Monday, December 30, 2013

What To Do With an Impulse Purchase?

Sometimes I can get out-of-control crafty.  Here is a recent example:  A few weeks ago, when I received the monthly edition of the email newsletter from 'Crazy as a Loom', I ordered a  box of twelve pounds of loopers ... completely on impulse, without any concept of how many loopers are actually IN a twelve-pound box.  What are loopers, you ask?  



Loopers are slices of socks that some of us are most familiar with as the raw material for potholders woven on a small square loom.

I made this potholder on the evening that the box of loopers arrived in the mail.


Twelve pounds of loopers are WAY too many for one person to use to make only potholders, so I had to come up with another use for them.  (Hilary, at Crazy as a Loom, chains loopers together and weaves them into rugs.)  I don't have a loom, nor do I know how to use one.  One day last week, I had a brainstorm ... I could probably chain the loopers together and use them to CROCHET a rug!  

I am using a random mix of light and dark colors as I chain the loopers together.


You won't be surprised when I tell you that I have had a LOT of help while I chain the loopers together and crochet the rug.

Alice likes to sift through the loopers in the box, or sit in my lap as I chain them together while we sit on the floor.  (I do this on the floor because the loopers shed and it's easier to vacuum a spot on the rug than it would be to clean the fluff off the sofa.)



See the colorful bits of fluff on Alice's back?


Dorothy is not so helpful ... she steals the loopers, one by one, and carries them off to play with them ... eventually either stuffing them under the edge of a rug or abandoning them in random places throughout the house.



Maggie hangs out on the rug when I'm not working on it.



I estimate that I have used about half of the box of loopers so far, and the rug is about two-and-a-half feet wide and four feet long.  My plan (if you can call it that) is to keep chaining loops and crocheting until the box is empty.  I don't know how big the rug will be when I'm finished, nor do I know where I will use it ... this depends on its ultimate size, I guess.



I'm not using a published pattern to do this.  I am working single crochet in the back loops of the previous row, using a large crochet hook (size P) spiraling around and around, increasing stitches on the curved parts of each round as necessary to keep the rug flat.  (This will make sense to you if you crochet.  If you don't, I probably just confused the crap out of you.)  The green plastic clips you see on the rug are to mark the places where I want to work my increases ... it's either eight or ten stitches per round, and I evaluate the rug after every round or two to make adjustments as I go.  The spot with two clips marks the beginning of the round.



I am so happy with how this rug is turning out so far.  The random mix of bright colors makes me smile just looking at it!  If you are interested in doing something like this yourself, I will answer any questions and help you however I can.  (Anyone with basic crochet skills can do this!)

Crazy as a Loom is the name of Hilary Cooper-Kenny's blog and her weaving studio in northeastern New York.  She uses antique looms to weave beautiful rugs and other objects.  I have followed her blog for years, and I have come to think of her as one of the family.  (Click HERE for her blog, and HERE for her online store.)

26 comments:

  1. Love it! Little stinkers! My Maggie used to do the same thing - way back when I actually did knitting and crocheting instead of woodworking and construction. My how times have changed me!

    Hope you have a very happy new year!

    xox

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  2. wow, wow, wow!!!!!! I love it......what a great idea.......I am so impressed!!!

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  3. I don't crochet but i love the look of this rug! Oh and the kitty girls are such great 'helpers' aren't they! Fun post!

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  4. CRIKEY!! This is fabulous beyond words!
    yup, you confused the crap out of me (don't crochet) but what the heck, sure do enjoy seeing this looper transformation anyway. Looks super cushy - how thick is it ... about an inch?

    You one crafty geeeenyus ;>]]

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  5. What a fantastic rug. I've never heard of loopers. It will be interesting to see how large this turns out.

    Happy Crocheting ~ FlowerLady

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  6. Oh that is going to be so nice. I can understand how the kitties like to help you. I have a puppy kid that likes to walk off with parts and pieces to whatever I am doing. He even ate some little brass tacks one time and barfed them up in the carpet. He also ate a temp. crown that was not supposed to come off my tooth. Happy New Year!

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  7. I love it! I do crochet, but never have tried making a rug before! How fun - for you and the cats!

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  8. Your rug looks great! That looks like a great solution to using up loops. How many potholders did you make?

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  9. This is gorgeous beyond word! You have inspired me. This is going on my TO ACCOMPLISH list for 2014! Thank you for the inspiration! HAPPY New Year Connie. Christa

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  10. Love your loopers. Your cats are so funny. I can see my cat snuggling up in the box of loopers. Your rug is coming along beautifully and I'm sure will be a cherished possession when you are finished. So colorful, would look great in a kids room.
    Happy New Year.
    Cindy

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  11. Well, how resourceful! But you lost me in the middle of the explanation, plus I don't crochet... but I'm still so impressed. It's gorgeous!

    One of my goals is to not be impulsive this year... wish me luck. Lol.

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  12. My grandma used to use old fabrics torn into strips to crochet rag rugs. I do have one and treasure it. Yours is a bright, happy looking rug. But I cannot imagine a box that weighs so much!! I have the small loom and when I was "young" made the potholders, but never crocheted anything other than a small kitchen cloth.♥♫

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  13. Love your kitties! I can't wait to see the rug when it's finished!

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  14. I love how this is turning out! So bright and cheery... and it looks quite cushy, too!

    Happy New Year, Connie!

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  15. I love crocheted rugs!!! It looks great!!!

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  16. Fabulously beautiful rug and love how it's turning out! I adore making those little "potholders" but use mine as coffee mug rugs.

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  17. Oh Connie-- At first I was laughing-- because believe me- I've been there! But honestly-- that rug is gorgeous!!! The colors are magnificent-- this was the best idea ever to use them in a rug!!

    Love the kitties-- we have a nice little kitty population too:)

    Happy Happy New Year to you and those you love--
    Vicki

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  18. You crack me up...only you could take something you have no clue what to do with and turn it into something beautiful!!! Happy New Year!

    xo Kat

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  19. OMGOSH- That is hilarious...and what an inspired thought. The rug is turning out great. Thank God you didn't order 12 pounds of underwear-imagine what THAT rug would look like- xo Diana

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  20. This rug looks like it might belong in your guest house or even your garden shed. Since it's made out of socks, I imagine it will be washable :)

    Happy New Year!

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  21. Thanks for stopping by today! So nice to hear we're practically neighbors! I love your home and see that you are also an animal lover. I hope you will come back and visit, as I will to you. Happy New Year. xo Nancy

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  22. You truly are a woman of a thousand projects!

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