So glad to have come across this, I can remember my mother making these rugs 70 years ago and i wanted to show my granddaughter how to make one but couldn't remember how she did it. I can't wait to get the hessian. i have already started her on latch hook work so this will be easy for her. Thank you for bringing back some wonderful memories
Just came across your book the other day. Funny thing is i found your youtube channel not knowing you had one. This looks like lots of fun and can't wait to get started.
I just rediscovered your book that I bought a year or so ago. I learned traditional wool rug hooking as a child but haven’t done it in decades. So excited to see what can be done with T-shirt fabric ( have loads of scraps from currently making a T-shirt Quilt) . Thank you so much for your expertise!!
That’s so lovely to hear Wendy. You’ll have plenty of fun chopping up your old clothing (it gets addictive). Do send me a photo when you’ve finished your quilt :)
I’ve inherited my great great grandmothers hook and I’m so pleased you posted here. The stories that came from my Nana’s rug always inspired me ! I can’t wait to start , I’d just like to know how you secure the edges of the hessian , any particular consideration ? Thanks
How lovely that you've got the stories that have been passed down! You need to make sure that you hem the edges of your hessian by turning them over twice about 1cm and stitching them in position. That'll make for a very secure rug. Good luck with it!
Hey! I would love to make one of these rugs, but I had a few questions. First of all, is there an easy way to cut the strips of cloth all the same size? My plan was to go to a thrift store and just buy a bunch of old shirts, skirts, rags, blankets, etc. for this project, but cutting them with scissors seems like a nightmare!! D: Secondly, is there a cheap place to get this "hessian" stuff? Another comment said that it's basically burlap, but I'm not sure where to get it that isn't super expensive.... :( I don't want my rug to end up costing $100+! Lastly, not a question but.... I ADORE this kind of rug. When I got my first house, I was given a hand-me-down rug made from a family friend. It was mostly black with a pattern of ducks on it. It was about 5 feet long, and about 3 feet wide, and I always kept it in my kitchen. It kept the floor nice and dry, and was always so comfy on my feet! My cat loved the "duck rug" too! Sadly, the duck rug is nearing the end of its life. Hence my interest in making my own "duck rug" haha.
ProjectAlci So glad that you’re feeling enthusiastic! Firstly, a small apology. I’m from the UK (as you can probably tell from my accent), so my knowledge of where you can source stuff in the US is a little patchy I’m afraid. Burlap is the American word for “hessian”, so I’d probably try searching for that on amazon or eBay to start off. You can normally get it pretty cheaply. Fabric-wise, we’re very lucky to have lots of cheap charity shops here in the UK (an even cheaper version of American thrift stores), so that’s where I get some of my fabric from, but I’d probably ask friends and family first to see what’s knocking round. Old duvet sets are great as you get so much fabric from them. In terms of using scissors to cut it all up, I actually weirdly enjoy it (I find it’s part of the therapeutic process to cut as I go along), but you can also use a rotary cutter as well if you have one of those. I hope that answers some of your questions, but do check out my blog for more resources www.raggedlifeblog.com 🙂
@@Raggedlifedesigns Thanks so much for all your info! I figured I might as well reply to everything here instead of having both comments clogging into one big thread haha. I'm actually not in the US. :( Would love to immigrate someday haha. I found a roll at my Walmart for $45, but again it's 100ft. So, I think that's actually a pretty good price, since 100ft makes MANY rugs! I briefly checked out your blog (and bookmarked it for later!) but I had a couple more questions. How long do you cut the strips? They look about 4 inches long in the video. And I'm still wondering if I can get away with not hemming the hessian? Thanks so much for taking the time to read and reply to my long comments!
@@ProjectAlci No problem, I'm happy to help where I can. I cut the strips roughly about 7cm long using the wooden gauge. That's just under 3 inches, but you don't have to use a particularly length. Just keep it consistent for a more uniform look. I would always hem the hessian before you start a project if you can. You don't need to do it with a machine. You can even do it by hand by pinning an edge in place and tacking along it. A bit of work at the beginning will save you a lot of work near the end ;)
I use a craft rug canvas, which has much wider "windows," and you can therefore make your strips a bit wider. I live in Canada, and canvases are easily available here--no doubt you can also get them in the U.S. A couple of weeks ago I lucked into some second-hand rug canvas at a thrift store, but the new stuff isn't too expensive.
