Rag Rug Crafts

Rag rugging is a simple technique to learn and is a great sustainable craft for using up scraps. This can be used to make textured textile art either on its own or combined with other textile techniques over several sessions.

My rag rug flower workshop is a good way to learn the technique and come away with a finished item. Learn to make a range of bold fabric flowers with padded centres and petals formed using a rag rug technique. I like to use a combination of fleece & jersey for the petals to give a variety in tone & texture as they reflect light differently. They are mounted on green garden pea sticks with wired leaves in fabric or card. They look effective either on their own or grouped as a collection. They also make good hair accessories or brooches. Large versions look good on cushions.

DIY Theatre, a learning disabled theatre company based in Salford, hosted a version of this workshop making a collection of red carnations to add texture to there applique teepee that was the central piece of Following the Thread, a piece of touring theatre in special schools.