I wasn’t happy with a simple “X” for the design area, but I struggled to come up with something better for this rug. And then, Steve and I went to the symphony. There, on the floor, in the long hallway, was the inspiration I needed for the pattern design on this rug!
Design inspiration is found on the floor on the way to the symphony.
Despite all that went wrong from the start, and how many things I had to undo and do over, I must tell you that I really did enjoy weaving this rug. The rya knots and loops made it fun and interesting. And this unique fluffy rug will always remind me of that sweet symphony date with my honey, when he patiently waited as I pulled out my iPhone to snap a few shots of the floor. Now that’s love.
Counting warpends on the warping reel.Dressing the loom starts with pre-sleying the reed.Ski shuttle holds doubled weft–fabric cut into 3/4″-wide strips.Three different lengths of fabric strips are used for making the rya knots.Adding more rya knots.Loops are made with the help of a wooden dowel.Brown paper cartoon under the warp has the outline for the pattern. Lines on the cartoon, showing where to change the inlay technique, are inked onto the warp as a guide.Making loops.After weaving a sample at the very beginning, I re-sleyed the reed, spreading the warp ends further apart. Excess warp ends, because of the increased width, are chained on both sides. Future band loom warps?Don’t ask. Almost finished weaving, and another do-over happened.Cutting off! Time to celebrate!!Sculpted inlay appearance is achieved by graduated lengths of the rya strips and heights of the loops.
May your design inspiration come from unanticipated places.
Love, Karen
12 thoughts on “Quiet Friday: Rya Rag Rug”
Hello Karen,
I’m a relatively new weaver and so enjoy your blog posts – my favourite weaving blog and because you post so frequently I feel as if I’m there with you in your workshop.
I’ve learnt so much from your posts and and often refer to your weaving tips. I’m in the process of becoming familiar with my Louet Delta countermarch loom – treadling and tie up is all new to me and I’m finding it quite challenging but strangely enjoyable.(perhaps not enjoying all the pulling out and reworking!).
Your rag rugs are beautiful and your recent linen weaves – a great source of inspiration.
Thank you very much.
It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m thrilled to hear that you find useful things here. What a wonderful camaraderie we handweavers have as we struggle and learn how to do this thing called weaving.
Thank you so much for taking time to leave your thoughts!
Happy Weaving,
Karen
Hello, thanks for sharing your weaving , Is really good to know that it doesnt always go as we planned. But it encourages me to keep going. I love your rug.
and will try the technique ( rya, inlay) out on my next . enjoy your weaving, it the greatest hobby ever!
Shirley
Oh Karen, it is beautiful, what a great design!
I know of another woman who gets inspiration in strange places, she went to Italy and spent a lot of time taking pics of floors for quilts! I think she even did a book on it!!
Thank you for all your wonderful posts!!
Liberty
Karen: The rug would be fun as a bathmat. I’ve almost cleared the loom of colonial overshot and the warp for rag rugs is wound. The weft is colored venetian blind tape. warp is blue linen rug warp with a white stripe. I’ll get my grand kids to send it to your site. Don’t hold your breath waiting; I’m really slow
I just love the rug. I’ve only done Rya with wool. You have some great ideas. LP&J, linda
Hi Karen
I too am a fan of your blog and have learned lots. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Love the rug. Hope you won’t use it as a bathmat!. It’s too beautiful for that.
Hi Anne, I’m glad you’re with us. This rug is a little too big for a bath mat anyway. I have decided to hang the rug, where it will make a statement as you come into our home.
Hello Karen,
I’m a relatively new weaver and so enjoy your blog posts – my favourite weaving blog and because you post so frequently I feel as if I’m there with you in your workshop.
I’ve learnt so much from your posts and and often refer to your weaving tips. I’m in the process of becoming familiar with my Louet Delta countermarch loom – treadling and tie up is all new to me and I’m finding it quite challenging but strangely enjoyable.(perhaps not enjoying all the pulling out and reworking!).
Your rag rugs are beautiful and your recent linen weaves – a great source of inspiration.
Thank you very much.
Mary
Hello Mary,
It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m thrilled to hear that you find useful things here. What a wonderful camaraderie we handweavers have as we struggle and learn how to do this thing called weaving.
Thank you so much for taking time to leave your thoughts!
Happy Weaving,
Karen
Hello, thanks for sharing your weaving , Is really good to know that it doesnt always go as we planned. But it encourages me to keep going. I love your rug.
and will try the technique ( rya, inlay) out on my next . enjoy your weaving, it the greatest hobby ever!
Shirley
Hi Shirley, I hope you do try the inlay techniques, and have as much with it as I have had!
Thanks!
Karen
The rug is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing. I get excited when your email pops up. Sharon
Hi Sharon, It’s wonderful to have you along for this exciting journey of weaving!
Thank you for joining in!
Karen
Oh Karen, it is beautiful, what a great design!
I know of another woman who gets inspiration in strange places, she went to Italy and spent a lot of time taking pics of floors for quilts! I think she even did a book on it!!
Thank you for all your wonderful posts!!
Liberty
Thank you so much, Liberty! I’m glad you like it. There are so many places to find design ideas, if only we think to look.
Karen
Karen: The rug would be fun as a bathmat. I’ve almost cleared the loom of colonial overshot and the warp for rag rugs is wound. The weft is colored venetian blind tape. warp is blue linen rug warp with a white stripe. I’ll get my grand kids to send it to your site. Don’t hold your breath waiting; I’m really slow
I just love the rug. I’ve only done Rya with wool. You have some great ideas. LP&J, linda
Hi Linda,
I enjoyed this fabric strip rya more than I did the wool yarn rya that I did previously. I like the whimsical, fun look it has.
I look forward to seeing your pictures. No hurry; take your time.
Karen
Hi Karen
I too am a fan of your blog and have learned lots. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Love the rug. Hope you won’t use it as a bathmat!. It’s too beautiful for that.
Hi Anne, I’m glad you’re with us. This rug is a little too big for a bath mat anyway. I have decided to hang the rug, where it will make a statement as you come into our home.
Thanks so much for weighing in!
Karen