Home of UK rag rug making since 1991

 

Home of UK rag rug making tools latest update: Thursday 17th October

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We’re currently meeting our usual standard of sending all orders the same, or next, working day. News update coming soon! 


Here’s a lovely idea from Kathryn in Derbyshire. Kathryn makes and sells rag rug wreaths and brooches to sell in order to raise money for her favourite charity. Who wouldn’t want to give to charity by buying these?


Thanks very much indeed to Pam, in Cumbria, for sending us this hooked rag rug pic of a woodpecker she made. What a gorgeous rug! And thanks, too, for letting us use the pic.


In response to the requests for rag rug making tutorials the quickest thing we can offer is this link to Nina Corey demonstrating the basic technique.  We hope this is helpful. Here are a few more links to demonstration videos: How it’s done | How to use the cutting gauge  || How to make a hem || Using plastic carrier bags  || Using the Pinking scissors gauge ||How to make a Christmas Wreath


Thanks very much to Jennie of Skybluepink Designs in Berwick upon Tweed for the great pic of the rag rug she made showing the moon reflected on water. A lovely scene and definitely a lovely rug!


A big ‘thank you’ to Catherine in Kirkcudbright who sent us this pic of the lovely traditional design rug she made. Catherine had her Mother’s tweed skirts and Mother-in-law’s old tool so all she needed was one of our cutting gauges! The rug is 3’6″ x 18″. It took 9 skirts; a felted cardigan + 4 sleeves and still need a bit more fabric. How’s that for recycling?!


We’re making a small improvement to all the tools we make. The plated steel ferrules we used to buy for handles are no longer available so now we’re using snazzy solid brass ones. Here’s a first peek:

We think they’re a lot better but they do cost little more, along with everything else!  So we’re reluctantly having to put our prices up a little. We hope this doesn’t make a problem for anyone.


Here’s a new rag rug pic from Janet White in Leeds. Janet made this one for her Granddaughter, Olivia, known as Liv. We guess Liv must be thrilled to bits with it!

A little while back we gave, with Janet’s permission, her contact details to Nora, a lady in Canada, who had admired Janet’s guitar rag rug [lower on this page]. They’ve become transatlantic friends and share craftwork stories! Here’s a friendly shout out to Nora across the pond!

Hi to Liv! We love your rug!


We’ve also had a lovely email from Catherine in Yorkshire, sharing her family crafting story. Catherine wanted a project to do with her two sons who both struggle with social situations. Interestingly enough they lived as Victorians for a day including making rags rugs! Soon after Catherine’s Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and found she had to give up knitting, sewing and crochet. Catherine gave her Mum her rag rug kit and showed her how to do it.
Catherine’s Mum’s brilliant at it! She’s finished a rug depicting the Yorkshire Dales and is now working on one with a llama and yurt, using old clothes from the family. Thank you so much for your kind remarks, Catherine, and for letting us share your lovely story.

In the making

And here’s the gorgeous rug! Who doesn’t love the Yorkshire Dales?


Here’s a great idea from Ruth Bartholomew! She’s used old baby clothes, all soft jerseys, to make a cushion top cover. It looks great and will be comforts own self to sit on! What more could you ask of old clothes? Thanks, Ruth.


In response to the requests for rag rug making tutorials the quickest thing we can offer is this link to Nina Corey demonstrating the basic technique.  We hope this is helpful. Here are a few more links to demonstration videos: How it’s done | How to use the cutting gauge  || How to make a hem || Using plastic carrier bags  || Using the Pinking scissors gauge ||How to make a Christmas Wreath


Another rug pic from Ruth Bartholomew! This time it’s a more traditional bands of different colour style. Lovely choice of colours, Ruth!


A big ‘Thank you’ to Ruth Bartholomew for letting us share this pic of the new rag rug she recently made. We love the two-tone background and the spots. You could look at it all day and keep on seeing it in a new light!


A very big ‘Thank you’ to Kathryn, in Chesterfield, who kindly sent us this pic of her first attempt at rag rug making. Kathy received her wreath backcloth one Saturday and emailed us her pic two days later. Pretty impressive for a first attempt! And the fact it’s hanging on a door makes it a lovely welcome to all. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

 


A very big thanks to Helen, in Fife, who sent us this pic of a stylishly decorated hessian bag. More pics to follow. Thanks Helen!
And here’s the result of another method
 

A big thank you to Karen Dewhirst, in Huddersfield, for sending us this pic of one of the big rag rugs she made. Karen also paints and makes quilts. It’s easy to see she has a talent for art and crafts! Thanks Karen.

