Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Friday 30 November 2012

More detail on my crochet rag rug

For those of you who are interested

I cut up the cotton fabric into inch wide strips - and wound then into balls of yarn for easier handling.

Most of my tee shirts are not tubular round the middle section, so I could not use the "continuous spiral method" described in this link ( kindly given to me by Blue Witch ). They have seams up each side, so I had to cut them into long continuous strips, with a thicker section where I turn around and cut back down again.

As I also used the arms of some long sleeved tee shirts this gave me shorter lengths which have more knots in the ball of yarn.
 
So, having cut and joined the strips of tee shirt,  I then made a foundation chain of about 75 stitches using a 15 mm hook - I just made the chain as large as I wanted the width of the rug to be (about three feet)   and then I used (UK, not called the same in US!)  double crochet in rows, back and forth, - the rug is about 4 feet long now and VERY colourful :-)

The knots merge in with the holes in the crochet loops and it feels fine under foot, and I am very pleased with it :-)

Hope this helps you to get started.

Flannel shirts would work for this I think, as would fleece (spun polyester type) blankets - they can be found very cheaply in charity shops here so I am going to make one of these as a cat bed, next.


4 comments:

  1. sounds gorgeous.... is there a picture or did i miss one somewhere? would love to see this to help understand the instructions....
    thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, how strange, I am doing the same, although I am just going round and round and just ignoring the seams and having the knots showing.

    It is growing really fast but it's on the back burner at the moment, not being urgent. I'd love to see a picture of yours.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We wanted to swing on by your blog
    To wish you the very best
    We’re glad to hear you’re both recovering
    After your long period of home-rest

    When we read of compostman’s ill health
    And that you’d injured your back too
    Here at Bosch we were deeply concerned
    Not quite knowing what to do

    So we’re relieved to hear all’s well
    And we’re penning you this ditty
    We hope it cheers you up
    Despite it not being very witty!

    You wrote about stocking up
    For the cold winter months ahead
    Which is a wise thing indeed to do
    When you’re curled up snug in bed

    Our Worcester-Bosch heating solutions
    Can make your home all cosy
    Whilst you look outside with gardener’s pride
    Upon your flowers nice and rosy

    Your recipe for Frugal Soup
    Inspired our home appliance team
    To take our Bosch blender from the shelf
    And cook-up a tasty dream

    We ran out of fresh celery
    But added extra courgette
    It tasted really gorgeous but…
    Not as good as yours, we bet!

    Your comfrey plant fertiliser
    Also made us pay attention
    Our Gardening Tool division is
    Into compost mineral retention

    Your amazing How2 Guides
    Really are a genuine find
    The fact that you’ve published them online
    Show’s that you’re really kind

    You work incredibly hard
    Growing vegetables for all…
    7 Chickens, 3 Cats, 3 Guinea Pigs
    All creatures great and small
    We’re envious of Herefordshire because
    the volunteer work in which you partake
    Should be spread across the nation
    As should the compost that make

    The sweet smelling organic fertiliser
    Once spread upon the ground
    Reminds us of our own brand
    (because Bosch Is All Around)

    Hope you enjoyed that (come on over and say hello on Facebook or Twitter!

    ReplyDelete

Hello! Thank you for reading my blog and for commenting. I try to reply as quickly as I can and I really appreciate your interest in my life and doings here in The Compost Bin.

UA-40361266-1