This Vintage Chica

Rag Rug Tutorial

Finally!  I first blogged about this rag rug back in early September and immediately got several questions about how to make one.  I googled "rag rugs" to see if there was an easy tutorial to send people to, but I couldnt find directions that were not too complicated or quite right for how I am crocheting this rug. 

I guess there are several ways to use rags to make rugs...hooked, braided, sewed, crocheted, binded, etc.  Not one fit exactly how my Grammer Shirley taught me when I was a girl.  Then someone asked me if I was going to do a tutorial.  A tutorial?  Me?  Well after a little more thought and research, I decided to write one.  So, since then, Ive been waiting for the stars to be aligned just perfectly meaning the boys napping, the sun shining (for good photo taking), and not too much else to do.  Well that hasnt happened since September.  But today I had 2 out of 3 stars.  The only problem was that the skies were cloudy which means the poor lighting in my kitchen makes photo taking all pinky.  Oh well, you like pink dont you?

Supplies:

• lots of rags, old worn clothes or sheeting (this one was pajama pants and vintage sheeting)
• large crochet hook (for this I used a 11.5 size)
• ruler
• scissors

Directions:

1. Lay out your fabric on a flat surface.  Measure out 1 1/2 inches from the edge of the fabric piece and cut a long strip all the way down stopping 1 inch short of the end (see photo below).
   
   
2. Measure 1 1/2 inches over from your first cut and  beginning next to where you just cut short of the edge, cut another strip so that the two strips are still attached at the top.  This time stop cutting 1 inch short again.  Move over another 1 1/2 inches and continue alternating the top/bottom 1 inch margin.  It should look something like the photo below.
   
   
3. After all of the fabric strips are cut, roll them into balls.  They look really nice stored this way in a basket or bowl while you play around with the colors and patterns of the rug you will be making.
   
   
   
4. Now, at this point I am assuming you have some crochet experience.  You dont have to be an expert (believe me Im not), but you do need to be able to crochet single crochet stitches into the main chain.  If not refer here or get a good basic crochet book with lots of pictures.  I started out re-learning to crochet with The Happy Hooker and would recommend it. 
5. So, if you feel somewhat confident in your crochet, make your slip knot and chain 6 and then form a circle with the chain by making a slip stitch into your first chain.  This will be the tight center circle of your rug.  (Proficient crocheters are on their own at this point...you know where this is going)
6. Next, make a chain of 2 stitches and crochet two new stitches into each existing stitch.  So you go from 6 stitches in the first circle to 12 in the next.  From here it is adding stitches by feel.  The weight of your material and the size of your stitches will determine how many stitches will be in each of the next circles.  Keep your stitches loose and comfortable because if they get too tight, the next go around will be killer on your fingers.
   
   If the rug is getting wavy, you take out a few stitches by skip a stitch here and there.  If it is curling up on you, make an extra stitch here and there.  Sorry that there is no real pattern, but this is how Grammer taught me and thats how Im doing this one.  The goal is just to make the rug flat by taking a few stitches out and adding stitches here and there.  And if its not perfect, walking on it a few times will flatten it out for sure.
7. Now what happens when you get to the end of your ball of fabric strips?  Some patterns say to sew on the next strip, but the easiest way is just to tie it on to the last one.  It makes for a more rustic and imperfect rug...which is what I happen to like.  And its just so easy.  When you are stitching near a knot, get it as close as you can to the rug and then leave it on the back side and continue on stitching.
   
   
8. To finish it off, tie the tail that is left into the main rug and snip off the end.  That's it!

Now, if this isnt clear, please let me know.  As this is my first tutorial, I have my fingers crossed that this all is understandable.  However, I can edit it and make it a little easier to understand if need be.  And, I would love to see the rug you create, so please drop me a line and let me know.  Happy rug making!