Thanks very much indeed to Helen, of Fife, who very kindly shared a pic of the rag rug she hooked out of old family clothes including her Dad’s shirts and daughter’s Brownie uniform. It’s the hill Helen sees from her office! What a gorgeous rug and what a gorgeous view! Helen must want to run to work some days!
 

Here’s a brilliant idea, and gorgeous rag rug pic, from Janet White in Leeds. To celebrate the arrival of Eloise, the first baby born in Janet’s cul-de-sac since the start of the pandemic, Janet made this kite rug to represent freedom after lockdown. What a lovely idea! And just look at the rug!

 

 
We have a new website remaking.co.uk which is devoted to developing new ways to upcycle scrap material. It’s very much a ‘work in progress’ but watch this space! We’d love to hear from anyone with ideas to share. There will be a new idea for turning cardboard packaging and scrap fabric into ‘keeper cards’ soon – we’re making the simple tools to do this now.

Here’s the front cover of the latest rag rug making book from Jenni Stuart-Anderson. Jenni is a leading UK expert rag rug maker. The book comes out on 31st October and will have an introductory offer of 20% discount. Sounds too good to miss!
 

Thanks to Olivia, in Cornwall, for this pic. Olivia made this rag rug as a seat for a barstool but finds a small, round rug has all sorts of uses and is handy enough to carry out to wherever it’s needed. As we’re based in Cornwall ourselves we can think of several outdoor venues where it pays to take a seat. So thanks again, Olivia, for the pic and the idea!

We have everything in stock and are sending all orders the same, or next, working day as usual but we’re getting low on 12oz fine hessian [just run out – sorry]. More will be available soon and we have plenty of the ordinary hessian.


Just lately several people have asked for info about spacing the pieces of rag in a rug. We’ve been replying with pics of one of our own rugs front and back. It seems like a good idea to show the pics to all visitors so here they are [we hope everyone can see it’s a cat on a mat!]
Here’s part of the back. The blue and orange cloth is poly/cotton [old sheets] and the grey is polyester fleece [old fleece jacket]. This spacing makes a really thick rag rug. Hope this is helpful.

Wall art, this time from Jacqueline in Coalville, Leicestershire. This one’s a project and Jacqueline is going to be offering a workshop to make this in June. Jacqueline can be contacted at hello@wobblypins.com. Thanks for letting us know and for sharing the pic, Jacqueline. Nice work made with two methods, should be a good workshop!

Many thanks to Jo Lewthwaite, in Somerset, for kindly sharing a pic of her new rag rug made in the hooked style for wall art. It’s an abstract depicting a headland and bay. And it works a treat:

Looks like Janet White is on a roll! Janet’s kindly shared pics of her latest rag rug – made for 5 year old Belle who lives next door to her. Apparently seeing Belle, with her cheery smile and wave, is helping everyone get through the lockdown and she was ‘over the moon’ with her rug. Hardly surprising! Here’s the rug:
 
The secret to the butterfly antenna? Platted roman blind cord. Janet just had to bend it into a curve and hopes the tip will be useful to other rag rug makers. We think it will be. Thanks, again, Janet

Here’s a new pic of another lovely rag rug made by Janet White. Lovely and appropriate – it’s a rainbow! Although Janet appreciates the NHS as much as the rest of us she says she actually made the rug before the pandemic started. Rainbows always look good, of course. And for anyone feeling the need for encouragement this one has the sun shining behind it! Thanks Janet, you’ve shared some pics of beautiful rugs with us and we’re always grateful to you and all the the others who’ve shared. On that subject – Patricia D, a new fairly rag rug maker saw the rug pic of Mary Keeling’s highland cow ‘Hamish’ [further down the page] and says she used to have a pet highland also called Hamish. Great minds think alike!
Here’s the rainbow.
 

In response to the requests for rag rug making tutorials the quickest thing we can offer is this link to Nina Corey demonstrating the basic technique.  We hope this is helpful. 

Here are a few more links to demonstration videos: How it’s done | How to use the cutting gauge  || How to make a hem || Using plastic carrier bags  || Using the Pinking scissors gauge ||How to make a Christmas Wreath


A very big ‘thank you’ to Janet White – yes the same Janet in Leeds who’s kindly shared pics of her work with us before, including the rainbow above. This time Janet’s made a rag rug, as a Christmas present, for her guitar playing husband’s music room. We think it strikes just the right note!
 
