Let's Weave Mug Rugs

 Just a few days ago, at long last I finally launched my very own weaving channel on Youtube.  The ongoing project will be to present a series of tutorials on weaving "mug rugs" on a simple rosepath threading.

These little 5x5 coasters are all woven on one of my 4-shaft looms on the same warp.  Many of them are actually plainweave, though, and could be woven on a 2-shaft loom, rigid heddle loom, or even a simple frame or tapestry loom.  Still others are three shaft patterns that fall somewhere in between.

I plan to release written patterns to accompany each video tutorial.  They will provide some theoretical background to each weave structure and how the pattern is produced, and then the pattern itself will be provided in both a bird's-eye-view shorthand graphic and in a row-by-row chart.  Eventually I hope to turn this project into a book, but that's a long way away from reality.  For now, starting up a new channel is plenty to deal with. 

You can watch my channel intro video here:

If you'd like to follow along and weave your own mug rugs, I've written up the warping & weaving directions below. Happy sampling!

Getting Started

Equipment

4-shaft loom (6” weaving width);
6 or 12-dent reed; 2-4 stick shuttles.

Suggested Yarns

Warp: 8/4 cotton carpet warp (1600 yd/lb), natural
Weft: aran weight cotton (768 yd/lb; Lily Sugar 'n Cream) or 3-ply rug wool (660 yd/lb; Brassard)

Warp length

33 doubled ends (66 actual ends; includes floating selvedges);
The length of your warp depends on how many mug rugs you plan to weave.  Plan for 13.5" per rug (~5.5" long with 4" for fringe on both ends) plus loom waste.  

• 2.25 yds will make 4 rugs with 27" loom waste
• 3 yds will make 6 rugs with 27" loom waste

Note: Thrifty weavers can get by with a shorter warp by using the loom waste for the fringes at both ends.  If you opt for this method, omit the extra 4” waste material before the very first & after the very last mug rug. Be sure not to cut the waste material too short when you remove your project from the loom.

Setts

Warp: 6 epi (1/dent in a 6-dent reed or every other dent in a 12-dent reed).
Weft: ppi depends on individual patterns & weave structures

Draft

The threading pattern for this mug rug project is traditionally called Rosepath, which has an 8-thread repeat.  Three full repeats are included here; the fourth omits the final thread in order to balance the pattern.  The treadling and draw-down in the diagram below are for demonstration purposes only, as each pattern will be different.  Click on the image to enlarge.

The draft and all of my patterns are presented in the Swedish fashion with the threading and tie-up at the bottom, underneath the draw-down. The treadling should be read from the bottom up.  I prefer this way of doing it because the draw-down reflects exactly what you see as the weaver (rather than flipped upside-down, as in drafts with the threading on top).

The tie-up will change for some of the samples, like 3/1 boundweave and krokbragd, but what's shown in the draft above is a standard tie-up for general purposes.  It works for many different projects including variations on plainweave.

Weaving Directions

Step 1 - Measuring warp

Wind a warp of 31 ends of doubled 8/4 cotton carpet warp (62 actual ends).  Measure two additional doubled threads to use as floating selvedges and set them aside.  

Note: All of the patterns in this ‘Mug Rug’ series are woven on the same warp.  Some weave structures require floating selvedges to achieve neat edges; others do not.  For plainweave mug rugs, the floating selvedges can be attached to heddles on shaft 1 using lobster clips. (I will make a video to show this; stay tuned.)

Step 2 - Threading

Warp the loom using your preferred method following the threading draft above.  Sley 1 end per dent in a 6-dent reed or every other dent in a 12-dent reed, centering for a weaving width of 5⅙ inches.

  
Sley the floating selvedges in empty dents on each side of the warp and weight them over the back beam. Spread the warp with scrap yarn.  

Step 3 - Weaving

Repeat the following for each mug rug: 

Weave 4" with scrap yarn; this will be removed later to make the fringe.  I like to use 1" slats of cardboard. After 4 inches, weave several picks of plainweave in a contrasting color of worsted cotton to secure the beginning edge of the mug rug.

Wind stick shuttles with 4 colors - dark, mid, light, and white - or as many colors as required for your chosen mug rug pattern(s).  Weave a mug rug using your chosen pattern.  

When your mug rug is finished, weave another several picks of plainweave the secure the other edge, and another 4" of scrap yarn for fringe.  Note: make sure to weave 8" of fringe between rugs - that's 4" for each one.

Step 4 - Finishing

Cut your project off the loom.  Cut the fringe at the midpoint between each mug rug and remove the waste material between them.  Leave the plainweave picks of cotton on each edge in place for the time being.

Finish the edges of each rug with a Damascus edge, removing the picks of cotton as you go. (I will make a video to show this; stay tuned.) Finally braid, twist, or trim the fringes to create a nice finish.  Enjoy your mug rug collection!