The large felt rug that I am in the process of making is an interesting if challenging excercise in logistics!
Adding some wool over the stitched centre line
Adding the border
From the samples that I did I worked out that my initial layout would need to be over 3m by over 2m and eventually decided to stitch two long lengths of rug base together (prepared in master Turkish rug maker Mehmet Girgic’s studio) and lay the design on top. I also decided to try and work initially on my three large tables moving and folding the rug to accomodate the place I was working on at any given time. This meant that my back would not be under as much pressure as if I were working on the floor but laying out and getting the design to the rolling stage has taken almost two weeks by now.
Working by hand
Apologies for the lask of words but all my energies are taken up by rolling at the moment! More pictures of the rug in progress tomorrow ………
Nicola Brown Fine Art Textiles 
It looks fab!! I don’t have enough room to layout a large rug, but I would sure love to try it. Maybe after Christmas….
This looks very promising: I guess you could also try needlefelt as a base, but Mehmet’s wool base ( I suppose it is prefelted wool) is the real thing, of course. I am looking forward to seeing the end result. Hope your back is OK, for bending over a table and reaching for the far spots must be tough.
I am soooo impressed. that is huge, and like you said even the logistics are impressive…and it looks great, I love the design elements. This looks like exercise to me. good luck and I saw that Mehmet was in an article in Fiberarts, he was made a Turkish National Treasure!
You are one ambitious gal!
The design is so good! What wool do you use? I’ve never tried Mehmet’s rug bases (and I want badly to have a workshop with him, maybe next year); but I have made rugs using some sort of rough fabrics as base (I have no idea the name in english…sorry…) and then high micronage merino or gotland…. but Im sure there might be other wools for this too.
Anyway, I have found out though, that for making a carpet… is good to have “an assistant” handy LOL
Good luck!
Good morning Nicola,
Wow! What an undertaking. No need to apologize for the lack of words…Your pictures speak for themselves. What a beautiful rug…I am amazed. If your back is not to sore, give yourself a good pat on it…Way to go Nicola!
Hugs,
Dawn