 
Janet also shared a pic of the rug with the guitar it was based on. What a lovely gift for a musician! 
 
 

Here’s a pic from Valerie Bull in Brighton. Valerie only got herself a rag rug making kit and wreath backcloth yesterday [we only posted it on Monday] but already she’s made herself this gorgeous wreath. We love the way the white around the outside suggests snow. Pretty quick and pretty good! Thank you very much for sharing the pic, Valerie! One word of warning, though – Valerie says she’s already addicted. Heady stuff this rag rug making!
 

Thanks to Carole, in Kent, for a pic of her great idea to make a Christmas wreath to fit around a candle [safely inside a jar, of course].
 

And Carole also shared this pic of a robin she needle felted onto one of our unlined hessian bags. Irresistible at this time of year! Thanks Carole!

Here’s an interesting picture – Helen Thomas, of Bristol, kindly shared a pic of the rag rug making tool her Great Uncle Walter made in, she thinks, 1895! Walter was a blacksmith, in Lincoln, and it looks like he made his tool from an old bone forceps. Very clever stuff and it still works! There’s also a pic of the rag rug Helen’s making, for her daughter, using Great Uncle Walter’s tool. Thanks Helen, we really appreciate you letting us share this.
 
Here’s the tool
 
 
And here’s the rag rug Helen’s making
 

Some good news about our Wreath Backcloths. After our move, last spring, we stopped offering these pre-marked backcloths [they can also be used as a template] because there was so much other setting up to do and these are popular in the run up to Christmas. Well, we’re there again so we’ve just re-listed them. To celebrate, here’s a pic of a brilliant idea recently kindly sent to us by Patsy Cowley. Patsy made a halloween wreath for her twin granddaughters. That’s a scarily good idea! Thanks Patsy!

Thank you very much to Yvonne from Stockport. Regular visitors may well remember, some months ago, we posted pics of a mystery tool very kindly sent to us by Angela Jones of Kentucky USA and asked for info. Well, Yvonne has identified it as a ‘Law’s Rugmaking Machine’. It was patented on 1948 and made at Offerton, near Stockport where Yvonne lives. Yvonne has a tool like it and intends to donate it to a local museum. Nice one, Yvonne! The post about the tool now has it’s own page. Here’s a reminder of what it looked like:
 

Here’s a great idea, and just at the right time! David Rye, in Norfolk, kindly shared this pic of the poppy rug he’s going to hang in his village for Remembrance Day. What a good idea and what an attractive rug. Thanks David!
 

Just a bit of self-indulgence here – having not been able to demonstrate at shows since March we were sorting out some rugs and came across ‘Shaggy Ted’, one of our oldest rugs [we made it way over 20 years ago] which has been to more craft show and events than we care to remember. Here’s a pic:

We love to hear from our rag rug making visitors and customers and get a lot of very generous feedback. Thank you! We’re having to sort out a temporary problem at the moment, though. Our usual contact form seems to have attracted the attention of a lot of bulk mail senders and we’re getting tons of junk! In an effort to stop this we’ve switched our usual contact form off but we still want to hear from all our genuine customers & visitors and are still just as pleased to answer questions. So, just for now, please use this link, which should go to your usual email browser to  CONTACT US
 

Here’s a great idea: Carole, in Kent, is one of the people who was waiting for us to get our unlined hessian bags back in stock. Carole likes rag rug making but is also into needle-felting. She made this stylish bag by putting a board under a sponge inside the bag and then needle-felted her design right through the side of the bag. What a great idea! And another great idea: Carole is one of the many people who are rightly concerned about the cruel practice of ‘mulesing’ sheep. So Carole gets her wool from ethical suppliers and favours wool from local farms. Here’s a pic of the bag. Thanks Carole!

  


Still not a happy subject but we feel we should mention the coronavirus situation. We are still able to make all the tools in our own workshop and understand online traders are allowed, and encouraged, to keep offering their products. The stalwart folk in our local post office are also still providing their usual excellent service so we’re still able to post all orders the same, or next, working day. We are, of course, taking extreme care over handling goods and parcels are reckoned [by official advice] to be safe. We’re depending heavily on internet shopping ourselves.
We sincerely hope all our customers and visitors are safe and well and all those who are indulging in craftwork at home are happy with their creative pastime. 


