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Member since 2/8/07
Posts: 599
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Posted on: 2/29/12 7:16 PM ET
I am wanting to make a floor rug for my daughters room using faux fur on the top and a heavy denim on the bottom.
I've never done this before so any advise is most welcome.
The fur on its own is far too soft to be useful for a rug, hence backing it with heavy denim. The fur also has quite a lot of stretch to it.
I have the heaviest iron on interfacing I could find as I want to make the rug as stiff as possible.
Would I be better to iron it to the denim or the fur? I was thinking it would be better going on the fur, since it has so much give in it, whereas the denim is already stiff.
Would that work?
Thanks.
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Sew Much Fabric, Sew Little Time
  
Member since 5/2/09
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Posted on: 2/29/12 7:49 PM ET
If it's going to be sitting on something slick,like a hardwood floor, I think I would make the back out of something more grippy so the rug would not slide if you stepped on it. But maybe on top of carpets it would not matter so much? I also think if you try to iron on interfacing to the back of some fake fur with a knitted back to it,it's not going to work real good, because I think it's probably going to melt the fake fur or it's knit backing, before you can even get a good bond to the back of the fake fur with any iron on interfacing, but you could try it on a test piece and just see what happens maybe.
  
Member since 2/8/07
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Posted on: 2/29/12 8:36 PM ET
Thanks :o)
It will be on carpet so slipperiness isnt too much of a problem.
I thought if I put the interfacing on the fur it would help the fur hold its shape, as I'm concerned it might stretch and move too much otherwise, but I do agree with you about it maybe not adhering well to the knit backing on the fur.
I'll wait until tomorrow in case anyone here has tried this and has anything to add, and if not I will try a practice piece first.
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Sew Much Fabric, Sew Little Time
  
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Posted on: 2/29/12 9:11 PM ET
I'm never attempted to fuse stretchy fur before nor would I even try. I would worry that the heat and pressure needed to do for it to fuse would flatten the pile.

How large of a rug are you thinking about making? If it's small you may look at using linoleum square, the ones with the sticky back, to attached to the back of the fabric. It's easy, cheap, durable and has a strong hold. I won't be soft so I won't work if it's meant to be sat on. I sometimes use a triangle piece of linoleum on the corners of rugs to keep them from curling and tripping people.
  
Member since 2/15/05
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Posted on: 2/29/12 11:11 PM ET
The faux fur I have is VERY sensitive to heat, so an iron on interfacing would totally wreck it. If you think yours is more robust, try it first on a small sample.
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2023 goals: sew at least 25 yards, including at least 3 projects for DM, 3 projects for DSis, and 6 UFOs.
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Posted on: 3/1/12 4:49 AM ET
Since you're wanting to control the stretchiness in the fur, you'll have to attach the interfacing it to the fur backside.

Use a pressing cloth to iron it on so the fur doesn't melt. You might consider using interfacing with some slight stretch too. Try out on a smaller piece first to see what the right temperature for the iron is.

How are you attaching the denim to the fur? If you have a serger, consider putting wrong side to wrong side and serging around the edges. If you are sewing right sides together and then turning out, it is useful to shave or cut the pile in the seam allowance, especially if the pile is very shaggy.

I have made a reclaimed fur rug before and I recommend bar tacking the fur to the denim back every so often, so the fur doesn't slip over the denim on the inside. OR you can insert strips of seam fix (those narrow fusible strips used to hem curtains) between the denim and fur and melt them inside using the iron. This will also help with the stretchiness.

Post a picture here when you're done!
-- Edited on 3/1/12 4:58 AM --
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Member since 4/21/08
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Posted on: 3/1/12 12:22 PM ET
I would suggest a non-fusible interfacing, and attaching it by hand to the back of the fur using a diagonal basting stitch. It's quick & easy to do, and that would stop the stretch,and the fur wouldn't show the stitches because you would only be catching the knit backing.
  
Member since 9/1/10
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Posted on: 3/1/12 1:16 PM ET
maybe sew in the interfacing rather than sewing it.
-- Edited on 3/1/12 1:16 PM --
  
Member since 2/8/07
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Posted on: 3/4/12 6:51 PM ET
It worked!! YAY!!!!!

I tried ironing a piece of interfacing to a scrap of the fur and it stuck well without melting the fur so I decided to go ahead and try making the rug the way I had envisioned doing it.

I laid the fur out on the living room floor and placed the interfacing on top. Using a damp cloth and a spray bottle of water I ironed the interfacing onto the fur.



Yes, I did have to peel it off the carpet..lol

After adding the interfacing and turning it over, the fur was squashed flat, much flatter than it originally looked. I have placed an unironed piece on the right for comparison.




Using a stiff brush I tried lifting the pile and got a pleasant surprise. The fur did stand up again, but in a wavy pattern, which I think looks quite cool.



All the paler bits in the photo are not the backing of the fur, its just where the fur is laying flatter and the colour looks different due to the way the light reflects off it.
I guess its done this because the heat from the iron has effected the fur where it meets the backing fabric. The fur still feels soft and pliable, its just looks different.

All I did next was lay the heavyweight denim and fur right sides together, sewed around 3 sides, turned it right way out and hand stitched the open end closed. Easy!
It has turned out pretty much how I thought it would, with the exception of the new pile pattern.
It is now heavy enough, and the fur stabilised enough that it can be walked on repeatedly without bunching up, moving around or stretching out of shape. The finished size is approx 120cm x 150cm.

Here is the finished rug:





I'm really happy with it, and I think my daughter will be too. Its her 12th birthday on Thursday and this is part of the bedroom makeover she's getting.
-- Edited on 3/4/12 6:53 PM --
-- Edited on 3/4/12 6:54 PM --
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Sew Much Fabric, Sew Little Time
  
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Posted on: 3/5/12 0:10 AM ET
In reply to addicted2fabric
Yah!! Great job addicted2fabric. You're daughter is going to have the best bedroom.
  
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