Guest Author - Iris ten Holder
Choosing and using the tools, and doing the planning - a fun part of rag rug making.
Tools
1. Strong fingers to do the ripping; nimble fingers to do the braiding and the sewing.
2. Electric or manual scissors, a rotary cutter or a cloth slitter.
3. Cutting mat or cutting board. A self-healing cutting mat is a good choice for small projects when using a rotary cutter. A folding cutting board allows the cutting of large pieces of material. Both cutting mat and cutting board have a measuring grid to guide you, even when cutting diagonally. Since using a rotary cutter will damage a cutting board, consider the use of one or two large pieces of plastic to protect the cutting board. The size will depend on the space that is available for storage. Diagonals are best cut on a cutting mat, while straight fabrics can be ripped, or pulled through a cloth slitter.
What is a cloth slitter?
Do away with measuring, cutting boards, etc. Although there are several larger machines, depending on the needs of the rug maker, I will describe the tiny cloth slitter, an intriguing tool; made of solid wood and well crafted. By inserting multiple blades it is possible to cut multiple strips. The tool measures 3"x3"x2", takes little space and is ideal for beginners with small- to medium size projects. The tool kit comes with extra blades and a supply of washers, sufficient to allow the insertion of several blades for multiple strip cutting. I found two suppliers who sell the tool.
Wash all fabrics before cutting. Take the usual precautions. Separate the whites from the colors and wash separately. Also separate the woolens from cottons and wash them in ample cold water on the slowest setting. Woolens can be spun dry and air-dried. Other materials can of course be tumbled in a dryer. Make sure all fabrics are straight and flat.
The cloth slitter clamps firmly on the right-hand corner of the table. Then while sitting comfortably on a chair at the corner of the table, you can guide the fabric over the table towards the cloth slitter and insert the front edge of the fabric into the slot between the wooden platform and the plastic cover and pull the fabric with the right hand slightly downward over the edge of the blade. The blade will start to cut about two inches from the edge to allow the hand a safe distance from the blade. The left hand holds and guides the fabric, and provides the necessary tension. A similar gap in cutting will be left at the end. Complete the cut with scissors or by tearing.
While the slitter is especially useful for fabrics that do not rip well, I found the clean cut pleasing, the operation less dusty than ripping, and quite easy to do. It also puts less stress on the fabric. Some tightly woven fabrics can be cut diagonally as well. The coordination between the left hand and the right hand is important to keep a straight line. Sometimes I erred and got a bit off track. To remedy this, I ripped a small strip along the grain and continued. For diagonal cuts, a new cut with the scissors would be necessary. I found that short pulls are more accurate, as you carefully guide the fabric with the left hand into the slitter while the right hand pulls. After a while the motion becomes automatic and effortless, and the strips pile up.
Great so far! You now have a pile of strips draped tidily on a table. Straight, unwrinkled strips are easier to work with and they make a nice display of the colors you are choosing for the rug. Have fun, choose colors, think about the design of the rug and take a break. I will return with some more tips and a plan for a small braided mat.