Lorraine Dally has visited Nina & Chris a several shows and has been kind enough to share this pic of the fox hooked rug she made. What a lovely rug and what a lovely way to share when the shows have all had to take a break! Thanks Lorraine.


We wanted to show appreciation and support for all those working so hard in the NHS so we’ve put a rainbow rag rug in our window.


Rob Bacon kindly sent us this pic of the first rug he’s made using our tools. Looks pretty good to us! Well packed with a great mix of colours. Thanks Rob!


Mary Keeling really likes highland cattle and rag rug making so she’s combined the two to make ‘Hamish’

Mary also made this rag rug for her friend, Jane. Jane likes lighthouses and windmills. Clever stuff!


A customer sent us this pic of the hooked rag rug she made to her own excellent design. It’s going to be a present so she didn’t want us to use her name, though she certainly deserves credit!

Ruth Bartholomew has been doing interesting experiments with different materials. This one is made from felt strips. It must have taken a lot of cutting but what a marvellous heavy-duty rag rug it made. Ruth has some more ideas and we’ll post pics soon.

Here’s a couple of pics showing another good idea by Ruth Bartholomew. She’s used anti-slip matting, as a backcloth, instead of hessian. Ideal for anyone who’s allergic to hessian and the pics show it works. Thanks Ruth!

Top side

Underside

Ruth’s done it again! This time it’s a rug that must feel as gorgeous as it looks because it’s made from sweatshirt fabric


In response to the requests for rag rug making tutorials the quickest thing we can offer is this link to Nina Corey demonstrating the basic technique.  We hope this is helpful. 

Here are a few more links to demonstration videos: How it’s done  || How to use the spider tool  || How to use the cutting gauge  || How to make a hem || Using plastic carrier bags  || Using the Pinking scissors gauge ||How to make a Christmas Wreath


Now it’s three weeks at our new premises for us, after 20 years where we were! Being a very small, family business that means home and business.  Thanks very much to the gentleman who phoned our mobile and let us know our landline number was still at the old address. Whoops! All up to date now.
We have some new pics to share and will upload them asap [still a lot of sorting out to do after the move].



Thanks very much to Janet White for this pic. Janet has made very crafty use of her rag rug making tools to please her domino mad family. That should do the trick and we’re resisting the temptation to say it’s a dotty idea! 



Here’s some timely inspiration: Rachel Lockwood saw a rag rug offered for sale in a market and got the idea to make one herself. She bought the necessary rag rug making tools, from our online shop, in October and has made the 1 metre x 1.5 metre rag rug pictured below for her daughter. Wow! Thank you so much, Rachel, for letting us share the picture.


Kath Mayall sent us a pic of this rag rug from her project to offer help to people in Gambia by bringing the rugs they’ve made back to the UK and forwarding them all the money. It’s a beautiful rug, as ever. The very best of luck to her. More from Kath.


Here’s a brilliant idea sent to us by a customer who bought a rag rug making kit from Nina at her stand at Event City Manchester recently. Nina’s customer prefers not to be named but we couldn’t resist sharing the idea: tiny rag rugs made to protect a new laminate floor from the feet of a bed. You just know shop-bought floor protector cups will be made from plastic which makes this idea doubly good. Check out the pic:
By the way, we’d love to share any more ideas like this.

 

Thanks to Jill Ruiz, of Gloucester, who sent us a pic of her recent rag rug making workshop. The pic shows the group saluting with the rag rug making tools we sent, and arrived in the nick of time, after a problem in the post. The rag rug makers all look like they’re having such a good time we asked it we could publish the pic. Thanks for saying ‘yes’, Jill. Long may the rug making fun continue!

 

We do appreciate your support, we have been making our rag rug tools by hand in a shed in Cornwall for over 26 years, and each tool is hand tested before we send it on it’s way to a new home. We use sustainable beech and only use upcycled cloth on our rugs. No materials are imported and we buy local, therefore we keep our carbon footprint low.

Did you know that many charity shops have clothes and duvet covers that are unable to be sold due to missing buttons, broken zips etc. This material gets sold in bulk for paper making, but they are often happy to sell it at a very cheap price, just ask in your local shop. It’s already washed and ready to use for your next project!



Thank you very much to Philippa Lowe for sending us this pic of the rag rug she made, in sea colours, at Branscombe last week. She took the pic on the beach where it goes perfectly. What a brilliant idea!


Brian Naylor kindly sent this picture of an amazing angel made for his local church last autumn. It’s made entirely from recycled materials and stands 4′ 6″ high!

