[Dans]

Hehe, yep set up the peg loom and finished the rug in an evening. I did make the hubby stay up until 2am because I wasn't going to bed until it was done. He said I spent about 5 or 6 hours on it.

Yep have a bath, will have a go at washing it same as a fleece then. I would put off washing it but one of my cats is determined to eat it as it is and I need to know they will hold after a wash before I make more for pressies. Fairly terrified it will fall to pieces, hoping a little felting will help me 

I don't seem to have enough concentration for following a pattern or spinning at the moment, but this I think I may be able to do.

Will have a go at a picture.

Dans

[Dans]

Old camera phone photo so very little detail.

[Bionic]

It looks a lovely colour 

[Dans]

That was pre-wash. First wash water was filthy. Did a second and it is now on its rinse. A few bits of new growth have come away but no staples at all  . Water still pretty filthy during this rinse so may need another wash but that will teach me to dump the fleece out of the bag and start weaving without skirting! 

Dans

[Bionic]

Water still pretty filthy during this rinse so may need another wash but that will teach me to dump the fleece out of the bag and start weaving without skirting! 

Dans

You sound like me 

[Fleecewife]

I think it looks really nice Dans     Being able to see the fleece structure in there is lovely - in fact it makes me want to take it to bits and spin it 

[Dans]

Finally finished washing it. 3 times with ecover, rinsed three times. Still got some mucky ends but might need to trim those. Will definately go over the fleece carefully to remove mucky bits before I start next time!

I have to say FW I had thought that if it all goes wrong I could take it apart again, but hopefully I've felted it a little now!

If you do wash the fleece beforehand, do you need to wash it in one piece? When I was weaving this rug I ended up weaving from the fleece without breaking it, so didn't need to make new joins.

Will see how this one dries, then go ahead with the others. Highly recommend to people! Quick and fun and looks good.

Dans 

[JulieWall]

I've made lots of these over the years, my daughter has most of them now. If you use a fairly coarse fleece like blackface or herdwick the rugs are machine washable because they're not so inclined to felt. Washing them in a machine on the wool cycle is just right for stabilising the weave by felting any softer fibres just enough without shrinking the rug. after that you can wash it the same way periodically. It doesn't work if you use a finer wool though, you'll shrink the rug and possibly create holes in the weave. I always scour the wool before starting though as dirt woven in is much harder to get out. I've also tried drum carded wool torn into strips, it gives a neater finish but probably isn't worth the extra work involved really, although it was a nice way to weave colour into the rugs.

[Dans]

Might try this one on the wool wash in the machine. Don't think I have any particularly fine fleeces.

Smart arse husband wants to know why you have to double the warp threads. Is it just for strength or can you just tie a knot in the end once you have threaded it through?

Dans

[JulieWall]

I like to knot the ends together in pairs to finish the rugs. I think the double threads are a good idea for strength but also as they aren't going to slip out of the pegs as you weave.

[Lesley Silvester]

I wish I hadn't read this now. I bought a peg loom at Wonderwool and haven't used it. Now I want to and I don't think I have time as I am busy making needle-felted brooches and weaving scarves to do a craft party next month.

[JulieWall]

We need to petition the powers that be for a longer day girls 

[Lesley Silvester]

   My days are pretty long in that I don't have to go out to work but I am limited to how much I can do physically as I need to rest frequently. On the other hand, I can use the peg loom while sitting down so that counts as resting.

[BALLOCH]

I make peg loom rugs and had some samples at the smallholders that were much admired and some folk went off to make there own.My first rugs were made from washed and carded fleece and then torn into strips and weaved,this gives a neat lokking rug when finished.You can also use washed fleece and just weave it in and out without carding this gives a rougher appearance resembling a sheepskin rug look and is a lot less time consuming as you havnt had to card the wool.I hve alos used matted wool that wasn't much good for anything but didn't give as good a result.You can aso use torn rags or plastic bags the worlds your oyster.Great fun and easy to do.The most time consuming bit is measuring and threading and setting up the pegs to start.It grows quick,Make sure to use a strong enough warp thread to be able to withstand the weave as you don't ant it to break,which it can as it get bigger.Ive always washed the wool 1st but ,could wash on a wool wash after wards.Aso read someone uses raw unwashed fleeces for making camping mays for sleeping on ,comfy and waterproof maybe a bit smeely ,then composts them at the end of season.Good luck the problem is time which seems to  be never enough to make all these projects

[JulieWall]

I made a couple of plastic bag rugs once to use up my daughters collection of carrier bags - wasteful child - and then gave one back to her. She said it was absolutely lethal underfoot but great fun watching the dog come bounding in from the garden and skidding across the carpet as it landed on the rug  I rolled mine up and it made a great kneeling mat for gardening, like fat bubble wrap to kneel on