Earlier this month came the big announcement that here in the UK, pubs, theatres, museums and cinemas have been given the go ahead to re-open (with suitable precautions in place, of course). With that in mind, now seems like the right time to come out of hibernation and get back to doing what I love doing most – teaching you guys how to rag rug! I’ve really missed meeting up with like-minded craft-lovers at our Rag Rug Classes.
So, with re-opening in mind, the next question in my mind was, how do I bring back our workshops whilst keeping everyone safe, happy and healthy? I love our Ragged Life HQ to bits, but it’s definitely more cosy and cottagey than social-distancing friendly and sterile.
However, one massive advantage of the Ragged Life HQ is that it happens to be based in the midst of an absolutely beautiful garden. Don’t believe me? Just look at it…
The gorgeousness of the garden, and the fact that we’ve had pretty nice weather recently, gave me an idea – how fun would it be fun to learn how to rag rug in the garden?
So, that’s what we’ll be doing! Throughout July and August (whilst we make our indoor space social distancing safe), we’ll be running our rag rug workshops in the picturesque grounds of Delamere House near Hitchin. The workshops will have the same great quality teaching, 5* format and Ragged Life tools etc… but, running the workshops outside will allow us to run them safely, whilst maintaining good social distancing. Neat huh!
So, what’s the deal?
A few reasons to book onto outdoor rag rug classes:
- They’ll be fun! We’ve all been cooped up for too long now. Let’s have some socially distanced craft fun.
- The setting is beautiful. Love nature and craft? This may be the only time that we run our workshops outside, so now’s the time to join in 🙂
- We’ll have more space to get our craft on!
What Covid-19 precautions will be in place?
We’re determined to make the rag rug classes as fun and seamless as possible. We will however have some extra precautions in place to make sure everyone stays safe:
- All the rag rug tools will be disinfected before the workshop and at the end of the workshop.
- Everyone will be asked to disinfect their hands upon arriving at the workshop and leaving.
- Teas, coffees and refreshments will be provided as usual, but we’ll be using single-use compostable cups, or please bring along your own reusable one.
- If you would like to buy any rag rug tools at the end of the workshop, we will only be taking card payments (we have an iZettle card machine).
And here are a few other FAQs you may have:
Q: Is there parking at the Ragged Life HQ?
Yes, we have plenty of parking at the Ragged Life HQ. You’ll never struggle for a spot.
Q: Will I have to walk far to these outdoor rag rug classes?
No, you won’t have to walk far. We reckon it is approximately 30 metres from the parking to where we’ll be running the outdoor workshops. You will have to walk across grass though, so perhaps leave your stilettos at home.
Q: What happens if it’s raining or windy?
We’ll make a call a couple of days beforehand and will only cancel if the weather looks particularly dire. If it’s not too bad then the workshop will still take place outdoors, but we’ll be under cover (in a lovely little boat house by the pond). We recommend that you bring along some layers just in case it’s a tad chilly, but Hertfordshire is a particularly dry part of the UK.
Q: How are you going to do tea and coffee?
Don’t worry, we have outdoor plugs, so you won’t miss out on your customary hot beverages and biscuits 🙂
Q: Will I have access to a toilet?
If you need the bathroom during the workshop, you will have access to one in the Coach House (where we usually run our classes). However, we will doing it on a one-by-one basis 🙂
Q: Do I need to wear a mask?
We will be spacing everyone at least 1-1.5 metres apart, and putting in place the precautions above, so mask-wearing is not compulsory. However, if you feel more comfortable with the added level of protection then do feel free to bring one along 🙂
Q: I’m not based near Hitchin, are you planning to get your other venues up and running soon?
A: Yes, we are currently in talks with all our other venues to get the ball moving. Some venues are slightly harder to get back up and running with social distancing in place, so we’re taking things one partner at a time. We so appreciate how patient you’ve all been with rearranged classes etc… You’ve really kept us going through pretty tough times. Thanks once again!
Fancy coming along?
Book onto a half day or full day class on the Ragged Life website here.
Hopefully teach you soon!
Elspeth x