I learned to weave when I was 18 or 19. For about 10 months I worked as an apprentice to a Norwegian weaver, Grete Bodøgaard, who lived in South Dakota. I learned a lot from her. Life intervened and I stopped weaving for many years. Recently I decided I'd give it another go. When I was in South Dakota, I worked in a museum that had an old loom. Part of my job was to dress the loom and demonstrate weaving on it. Hanging behind the loom was a lovely, faded old rag rug that had been made, I think, in the late 1800s from blue jeans. I never forgot it so when coming back to weaving I decided to honor that old weaving and do a new version of it.
Really nice color-choice for you warp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GLAD-YOU'RE-BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!KEEP-HAPPY-WEAV'N, WE-SURE-DO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Ozark Weavers! I'm really liking this warp! It's been a long time since I "tied one on" but the tension is pretty even. One rug's done, two to go.
I wasn't thrilled with how they turned out. The warp and weft didn't seem to mesh very well so even after washing the weave is loose. However, I'm using them. My husband says they're "amiable little rugs." I'm thinking of some different ways to try again in the future using the denim. If I have different results I'll post them and how I got them. But now it's on to another project..
Bravo! Nice looking rug.
Have a good day!
I was just about to toss some of my husband's not-so-gently-used jeans when I saw your picture. I was wondering if I cut the jeans into really small strips -- like 1/2"--if I might be able to weave them on my not-terribly-strong floor loom. What I've been reading about rag rugs is your loom takes a beating from beating the weft as tight as necessary. I'm thinking of getting around it by having narrow strips. What do you think?
Itching to start a rug on my new 1840s barn frame loom. To use supplies I have on hand right this minute it will be narrow-cut denim with carpet warp. I have heard it is hard to get a good beat on denim; any comments or suggestions?