Thanks Brian, it was angelic of you to send this!


Thanks to Jane Mitchell for the pic she’s just sent us of her first rag rug. Jane said:

I visited the craft show in Manchester on 1st February and bought one of your rug making kits. I’ve always been fascinated with rag rugs and something I’ve always wanted to do.
I’m sending you a picture of my first attempt, I finished it yesterday.
Many thanks for inspiring me to do this most enjoyable pastime.
Kind regards, Jane Mitchell

Thank you Jane! We love your rug – you obviously have an eye for colour. 


We’ve had a very interesting old rag rug making tool extremely kindly sent to us by Angela Jones in Kentucky USA. She bought it in a local sale but it was made, quite some time ago, in the UK. It has a UK provisional patent number which we haven’t been able to trace. It looks experimental and doesn’t really do the job, though it certainly does seem to be meant for rag rug making . The teeth rip thick cloth; the hole under the teeth makes thin cloth fall out of it. We’ve been trying to find out more about it but have drawn a blank. If anyone knows anything about it we’d love to hear from them. And, of course, we’re hugely grateful to Angela! Here’s some pics:

 

Hooray!  At last we’ve just got our new 6mm rug hooks listed for rag rug making on a finer scale – the existing, 8mm, ones are very popular, we’re very glad to be able to say, but a number of people have asked for a smaller size. Now, after much setting up and testing, the first lot are available and are the same price as our standard ones.


Thanks very much for all the nice comments about this How to make a rag rug video, Click here, we’re very glad it’s so popular!

Here are a few more links to demonstration videos: How it’s done  || How to use the spider tool  || How to use the cutting gauge  || How to make a hem || Using plastic carrier bags  || Using the Pinking scissors gauge ||How to make a Christmas Wreath


We make all the tools ourselves down in beautiful Cornwall

Makings has been making the tools for traditional rag rug making, that’s the rag rugs that used to be so popular in Britain, Australia & New Zealand since 1990. We usually post all orders the same, or next, working day.

We do not store credit card details  nor do we share customer details with any 3rd partiesTerms&Conditions



Some of the latest pics visitors have kindly sent us. Plenty more in our Gallery

We’ve had a pic very kindly shared with us, by Pam Bolton, of her amazing rag rug. Pam uses our standard hook and our new fine hook. Here’s her incredible rag rug Queen of Hearts:

Pam runs workshops beside the Carlisle Settle Railway line. She can be contacted by email [pamelabolton@hotmail.co.uk]. 


Thanks very much to Sheena Groom who visited the rag rug making stand at Manchester’s Event City and, later, sent this photo and comment.

Sheena said:
Hello, I was chatting to you on the stand on Thursday [Feb 2019] at event city. I was talking about the cute doggy piccys. I’ve bought a kit at previous show n just finished a small rug for my cats bed. You’d said to send a piccy, so ere it is! Lol, not big but I’m pleased with it. The tools are great and easy to use.

Thank you

Somebody has to say it…That rug looks purrrfect for a cat’s bed!


Writing on the rug

Janet White sent us a pic of her latest rug. Clever stuff and a beautiful rug. Her take on tile art. Looks like Janet’s made rag rug making mightier than the pen!


 
 

 
 

Rag rugs, rag rugging, rag mats, clippy, spring clip, clootie, proddy, proggy, bodged, peg, pegged – call ’em what you like, this site is all about the old favourite ‘hard times’ rag rugs and how to make them. We make a range of rag rug tools to our design including our rag rugger [as used by Kirstie Allsopp on her craft series a little while back], cutting gauge, hook and more. We can also offer expert advice on virtually all aspects of rag rug making. We’ve made all the tools ourselves for over 25 years when we revived the traditional UK ‘hard times’ craft by redesigning the Victorian tool for the modern age, it still works in exactly the same way though.


How to contact us

Makings
9 Southbourne Road
St Austell
Cornwall
PL25 4RU
Phone: 07796 112366 
 
OR
 
We love to hear from our rag rug making visitors and customers and get a lot of very generous feedback. Thank you! We’re having to sort out a temporary problem at the moment, though. Our usual contact form seems to have attracted the attention of a lot of bulk mail senders and we’re getting tons of junk! In an effort to stop this we’ve switched our usual contact form off but we still want to hear from all our genuine customers & visitors and are still just as pleased to answer questions. So, just for now, please use this link, which should go to your usual email browser to  CONTACT US
 
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