How to make a rag rug
Posted by Sonja
August 1, 2008
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A while ago I posted about the rug me and my boyfriend made. Until I made this, my craft projects were always tiny. Now they will all be huge! So let’s go all Blue Peter-y and I’ll show you how to make your own rag rug!
:: Step one…
You will be requring some canvas. I’ve read you can use hessian, but I managed to find the last bit of proper rug canvas at Kentish Town’s marvellous Delicate Stitches shop. So try there first if you’re in London, or bug Liberty’s haberdashery department. Last time I checked they had stopped selling it due to lack of demand. Show them there is demand. Failing that, I like the Willow Fabrics website. They’re always helpful and they have a gazillion types of canvas (and yikes, I just noticed they’ve put their business up for sale! Somebody buy it! Please!).
I think mine is 3.3 hole per inch hooking rug canvas. But I wouldn’t be too picky – take what you can get! Bind the cut edges with masking tape, as shown above. Oh, and you’ll need a latch hook too, as seen in action below.
:: Step two…
Depending on the size you’re going for, you will need either a hell of a lot of fabric, or a shitload. Seriously these things EAT fabric. Get all the fabric. Cut it into strips (mine were about an inch by six inches, but you can experiment). Throw away your ruler after the first few, and just hold your finished strips up against your fabric and cut by eye.
You can use a random mix of colours, or do stripes and patterns. Probably a good idea to draw any patterns out on the canvas first.
:: Step three…
This is where the hooker jokes come in. Push your hook down into the canvas, and up through the next hole. Place a fabric strip inside the hook part. Now pull the hook out, back the way it came. It will close on the fabric and bring it through. Viola! A tuft!
:: Step four…
Carry on hooking and you’ll start to develop a patch of rug. Find something good on tv. Clear your diary. Keep going. It will turn into a rug.
:: Step five…
The finishing step is to sew over the masking-taped edges with some ribbon or long fabric strip, to give it a nice soft edge (I used the long seams left over from a big sheet I’d cut up).
And that’s it! You’re a rag doll!
22 comments Categories: craft, tutorial
August 1st, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Great post Sonja! I hope someone is inspired. I would be, but I know how long this took you! It ws worth it though.
August 2nd, 2008 at 9:52 am
I understand why my grandma used making rag rugs to keep my mum and her sister occupied during the summer holidays!
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Oh wow, do they all stay in okay even though you don’t knot them? I’d love to try this, but I’m notoriously bad at finishing things…. one day though! I absolutely loved your rug, I’d love to have one of my own :)
Thanks for the tutorial! :)
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Hey Em,
Yes, the miracle is that they do all stay in! A few of the more slippery fabrics I used have slunk out of their holes, but 99% of them stay in – being bunched so close together, they can’t move.
I’m thinking of trying a rag cushion cover next, which should take a lot less time!
x
January 30th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I’ve been searching internet for 2 days to find out how to make this type of rug. Thanks you so much!!!
May 31st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Brilliant- I intend to give this a try, it looks like the greatest fun since crochet! I believe the Dunkirk spirit that we are now adopting in these difficult economic times means everyone in the UK is currently making rag rugs… I tried John Lewis for a hook, but they’d sold out. Still, they are opening a JL in Cardiff soon (hoorah!!) so let’s hope they’ve hooks galore and plenty of canvas.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Fab! Just what I was looking for! I’ll be setting my class onto this project from September onwards- can’t wait to get going on it as part of our topic.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Hi. Have my great aunts rag rug frame. what do i do with that???
Do you pull more than one strand thru each hole – i.e. pack it full?
October 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Thankyou so much for the rug making instructions, I tried the craft shops in my home town, they had no idea how to make them.
I am now looking forward to getting my rug materals together and getting started, will let you know how I get on. Thanks again.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
fantastic site found this will googling rag rugs so easy to follow and understand i will be having ago at one my self as soon as i have the bits i need ;))) your rugs look awesome
February 7th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Thank you so much for publishing these instructions, so sad crafting skills seem to be going out of fashion, I will be staring a rag rug as soon as the canvas arrives!!
February 20th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Fab instructions. Went to local Jumble Sale today – got 2 large bags of different matterial for £4 – great. C & H sell hessian at £1.99 per metre.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
hi one and all,dont forget ebay for all the hooks ,canvas etc as well,lots of little shops on their with all crafty bits and bobs -im currently going to use a couple of old quilt covers for mine-maybe something belonging to my ex husband then i can still walk all over him !! he he love to all xx
March 18th, 2010 at 9:06 am
I am using colourful old Tee shirts , hessian , and an old ‘rugger -prodder’ which was my Mother’s. I have bought a modern ‘rugger-prodder’ but it is rather too thick and damages the hessian. The Tee shirts don’t fray and are available from thrift/charity shops very cheaply.
April 27th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Thank you loads for doing this. I have loads of scrap material and a cold patch on the floor, so this website was just what I was looking for!
May 12th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Thank you so much for this, I have been inspired by my friend who is working on her first rag rug right now, it is a magnificent bit of creativity, so easy and so wonderfully, colourfully versatile!! Between us we have much material to get ripping up and get hooking! I came online looking for stockists of canvas and sure enough your great tutorial here gives me this, hopefully there I can also get a suitable hook.
Many, many thanks, I look forward to getting started!
July 19th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Thank you so much for the clear and easy to follow instructions. I am just waiting for my canvas and hook to arrive and then time to hit the charity shops for fabric!
July 19th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Thanks for this I am looking at doing a recycling project with my students and sell the mats with money going to charity. Its a long time since I made a rag rug so could not remember. All I need now is to get hold of a number of hooks and some canvas then we are off. If anyone has any they can donate I would be very grateful.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:27 pm
just came across your site never made a rug be for so i have to hurry up with this message as im gonna run out now and get the canvas and hook byyyyyy wish me luck x
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I could vaguely remember making rugs as a child but was not quite sure how,got all the equipment from the net.Thanks for the realy good instructions.I will be making my rug to match my lounge,will let you know how it goes.Again many thnks,wish me luck x
July 29th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
great job i saw this and decided to get my unfinnished one from the attic its been sitting up there for a good few years …i used the same mesh canvas as you have ,although i have prev done some in the hessian potato sacks ..
the mesh canvas is a lot easier to work and its great for drawing patterns or pics on ..
ive done mine exactly the same way and it holds great its now completed and i have a beautiful rag rug of my three cats stareing out of the window at the stars ..
the only problem im having is how to stop the sides curling under any ideas thanks kaz xx
ps great step by step so easy for people to follow..
August 27th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Hello! This is fantastic – will be trying this for sure..
We actually sell bags of fabulous scraps to lessen the waste from the fashion industry and are always looking for more tutorials like this to add to our site – happy crafting everyone – and if you want some crafts – see us!!
http://www.wesellfabricscraps.co.uk/
xxx