“Finish the rug,” my mom said, “It will build character.”
So I laced. I grumbled. I laced some more. Two weeks passed. I looked at my ball of braid and realized, “I’m almost finished.”
Rug making is much more satisfying once you figure out how to make it lay flat. For me, that meant deciding to break the number one rule of braided rug making. When you are lacing an oval rug, you lace every braid until you get to the end where you have to increase and skip a few braids. You are NEVER supposed to skip braids on the inside only skip the outside braid. This would work great if I had been more careful to make sure that my braids were always the same thickness and the same tightness. The number 2 rule is that you NEVER skip on the flat sides of an oval.
With my braid size varying, I would stay consistent with my lacing only to find that my rug resembled a basket. I broke the rule and started placing skips on the inside and outside braid as necessary. Then I broke the #2 rule and placed skips on the flat sides of the oval.
The rug was still humpy and bumpy when I got done, so at my husbands suggestion, I turned the iron on hot and steam pressed my rug flat. The fabric was mostly cotton and the lacing was 100% cotton. I wasn’t convinced that ironing my rug would work, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. I put the rug on the floor beside my bed. Yep, that’s my crazy quilt thrown on top of the bed. I actually wove the seat of the stool in the picture too.
As I was preparing my little corner for this picture, I realized I have a bedroom that is actually decorated, and I am not ashamed to show it to you. This is my happy place.
I’ve never met a craft I didn’t like. Yes, I am a craft junkie. I love to gather all the supplies, plan out patterns, pick out colors. The thought of starting a new project makes me feel a bit giddy. At the end of the project, I love the satisfaction of knowing that I could do it again if I wanted. I’ve never met a craft I didn’t like.
Until now.
In 7th grade I was looking through my mom’s fabric stash (See there is a genetic component to hoarding fabric). The pink fabric in the center, my mom bought when I was a little girl. She intended to make a blue and yellow and pink braided rug for me (I come by this craft addiction honestly). She never even got started (procrastination–I come by that honestly too). I took up her banner and started braiding. For 14 years, I’ve carried this project, unfinished.
In the past 5 years, I have donated or threw away probably half of the stuff we owned (maybe more). I actually got rid of a garbage bag full of fabric strips all wound up ready to braid for this rug. I kept looking at this ball of braid that I had done through high school, carried with me to college, moved with us 5 times in the past 5 years, this rug is practically part of the family.
After finishing my crazy quilt, I picked up my ball of braid and began lacing…
and lacing…
and lacing…
I don’t get to savor the feel of the fabric or pick out a new color combination. I don’t get to plan a new design. I don’t even get to tear up strips of fabric or cut tiny scraps to leave all over the floor. The ball of braid represents hours of mindless braiding, probably while watching TV. The almost welcome mat-sized rug represents hours of mindless lacing. There is no joy in this.
I know the rug is supposed to lay flat and lacing it brings out the worst in my perfectionism. There is no joy in this. I’ve thought about wadding the whole thing up and chucking it in the garbage. There is no joy in this. I have carried this thing around with me for too long, unfinished. Mom says I should keep working, to build character. There is no joy in this. I’ve thought about rolling it up in a ball and carrying it around for another 14 years. Then I could feel guilty about not finishing it. There is no joy in that.
Then I think about the joy of a finished project. I keep on with the endless lacing, just to feel the satisfaction of knowing I could do it again…if I wanted. I put rug making behind me and pick up another unfinished project.
Just when I am ready to give up rug braiding forever, I wonder if it could be more interesting with different fabrics or if I followed a pattern. I hate to admit failure, and for a craft junkie, not falling in love feels like failure.
One of the tools in my weight loss tool box is a basket of quilting scraps. I know it sounds crazy, but crafting is helping me stick to my diet. Last week, I pulled out a crazy quilt that I had been playing with finishing for 5 years now. I decided it was time to embroider, quilt, and bind the crazy thing and get it over with.
One of my eating triggers is boredom. Last week was especially hard because I pulled back from exercising while I was recovering from a nasty cold. By pulling out a craft project, I was able to keep my mind occupied and my hands busy doing something besides shoveling food into my mouth. Even without being able to exercise, the scale showed a 2.7 pound loss!
I finished my quilt and I am once again under 150. This is my danger zone. In the past I have allowed myself to get comfortable whenever I break that 150 barrier. I guess I had better pull out my rag rug and finish it up. I’ve been carrying that project around since 7th grade.
