Pictures coming soon!
The basic arraiolos method is designed to produce a finished rug that is both regular in its shape and flat to the ground by creating even weight distribution throughout the rug as you work it. Below find the process overview. I'll add pictures and videos soon to demonstrate methods.
Step 1 - Prepare your rug base.
The first thing I do when I start a new project is create a temporary "finish" for the edges of the rug so they don't fray as I work. If I just finished another rug and still have my sewing machine out, I generally do a couple rounds of a zigzag stitch with a heavy-duty sewing machine. You could also do a couple rows of running stitch along each edge or use this as a perfect opportunity to work on your long-legged cross-stitch technique. I've found an "over 3 back one" cross-stitch goes quickly and holds all of the fibers securely.
Arraiolos patterns usually consist of a pattern for only one quarter of the finished project because most rugs duplicate that pattern in mirror image and at a 180-degree flip. The "flip line" is marked in your pattern by a heavy line on each side of the row or column that represents the horizontal or vertical "middle" of the rug. This row or column is only stitched once - it is not duplicated when you work the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters of the rug. Mark your rug by doing a loose running stitch with left over yarn on either side of the horizontal and vertical center of the rug. No need to count; folding the rug in quarters will get you there close enough. You'll then count from the center you marked to find the edges of your rug border.
Most patterns also include heavier lines every 10 stitches so you have milestones while counting. If you order one of the newer rug bases, you'll see that a white thread is sewn in every 20 threads going both directions so this part is done for you. You can see the white grid in the pictures above. When you're rug is finished, the grid will be completely covered...no need to remove it.
Note: its very difficult to center your design with enough material on each side to bind the rug and still make the design center start on the intersection of these threads. When the threads just don't line up, I find it useful to tag every 10 or 20 squares in the base so I can quickly refer to the same milestones while creating the border outline.
Step 2 - Outline the border.
Arraiolos borders generally differ from the field (the area in the interior of the rug) in both colors and patterns used. The first row is worked using a long-legged cross-stitch going from left to right to establish the outer-most border boundary. You will miter the corners and rotate the rug 90 degrees when you get to the last stitch on the side you are working.
Mitered corners are a bit tricky...it took me five rugs to become completely comfortable with them. But don't give up! I'll add step by step pictures below soon.
Arraiolos fill is worked by reversing the direction of each row. So, since the first row of the border is worked left to right, the second row will be worked right to left and so on.
I often find that the inner border boundary is worked in the opposite direction of the outer-most border boundary, but the only way to know for sure is to count the rows. If the second border starts an odd-numbered row, it will be worked left to right. If it is an even-numbered row, it will be worked right to left.
Step 3 - Outline the patterns in the border.
You'll use a traveling stitch for pattern outlines in both the border and the field. In travelling stitches, you can go up, down, side-to-side, or even diagonally. Your needle can point up, point down, and can change direction at any point in the pattern. Sound intimidating? This is can be brain-bending exercise and often takes some pre-planning to make sure everything works out, but you'll get the hang of it with practice! In the border, you'll rotate the rug 90-degrees so that the border is always a horizontal band rather than working the border designs vertically.
Step 4 - Outline the patterns in the field.
You'll use a travelling stitch again (see Step 3 above). Generally, you work the patterns in the field from the center of the rug out to the borders, one quarter at a time. I work the bottom left quadrant, turn the rug around and work what would have been the top right, and then work bottom right, rotate, and work what would have been top left. This helps keep the tension consistent so the rug will lay flat when it is finished.
In the field, you'll rotate the rug 180-degrees.
Step 5 - Fill the patterns in the border.
You fill the patterns using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row nearest the bottom of your rug and work upwards, 1 line at a time.
For my first few rugs, I found it useful to mark the pattern to show the direction of each row if the rows are not numbered. I literally drew a small arrow pointing which direction to go beside the row in the pattern. For numbered rows, remember that odd rows are worked left-to-right and even rows are worked right-to-left. This is particularly helpful when you start filling in patterns. It is a practice I grew out of, but the rows that meet in the middle of my rugs inevitably go the same direction.
