I’m always on the lookout for new rag rug techniques to try and was so happy when I came across Ilka White on Instagram. She makes braided-in rag rugs, as well as other beautiful, sustainable textile techniques. Having made a classic plaited rag rug for my first book “Rag Rugs, Pillows and More”, I was …
Category Archives: How To & Tips
Making a Braid-in Rag Rug: Part 1
If you’re a subscriber to the Ragged Life Inspiration Newsletter then you’ve probably heard me rabbiting on about the September Sustainability Challenge that I’m taking part in in 2023. If you haven’t then you can read a bit more about it here. Long story short, me and four other full-time crafters are each making something …
Rag Rug Terminology – A Beginner’s Guide
It’s easy to get yourself into a bit of a pickle when talking about rag rug making as there are just so many different names out there for the same thing! What’s the difference between a proggy mat and a proddy rug? What is a bodger and why does it have such a funny name? …
Victoria’s Coiled Rope Basket
My mum Victoria is the original person who taught me how to do the traditional British styles of rag rugging (shaggy and loopy) and she has years of experience under her belt. It was therefore interesting when, over lockdown, I wrote my second book featuring other rag rug techniques from across the world. Suddenly, the …
5 Questions Rag Rug Beginners May Ask
There are many questions whizzing through people’s heads when they first start to rag rug. I’ve already answered a few of these crucial rag rug questions in my first blog post “7 Questions a Rag Rug Beginner May Have” and below is Part 2 with questions supplied by some of our wonderful Ragged Life fans, …
Rag Rug Stocking – Free Ragged Life Pattern
In the spirit of Christmas, today I’m sharing a free rag rug project pattern to keep you occupied through the cold days of December. I wracked my brain for what would be a small, fun project to make in the lead up to Christmas and couldn’t think of anything more festive than a rag rug …
Ragged Life Rug Hook – Loopy Rag Rugging Made Easy!
When we introduced our Rag Rug Spring Tool in 2018, it honestly felt like a miracle tool. We’d been shaggy rag rugging with the latch hook for years, but the Spring Tool just made it so much easier and fun. Well, over the past six months, the Ragged Life team and I have been working …
Making a Rag Rug Jacket
For me, 2020 is all about pushing the boundaries of what I can rag rug and I must say, I’m loving it. So far, I’ve done a spot of amateur upholstery whilst making my Rag Rug Ottoman and Rag Rug Laundry Basket and I’ve got more and more ideas springing to mind every day. Well, …
Rag Rugging with Pinking Shears
Throughout my rag rugging years, I’ve experimented with sooo many different fabrics to give texture to my designs. However, recently I’ve been mulling over how I can create texture in different ways. I’ve met a few rag ruggers who have tried using pinking shears to add a different look and feel to their designs (Janice …
Rag Rug Design Tips for a Beginner
So, it’s your first rag rug project and you’re wondering where to start… literally and creatively 🙂 In this blog post, I’ve tried to pull together some simplest rag rug design tips to get you on track to make a first project that you’ll love and cherish for years to come. Read on below for …