Friday, June 8, 2012

DIY: crocheted rag rug part 4


Look! I've finished my rug! Ok so this one's a little small, but I ran out of me-time this week and had to quickly put in some rounds so I could show you guys the end. This one's going to be a teapot trivet which is totally acceptable, by the way. These little practice rounds make great trivets! I have my very first one on my dining room table for hot dinner pots and pans.

So let's finish it off.

Ending a rug is the one thing I've never been taught, but I've figured out a way on my own that seems to work just fine.

Quite honestly, I think my method for tying off a rug can vary but generally speaking, I'll always stitch the loop around to the back of the rug and try to tie a knot back there somewhere so it lies flat and is hard to notice.


It's kind of tricky but just find a place to pull your loop through from the backside of your round.


Pull it through just as though you were making a stitch like before.


Cut the fabric and tie a knot through that final loop.

Sometimes, it only takes one loop before I tie a knot and sometimes I'll do another stitch or two into the back just to flatten it out a little more and then I'll tie a knot. I know the pictures are kind of vague, but it's a little hard to show. You just have to use your best judgement as you're doing it. This is why I say that finishing a rug for me can vary.


From the rugs I have done, I can't tell where I stopped now that they're done and tied. I also haven't had anything come unraveled, but if there's anyone out there that has a better method, please feel free to comment!

I bet you'd all like to know how to do oval rugs, right? I'm working on them... to be announced!

In case you missed them: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

7 comments:

Maranda said...

This is adorable! <3

Anonymous said...

These are so nice looking. Just to make you feel a little better I have been crocheting for 25 years, and I wasn't insulted at all with your tutorial. Another method to end your rugs without the knot would be after your last stitch cut your "yarn" leaving about a 3-4 inch tail and pull the loop on your hook until the end comes through. Then take your hook and just work the tail into loops on the back until it is gone. Thank you so much for your story and tutorial. It is so nice to hear the backstory of how people learn to do things.

Anonymous said...

I wasn't able to find anything on doing oval rugs, have you posted it yet? I'd like to make one for my brother for Christmas. I think I can probably make it work on my own but I'd definitely appreciate some tips.

GALaxy said...

Hello Anon! You haven't found it because I haven't posted it yet! :) I'm stil perfecting my own technique for making oval rugs. They're a little trickier than the straight round rugs.

I can give you a tip, though. Obviously, when starting an oval rug, you'd start with a long straight chain. It's really important that that chain be just the right number of links. This is the part that I haven't pinned down yet. If it's too long, your rug will be too big and awkward; too short and you'll end up with a tiny sausage-like rug. I've been measuring against the oval rug I have, but it's been frustrating because I have to make the rug almost to entirety before I realize I didn't start it correctly. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Yeah I figured I'd start it basically the same way, just with a bigger circle, and squish it flat and maybe stitch it together. And then add more double stitches at the ends than along the sides. I'll try it out, and if I can't get it to work a circular one will be fine.

GALaxy said...

Anon: Oh no no! Don't start the same way with a bigger circle! Start with one long chain. Like, a rope, maybe about the length of your arm. THEN go around THAT. I guess I do have to make a tutorial. At least how to start them! ;)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, really? That long? I'll try it. I just ripped up one of my sheets last night. It took longer than I expected - I only got about halfway through pulling the loose threads off and winding it into a ball.