This is the second post in a seven post series on wool rug braiding. Other posts include Supplies & Wool Basics, Disassembly & Felting, Stripping, Stitching, & Spooling, Starting Your Braided Wool Rug, Lacing Your Braided Wool Rug, and Finishing & Care.
Planning your braided wool rug can be one of the most difficult things. Determining size, shape, and color scheme can be overwhelming. I’ll only be covering how to make oval and round rugs, as they’re best for a first project. Square/rectangular rugs involve a slightly different process.
Determining size
If you’re looking to make a round rug, you can simply build on it until you’ve reached the desired size. However, if you’re looking to make an oval rug you’ll need to have a final dimension in mind, as this determines where to make your first turn. If you’re looking to make a 3’ x 5’ rug, you’ll want to make your first turn at 2’ (5-3=2); if you’re looking to make a hallway runner at 8’ x 2 ½’, you’ll want to make your first turn at 5 ½’.
For your first rug, start with something small — a 2’ or 3’ round or a 2’ x 3’ oval. Much bigger and you’ll likely become overwhelmed. You’ll also learn a fair amount in your first rug, so you’ll want to take those lessons along with you to the next project.
When determining where you’re going to put your rug, note that this is not a rug that you’ll want to pick up and put in the washing machine. Wool rugs can easily last for decades with the right care, but if they hold moisture, the wool will rot. Also, if they’re placed in the sun, they’ll fade. We’ll cover care later, but please be cognizant of these facts when considering where you’ll place your rug.
Buying wool: Colors
When buying your wool, buy what you love. By doing this, it’ll be much easier to plan as you’ll find common colors themes in your choices. Buying two long wool coats in royal blue won’t do you any good if you’re never going to make a rug with royal blue. (I know, I’m talking about me in this example.) If you know you want to make a rug for someone specific, keep them in mind when purchasing materials for their project. A good determinant is to look around their house or at their wardrobe. What colors do they gravitate toward?
When making a rug, you’ll use two solids and one patterned fabric. You’ll want to start with the lighter materials on the inside and work your way out to the darker colors on the outside. If you do the opposite, you risk it looking a bit like a bullseye. I’ve found that my preference is to start with neutrals in the middle, as I feel like it doesn’t hold me to a color scheme.
When choosing colors, I recommend incorporating several related or complementary colors and not just using the colors in your room to create visual interest. For example, if you want to make a brown and green rug, buy:
- Browns: Shades of light brown, dark brown, gray, plaids/patterns with browns, greens, neutrals and other colors.
- Variants of your chosen shade of green.
- Consider: Navy, purple, blue-gray, burgundy, pink
Buying Wool: How much?
So how much should you buy? As I mentioned in Wool Basics, my first rug was about 2’ x 3’ and I used (roughly) three suit coats, a skirt, a pair of pants, and a winter coat. I’d advise you to buy more light and mid-tone shades for your first rug than dark colors. You don’t want to darken it too early — at least I’m apprehensive to do so.
Clear as mud? I’d love to hear your feedback and questions via email or in the comments below!
Happy shopping!
— Melissa, Funky Crunchy Mama
