I have decided to crochet a rag rug this winter. I've been buying 100% cotton fabric whenever I see it on clearance for a $1 per yard. THE QUESTION: How do I cut and then fold the strips??? I want a finished look... I don't want the frayed look. I have looked at different websites and the best suggestion I get is to 'fold' the fabric but I'm not sure what they want. This non-crafty woman needs more specific instructions. Thanks if you can help.

-- Renee at Briar Creek (fakeaddy@nomail.com), October 31, 2001

Answers

I think you need to fold them like bias tape. Fold once, press, open then fold edges in to center fold line, press again. Too much work. I let mine look frayed.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

There is a special tool for folding fabric strips. I don't know what its called but it is used in rag rug making. Its a metal "cone" shape and you thread the strips through and its folds the raw edges in. Ask at your craft store or maybe a fabric store would have one.

-- Judy Schumacher (TootlesTheBrit@aol.com), October 31, 2001.

That little gadget the above is talking about is for making the fabric into bias tape. Same proceedure as above, but in one step. Instead of doing all the folding, the little metal gadget does it for you. You thread it through and press as you go. They come in a package and there are about 3 differant sizes in the pack. I haven't seen them for a while. If your interested you might check the internet for a source.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

Check yard sales and such for these cone thingies. I bought mine as a "kit" at a yard sale for next to nothing. Good luck.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), November 01, 2001.

I got my metal cone at the fabric store. I use it for making the bias for around my quilts. After you make the bias you then fold and iron the bias in half again so no raw edges show. Raw edges in the rug will not look as good. You can do it by hand but it takes alot longer. I have not heard of using 100% cotton for rugs I always thought it was heavy wool my grandma used but I would like to know how it comes out because I keep all my scraps from quilting I would like to try the same thing. My grandma use to buy wool suits at yard sales or flee markets and also any family member who was getting rid of theres, to make those rugs. She also use to crotche kitchen rugs out of those plastic bread bags. I remember her sitting in her rocker cutting those bags in 1 inch strips and wraping them up into balls like yarn. She said it kept her feet off the cold floor and she could just hose them off on the line in the back yard.

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), November 01, 2001.

Seems to me that there was an article in Countryside 2-3 years back that showed a lot of details about making braided rugs. The woman who wrote the article also had photos. It might be worth looking up. If you don't have the older magazines, the public library might (or it should if it doesn't!!)

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@Hotmail.com), November 01, 2001.

Check Herrschners.com sally

-- sally stanton (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), November 01, 2001.

The little cone things/rug kits are sometimes available on eBay. I forget what you would type in, but play around with different terms.

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

Renee, You don't have to spend hours cutting the fabric...rip it! Make a little snip to start the size width you wantt and then just rip it all the way across. It will be straight, much straighter than if you try to cut it across. Makes it easy :) tang

-- tang (tang@mtaonline.net), November 01, 2001.

Check back issues of "Backwoods Home Magazine" at Backwoodshome.com. In one of their anthologies, there was an article showing the complete procedure for making braided rugs from fabric strips. The author was Marjorie Burris. Sorry, I don't remember which anthology but it was a very good, complete article. I believe she indicated that she folded the fabric as she went along but she did not press the fabric. Good luck

-- kathy v. (kvnattexan@hotmail.com), November 03, 2001.