MY FAVORITE WAY TO BIND A RUG

Actually I don't have a favorite way. 

I liken it to when I used to make dolls ~ after the cloth doll was sewn and stuffed the shape inspired me to either hand stitch facial features or paint them.  Likewise once the doll had a personality she inspired the clothing I'd make.  Below is one with a stitched primitive face.

Another with a Victorian look.

Don't want to bore you so will do just one more picture, but you get my drift I'm sure.

So depending on the rug is how and when I choose the style binding I'll do; and think I've done them all.  The rug below is a Bev Conway design named Rufus hooked in 2006 when I was in my brighter side of the crayon box.

I bound the rug with a bias wool covered cord.

BTW Blogger is NOT playing nice at all today.  It will not allow me to enlarge the photos.  Hopefully if you tap on the photos they will appear larger for you to get a better look.

Magdalena's Goat (and other rugs) have wool yarn whipped edges here is a corner of the front and back views.  I used to do wool whipped edge with cording but no longer do the cording.

Cherries and Candy Stripe was bound using the doubled cotton fabric technique which I have done on a few occasions.

This chicken rug was done in a completely different style as I wanted it to look primitive.  Betsy Reed demonstrated the technique in a class and you can see how I did it HERE.

And the last way I've bound rugs is using the traditional cotton binding which can be purchased in various colors.

I would like to suggest you not place your wool covered cord rugs in a highly walked area.  One of my rugs wore thin and you can see those white holes on the left side and bottom of the photo below.  Those are not moth holes, the wool has worn thin.

Okay, I know what you're thinking and saying to yourself, "but the cord edge protects the hooked edge".  Yes, that may be true but I've rugs in well used areas with cotton binding and the wool on those at the edge has not worn thin.

Well, I've an Ox Farm pattern to draw and hope to clean the pollen covered back porch.  Have a great weekend.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

  

Throwback Thursday

I've had various interesting jobs/professions in my lifetime which started out with just a high school education but college classes in my 40's.  Fast forward to my retirement.......

What can be more fun than creating with your hands and making pocket money?  My love of making dolls started out wanting to buy a primitive doll from a gift shop at the Columbia, MD mall.  What?  $45 for a small tea stained primitive doll?

I knew how to sew as I used to make my own clothes and those of my son and departed first husband so made one.  This wasn't the first doll just one which is rather photogenic.  

Here's a primitive doll filled with sawdust which was an alternate stuffing method as well as rags back in the day.  Sold it at a show also.

Was truly into this doll making so began taking classes to learn more.  Took a class from eleanor peace bailey (she spells her name in lower case) where I learned how to make her fun dolls.  Many were sold and this is the only one left which still hangs in my sewing room.  A very fond memory of a fun teacher so think she is a keeper.  The male form to the left is an unfinished doll which will probably remain a UFO.

Took classes from other very talented doll makers to expand my knowledge. Who could walk away from these tiny tykes coated and painted?

Many didn't but I did manage to salvage two favorites which I have in the living room.

A photo of my booth at a show from 2003, which also happens to be the year I attended my first rug camp.

Another booth photo from another show.  Am sure that hooked cat will look familiar to some of you.

Then the entrepreneurial part of me wanted MORE so made artsy/fartsy necklaces.  If you look closely the square photo bottom left is 'the cousins'........Barbara, me and Rachel.

Hmmm, the crafting bug really hit me and was fun making dolls for a while, several years in fact.  Then decided to teach myself how to hook as I wanted an antique rug which were costly and the hunt for the right one seemed daunting.

Wow, I've run out of steam and had planned to talk about rug hooking but guess that is a throwback for another day.  Sorry to disappoint those rug hookers out there but you can always scroll downward to see what has been posted previously.

Saundra
www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com