A few rug making links:

• Rag Rugs on Flickr...there's a flickr group for everything I tell you
• Brief History of Rag Rug Making
• Good Tutorial For Making An Oval Shaped Rug by the DIY Network
• Good Tutorial Using T-Shirt Strips (directions are a little more complicated, but a good one to look at if mine is confusing)

A Visit From Oma and Grandad

::apples picked::

::recipes copied::

::pumpkins carved::

::nature collected::

::and pictures colored::

not pictured, but stories were read, pumpkin was cooked, magazines were perused, dinner was enjoyed, drinks were drank (drunk...I can never remember that one), brats were nibbled on, and most importantly, company was enjoyed.

We love you both!

Bringing Out The Quilts

As Ive had a little unintended blogging break the last week, this one might be a long one.  So, Ill wait while you get a nice warm cup of coffee or tea...go ahead, Ill wait.

OK, its cold here in Wisconsin...darned cold.  Its only been in the 20s but my body just hasnt adjusted to the early cold temps.   Last year we were still in light jackets and sweaters, but this year is different.  As all years are, aren't they?  The only things that seems to keep me warm are warm baths in the evenings once the munchkins are in bed and quilts.   Wonderful quilts.

The quilts are out of the high reaches of the closets and on the beds along with the fleece sheets (flannel for Wyatt).  This one above is a family quilt from my Great Aunt Grace's collection.  Ive always loved the color combination of the two shades of cornflower blue and the scalloped edges.  I think it is a very modern quilt for the 1800s time period.  I cherish this quilt and cringe everytime the dog jumps on it or the boys start to use it as a roof for their fort.  But I just cant bring myself to put it up.  Look at the amazingly tiny hand stitching.  I wonder if the hands that sewed the carefully cut pieces together thought about the generations to follow as much as I think about the ones who have gone before me.

Quilts were not built to live in closets.  They were meant to be used and used and used.  Which brings me to this quilt in my slowly growing collection.

This is a cutter quilt I bought at an estate sale for exactly that purpose...to cut.  I cant remember now what project it was intended for, but whatever it was has now passed.  And I still havent been able to bring myself to cut into it.  I just cant do it.  So, this one now sits on the back of the couch ready for me to curl up with a boy or two or three so that we can all be snuggly-buggly. 

And then there are our new quilts made by a dear, sweet woman, Mrs. Houin who lives in Indiana.  Her son and my husband are long friends and have worked together.  When I met S he had one of her quilts in dark pine green colors, a traditional patchwork that we still have.  He was visiting their family for Thanksgiving I think and she gave it to him.  Still to this day I dont think she knows how that gift touched him.  It is very evident how much it means to him in his reminder to me "be careful with that" when I wash it.  And now she is making quilts for all our kids.  She send these two to the older boys a couple of weeks ago.  I had seen this vintage inspired fabric used for a tote-bag I think over at Winking Beagle's site and loved it.  So, when  two entire quilts out of it I wanted to scream.  She also made one for Wyatt with a different insect patchworked in each square that we love just as much.  Thank you Mrs. Houin, we cherish them and please know that they will be keeping our boys warm and cozy.  What a gift.

(*someone had posted a link to a blog which had an entry on repairing quilts and I cant remember it at the moment...can anyone help a girl out?*)

There are more quilts in our home and our life.  A small cowboy themed baby quilt made for the older boys by my Aunt Judy as a shower gift which has now been passed down to Wyatt.  It lays on the back railing of his crib and is laid over him after he is asleep when I think it might be a little nippy for him even with feety pajamas.

I used to be able to find wonderful quilts and quilt tops at thrift stores and estate sales.  But apparently there are many, many others who have joined me in the love of old quilts with a history.  Which at first made me sad that I wouldnt be finding those amazing deals that I had once.  But on second thought, it should (and does) make me happy.  Happy the quilts that once held mamas and babies like ours do will not be thrown away with the the stories they hold in their stitches.

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And also, Ive tried to get back to most of you regarding your wonderfully sweet and thoughtful comments about Zane's broken arm and my mama guilt.  They are appreciated more than you know.  He has his permanent cast now and is doing great.  But he still tells everyone who asks that his mom broke his arm.  We are both healing together.  Thank you again.

