I like to say that toothbrush rugs are essentially making a silk purse from a sow's ear... here I prove it. I use two umbrellas to add on to a rug started from a shower curtain. In this final video of the series, I show using a strip from an umbrella to add on to a rug started from a shower curtain.
Videos demonstrating and teaching the fine old craft of toothbrush rug (or toothbrush-handle rug) making, a cross between knitting and crocheting by which you can make rugs which last DECADES from discarded clothes, plastic bags, hose, etc., done by someone who has been making them for over 30 years.
04:03
Toothbrush Rugs: Discount Key Fob as an emergency needle
While my wife was in the hospital, I took a rug with me back and forth to work on while on the CTA. One day I made the mistake of leaving it in "Savi land" and she decided the needle was a chew toy. I got it back, but forgot to put it with the rug. BIG MISTAKE. We show up for her follow up apt. after discharge and... no needle. Initially I tried using a key, but the head of the key was just too fat to fit through. Then frustration and ingenuity came together, and I cut up one of my discount key fobs, and it worked. It wasn't ideal- it was a bit shorter than I'm used to, and I was always worried about giving myself a hellacious papercut, but it worked! I love the "make do with what you have on hand" aspect of this craft!
02:04
Fade to black: A toothbrush rug
This is an all blue jean rug I made for a dear friend's wedding. Beyond the center I alternate darker and lighter denim, but at five rows from the final, I start fading to black. First I do four blue strips + one black, then three + black, and so forth. Good example of "sequencing"- the use of colors or patterns in sequence in rug making, and shows off the rug nicely, in spite of how exhausted I was when I shot the video (I'd just been on my mother's roof cleaning out gutters, and was about to get cleaned up to go to the wedding)
03:01
Art you can walk on: My latest toothbrush rug
In this video you see my original rug made from sheets we call the "monarch" rug, and the rug I made from its leftovers and another animal print sheet. Toothbrush rug making is a folk craft version of naalbinding which produces beautiful artistic results which you not only CAN walk on, but which are made for that explicit purpose. They're also a great way to recycle, as the raw materials are usually scraps of clothing / linens, old plastic bags or hosiery, etc. For more, see my blog toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
In this video I describe the creative process by which I decided which clothes to use for my next rug, which ones to put off for future projects, and how I'll sequence the dockers and blouses together into the rug. For more on this wonderful ancient craft (naalbinding or toothbrush rug making) which recycles wasted clothes, plastic bags, hosiery, and time into beautiful durable rugs, see my dedicated rug blog, toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
03:37
Toothbrush Rugs: Starting one with the half hitch stitch 4/4 FINAL
Tutorial of how to start a rug using the half hitch knot/stitch. I just discovered this technique, but I find it the easiest way to start a rug. The start is very strong too, as strong as a braided start, and much stronger than a chain stitch start. For more on this wonderful craft which is the most beautiful way to recycle old clothes, plastic bags, hosiery, etc., go to my tutorial blog- http://toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
03:59
Toothbrush Rugs: Starting one with the half hitch stitch 2/4
Tutorial of how to start a rug using the half hitch knot/stitch. I just discovered this technique, but I find it the easiest way to start a rug. The start is very strong too, as strong as a braided start, and much stronger than a chain stitch start. For more on this wonderful craft which is the most beautiful way to recycle old clothes, plastic bags, hosiery, etc., go to my tutorial blog- http://toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
02:37
Toothbrush Rugs: Starting one with the half hitch stitch 1/4
Tutorial of how to start a rug using the half hitch knot/stitch. I just discovered this technique, but I find it the easiest way to start a rug. The start is very strong too, as strong as a braided start, and much stronger than a chain stitch start.
