Rag rugs have been made in Europe for several hundred years. Originally old clothes were cut into strips and hooked or prodded through an open weave backing to create hard wearing floor coverings. Today rag rug makers use the same traditional techniques to create colourful contemporary designs, marking an onward development from a thrift craft to a vibrant textile art.
I pay particular attention to colour and sourcing the right reclaimed fabrics when making my rugs and banners. Sometimes I dye old woollen blankets or dull down fabrics with a tea solution. Most of the fabrics used in my work are felted knitted woollens and cotton tee shirts, with some exotic and unusual textiles thrown in. I make bespoke hooked and proddy rugs and cushions, and sell my own range of rugs, banners and soft furnishings at art shows. I sometimes use reclaimed grain sacks as a backing for my work, as this fulfils the purity of the recycling element to this craft.
I sell a range of rag rug hand tools, I hold regular rag rug making workshops and work to commission. - Hooks and Bodgers are now £15 each - shuttle hooks are now £40