The tutorial on the crocheted rag rugs is almost done along with my rug that is now the size of a small bathroom rug.  Maybe by the end of the week. (those of you who know me, that means next week.)

And from a good friend of mine a little assignment on thankfulness:

Assignment:
1. List 5 things for which you are thankful and why -

• my family (esp. the women in my family) - for giving me security to be who I am and the support to do whatever I want to in life
• our wonderful friends- that continue to keep up with us despite our many moves across the country
• my amazing husband - an amazing father and partner who grows with me everyday
• my faith - like an American Express card, I never leave home without it
• my children - our boys who constantly show me a different way (the right way) to look at the world

How would the absence of those things change your life and what would your life look like without
them?

• I cant complete this one...I would be too lonely and sad to even consider the thought.  Sorry Dana, maybe Ill do better on the next one.

Cookie Crayons

Cookie Crayons, originally uploaded by erensanpedro.

We went through the boys' craft bins, buckets, and boxes consolidating and organizing it all. We ended up with lots of markers without lids, dried out playdough still in the baggies and broken crayons. Most of it was tossed, but I had remembered seeing these cookie crayons done on Kiddley by way of Ten Ten.

And also for your viewing pleasure, a quick photo of the product of all our efforts.  All of the boys crafty items all in one place.  We used a kids wooden tool box to hold it all with recycled tin cans inside to keep the markers and scissors together.  The boys really like it and Im loving it all being in one place with an easy way to take it from the kitchen to their room or outside...wherever the creative urge strikes us.

Vintage Classic Book Swap Thank You

Vintage Book Swap, originally uploaded by erensanpedro.

Just wanted to post a quick thank you to Gretel of Middle of Nowhere for her wonderful package that arrived this morning. This was the first swap for vintage swaps and I am thrilled. The vintage classic book is entitled The Small Miracle and is about a poor boy whose best friend is a donkey. It must be a tear jerker though because the 1950's inscription in the cover speaks of crying through the movie version. She must have scoped me out pretty good because I also eceived a vintage apron with yellow roses on it (how did she know that is the state flower of TX all the way from the UK?), an antique tea cup with chocolate goodies and rose tea. And she sent the sweetest note. Thank you Gretel...I loved it all.

And if you have a minute, check out Gretel's blog from the link above.  She is a children's illustrator and lives in the coolest little house in the middle of nowhere.  It was tough picking out a vintage book that I thought she might not have already. xx xx fingers crossed she likes my package as much as I like hers.

** Gretel, I mailed your package two days after you mailed mine, so hopefully you will get yours tomorrow.**

Year of Color: Goldenrod

My submission for A Year Of Color.

We are squeaking this in by the skin of my teeth as Sunday Happy Things will announce a new color, but we've had a little trauma this week.  Z broke his arm.  Well to be completely honest, I accidentally broke his arm.  I dont want to talk about it really because all today people from school, neighbors, anyone we meet asks "What happened to your arm buddy?" and he replies "My mom broke it."  Maybe tomorrow Ill tell you what happened after I get over the overwhelming Mama guilt.

Oh, and for those of you who emailed me, the sunflower seeds are in the mail as of tomorrow.  So, Papaw (you all know my Papaw would be the first to email me), Vidya, Jill and Sara...watch your mailboxes for a little bit of sun.

Fall Garden Progress Report

The fall garden that was planted weeks ago is really starting to thrive.  We have had several cool nights in a row now and it is evident the spinach, pak choi and the peas are loving it.  The above photos is of the pak choi.  We need to make some more wood ash to put around the plants to discourage the slugs from having a midnight snack. 

We still have lots and lots of tomatoes on the vine with fingers crossed that they ripen before the first real freeze.  But the reddening process is pretty slow.  Im thinking I should just pick them with quite a bit of stem and let them ripen in the kitchen window.  I know you can put them in a brown paper bag in a warm spot to ripen as well.  But I really like watching them turn from green to yellow to orange to red.  And I think Zane really likes watching them too...he's my garden buddy these days.

