Large Floor Rug - Lakehouse 2

How we use and care for the rag rugs in our home

ALWAYS use with a slip resistant rug gripper.

REGULARLY remove debris by shaking gently outside.

A FEW TIMES A YEAR handwash by soaking in the bathtub (or machine wash on delicate cycle) with tepid water and no-rinse laundry detergent. Squeeze out excess water, then air dry outside by hanging lengthwise over a rail/clothesline, or laying flat on a drying rack in filtered sun.

OCASSIONALLY clean spills by pre-treating the soiled area with a stain remover before washing.

NEVER put a rag rug in the dryer.

We warp our looms with new, 100% cotton, carpet warp, usually undyed. The weft in our rag rugs is upcycled textiles purchased at local thrift stores and yard sales or donated from our friends' linen closets. We often weave with bed sheets, t-shirts and sewing fabric remnants. All of our reclaimed materials are laundered as soon as they arrive at our studio, before we begin weaving. Our handwoven rugs are also washed after the weaving is complete in a process known as wet finishing. This ensures your rag rug is both clean and structurally sound.

Each rug typically requires from 7-10 hours of physically demanding, hands-on work. We begin by warping the loom with hundreds of individual strings. As we plan each design, colors are artfully chosen from our fabric stash. Fabric is cut into narrow strips then sewn together on the bias, or stretched and looped together for our t-shirt rugs. To weave, we stand at our hand-built rug loom, with massive shuttles in hand, to bring our designs to life. Finally, 10-12 rugs (weighing between 20-35 pounds) are unrolled from the loom, separated and hemmed by hand.

Unlike many traditional rag rug weavers, we hem the ends of our rugs rather than using a tied fringe. This improves the longevity of your rug. Delicate fringe is usually the first part of a rag rug to show wear and damaged fringe can eventually cause warp threads to unravel.

To create the best and most beautiful product for your home, we believe that skilled craftsmanship and artistry matter through out the entire process.