Your needle should always point down. Make sure you close each row and "threadle" (a fancy word for threading your needle between the rug base and the top of a worked stitch) to move up to the next row. Continue to rotate the rug 90-degrees, miter the corners, and work the fill bottom to top.
Step 6 - Fill the patterns in the field.
Fill using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the pattern closest to the bottom and work bottom-to-top until you reach the vertical center of the rug. Then rotate the rug 180-degrees and work bottom-to-top again. Remember, the needle should always point down when working the field fill.
Step 7 - Fill the border background.
Fill in the background using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row just above the outer border and work upward to the inner border. Turn the rug 90-degrees to work each side; use a miter-stitch to turn corners.
Step 8 - Fill the field background.
Fill in the background using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row just above the inner border and work upward to the vertical center of the field. Turn the rug 180-degrees when you reach the vertical center of the rug and start from the the row just above the inner border.
Step 9 - Finish the edges.
Cut down the jute, leaving just 2 1/2 inches of unused fabric all around the rug. From here, there are two methods you can use:
1) Double roll the jute and tack down using the twine that came with your kit.
2) Using a sewing machine, sew on a biege double bias tape (1" thick) to keep the edges from fraying. Double roll the edge and tack it to the back of the rug using the twine that came in your kit. If you plan to add a fringe, leave approximately 1/4" of jute (approximately two holes in the 5x5 foundations, 4 holes in the 10x10 foundations) exposed when you double roll your edges.
If you ordered your kit from Rosarios4, the twine likely came in your kit. If you ordered from Serranofil, you'll need to order the twine separately (sold in accessories).
Step 10 - Attach the fringe (optional).
If you choose to use a fringe (again, comes with the kit if you purchase from Rosarios, purchase separately if you purchase from Serranofil), be sure to leave two rows of open canvas showing when you finish your edge. You'll attach the fringe by sewing the arraiolos stitch over the top of the fringe, which creates simultaneously a new bottom row for your border and a secure, finished look for your fringe.
The basic arraiolos method is designed to produce a finished rug that is both regular in its shape and flat to the ground by creating even weight distribution throughout the rug as you work it. Below find the process overview. I'll add pictures and videos soon to demonstrate methods.
Step 1 - Prepare your rug base.
The first thing I do when I start a new project is create a temporary "finish" for the edges of the rug so they don't fray as I work. If I just finished another rug and still have my sewing machine out, I generally do a couple rounds of a zigzag stitch with a heavy-duty sewing machine. You could also do a couple rows of running stitch along each edge or use this as a perfect opportunity to work on your long-legged cross-stitch technique. I've found an "over 3 back one" cross-stitch goes quickly and holds all of the fibers securely.
 |
| Keep the base from fraying with a temporary "finish" using a modified long-legged cross-stitch - and work on your stitch technique at the same time! Use yarn left over from another project to mark the corners of your border. |
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| Use a "running stitch" on either side of the horizontal and vertical center of the rug. |
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| Counting from the horizontal and vertical center lines you marked, mark the boundaries for your borders. Count three or four times. I promise it's worth it! If you mark your border boundaries, you won't have to count while you stitch your outlines. |
Note: its very difficult to center your design with enough material on each side to bind the rug and still make the design center start on the intersection of these threads. When the threads just don't line up, I find it useful to tag every 10 or 20 squares in the base so I can quickly refer to the same milestones while creating the border outline.
Step 2 - Outline the border.
Arraiolos borders generally differ from the field (the area in the interior of the rug) in both colors and patterns used. The first row is worked using a long-legged cross-stitch going from left to right to establish the outer-most border boundary. You will miter the corners and rotate the rug 90 degrees when you get to the last stitch on the side you are working.
 |
| Rug base with the outer border and field outlines established. |
Arraiolos fill is worked by reversing the direction of each row. So, since the first row of the border is worked left to right, the second row will be worked right to left and so on.
