Rag Rug Update - Only 2 colors left!

Only 2 more colors left. One method for going around the corners is to add and take away stitches as needed. I found that if the rug starts to turn up, then an extra stitch is needed. If the edge begins to "bubble up," then you would need to skip a stitch. These tips will help keep your rug flat. I used several different types of fabric making the rug as well. I found that when I used a thicker fabric, such as velour or home decor fabric, I had to skip a stitch here or there to keep the rug flat. I will have one final post so that you can see the finished rug!

Rag Rug Update

Now that the holidays are over, I am able to commit more time towards working on the rag rug. I have 7 colors done and about 10 to go! It is getting very big to hold on my lap. I have found it easier to sit on the floor as I work on it. It is quite long and oblong shaped at the moment. I had it on my lap the other day and my son thought that it looked like a slide. He kept trying to run up to me saying "slide, slide!" He is only 1 year-old. He also likes to run off with my crochet hook. I thought that this would be an easy project to work on with him nearby, but things are proving differently. The red fabric is different than all of the others which are cotton. The next fabric that I am going to use is velour. We'll see how it turns out. I have not had difficulty with the mixed fabric yet. TIP: I did find that the red fabric was so much thicker than the cotton that I had to skip a stitch every now and then to keep the rug flat. I hope to have another update soon!

Previous posts for this project:
Getting Started Post
2 Colors Done

Red Speckled Baseball Leather Shoes for the Little Guy

Today I finished my first pair of leather shoes for the little guy. He loves baseball, basketball, football, beach balls and practically anything that resembles a ball. I had some plain white leather that I stitched onto the red speckled leather to decorate the shoes with baseballs. I used a heavy duty thread and leather machine sewing needles. I ended up breaking all three needles in the pack and hand stitched the last pieces together. I actually found that it was much easier to hand stitch the leather than to sew it on the machine. (I had special leather needles for hand sewing too.) I added 1/4 inch to the design I used for the toddler slippers. I haven't had a chance to try them on the little guy yet - he is napping now. One tip I would like to share - when machine sewing leather, hand crank the wheel to go in reverse when starting out and also hand crank if you have areas that you are going through more than 2 layers. I would like to experiment with different threads and the leather to see what combination I prefer. I know that the heavy duty thread will hold well, but it was not the easiest to work with due to its thickness.

I love the piece of speckled red leather I found at Martin's House of Cloth. I also found several other great pieces - silver, peachy pink and a white splattered with blue and yellow. I am excited to try new projects with this new material. I'll post my latest creations here for you to check out!

Tips for Fabric Coiling - Machine Sewing

1. Use a Thread Color the same color as your pattern and not the background.
2. If machine sewing, after tailing off your coil, only cut one thread short. Pull some thread from the spool and then cut with a length of thread attached to your project. Thread through a hand sewing needle. Then hand sew the tail snug and tight to the last coil to help blending in the end point.
3. Walmart is a good place to find 3/16" fabric clothesline. It is half the price there than at my local hardware store.
4. In a pinch, the top of a glue stick makes a great substitute for a thimble.
   

I will be adding to the list as I discover useful tips for fabric coiling.

Books reviews on fabric coiling. I have just bought a second book on fabric coiling. I will review them both books about fabric coiling in my blog once I have had a chance to read the second book.