Grams Rugs

 When approached at a vendor event by an older woman who asked if I could help with her 'grams rugs', I visited with her about it and then promptly forgot about it --- lots of times that happens to me lately, LOL.

Several months later, I got a call from her.  She had decided it was time to do SOMETHING with her grams rugs.  They had been in a drawer for many years due to their condition, but she just couldn't bear to just throw them out.  

They were brought to me with the request to make new rugs out of them if possible - she understood I may not be able because of possible dry rot, but I told her I would see what I could do. 

She brought me 6 rugs ( I hadn't realized there were so many!)  But when I got a black and white warp on the loom I decided to give them a shot.

Here they are....

Before and After #1   (This was a crocheted rug, so a big change)

Lost some weft due to rot, but managed a nice size rug...

Rug #2

This rug was originally woven with a twill pattern.  I've got just plain weave capabilities, so this rug ended up longer than the original.  Brightened it up and I think it's a very pretty rug again!

Rug #3

Another rug that was woven twill that became a plain weave rug.  Cute rug!

Rug #4

With this rug I didn't know whether it would be good fit for me to re'new.... It was made with two different fabrics in kind of a bone color.  Original weave was twill and it was colored, so that is what gave this rug it's original design.  What I did was take the two fabrics that were just slightly different and dispersed them thru the rug so it wasn't just started with one and ended with another.  It is a simple understated rug that I think can be appreciated by many.

Rug #5

I somehow lost the original photo of this rug.  It was crocheted and so was circular rings of the blacks, grays and tans.  It was, and now once again is a striking rug.

Rug # 6

So this rug is not getting rewoven.  The fabric in this is dress/quilt cotton, and it is completely dry rotted.  I can't get it pulled out of the crochet without it ripping apart every foot or less.  I stopped trying so maybe someone can do something else creative with it to preserve it, or maybe it is just time to let it go!  I will leave that up to the owner :)

This was kind of a fun project, but a little nerve wracking.  I didn't want to 'ruin' these obviously treasured items.  I'm hoping when I get them to the owner, she will like them. 

All for now,

JULIE