03:15
Toothbrush Rugs: Starting one with the half hitch stitch 3/4
Tutorial of how to start a rug using the half hitch knot/stitch. I just discovered this technique, but I find it the easiest way to start a rug. The start is very strong too, as strong as a braided start, and much stronger than a chain stitch start. For more on this wonderful craft which is the most beautiful way to recycle old clothes, plastic bags, hosiery, etc., go to my tutorial blog- http://toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
03:41
Toothbrush Rugs: Matching a theme when you can't match a color 2/2
While one of the best things about this craft is that it recycles garments, linens, etc., which would be disposed of into something beautiful, durable, and usable, a hazard you run with that is... what do you do if you want to repeat a color or patten and you can't? These two videos take you through this process with me and my wife as we address this problem with a rug I'm finishing off. For more see my blog toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
03:48
Toothbrush Rugs: Matching a theme when you can't match a color 1/2
While one of the best things about this craft is that it recycles garments, linens, etc., which would be disposed of into something beautiful, durable, and usable, a hazard you run with that is... what do you do if you want to repeat a color or patten and you can't? These two videos take you through this process with me and my wife as we address this problem with a rug I'm finishing off. For more see my blog toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com
More tongue in cheek commentary, but I really do uses this in my rugs- see toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com for pictures, tutorials, etc.
One of my favorite items to rescue for rugs is umbrellas. I just love the idea of taking something no one would believe has any use, and finding one for it. Plus, they do work great in rugs. I had a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun with this one.
(In Elmer Fudd voice) Ssssshhhh, be wery wery quieeet, I'm hunting 'brellas! Its the little things like this to which I look forwards. Each time I walk the dogs, its an opportunity to meet new people, or find new things for my rugs.
01:23
Rug stories- Papillon playing on rugs Mama made "just because"
Shows a couple of the other rugs my mother has made, but these don't seem to have any deep sentimental value or long history behind them. The dogs, as always, are painfully cute, and love the rugs. Like the other videos shot during this visit, I used a lower frame rate to conserve space, since we only had our little laptop along to which to copy files.
My mother telling the stories behind her rugs, including the rug my grandmother (her mother) was working on when she died and which my mother finished, the rug my mother made of all of us kids' flannel jammies, etc. As always, my papillon dogs Hilde and Killian make cameos. I shot in lower frame rate mode to conserve drive space while visiting my mothers', so when people or the camera are moving the video is a bit herky-jerky. My wife Tess also is heard off camera.
03:53
Beautiful recycling- anniversary rug video #2 the shorter version
The previous video was the original one, but Youtube and other sites only take 100 meg uploads, so we quickly shot this version
04:38
Beautiful recycling- toothbrush rugs- anniversary rug video part 2 veoh only version
Toothbrush rugs are the most beautiful and durable way to recycle and reuse old clothes, linens, plastic bags, and other items which would otherwise fill our landfills or sit useless around in our homes. In these videos my wife and I talk about the garments and process behind my "magnum opus" anniversary rug. Go to my blog for more information
03:53
Beautiful recycling- toothbrush rugs- our anniversary rug part 1
Toothbrush rugs are the most beautiful and durable way to recycle and reuse old clothes, linens, plastic bags, and other items which would otherwise fill our landfills or sit useless around in our homes. In these videos my wife and I talk about the garments and process behind my "magnum opus" anniversary rug.
03:26
13th anniversary of our being in love presents from Rosellas of SD
These came from Rosella's of South Dakota- I met her because she took an interest in my rug videos, told me of her site, and I was captivated... I wanted to order everything. But I settled on the necklace for my wife, and the scrabble earrings for both of us. Rosella's is at rosella's dot madeinsouthdakota punkt com They're just perfect for us... we've vacationed in the Black Hills where these come from, we flirted by correcting each others' grammar, took scrabble on our honeymoon, and still consider word games to be our favorite sensual "warm up" activity.
03:20
toothbrush rugs- keeping clothes out of the landfill and making them into beautiful art
In this video I go through my latest finds which were destined to take up space in a landfill, and discuss how I'll use them in rugs. This really is such an eco-friendly, "green" craft!
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