Rag Rug Stripping 101 for LibbyLuLa 409

I really wanted to title this post 'Stripping 101 for LibbyLuLa 409'. 

Can you just imagine the disappointment of those who took the title literally as LibbyLuLa giving a tutorial on Stripping 101?  Plus the confusion of scrolling through the photos featuring a Christmas Theme rather than 'Let Me Entertain You' with Gypsy Rose Lee.  Now I am really dating myself!

Anyway, since becoming a 'Twiner', I have learned a few things about how I go about designing and planning a piece for my LibbyLuLa Loom.  My traditional 'InnerQuilterSelf' takes over!  What can I say?  I am a color, pattern, texture, measuring, etc.etc. balanced person. Here's an example....

...exact measuring for strips.  Who does that for Rags?  Then there is the 'Tearing vs Cutting' thingy!  For my first experimental rug...here...I carefully rotary cut every strip at 1 inch...exactly...really, Sue!   After some study, research and UTubing I discovered that tearing was quicker and a more efficient use of time.   Still, measuring and clipping is important to me for uniform strips.  Then there is tearing with the fabric grain or against it.  I know, it's an 'OverThinking' thingy, but, some fabrics RAVEL more when torn from selvage to selvage which is against the grain.

Which brings me to the next issue on tearing vs cutting....raveled edges versus clean edges.  As you twine strips around the warp, torn strips ravel more as they are pulled through the warp which creates a tangle of thread to be clipped or pulled off.

The next consideration is the right and wrong side of the fabric.  OMG, again, really, Sue?  I blame my Mother for this...."Sue, the inside or backside of whatever you make should look as neat and well crafted as the Front."   So, I listen to my 'MomInnerVoice' and FOLD the 2 inch strips in half so the front and back are the same.  This takes a bit more time as you Twine, but if that is the look you want...then it is worth the time it takes. 

Here is the 'LineUp' of stripped Christmas Fabrics for a Table Runner.   If this were going to be a Quilt, these would be the colors, prints and scale of prints that I would use.  The one thing that is less planned is the pattern.  That will be a bit more intuitive in Twining' and will also depend on number of strips it takes to repeat the pattern for a balanced table runner....ie...repeat same strips on top and bottom.  Remember, on the Twining Loom you work equally from the Top and Bottom to the Center.  At least that is my Balanced Method.  One of these days I am going to call on my Asymmetrical PsychoSelf  and do a CrazyTwined Rug....maybe.

So, until then here's a close-up view of the 'Stripping 101 for LibbyLuLa'

and what I hope to be a well balanced, well crafted front and back
 Christmas Table Runner.

For those of you who were hoping for something more risqué and entertaining...

...Here's Gypsy Rose Lee...