitome” wrong in my above comment, which was quickly pointed out to me! Sorry…

]]> By: Pat Veretto http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Pat Veretto Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:16:48 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-50 Making rugs from rags is one of those things that most people don't do any more, but "going green" may (hopefully) open the door to more things like that. And, Sarah, I saw the denim rug in the catalog, but didn't realize it was made by volunteers for MMC. I think that's cool. Making rugs from rags is one of those things that most people don’t do any more, but “going green” may (hopefully) open the door to more things like that.
And, Sarah, I saw the denim rug in the catalog, but didn’t realize it was made by volunteers for MMC. I think that’s cool.

]]> By: Sarah N http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Sarah N Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:09:09 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-47 The denim rag rugs are one of my favorites - you can just throw them in the wash like a pair of jeans (because they ARE jeans). We do carry a <a href="http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=4967&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=denim+rug" rel="nofollow">denim rag rug that is made by volunteers</a> at our local thrift store, MCC Connections.* We buy the rugs from them, so part of the proceeds go to a very good cause. *Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is a non-profit organization that helps people in need in America and around the world. The denim rag rugs are one of my favorites – you can just throw them in the wash like a pair of jeans (because they ARE jeans). We do carry a denim rag rug that is made by volunteers at our local thrift store, MCC Connections.* We buy the rugs from them, so part of the proceeds go to a very good cause.

*Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is a non-profit organization that helps people in need in America and around the world.

]]> By: yarncrazy102 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-46 yarncrazy102 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:07:19 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-46 I had to giggle a little when I read this because so many people are into "going green" yet throw out so many recyclable items, "rags" being one of them. I remember my mother's bag of old undershirts. We used them for polishing, dusting, washing floors - just about everything you would need a "rag" for. AND you could wash them. I do not weave though. My gram taught me how to crochet rag rugs when I was quite young using my own outgrown clothes. I have made many over the years and people always comment on what beautiful rugs I have. Several years ago I started to knit rag rugs. They are just as simple to do as crocheted rugs. I've never used old jeans. When we farmed, we used jeans for other things - oil rags, rub down rags for newborn sheep, goats, etc., towels for drying off, etc. We used old jeans to ball up trees that we transferred from our farm to our city lot when we retired from farming in 2004. Nothing should go to waste. I had to giggle a little when I read this because so many people are into “going green” yet throw out so many recyclable items, “rags” being one of them. I remember my mother’s bag of old undershirts. We used them for polishing, dusting, washing floors – just about everything you would need a “rag” for. AND you could wash them. I do not weave though. My gram taught me how to crochet rag rugs when I was quite young using my own outgrown clothes. I have made many over the years and people always comment on what beautiful rugs I have. Several years ago I started to knit rag rugs. They are just as simple to do as crocheted rugs. I’ve never used old jeans. When we farmed, we used jeans for other things – oil rags, rub down rags for newborn sheep, goats, etc., towels for drying off, etc. We used old jeans to ball up trees that we transferred from our farm to our city lot when we retired from farming in 2004. Nothing should go to waste.

]]> By: Ginny http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Ginny Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:46:35 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-44 Thank you for sharing the how to of making a rag rug. I have always wanted to make them. I have seen people use denim and thought that was another great way to put those holey kneed jeans to use. I also like being able to choose the colours that I like and knowing that the materials I choose will last. Thank you for sharing the how to of making a rag rug. I have always wanted to make them. I have seen people use denim and thought that was another great way to put those holey kneed jeans to use. I also like being able to choose the colours that I like and knowing that the materials I choose will last.

]]> By: Sarah N http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Sarah N Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:51:57 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2007/10/04/real-rag-rugs/#comment-39 I have many handmade rag rugs - both woven and braided - in my home. My "city friends" always comment on them and I have to tell them you just can't find these in stores. Most of my rugs were made by my grandmother, who is also our next-door neighbor. (She is the EPITOMY of frugality - someday I'll write a book about her.) Anyway, I find these rugs wash very well - but just like sweaters, don't put the wool ones in the dryer!! In between washings, we take them outside and shake them, or a better way to get them shaken out is to use a <a href="http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1259&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=rug" rel="nofollow">rug beater</a>. Just hang them over the clothesline and whack away. You'll be amazed how much dust and dirt comes out. I have many handmade rag rugs – both woven and braided – in my home. My “city friends” always comment on them and I have to tell them you just can’t find these in stores. Most of my rugs were made by my grandmother, who is also our next-door neighbor. (She is the EPITOMY of frugality – someday I’ll write a book about her.) Anyway, I find these rugs wash very well – but just like sweaters, don’t put the wool ones in the dryer!! In between washings, we take them outside and shake them, or a better way to get them shaken out is to use a rug beater. Just hang them over the clothesline and whack away. You’ll be amazed how much dust and dirt comes out.

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