First of all….. One of the struggles that we have in Australia is to understand American terminology.
In all things, not just crochet.
What Aussies call crisps, the US call chips.
Aust : Lemonade; US : 7UP.
Aust: Scones, US : Biscuits.
Aust: Biscuits, US : Cookies.
Then we have different clothing and shoe sizes which makes eBay shopping sometimes far more amusing than it should be.
For crocheters (and probably knitters too but I can’t speak for them) there is the eternal struggle to understand yarn sizes and weights. Is worsted really equal to our 8ply? How many decimal places do I have to calculate to when switching from metric to imperial and vice versa? And then.. the sheer disappointment of seeing a beautiful beautiful yarn.. thats just not available to Australians…. 
So when I see something like this .. not only do I not understand what the yarn is…
but I’m actually kind of glad that I don’t.
The rug is ok for a given value of “ish”, the zebra cushion – maybe – if you’re into that kind of thing… I’m hoping the flowers arent a demonstration of heavy rug yarn but the green snake thing is really tipping the fugometer!
What’s giving me the serious heebeegeebees is – I’m unsure what sort of recreational pharmeceuticals the creator of the Doll thing sitting on the bannister was ingesting at the time that led to the freaky whacked out expression it’s got going on… Give that to a Child this Christmas, and you better be giving the parents some high-piled dosh to cover the therapy that freaked out munchkin is going to need.
This is perhaps why you shouldn’t crochet whilst watching a Bette Midler Marathon?
December 10, 2007 at 6:37 pm
ROFL That doll DOES resemble Bette!
Rug Yarn is just extra thick, extra sturdy yarn that is better for making rugs. Its not soft at all but makes very durable floor coverings.
December 10, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I apologize on behalf of my country.
December 11, 2007 at 5:45 am
I’m looking at the .$0.35 price tag on that and going, “Are you sure you don’t want any designs from the ’70s?”
However, I think the green snake thing is supposed to be some kind of caterpillar.
As for the doll, I’m wondering she’s got up her skirt to give her that kind of expression.
December 11, 2007 at 6:14 am
Aunt Lydia’s Rug Yarn is a heavier yarn designed to be cut by the user and used in Rug hooking with latch hook kits.
Like these: http://www.caron.com/latch.html
The flowers fortunately are not part of the “let’s make this out of yarn”- or at least I hope so. But the latch hook rugs should be a good reason for the “Fringe” part of the advert. Aunt Lydia also sells crochet thread.
December 11, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I can’t speak for all Americans, but I always thought that a scone was a type of biscuit, but not all biscuits are scones. Especially in Texas, where a biscuit is a biscuit and a scone is considered French (at least in the Texas I was living in – no, I didn’t understand it either, frankly).
To be fair, I’ve Netflixed a bunch of Australian films and almost always wind up watching them with the Closed Captioning on because it’s hard for me to understand – but I’m starting to understand the accent!
December 11, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I don’t think that the green fuzzy thing is a snake, I think it’s a caterpillar!
December 11, 2007 at 4:43 pm
The green thing looks like an Inchworm. (which is actually the larvae of a moth) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometridae
Rug yarn is yarn that would be used to make a rug (here, a rug is something you put on the floor to wipe your feet when you come in from outside) I actually have a small amount of that yarn, bought at a garage sale when I wanted to make a rug.
Rug yarn is generally kind of stiff feeling, so I can see making flowers with it…it wouldnt wilt too much. I’m not sure I’d make a doll out of it tho…too scratchy.
December 11, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Just so you don’t feel left out, I am American and don’t really know what kind of yarn that is. The thought of rug yarn makes me think of something thick, stiff, and itchy, though.
December 12, 2007 at 1:49 am
LOLOLOLOL Great Post!!! I’m so glad I found you!!!
December 12, 2007 at 9:23 am
I think I can help figure this one out. I work with kids and during arts and crafts class, rug yarn is very economical and easy for the kids to handle. It is not in any way soft to the touch. So the snuggly looking worm on this pattern would really be scratchy.
I will look at the labels today to see if there are some metric measurements or any other information on the packaging. If it is still a mystery, I can mail you some. We have some wonderful 1970′s colors since all of our yarn is donated. My favorite ugly color is rusty yellow!
