Nearly there...

Ok, I've finished cutting my t-shirts into strips and have wound them onto the wooden spools...

 

I watched a You Tube video of a lady who was cutting t-shirts for braided rugs and I thought I use that idea for a quicker way for cutting my strips...

 

By folding the fabric in half, then half again

 

Always clean your mat after each t-shirt as they leave a mess behind that will transfer to your next t-shirt, which in itself isn't a major problem but it just gives you extra work so it's easier to clean as you go and while the mat is drying you can (as I did) wind your strips onto your spools.

 

 

 

 

What a lovely array of colours and they look so cool on the spools.



This is the hook I will be using from Fred Aldous


Before transferring the design I stitched a zigzag stitch around the edge so the fabric wouldn't un weave while I was working.

Then it was transferring onto my jute fabric backing ( cheap one from The Works as this is my first rug and lesson). I don't seem to be able to get hold of red dot transfer fabric in the UK, so I had to improvise using tracing paper.....

Then it was a case of transferring my design from my note book with a sharpie pen...

 

 

 

I made holes with a hole punch first, which wasn't that successful, so I followed the lines of the design and punched holes using a large needle; the batting was something soft to work on so the needle went through the paper.

 

Here is the design on the fabric. following instruction I found on beginners rug hooking, I don't have the link today but I will find it again and share it with you all. I stitch along the  rectangular outline and then a second stitch line a 1/4 inch outside of that....

The stitching is difficult to see in the photo as the thread is a similar colour. This stitching helps stabilise the fabric when you put it in your frame.


Now I am ready to hook, come back soon to see my work in progress...


Bright Blessings


From the Cabin xxxxx