Rags to Rugs

Rags to Rugs: 30 New Weaving Designs for Repurposed Fabrics expands on author Tom Knisely’s previous book: Weaving Rag Rugs. In this new book, master teacher Knisely offers 30 stunning new designs for rugs created from repurposed and recycled fibers. Fiber sources for wefts include antique quilts, moth-eaten blankets, discarded bed linens and towels, plastic bags, and even used rag rugs! Warp fibers include 8⁄4 cotton carpet warp and 12⁄6 seine twine. Designs range from the expected plain weave to various twills, overshot, Krokbragd, rep, shadow weave, and boundweave.

One of my favorite projects in this new book, albeit in plain weave, is a rug entitled “Dry Paint.” Knisely recounts an interior-painting project at his new home. Rather than admiring the new paint on the walls, he focused on the colorful painter’s drop cloths covering the floors. The drop cloths reminded Knisely of a Jackson Pollock painting, and he immediately asked if he could acquire a used drop cloth. The author describes the resulting rug as his “most unique use of an unlikely source of materials” and I must agree!

Whereas Knisely’s previous rag rug book focused on beginners to the craft using new materials, this book assumes some basic weaving knowledge and promotes the use of recycled fibers. Knisely does, however, include a condensed set of basic instructions for weaving and finishing rag rugs at the conclusion. Illustrations and diagrams are abundant and clear. Photographs throughout the book are especially colorful and inspiring.

This book appeals to weavers interested in recycling, reusing, and repurposing materials to create beautiful new and useful pieces. This book will appeal to the many fans of weaving teacher Tom Knisely - and we are legion! For those of us unable to attend one of Knisely’s classes in person, this colorful and inspirational book offers a happy glimpse into one of our favorite instructors.–Beth Palmer “Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot”

You might assume that rugs made from discarded fabrics would be solely utilitarian, but that is not the case. Knisely is a proficient weaver and designer who spent the time up front to plan beautiful rugs made from relatively humble beginnings. When the rag weft is uninteresting, such as a plain army-gray wool, he uses colors and patterning in his warp to create an attractive design. For a rug using a blue plaid weft, he lets the warp drop into obscurity and allows the fabric to dictate a new overall design… . Within this pages, you’ll find instructions for weaving rugs using boundweave, plain weave, twill, overshot, log cabin, summer and winter, and clasped wefts. Each of the 30 patterns includes a draft, warp and weft descriptions, setts, and basic directions… . Apart from the inspiring rug patterns, I was happy to find a robust “Rag Rug Weaving Basics” section that covers everything a rug weaver might want to know about tools, warp and weft considerations, various weft preparation methods, warping, weaving, and finishing. This book is a great jumping-off point for anyone interested in weaving rugs using fabrics and fibers that would otherwise be added to our landfills. I highly recommend it.–Susan E . Horton, former editor of Handwoven “Handwoven Magazine”

Tom Knisely is the manager of The Mannings Handweaving School and Supply Center in East Berlin, Pennsylvania, USA. He has taught weaving there for more than 30 years, covering everything from rag rug weaving to complex multi-harness weaving. He was named Teacher of the Year by Handwoven magazine. His work appears regularly in Handwoven and Rug Hooking magazines, and he has design collections and instructional DVDs on looms, weaving rugs, and other weaving matters published by Interweave Press.

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