RAG WEAVING

CREATIVE USE OF WASTE MATERIALS

There may be a lot of others like me who hate to throw away favourite pieces of clothing that are still beautiful, don't fit any longer or have some small area of damage. Like me these may be part of your 'stash' of creative materials waiting for a new purpose.
Maybe weaving with them is one solution.

Last year, while demonstrating at 'Living Crafts' Hatfield House, I used some shibori dyed squares of silk which I wove on the remnants of a white silk warp used to demonstrate the previous year.
Visitors were eager to know what I was going to do with this length of cloth, so I quickly thought of an idea and bravely said, 'Come and see the results next year'. Unfortunately I didn't exhibit there this year, but here is the resulting garment.

I woven the green fabric from a cone of yarn that I thought was wild silk, sadly it was not, too much wool content for my sensitive skin!
Below are the silk squares that were cut into continuous strips to give the wound balls on the right.

The Finished Fabric Length:-

I have owned the large rag bag on the right for several years. It hangs in my workshop, even though it isn't particularly beautiful, a constant reminder of what can be done with fabric 'remnants

The purse, zipped tool bag, on the right, shows how not to use your cut strips!

Made from an old 70's table cloth, I was experimenting with this technique. I tore the strips of fabric and wove with them as they were. the torn edges were not too frayed but I hadn't calculated on the cloth folding inwards/inside out as I wove, so most of what shows is the wrong side of the table cloth and thus not as bright as it could have been. (Tearing does make sure your fabric strips are on the grain.) A lesson learned!

      This lined diagram shows how to cut your fabric to get as long a weft 'yarn' as possible.

If you are cutting a thin dress cotton or even printed silk, there is a way to make sure you see the right side of your fabric when it is woven in. Cut the strips a twice as wide as you might otherwise have done and then iron them, wrong sides together, wind them on your shuttle and weave.