Finger Knitting Hula Hoop Rug DIY

Materials:
- A large ball of finger-knitting (or, this can be done in stages as you complete littler strands of finger-knitting. This rainbow pack of yarn looks fun!)

- An old t-shirt (I used a women’s large.  A Hanes t-shirt would work well.)

= Scissors

- 28″ Hula hoop (here’s one online)  You can’t make a rug much larger than 19″ on this size.  I’m sure it would work on a bigger hula hoop as well.

instructions:
1. Cut the t-shirt into 10 strips, approximately 1 1/4″ wide across the body of the t-shirt, under the arms.

2. Pull the strips across the hula-hoop in a spoke pattern, going progressively in between the spokes you’ve already added.

3. After adding the 10 strips stretched across the hula-hoop into 20 spokes, you’re ready to start.

4. You need to create an odd number of spokes to make the weaving pattern (over/under) work.  Do this by pushing two of the spokes together.  Even out the spacing on rest of the spokes across the hula hoop.

5. Tie one end of the finger knitting to one of the spokes.  I started with the one that is doubled up, so I wouldn’t forget.

6. Right now treat each loop as one spoke. Start weaving by going over a spoke and under a spoke, around and around the circle.

7. If you have an extra large ball of finger-knitting, you’ll have to squeeze the ball in between the spokes and re-space them afterwards. Every time you get back to the double spoke, check to make sure you haven’t missed any, you should be doing the opposite (over or under) of what you did on the last round.

8. You want to pull the finger-knitting so that its snug, but don’t pull it tight or it will make the rug gap and pucker.

9. Repeat this pattern around and around until the rug gets to be about 7 – 9 inches across.

10. Now, you will start to weave such that each of the current spokes will be divided into two spokes. For the spoke that was double, pull it apart such that you treat one as having individual spokes like the rest of the warp spokes. For the other spoke, have the two parts of the loop remain together so that you maintain an odd number of spokes.  I tied a piece of string around the one I wanted to keep together, so I would remember each time I came around the circle again.

11. The kids found it easiest to do the weaving with the hula hoop on a table.  They enjoyed the weaving, but for only about 15 minutes at a time.

12. They quickly got a hang of pulling the ball over and under the warp spokes and noticed quickly if  something got off.

We found it easiest to do a bunch of weaving (over/under) in a row, as below, and then to pull the finger-knitting taut (not too tight!), such that it fits snugly against the circle.

13. Now comes the fun part.  Cut and tie each spoke individually.

14. You want the ties to be fairly tight because if the rug starts to loosen, it will start to curl into a bowl.

15. Continue to cut and tie each spoke as you go around.

16. When you get to the double spoke, cut it, and then .  . .

17. take one of the pieces of the double spoke and re-weave it over and under some of the finger knitting strands next to it, and then tie.

18. Voila!  Finis.  It’s slightly counter-intuitive, but if the rug is curling. Push the weft (finger-knitting) in towards the center of the rug and re-tighten the ties. This way the circumference of the circle is smaller and the strips of finger knitting won’t be pulling as much. You can leave the rug with the ties loose as below. I think this makes a striking center piece.

the creativity is endless. so enjoy your own favorite guys!

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