Rag Rug Tutorial

This craft is extremely economical as the main material used is recycled clothing and bedding. Most fabric is suitable, the thicker the better, but keep to the same weight fabric in each rug,
eg. all shirts/bedding or all t shirts.

The only other material needed

is a piece of hessian for the back cloth

A rag rugger tool is available from Makings Handicrafts

Take a selection of old clothes

cut off the buttons and keep for further crafts

cut off all the seams and hems to leave flat pieces of fabric.

Smooth out the fabric and fold

then cut into strips about 1 inch /2.5cm wide

Next use the handy cutting gauge,

which is a 17.5cm long hardwood dowel

with a deep groove along 1 side

Wrap a long strip of cloth around it like a bandage

and cut through the groove with sharp scissors

This will reduce it to the lengths required for making the rug

Push the rugger under 2 or 3 strands of hessian as far as it will go

Place 1 end of a rag strip in the rugger jaw

Pull the rugger back until half the rag strip

has passed through the hessian and release.

There is no need to knot the rag

the next strip should be threaded into the hessian

about 4 or 5 strands away in each direction

Make a hem around the edge of the hessian

about 2 inches/5cm wide

using rag strips to hold it in place

Cover the whole of the hessian with strips.

The method of rugging is very flexible,

there is no need to work in straight rows

When the rug is complete give it a good shake

to remove bits and produce an even appearance

DO NOT VACUUM the rug!

Occasionally take out doors and shake to remove dust!

ENJOY :)

Posted by The Patchwork Heart