"Pendleton Selvage Rugs Re-Visited......"

The Pendleton Wool Blanket Selvage Rugs are FINALLY completed. I wasn't able to use all 4 colors, 1 not having enough to weave a long enough 3' rug, but the other 3 have been hemmed and wet finished.

This rug was the longest of the 3, ending up at 63" long. Don and I are going to actually use this one to hang on the wall, replacing one of my 1st rugs that we hung a few years ago. I was happily surprised to find that as long and bulky as it is, it wasn't hard to hem. Perhaps I'm just getting the hang of hemming rugs, eh? ;)

A close up of my 1st fold over for the hem. The "Jazz String" will be pulled out before I fold over once more and sew across, to complete the hem. There is a bead of Elmer's School Glue along the Jazz String and warp header, which will wash out during the wet finishing process.

Here are all 3 of the completed rugs.

Don couldn't resist lying down on them (they are soft!) and of course, Copper joined him, not being able to resist having someone who will give her attention, especially on her level. ;)

I took this photo of the 3 rugs after they had been machine washed (delicate)and dried.......in the dryer! I checked care instructions for Pendleton's Wool Blankets on their website, and found they all said "dry clean". I figured that weavers before me have used these selvages and I doubt they "dry cleaned" their selvage rugs, so into the washer they went. Next decision was, do I put them into the dryer, hoping that the selvage wouldn't shrink and loosen the warp, which is a poly cotton, and wouldn't shrink? What helped me decide to put them in the dryer was a comment from another weaver who also belongs to the Ravelry weaving group called "Warped Weavers", who said that she'd seen rugs woven from these selvages before and that they had even "felted" a bit. Wool will felt when it is wet and heat is introduced, so remembering her comment, into the dryer they went. I am so glad I did! They came out somewhat felted and are even more soft and cushy than they were going in! If you'll look closely at the before and after photos, you'll notice less warp showing after wet finishing. The hot dog commercial jingle, "They Plump When You Cook'em", seems to be true for wool selvages, too. ;)

I even made the decision to use one under the computer area where I have since sat barefoot enjoying the feel of the rug. ;)

I will definitely be ordering more of these Pendleton Wool Blanket Selvages. Having looked online at their blankets and seen the many, many color combinations, who knows what could be in my next order? ;)