Sometimes you see something and say to yourself : “nice, interesting, maybe I can do this as well, I will do sometimes” and so on . One of plenty of cases like this I met few years ago at my parents-in-law`s house. I found a wooden frame with nails on the edge. As I did not know what it is for, I asked my father-in-law. “That is a tool to make rugs, one rug is over there ” was the answer. An that was it, I have checked the rug, say “wow, that is nice, one time I will try…” and I run to continue on started work.
Newly I touch that tool again to try to find something to spent my father-in-law`s some time on during his retirement and let him stay active. Also I am trying to find something to work on during few hours of my free time, make something usefull and save environment (as you know) – best way – all-in-one 🙂 …
So, at least, asking to my parents-in-law, brother and sister-in-law and nephew, I got knowledge how our old parents did those rugs by using one of waste materials. And I tried to make it as well. As mentioned before, people does a lot of things already to save our planet for next generations, and this is example I like a lot. The rugs are made from strips of fabrics (called here “strapky”) made out of old clothes. The clothes you have to cut to strips approximately 2 cm wide and you get something rope-like main raw material. Strapky you do of course from the clothes you will nor never use nor never offer to anybody – damaged too much mainly – you can prepare strapky from T-shirt, blouses, sweaters, tracksuits, jogging suits, jeans, hangings, towels …. A lot of materials can be transferred to strapky, also you can use “original” materials like ropes, cotton yarns, plastic strings. But it make sense and great meaning if you use waste materials – that is why I like it. Someone might think to make a bussiness on it, why not, it is one of plenty other weaver techniques used around the world since first time detected that it gives him better chance to survive if he can make something to wear.
Well, even I did only small part of the rug (majority of it was done by my wife 🙂 ), I saw that it is not easy job, as every manual work, but it could be nice opportunity to spend time usefully and helpful. The rugs can be used in several different ways, people will find a way how to use it, how we use it in our case you can see on the pictures here.
In short you need : wooden frame (potentially can be also plastic one, but I would prefer wooden…), old clothes to make strapky (that was done for me already by my mother-in-law for my first rug) , plastic string (to make warp), scissors, needle, thread, strong back, durable fingers, patience.
Good luck !!!
