Guest Author - Iris ten Holder

When winter approaches, we want to settle down with a good project perhaps with the intention of having it completed before Christmas either as a gift or as a personal space enhancement.

Designing a rug can be a very personal affair in which we express something we treasure.

But first...... There are some choices to make. You may already have a preference for a specific type of rug. In that case you may still want to read ahead for further options.

Chances are, though, that you are wondering what to choose and to find a reason for choosing one type of rug over another.

There are many styles of rugs, and there are differences in the way rugs look and feel. That is one good reason for choosing. Another consideration is the method and the materials used, and the time required completing the project. These are choices that fit in with your personality.

For some choosing materials and buying tools is half the fun. Others want to make it simple and may be looking for a fun project that is rewarding, but not all too time consuming. After all, there may be more than one gift to make and time matters.

My task here is to give you some insight in the possibilities and show up some of the requirements.

Handcrafted rugs, unlike manufactured rugs come in a great variety of methods, and the possibilities may seem infinite. This reflects on the inventiveness of our ancestors who found many different ways to shield themselves from the cold floors and looked for ways to do this with materials that were available to them.

The two types of materials used in rugmaking are yarn and strips of fabric. Initially fabric strips were made from rags, fabrics that had outlived their useful life as garments or blankets. When torn in strips, these fabrics were then used to make rugs to prolong their usefulness and serve as floor coverings.

The simplest way to do this is to braid the strips and coil them to form a rug. Another way is to use a toothbrush needle and with the buttonhole stitch create a circular rug made of loops that hook into one another.

With the help of a simple frame, the strips can also be woven to form a mat, while for larger rugs a loom is needed.

These methods eventually evolved and became more sophisticated. Burlap sacks used for bulk foods were readily available and proved to be a good backing for rugs. By pulling loops through the burlap produced a good walking surface, while the burlap was tight enough to hold the strips in place. This method has proven to be the most flexible. Stitches can be made at random in any direction to form select areas of color and texture. Those who are interested in this method can find inspiring examples at the web site of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.