We'll see how many peas actually make it to the table.  In the spring, the boys gobbled them up right in the garden as soon as the pods were fat enough to pick.  They loved guessing how many peas were in each pod and then opening them up to count.

The mint is growing great guns and looks like it might eventually take over if I dont share some with the neighbors.  It apparently likes all of the rain we've had the past few weeks.  I love pulling up a few sprigs and hanging it from the shower head with a little rafia.  When the steam hits it, the whole bathroom smells like spearmint and it is a great way to wake up in the morning.  Right before it freezes I will also dry some for later use this winter.

The sunflowers are done and the birds and squirrels have enjoyed the seeds.  But the empty seed heads are still gorgeous to me and make a great fall decoration as a backdrop to the acorn sqash and pumpkins.

And as a thank you for all of your wonderful comments ... a little giveaway!!!  I was able to harvest about 5 packages of giant sunflwer seeds before the animals ate too many of them.  So if you would like some of them, just send me an email with your address and I will pop them in the mail to you later in the week.  Remember, they were the giant variety and ours got almost two stories high.   Happy fall gardening!!!

From Grandmother Florence

The book is entitled New Stories of the Old Plantation, Told by Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris.  One of the past few times I was home in Texas, my Dad asked if I wanted it.  And I said with much excitement, "O course!"  Since then, it has been put away from curious little hands that might bring harm to it.  It was extremely brittle and in major disrepair.  Just opening the pages made me cringe that they were going to disentigrate into tiny little pieces.  But illustrations were amazing and beautiful and the stories timeless and valuable.  Ms. Dorothy, our next door neighbor, used to be a bookbinder and restoration artist at the local museum, so I had her take a look at it.   She offered to restore it for the cost of her materials.  And after about two months, she brought it over to return it. 

I can remember my grandmother Florence reading this book to me and my brother when I was a kid.  We would stay a night or two at her house.  And after listening to the Lawrence Welk Show, she would put us in bed and read to us from it.  She read the stories of Brer Rabbit being caught by Brer Fox and asking "not" to be thrown into the briar patch.  Of course Brer Fox throws him into the briar patch and well ... apparently rabbits like briar patches and Brer Rabbit gets away.  There are many other stories in this great old book which are really African proverbs.

Here is just a tad little bit from the famous Tar-Baby for you to read. 

"Didn't the fox never catch the rabbit, Uncle Remus?” asked the little boy the next evening.

“He come mighty nigh it, honey, sho’s you born—Brer Fox did. One day atter Brer Rabbit fool ’im wid dat calamus root, Brer Fox went ter wuk en got ’im some tar, en mix it wid some turkentime, en fix up a contrapshun w’at he call a Tar-Baby, en he tuck dish yer Tar-Baby en he sot ’er in de big road, en den he lay off in de bushes fer to see what de news wuz gwine ter be. En he didn’t hatter wait long, nudder, kaze bimeby here come Brer Rabbit pacin’ down de road—lippity-clippity, clippity -lippity—dez ez sassy ez a jay-bird. Brer Fox, he lay low. Brer Rabbit come prancin’ ’long twel he spy de Tar-Baby, en den he fotch up on his behime legs like he wuz ’stonished. De Tar Baby, she sot dar, she did, en Brer Fox, he lay low."

Thirty-five complete stories can be found here to download if you want to read more of these great stories.

Weekend Wrap Up

I did not have high hopes for this past weekend as S did not get home until late on Friday night and then was to have duty most of Saturday. Rain was forcast...again...and the thought of sitting at home with three restless boys didn't thrill me. On Saturday morning even before breakfast, I packed the three boys up and we went to the farmer's market. That's always a sure way to pick my spirits up. We spent way, way too much money there. But when the cash is going to local farmers and crafters, I don't really feel too bad. The aroma of popping kettle corn filled the air and as it was the first tent we came to. We had to stop to watch the man stir the huge black kettle and of course sample. Next was a table of locally grown fruits and veggies and an older Mandarin woman gave each of the boys an apple to try. They were so good and crisp and fresh, we bought 4 bushels of them. Luckily we had the wagon with us. So, we all four had orchard fresh gala apples and kettle corn for breakfast...not the healthiest I know, but it sure was good!!!

