Making Rag Rugs: 15 Step-by-Step Projects

asked by vern on November 3, 2006 5:42 PM

Creating a beautiful throw rug from scraps is easy enough for anyone to master. Making Rag Rugs, a collection of 15 original designs from a variety of talented rug crafters, suits the skills of any crafter, from the rawest beginner to the most sophisticated talent.

This book shows how to utilize such simple recycled ingredients as leftover fabric, old clothes, and household textiles to create these beloved and time-honored rugs. The techniques are easy to learn, the cost is minimal, and very little special equipment is needed. Each project is accompanied by a detailed "what you will need" list, step-by-step instructions with color illustrations and full-color photographs of the whole rug, and close-up detail that brings the projects to life and makes them easy to achieve. Specification boxes detail the size of the rug and the technique used.

The designs in this book are contemporary and fun. The Retro Flower Rug is inspired by the classic flower shapes used by Andy Warhol and Mary Quant in the 1960s. Lavender Field is made from soft woolen blankets dyed in shades of green and mauve to represent lavender flowers, foliage, and surrounding fields. Lavender buds are even sewn into the lining to gently scent the room. A wonderfully rustic Braided Woolly Rug is made from cream and white blankets and black and gray coat and skirt fabrics. All of the basics are covered - from preparing the rags to finishing, cleaning, and caring for the completed rugs. Once crafters have mastered the techniques of hooking, prodding, braiding, and weaving, the next step is to design their own rugs.

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Reviews

I've been wanting to make a braided throw rug for a long time and got this book to learn exactly how. I've had success with my project so far and in part I think it's because of the pointers you can pick up from reading this book. It's got good illustrations and clear instructions and is a real saver of time and effort. I'd recommend it.

reviewed by bulldogs on November 17, 2006 1:35 PM

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After admiring my mother in laws homemade rag rugs which she had purchased at a church bazaar, I sent away for a few books on the subject, certain that I would be making rag rugs in a few weeks. Unfortunately, there are several methods used to create rag rugs, and some are more complicated than others. The books which I purchased had instructions for buying or hand crafting huge wooden looms, in which to weave the rugs. I recalled my aunt making rag rugs years ago, and I never remember her having a loom in her home. I was fairly confused at this point. I put the books away on a shelf, to collect dust! Then, by chance, I spotted Clare and Juju's book in a local bookstore. After leafing through it, I realized that THIS was THE book on making rag rugs, by hand, using nothing more than a marker, burlap, a rug hook, and cloth strips! This was the method that I recalled my dear aunt using, it even features the same rugs that I had first admired at my mother in laws. If you want a simple method to follow, resulting in beautiful, sturdy, handmade rugs-THIS IS THE BOOK! By the way, I purchased this book from Amazon and their other books as well. Just beware when choosing rag rug instructional books, read carefully the method highlighted, and you won't be disappointed! Good Luck!

reviewed by markymark on November 27, 2006 7:33 AM

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add a new book!