Knitting Fabric Rugs: 28 Colorful Designs for Crafters of Every Level

Always fascinated by my grandmother's braided rag rugs, I am equally fascinated by the beautiful knitted rag rugs showcased in KNITTING FABRIC RUGS. However, I won't be knitting any of these rugs for myself, because they require lots of joining (sewing together) of strips, blocks, other modular shapes, or spirals. (See my uploaded photographs of selected book pages, which show the modular diagram for one lovely rug with floating bars, and also and the assembly procedure for one gorgeous spiral rug).In the book, author/designer Karen Tiede walks you through the entire process of creating colorful, rustic knitted rugs from used clothes, old household linens, or purchased yard goods. She advises you on what fabrics to avoid (e.g., acetate), and what colors to avoid (e.g., any color you hate, or blue denim because it only goes with red, pink, black, or white). She explains how to cut the strips for uniform gauge (use a rotary cutter and the holes in your knitting gauge), how to estimate the amount of fabric you'll need (make a gauge swatch), and how to cut up a T-shirt, button-front shirt, pants, skirts, or dresses efficiently. She tells you all about choosing eye-pleasing color combinations. And finally she discusses the whole rug-making process, from making a paper plan, through actual knitting techniques, through assembling the knitted pieces into a colorful, unique rug.Although the rugs are knitted in basic garter stitch (knit every row) on large needles (e.g., US 10 or 10.5), this isn't a book for beginning knitters, and probably not even a book for intermediate knitters. Making knitted rugs by Tiede's process requires a lot of fabric and "yarn" preparation, many gauge calculations, design skills, project planning, and technical assembly skills. In truth, this book explores a rug-making craft in which knitting takes a back seat to fabric selection and design elements. It's a craft to be pursued largely by knitters who are ready to try something new, different, and highly creative.The rug designs themselves are wonderful. There are rugs with stripes, tessellations, log cabin patterns, spirals, and free-form elements. Of course the illustrated rugs are impossible for any knitter to reproduce exactly (because the rugs are knitted from the author's own strips of discarded fabric); but the patterns give charts and detailed instructions that will enable knitters to create similar rugs (using the same stripes, blocks, etc.) with colorful fabric strips of their own making.KNITTING FABRIC RUGS is worth buying for the design discussion and the beautiful photographs alone. It would make a nice gift for any serious knitter who is interested in the technical aspects of knitting.

“Knitting Fabric Rugs” has 28 stunning designs by Karen Tiede. I have crocheted rugs before but I have knitted one. I looked through the digital copy and was so enthralled by the possibilities that I immediately ordered a paper copy to have in my craft library.There are so many lovely designs, that it is hard to choose which one to start with. The patterns range from fairly easy to more involved, so the book should appeal to beginning knitters to more advanced ones. I am what I consider an advanced beginner in knitting as I have only been knitting for seven years and most of my projects have been fashion accessories. I'm really ready to try something different and the idea of knitting a rug is very appealing.The author gives us background on how she began to knit rugs and why she has modified how she knits and what materials she uses. The list of types of material is very informative, though I must admit that her suggestion of going to thrift stores is probably one that I won't use. I know that bedbugs can be transmitted through clothing (which is the primary source of the “rags”.I will probably stick to my old clothes and that of family and friends as well as buying materials that I can dye the colors that I want to use. I've lost a lot of weight over the past two years and have many way too big t-shirts of various colors that should be a good starting point for my rugs. I will probably snarf some of my husbands old shirts as well (especially those I don't care for on him but which colors are really pretty.)The photographs in this book are really well done. The colors just jump at me from the pages and entice me to try that pattern with those colors.I think that with the information that the author has provided a really good amount of basic skills that you can take forward into designing your own rugs. I will probably start with one for wall hanging (thinking smaller) and work my way up to a larger floor rug.I received a temporary digital ARC copy of this book from the publisher, Storey Publishing, LLC, via Netgalley.

I was very excited after receiving this book! The rugs are absolutely beautiful, full of color, and texture. I think many skill levels are expressed here from beginning to challenging. I was very intrigued by the spiral design rug. Im hopeful to make many new and exciting rugs to add to my craft booth and have alresdy gotten the scissors out and started cutting strips of fabric! Cant wait to make my next rug! The only reason I did not rate this item with a five star is becsuse there eas a little lacking on the instructions on the spiral rug. I thought more detail was needed.

This is a unique book with many gorgeous photos of rugs the author has made. The are not so difficult but very artistic. I can't wait to have time to try making one.

The amount of fabric needed is enormous if your just interested in making one rug and not a career move. Keep looking this is not the book for you

Beautiful designs and careful directions to make your own version of the rug

Wonderful creations. Great book for fabric stash reduction or addition.

These have proven to be completely unrealistic home projects for me as I am not really going amass the thousands of t shirts it would take to develop a color palate to accommodate any of these patterns. The process is not fun or engaging (from my POV). Creating the strips takes a serious toll on your hands.