A Loom Full!

I've been weaving and weaving! My loom is officially full! I've never woven till the rugs meet the beater bar. This batch is woven using old clothing like tshirts, sweats, denim jeans and khaki's. I love that I can recycle or upcycle, keeping all those things out of a landfill. I love even more that I am carrying on an old craft, weaving just like my grandmother did. Now I need to get them off the loom and get them tied. I think I'll put in an old movie and sit and tie and tie and tie!

Blessings~

Old Pants February 26, 2010

Rag Rug, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

I had a customer who brought me three bags of old clothing. There were t shirts, jeans and some slacks. Rather than throw these old worn out things in the garbage and eventually put them in a landfill, I was able to convert them into something useful, needed and if I do say so myself, attractive. From his three bags we got 6 40 inch rugs with just a couple shirts left over. We're saving them till next time.

There is much talk about being or doing the "green" thing. Seems funny to me. My grandmothers were weavers and long before there was such a thing they were doing the "green" thing. They used items that could no longer be used for bedding or clothing and made rugs. They also made quilts. Mom still has a couple of Grandma Ida's beautiful log cabins and Grandma Mabel's patchworks. They carded sheep's wool and put inside. So very warm. Sometimes the old ways really are better! And sometimes we can take the old ways, improve on them and they can be better yet!

Blessings!

Rug Warp January 5, 2010

Rug Warp, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I recently "warped the beam" on my Union 36 rug loom. The loom had belonged to my grandmother and a few years ago I got it after it had been stored for several years. In the last couple years I have learned how to warp the beam, thread the heddles and the reed. I have had to make a few minor repairs and replace a few parts. All in all things have gone well. I have learned how to weave rugs that my mom said "Grandma would have been proud"! Most of this by trial and error. By making a mistake, having to redo something and trying again.

I do remember Grandma making rugs but she died in 1977. I was in my first year of Bible College. When I was younger, I would go to her house and she would let me sew the strips together on her old treadle sewing machine. There is a right way and a wrong way you know.... She tried to teach me to wind the sewn strips into balls. Hers were tight and nice and round or shaped like a football. Mine still are soft and somewhere between round and a football. She always said you have to weave them tight. I remember mom looking at homemade rugs and saying "Nope, they're not tight, they won't last." So, my goal was to get them good and tight. And they are. Again by trial and error. But Grandma would be proud!

That's how I'm learning photography as well, by trial and error. I try something and it may work, if not, try again. When all else fails i guess I could read a book!

Blessings