Adding length and color stripes!

I'm quickly coming up to the craft fair, so I'm beginning to transition from making items to preparing for the show.  As such, I decided to make one last quick rug.  I'm sure they will be a popular item at the fair.  This time, I decided to make a longer, skinnier rug - one that would work well in front of sliding glass doors or down longer hallways.  I wrote up a plan to make a 90" rug.  I do all my math, and start weaving.

It's looking great on the loom, but as I'm weaving the middle section (the part after the white stripe), I notice that it doesn't seem like I have much more warp on the beam.  I think I'll run short.  I planned to weave 64" in that middle section, but after I get just beyond 50", I decide to go ahead and stop and make the next stripe.  I'm so glad that I did, because I quickly ran out of weaving room and ended up hand-picking the last few throws through a teeny-tiny shed because I had run out of warp.  Luckily, I was able to fit it all in.  In retrospect, I realized my math error came from not taking into account how far over and under the weft the cotton warp travels, thus eating up length.

Here the rug is in front of my double doors.  The length still works nice. The final dimensions ended up being 69.5" x 25.5"

 My dog, Buddy, insisted on being in this shot.  I got a belligerent glare when I told him to move! :)

 The cotton fabric in this rug is small green shamrocks on a white background.  Hard to tell that, huh?  The cream stripes match the natural cotton warp perfectly, and add a nice contrast.  Some visual interest, if you please.  The shamrock fabric had been sewn into a tube, so there were no rough edges.  It wove nicely.  The cream fabric was raw, a 2" strip with frayed edges.  You can see that in the photo below.  I think it gives a rustic look.

I think my beat is getting better in the rugs.  I've decided muscle is the best bet, and also, focusing on the throw before the one you are beating in, ensuring the foundation is beat in well.

I've been collecting worn out t shirts from family, and I'm hoping to do some colorful t shirt rugs soon.  Maybe even get some colorful cotton warp!  But for now my big loom stands empty, allowing me to spend my energy getting ready for the craft fair.  Wish me luck!