I'm a cheapskate. At least about some things. Or maybe I am just frugal. I love living in the South, but I'm still from Yankee stock.
Well, no matter what I hate to waste...particularly wool. I'm not exactly a hoarder, but I have a hard time throwing ANY wool away. Even the smallest pieces find their way back into a basket for the perfect place in a future rug. Actually the basket is better described as a hamper...
When I first learned to hook, it just didn't sit right with me when I was told to pull the end through and cut it to the height of the loops around it. When I start hooking a new strip, I pull the end just to loop level. Why cut and throw away any? And when I am at the end of a strip, I don't even pull the end through. I hook until I can't manage to get another loop. Then I'll cut the end loop and pull the cut piece of tail from the back. I get every last bit into the rug. The snippets are then tossed into the backyard for the birds to use in their nests.
So, when it comes to selvedge edges... I know some folks just run them through the cutter and hook them into their rugs. I hook in a 4 or 6 cut and the selvedges are just a tad thicker than the other wool. Those strips just don't lay even enough for me.
I dye a lot - for myself and for others. So I have a lot of selvedge strips, a very big box. I can't throw away all that precious wool. No way. So what to do with them?
Well, I've hooked a couple of pieces just with the selvedges. Here's a hit or miss rug I hooked from fat quarter length selvedges. I love the curly way the loops lay and it's quite thick and cushiony.
I also took advantage of that look by using the selvedges on these purses. It gives a nice frilly edge.
Then I learned about Amish knot rugs...they are similar to a crocheted rug but use two working strands. If you're inclined to try it, there are several Youtube how-to videos. I made this snippet basket with selvedges. And I made about 10 larger baskets. Now I'm working on an oval rug.
The funny thing is that the big box isn't any emptier...
Debra
