2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PollyWollyDoodle

So the wooden ‘gauge’ will be for cutting the wool to the right length for rug making. Wrap it round the wood and then cut down the groove to make lots of little short lengths (I believe these days you buy it ready cut, hence the name of a famous brand …) No idea how the other bit works though!  I have made a rag rug but not a wool one. 

Laura_Elsewhere

Bigjenny said:

Found this demonstration how to use it, starts at about 7.30 minutes in, she yaps a bit.

@Bigjenny - no link visible for me....???

Bigjenny

Sorry delete by mistake

Found this demonstration how to use it, about 7.30 minutes in, she yaps a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4obgK6loi0M

Cherryfudge

I remember my mum making Readicut rugs! It doesn't seem to be such a 'thing' nowadays but I'd love to recreate one of hers, a semi-circular hearth rug with shades of red radiating from the centre of the straight side, light to dark, then the black silhouettes of cats sitting around the fire glow.

I have been working on a jumper for the past three days: I bought the wool in 2015, enough to satisfy the weight and type specified in the pattern, but it's very obvious there won't be enough to complete it and having spent hours searching online, it can't be got for love nor money. I did come across a helpful suggestion that if I can't get the same, I can do turn and turn about with the nearest match. It's either that or contrast but DH (he for whom the jumper is intended) really wants it all the same colour. Another manufacturer makes a very similar yarn which of course could look different IRL. I wonder if yarn manufacturers work in the same way as the fashion business, bringing out their own versions of the top trends? I don't know enough about it to be sure but this looks suspiciously like it.

@PipneyJane, I've been wondering whether you made a decision on the shirt transformation? There were some lovely ideas in Laura's post. I wish I could sew... it's on the bucket list!

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

I need some inspiration, please, to do a "transformation challenge"... I'm wondering ... how to test for wear, when it's not immediately visible (i.e. no thin patches). 

It's not easy to answer that one! I suppose any signs of pilling, or holding it up to the light alongside a 'good' piece for comparison, but I think if it's lasted 22 years and is cotton, the chances are it won't take much strain (and testing it by ripping it seems a bit counter-productive!)
Could you use the fabric doubled up for a small project, or either lined or as lining? Or with another layer as something reversible? It will be really soft now so you could experiment with making makeup remover pads with odds and ends and use that as a test of how strong it is?

joedenise

@Cherryfudge you can still get the rug making kits from Readicut - https://www.readicut.co.uk/rugs.html.  Not cheap though!  I've got one I bought back in the 70s and I've still only done about a quarter of it!  I've found it needs to be a really bright day to be able to do it and I like to get all the bits of wool out in a row for the row I'm doing but as it's quite a large rug it takes ages to do one row and that's usually all I do before putting it away again.  I also only tend to do it when I'm away in the motorhome so it means not much gets done!  Perhaps I ought to bring it indoors and try and do some during the day!

Cherryfudge

Bigjenny said:

Sorry delete by mistake

Found this demonstration how to use it, about 7.30 minutes in, she yaps a bit.

Thank you @Bigjenny, that's brilliant! ("Sorry my b00bs are right out tonight!" I'm still laughing at that bit.)
A really useful demo once you get past the blarney, I am definitely adding a rug to my 'one day' list and it looks really easy, too.

Are you a regular round here or have you been posted locally? Haven't seen you around the village (said she, nosily), but it's lovely to meet you.

Cherryfudge

joedenise said:

@Cherryfudge you can still get the rug making kits from Readicut - https://www.readicut.co.uk/rugs.html.  Not cheap though!  I've got one I bought back in the 70s and I've still only done about a quarter of it!  I've found it needs to be a really bright day to be able to do it and I like to get all the bits of wool out in a row for the row I'm doing but as it's quite a large rug it takes ages to do one row and that's usually all I do before putting it away again.  I also only tend to do it when I'm away in the motorhome so it means not much gets done!  Perhaps I ought to bring it indoors and try and do some during the day!

Thanks @joedenise! You are right, they are pricey. I'm not sure how Mum afforded them tbh. I can see you can get the canvas though, so perhaps that's how I will eventually go about making my cat rug.
Do press on with yours! Perhaps it would help to be able to spread it out at home and do a few pieces every now and then if you have somewhere where it wouldn't be in the way. I sympathise about needing a bright day because I'm like that with embroidery.

Bigjenny

Just visiting but I hear about the lovely things you all make.

Cherryfudge

Bigjenny said:

Just visiting but I hear about the lovely things you all make.

Do pop in for a cuppa - and a biscuit if there are still some in the tin! I am trying hard to make lovely things but I don't have the know-how and experience of many on here so I'm on a learning curve.