Wednesday, August 14, 2019

🀰 Crocheted Selvage Rug 🀰

The ninth item I entered at the county fair this past week is a crocheted rug, made of 1" selvage strips cut from quilt fabric. It received a red second place ribbon:

Judge's comments: "Nice mix of colors. Watch ends of pieces--they should not show." 

BTW, the judge made the same comment on my selvage rug last year! I don't think those ends can be any more hidden! You can read about my first selvage rug here. 

I started my second selvage rug just after the county fair last year, so it took me one year of quilting to accumulate enough selvages to finish a rug. Here's my first and second rugs, side by side:


You may notice a difference in colors. Last year I cut the selvages at 1" and simply crunched the selvage "yarn" as I crocheted along. This year I pressed the 1" strips in half, right side out, so more of the colors show. 

On both rugs, I finished the outside edge with a round of single crochet using solid fabric selvages. It makes a defined colorful edge:

To join the strips: Cut about a 1" slit in each strip near the ends. Put the joining strip into the working strip hole. Pull the end of the joining strip through the joining strip slit. Cinch up snuggly. Neat as can be! See photos below: 

Rug Info:
Crochet Hook: M/N
Beginning Chain: Chain 41
Stitch: Single Crochet, 40 stitches across
Finished Size: 23" X 42"

I've got the first row going on my third selvage rug now. Look for it next year!
Grace & peace!!! ~Nancy
  
Linking up with Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF, Confessions of a Fabric Addict.       

18 comments:

  1. I heard a judge speak at a quilt conference once, and she said something that stuck with me and made me feel better about some of the nitpicky comments. She said that at times the work is so good, and the competition so close, that she has to find some small detail to comment on. So if you get a nitpicky comment, it means that overall the work is so good she had to look really hard to find something to 'improve'.

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  2. Great idea, Nancy! Thank you for sharing. And well done on the ribbon too!

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  3. Congrats on winning a ribbon at the Fair!! Where will this 23 x 42" rug live?

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  4. Your rug is adorable! Love it!
    Quilter Bonnie

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  5. Nice! I did a toothbrush rug with selvage that I entered into our state fair. I got a 3rd place ribbon. The judge said it wasn't perfectly oval. Mostly that was because I used more than just cotton selvage, so I learned my lesson there.
    This year I am entering the lockerhook runner rug that you see on my blog.

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  6. You'll have a wall of ribbons from this year. What fun! Love this rug; maybe someday I'll try making one.

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  7. Your rug is so cute, love using up leftovers! I don't know if this would help, but when I make "yarn" for knitting rugs, I round off the corners where I join the two pieces. Maybe it could help your judge see less!

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    1. That's an interesting tip, Therese. I'll consider it. I'm pretty sure that judge will still make the same comment though!

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  8. Hmm, I find these very interesting. Someone, maybe you posted one of these a while ago but I did not save selvages. That is going to change though. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down.

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  9. Nancy, it appears your local fair uses the American system of judging. As a trained judge, 4-H leader with a masters certificate in instructional design, I much prefer the Danish system with points ascribed to each category but most judges either prefer American or Danish without points. It is my opinion the Danish system with points gives the judge less room to to display biases and truly educates the entrant on how to achieve quality workmanship. It has been my experience in designing score cards that most judges would prefer not to have to use points because it takes longer to tally them. In the Dansih system, all of you quilts would most likely have been awarded blue ribbons and then the American system would have been used to choose champion quilts for designated themes or categories. Obviously the judge who reviewed your selvage rug had not attempted one or thought one should make bias joins to prevent the ends from working to the surface. It will be interesting to see how the judge views your entry next year. Thanks for sharing your experience. (For readers who want a brief overview of Judging systems, this pdf for 4-H entrants provides some insight: https://ucanr.edu/sites/4-H_Tulare/files/208583.pdf and two samples of scores sheets for Danish, one with points and one without: http://www.cvqgvt.org/quilt-show-point-system-awards-and-ribbons.html https://www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/fairs/kansas-state-fair/docs/fiber-arts/Quilt.pdf

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  10. I think in the case of this rug or something like it the judges comments matter too much! I mean, it's like a rag rug and it's suppose to have flaws...which are what give it character! I love it and think it's a brilliant way to use selvages!

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  11. I guess the judge is consistent, then! I like both of the rugs and appreciate the directions you gave for making one. I have quit crocheting with yarn because the repetitive motions bother my wrist, but I'm wondering if something with a large hook like that would be easier ... and whether a year would be slow enough. =)

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  12. Same comment - sounds like part of the canned responses that some judges have! It is a great rug and somewhat inspirational...I do have a stash of selvedges and am sure this goes fast as you get going. I would never press all those strips - kudos to you and congrats on another ribbon.

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  13. It's so nice to see you get time to make things for yourself Nancy. For those of us who work for others sometimes we are last man on the totem pole!!

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  14. Lovely! I have a large bin of strips (not selvages) that I have used to make coil bowls. Online I saw someone who knitted a rug or placemat on very large needles. I hope to knit one since I don't crochet.

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  15. What a cool rug!! And thats so funny about the comments!! Great job!!!

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  16. Nice rug, and congrats again! You go girl!

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  17. Great rug! Thanks for sharing your County Fair journey with us at Wednesday Wait Loss!

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