December 12, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I think I got that book somewhere around the house. I never remember making a damned thing with it, you’ll be happy to know. I vaguely remember the “carnations”, which was fringe attached to coat hangers, I believe….
ahh, the carefree days of crochet;)
December 13, 2007 at 10:43 am
OH LAWDY! Those things would be ugly in any yarn. And that doll is going to give me nightmares.
These should help you in actual future rug-yarn defining: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-rug-yarn.htm
http://www.spinayarn.com/wool_color_card.htm
but nothing will help in understanding why one would ever make a doll for a child out of a material that is, by its nature, scratchy, stiff and harsh.
December 14, 2007 at 9:09 pm
I have to agree with you on the worm and the doll.
December 17, 2007 at 12:12 am
Or try being an American crocheter who fell in love with an Aussie, married him and moved to Australia. There is no Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michaels for me to go to. There is a general lack of giant craft stores in my opinion. I wanted to buy some yarn on e-bay and I had to figure out the “ply” issue. I can see two “ply”s on my worsted weight yarn I got. I couldn’t t imagine what 8 ply yarn look like until google came to my rescue.
I am still thrown off when I am trying to write the date. 17/12/07 looks the 12th day of the 17th month! And the spelling of formerly “i” words with “y” as in “tyre” or “pyjamas” looks strange to me. Well I’ve been here for two months. I will get used to it hopefully!
I think that doll wants to suck out my soul like a Dementor!
December 17, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Heck, I’m a Yank and it freaks me out…
some people have just WAY TOO MUCH time on their hands….
or, as you say, the recreational drugs are too strong.
December 22, 2007 at 1:38 am
there is a decent terminology comparision between American crochet words and British crochet words in The Crochet Answer Book. i read through it and indeed they were VERY different and confusing if you are involved in both cultures.
January 7, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Don’t laugh at me, but I actually made that caterpillar when I was a teenager and I loved it. I kept it on my bed as ‘decor’. Hey it was the seventies.
I am not sure you can even buy “Rug Yarn” any more. It is certainly not cuddly soft but it is not as stiff and scratchy as people seem to think — it is still yarn. this could be made of any super bulky yarn.
January 16, 2008 at 4:12 am
Hey, I’m an Aussie living in arctic Finland…how do you think I feel about crochet terminology and yarn availability here?
February 1, 2008 at 11:01 pm
There are differences between “rug” yarns. Some need leather gloves to work them, they’re that rough. Others have all the life of an overcooked noodle. Some are soft enough for wearing as slippers (My first knitted-from-a-pattern object was house slippers; wore them to bits.) In the late 50′s, Aunt Lydia’s rug yarn was 100% cotton. Over time the cotton content has been phased out. Other companies make rug yarn, and some of them are 100% WOOL – of the unwearably scratchy sort. Besides being designed for cutting into short bits for latch-hooking, it can be used for punched rugs. I’ve only read about that kind of rug making.
As for the “carnations”, they are indeed made from the yarn. I have (or had?) one pattern for them. Ug.
March 14, 2008 at 9:05 pm
OMG! My grandmother had this book, and when I was 12 I stole it from her because I wanted to make the big green caterpillar! I thought it was soooo cute! I never did end up making it because the idea of that much scratchy acrylic seemed awful.
Thanks for the blast from the past, even if you hated it.
August 18, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I think that caterpillar might be a door draft thingie…
So glad I found your blog… I’ve agreed with every single blog so far!
September 25, 2008 at 4:22 am
“Aust : Lemonade; US : 7UP.”
Wow, that blows my mind. I had to Google that one! Luckily Wikipedia had an explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade
We have lemonade in the US, too, but it’s a different drink entirely.
December 16, 2008 at 12:28 am
A scone is a scone in the US. I’ve never heard it called a biscuit. A biscuit is something we eat with gravy, or sometimes honey or jam. You get them at KFC with your fried chicken.
Anyway, your blog is hysterical. I was crying over the pink and yellow striped shorts!
February 4, 2011 at 12:19 am
I actually have this book. It dates from the 1970′s. The doll on the cover is actually a pajama bag. There are some equally questionable things inside the book–like toilet tissue covers. (one is a clown). Does tissue really get cold? There are a couple of things in it that are worth making.
Aunt Lydia’s rug yarn does have its values, however. It makes great crochet rugs, which stand up to repeated washings and are heavy enough to stay in place. I have also used it to teach people to crochet, especially young people and children. The weight and size are great for beginners, and because it works up quickly, it gives a finished project that also gives a feeling of accomplishment.
Just discovered your site-Love it.