Friday, September 14, 2018

Knitted Selvages Rug - A Finish!

Yay for another item to cross off my Q3FAL List which is here. I started this exactly a year ago (knitters extraordinaire like Helen in Ireland and Sue in England may roll their eyes at my tortoise pace) and I've just picked away at it here and there, as my selvages stock grew, (that was my first excuse) and then as I accumulated lots and lots of them, my excuse was, well, nothing.




This is the spot in which I've envisioned the rug from the day I started it, knitting away with Brady by my side as we drove to the Toledo Zoo (excellent zoo). He'll be excited to see it when he arrives in just under two weeks, eeek! Can't wait.

As with most crafty, handmade items, this one evolved. The first several rows had lots and lots of knots as I tied the ends of the selvages together. I then had a brainwave: what about sewing them end to end going forwards and backwards on the overlap? It worked wonderfully well, so well, that I DM-ed Amanda Jean, of Crazy Mom Quilts, whose idea it is in the first place, to tell her of my wonderful discovery.... About a month later, when looking up the link on her blog about it, I found that she had added that very discover herself, unbeknownst to me, (and before mine, too, LOL). Ah well, great minds think alike, and great pattern ideas are not wholly individually generated. I really am coming more and more to believe that we feed off each other...

Here's side one:

and here's side 2! More on the prism on the floor at the end of the post.
I plan on blocking it, but seriously, really? I'm just going to be standing on it...

Yup. They look pretty much identical! I had lots of fun knitting this, and the conservational side of me loves that none of these selvages will end up in a landfill.

It's super thick!

And the animals of the house love it, of course. I haven't washed it yet; I'm a little anxious about doing that, but will do it on a gentle cycle on my front-loading washer. I think when MacGyver re-does our floors in the wood that we are thinking, it will look fantastic.  Yes, I know I need to do the reveal of the kitchen reno post yet, as it is almost all done but for a few minor items; well, the floor will be major but won't be happening for at least a year yet. I'm totally okay with this laminate ceramic-tile-look floor in the meantime!

Oh, here's the reason for the prism:
A good friend of MacGyver's (for new readers, that's my, to quote Dayna, my youngest daughter, "Dad knows how to do anything and everything" husband) gave us this beautiful real stained glass picture as they can't use it in their new house. The little house even looks a bit like ours!

Speaking of rainbows, here's the progress on my #100days100blocks2018 Tula Pink City Sampler quilt, hosted by Angie of Gnome Angel:

As of the date of this post, we are on Block 70.

It feels good to have another item off the list! Here's a sneak peek of the progress on my September Island Batik Challenge, a star quilt (Gosh this challenge was such a drag for me! LOL)


Knitted Selvages Stats
Pattern: by Crazy Mom Quilts
Size: 25.5 X 33"
Fabrics: 100% cotton selvages
Knitted: by me on size 19mm needles

Linking up:
Dizzy Quilts for the Q3 FAL
TGIFF at Devoted Quilter
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Busy Hands Quilts

15 comments:

  1. Hi Sandra! OMG!! I love this rug, and using selvages to knit it is just fabulous. I follow Amanda's website but didn't notice her rug post. I'll have to check that out. The stained glass picture is also fab - my brother used to do that as a hobby. Lots of painstaking time involved just like quilting. Hmm, I am thinking of switching to a wood floor in my kitchen/dinette area. Although now they have a wood-look tile that looks pretty cool except it is cold in the winter. Anyway, great finish!! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  2. Sandra, congrats on completing your adorable rug! I can just feel the squish under my toes. Plus 70 blocks! That stained glass window is breathtaking. I would just want to sit and look at all the details all day long. BTW, I recently completed a crocheted selvage rug, inspired by my friend Karen. Check out my blog post for a real smooth join that Karen taught me for joining the ends: https://www.graceandpeacequilting.com/2018/08/a-bit-of-crochet-road-trip-day-6.html

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  3. Love the rug! I've pondered making one, but keep telling myself no, no, no. I'm pretty sure it would become a legacy UFO. Haha! That stained glass is beautiful, and you are making great progress on your blocks!

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  4. I love the rug! I also love the stained glass picture! Your lucky to have such a friend. I think I would have found a place in my tiny house for such a beauty. I’m currently working on one of your patterns. Will send pictures once I’m done ;-)

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  5. I've been saving my selvedges for a year or so to knit one of these too. As per your suggestion, I will sew the ends of my pieces together since they are mostly fairly short. Yay for a finished rug! :)

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  6. Oh, you know I love that stained glass piece! How sweet of your friend to pass it along to you. I wish I could have chunks of glass swinging in my windows, but um, yah, not a great idea. So I'll just have to admire yours :) Your rug turned out great!

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  7. Great rug, and I'm pleased to say that I have knitted one for myself a wee while ago. Didn't care for the knots sticking up everywhere so I stitched my lengths together on the sewing machine too. My rag rug lives in the laundry in front of the tub. It's a great design to use up selvedges and other strips.

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  8. I have a crocheted one in the works! It’s almost complete. We have engineered hard wood floors and I am thinking it will be slippery. I’ll use a non-slip pad underneath, if it is! Next I should try knitting one....heaven knows I have plenty of selvages !!

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  9. I love that you have a stained glass... (It's an M.I.)

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  10. You’ve been pretty busy! Love that rug so much!

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  11. Good for you getting another one off your list. Can't wait to see your IB project this month. I have to get mine started this week! So much to do and so little time.

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  12. Love your selvage rug! What a great way to use those left overs.

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  13. Great rug, Sandra! It must feel lovely under your feet. I've been eyeing the jelly roll rug pattern, myself. I can't wait to see your IB stars :)

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  14. Your rug looks fantastic. I wish I could come step on it. Squareish is always good enough for me. What a gorgeous stained glass work of art

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