While Zane was asking for his 3rd apple, a nun with the local Catholic Church selling baked goods commented on how nice it was to see kids asking for fruit instead of candy. I had to laugh a little bit inside. We do pretty well with that whole issue of healthy vs. unhealthy food, but we'll see how well I hold up with Halloween and the holidays coming up.

We bought yellow squash and zucchini, red potatoes, the last of the sweet corn and leeks too. Wyatt got a fabric book about firetrucks of course. He has inherited his big brother's fascination with firetrucks. I dont think he really had a choice. We got some lavender and hemp "knight and dragon" soap Ian and Zane spotted. Lastly, we (read that I) checked out a great little booth that I've seen before earlier in the summer called Stranded Sisters. They are two local sisters who make the most wonderful handmade felted and knitted items and Im so glad they have a blog for me to share. I found a great little felted flower pin that will look nice on my black winter coat from last year. Isn't it fun?!?! Check them out and leave a little comment if you get a chance.

After all of the farmers market sightseeing and with full bellies, we waddled over to a great little park and the boys played and played and played. Then home for a nap for the boys and I cleaned and put away all of the fruits and veggies. It rained and rained and hailed. But it was nice.

S got home right after naps were over...perfect timing. Everyone had a little snack of the little leftover kettle corn and more apples. Lord knows we bought enough to supply the entire neighborhood. Ian and Zane have been asking for weeks to visit the "enchanted forest" that we always drive by on our way to pre-school. The rain had ended so we put on the hiking shoes, packed up the climbing gear and Scout and headed off for an adventure.

When we entered the " enchanted forest" (aka Petrifying Springs Park) mushrooms were everywhere. Now, Im not a mushroom expert, so if any of you know what kind these are or if they are edible, let me know. S and I always plays a little game with the boys called "And then what happened?" where he or I start a story and then say "...and then what happened?" and let the boys continue the story. So we started, "There once was an entire world of little people who didnt live in houses. But instead they lived in mushrooms. And rode on ladybugs instead of cars. And they what happened?". The yarn they spun was so great, I should write it down in another post at sometime.

The boys ran and ran and ran, got muddy, whacked things with sticks they found, climbed, jumped and screamed. S hooked up a rope and zip line between two trees and taught the boys how to buckle themselves into the harness and zip down the line. I dont think that I need to even go into details about how much they loved this. Even 18 mo. old Wyatt got to try it out and smiled the whole way down. And S and I sat back and watched it all. It was exactly what the Dr. ordered after a crazed week of S and I feeling like two ships passing in the night. Its never ceases to amaze me how just the act of being in the world that God created seems to heal and reconnect us as a family.

Sunday was a lazy day of sleeping in, more rain, and pumpkin pancakes, cleaning and finishing up this.

I loved the last one I made for a swap, so I decided to make another one for a friend of mine as a birthday gift. And lastly, I promised Kelli a pumpkin recipe last week to go along with her fall pumpkin baking post so here it is:

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegegable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium high heat. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Or here is an even easier one for mamas of three boys who are pulling at your apron strings saying they are STARVING:

Prepare pancake batter as directed on the back of the Bisquick box. Add 1 c. of pumkin and a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Prepare as above.

So, all in all what looked like a royal yucky weekend, turned out to be exactly what we needed.  Gotta run again...the boys are all three napping today which is a treat for me. Ive still got to fold two loads of laundry, post Ms. Darla's newest podcast and visit a few of your lovely blogs to see what you are up to. Adios!

** edited so that the Stranded Sisters link works now.  sorry! **