Rigid-Heddle Rug

"Forest Floor Mat"
Designed by Tammy Bast
(Pattern Available in "Easy Weaving with Little Looms 2020")
Structure: Pile Weave
Rigid Heddle Loom 32" weaving width
5-dent heddle
Yarns:
Warp- 8/4 Cotton Maurice Brassard in "Brun Chocolat," "Jeans," and "Brun Fonce"
Weft- Noro Kureyon AIR in "Laguna" and 8/4 Cotton in "Brun Chocolat"

Finished Size: 25" x 40"

This rug was an absolute joy to make.  It took a little bit of time, as each loop had to be pulled up by hand to create the texture of this wooly floor covering, but it was meditative.  The pattern itself was not complicated and it was easy to see the progression as the rug was crafted, so there was no need to stare at a pattern the entire time I worked.  I had made a minor error with the colors of the warp, which I adjusted by adding a couple more warp threads...which threw off the motif ever so slightly which meant I shifted the pattern just a hair to accommodate my lack of attention while warping.  However, all warping nonsense was completely my fault- the pattern is a good one.

The rug does shrink a little after it is finished, but not nearly as much as I thought it would.  However, the loops themselves crinkled up on themselves eliminating my fears that toes might catch on the rug.  The two images below show the rug prior to its bath; the loops are more upright.  While the finished rug still has "loops," they curl down to the floor.  I'm sure if someone really tried, they could get a toe stuck in there, but it would take some work.  

Also, this was the first time I'd used Noro yarn.  It was really beautiful and made for a very delightful texture in the final rug.  The colors were also so pretty.  As a variegated yarn, the color shifts in the rug are just the natural progression of the skein.  As noted in the pattern, attention should be paid to where your color starts and stops as you move from one skein to the next- it can be beneficial to wind a skein in an opposing direction if it leads to less abrupt shifts between skeins.  I noticed that the orange color shows a little more vibrantly in the photographs than in real life.  The yarn is a little expensive, clocking in at about $18 for 100 yds, but luckily it is a really bulky yarn so only three skeins are needed to complete the rug. 

Bottom Line: If you have a larger rigid heddle, this is such a great way to diversify your projects.  The fact that you can make a beautiful and functional rug is really wonderful and you are sure to get compliments with this texture and design.  Do be careful if you have smooth floors in your home- the finished rug is slippery on the underside!