I often find that the inner border boundary is worked in the opposite direction of the outer-most border boundary, but the only way to know for sure is to count the rows. If the second border starts an odd-numbered row, it will be worked left to right. If it is an even-numbered row, it will be worked right to left.
Step 3 - Outline the patterns in the border.
You'll use a traveling stitch for pattern outlines in both the border and the field. In travelling stitches, you can go up, down, side-to-side, or even diagonally. Your needle can point up, point down, and can change direction at any point in the pattern. Sound intimidating? This is can be brain-bending exercise and often takes some pre-planning to make sure everything works out, but you'll get the hang of it with practice! In the border, you'll rotate the rug 90-degrees so that the border is always a horizontal band rather than working the border designs vertically.
Step 4 - Outline the patterns in the field.
You'll use a travelling stitch again (see Step 3 above). Generally, you work the patterns in the field from the center of the rug out to the borders, one quarter at a time. I work the bottom left quadrant, turn the rug around and work what would have been the top right, and then work bottom right, rotate, and work what would have been top left. This helps keep the tension consistent so the rug will lay flat when it is finished.
In the field, you'll rotate the rug 180-degrees.
Step 5 - Fill the patterns in the border.
You fill the patterns using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row nearest the bottom of your rug and work upwards, 1 line at a time.
For my first few rugs, I found it useful to mark the pattern to show the direction of each row if the rows are not numbered. I literally drew a small arrow pointing which direction to go beside the row in the pattern. For numbered rows, remember that odd rows are worked left-to-right and even rows are worked right-to-left. This is particularly helpful when you start filling in patterns. It is a practice I grew out of, but the rows that meet in the middle of my rugs inevitably go the same direction.
Step 6 - Fill the patterns in the field.
Fill using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the pattern closest to the bottom and work bottom-to-top until you reach the vertical center of the rug. Then rotate the rug 180-degrees and work bottom-to-top again. Remember, the needle should always point down when working the field fill.
 |
| Border and field patterns filled. You can also see in this sample how I marked every 10 stitches around the base of the rug. |
Fill in the background using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row just above the outer border and work upward to the inner border. Turn the rug 90-degrees to work each side; use a miter-stitch to turn corners.
 |
| In this rug you can see that the border pattern and the field patterns have been filled using the back and forth long-legged cross-stitch, each row worked in the opposite direction of the row below it. |
Step 8 - Fill the field background.
Fill in the background using the long-legged cross-stitch, reversing the direction of the stitch with each row. Start with the row just above the inner border and work upward to the vertical center of the field. Turn the rug 180-degrees when you reach the vertical center of the rug and start from the the row just above the inner border.
Step 9 - Finish the edges.
Cut down the jute, leaving just 2 1/2 inches of unused fabric all around the rug. From here, there are two methods you can use:
1) Double roll the jute and tack down using the twine that came with your kit.
2) Using a sewing machine, sew on a biege double bias tape (1" thick) to keep the edges from fraying. Double roll the edge and tack it to the back of the rug using the twine that came in your kit. If you plan to add a fringe, leave approximately 1/4" of jute (approximately two holes in the 5x5 foundations, 4 holes in the 10x10 foundations) exposed when you double roll your edges.
If you ordered your kit from Rosarios4, the twine likely came in your kit. If you ordered from Serranofil, you'll need to order the twine separately (sold in accessories).
Step 10 - Attach the fringe (optional).
If you choose to use a fringe (again, comes with the kit if you purchase from Rosarios, purchase separately if you purchase from Serranofil), be sure to leave two rows of open canvas showing when you finish your edge. You'll attach the fringe by sewing the arraiolos stitch over the top of the fringe, which creates simultaneously a new bottom row for your border and a secure, finished look for your fringe.