I tried this with torn-up cotton sheeting but ended up with a frayed mess. What fabric do you use? Would teeshirt material be better than sheeting? Thanks!
Hi Rhonda, was it a pure cotton or poly cotton do you know? Cutting cotton diagonal to the weave (on the bias) stops it fraying as much. It also frays less if you cut it versus tearing. Jersey is by far the easiest fabric to work with so I would definitely try that. Hope that helps, Elspeth
Hi Rachel, you leave them unbacked, so that the dust can pass through. You can read more in my blog post on how to clean rag rugs here: raggedlifeblog.com/how-to-clean-a-rag-rug/ Hope that helps, Elspeth
Hi. First of all, exactly what is "hessian" ? And then.... I've made several rag rugs using BASICALLY the same technique, but I always tie the strips into a knot to make sure they don't come off. But I've also never used anything that looks like whatever that "hessian" is. Is that similar to "burlap"?
Lisa matthews Hi Lisa, “hessian” is the British name for “burlap”. It’s the same thing, just called different things depending on where you’re from (confusingly!) You don’t need to knot pieces into the hessian as long as your hessian is a tight enough weave as it will gradually tighten to secure the pieces in if you pack it tightly enough. You only need to knot materials into the hessian when the weave is too loose or if you’re using wool (which isn’t thick enough to fill the holes of the hessian properly). It’s only a last resort though as it takes far more time and faff. Hope that helps! Elspeth
Hi Barbra, normally my rugs are so heavy that they don’t really slip around much, but you can stick non slip webbing underneath as well. You can buy it from Ikea 🙂
Lynda Jones Hi Lynda, you can easily clean rag rugs. Beat them outside to get the worst of the dust out (that’s why you never back a rag rug as it traps the dust between the backing and the rag rugging). If you need to give it a more thorough wash then just put it in a pillowcase and put it in the washing machine on a low temperature wash. I even vacuum my rag rugs :) hope that helps! Elspeth
Hello, you can mix in yarn strips as long as you tie them into the hessian and don't leave them loose like the rags. You can Google "redicut rugs" to see how this is done. Yarn strips don't tend to be thick enough to tighten the hessian up on their own without securing them in place, so if you don't knot them in, they fall out. I've used some super chunky yarns before, but I tend to use them for the loopy technique. Hope that helps :) Elspeth
I'm looking to buy hessian 4 holes per cm but I canr see that when I'm looking at hessian online. Am I being dumb (probably, wont b the first time) lol Xx
I had one more question! Can I use NOT hemmed burlap? I did a search for burlap in my area, and it seems to only come in big rolls for gardening..... which are sadly like $40. :/ They're 100 ft rolls, though, which would make a ton of rugs! Sadly, they're not hemmed. If I machine hemmed it, would that be okay....? Or can I leave it not hemmed? Sorry for the flood of questions!!
ProjectAlci Oh wow!! That’s so bizarre that you can’t buy less than that. Do you have any friends who do upholstery? If so, they’ll probably have some they can give / sell you. You can use other alternatives, but I think hessian is by far the best for longevity and ease to work with. Hessian is pliable and can be put in the washing machine once finished. Rug canvas is scratchy on the hands and can’t be fixed if things break, whilst other materials like monks cloth will be more expensive than hessian. You can even use an old potato sack if you have one lying around. Which area are you in?
Olá, sou brasileira, achei muito interessante e prática essa técnica mas não entendo a sua língua. Gostaria de saber se posso fazer tapetes desse jeitinho q vc ensina e o q vc faz para não soltar os fios depois de colocados na juta. Espero resposta! 👍👍 p vc!
Eda Seade Olá, desculpe, mas eu não falo português. Você pode encontrar meu blog (www.raggedlifeblog.com) útil, pois tudo está escrito para que você possa usar o Google Tradutor. Desculpe que não posso ser mais útil e boa sorte!
Vicki Stone Hi Vicki, once you get good at rag rugging, you should never look at the back of the hessian. By the time you've practised a bit, you just know where the strip is behind the hessian. When you're a beginner it's sometimes easier to check what you're doing on the back of the hessian so you don't end up with a lumpy back. Hope that helps, Elspeth :)
Kathie Massalon Hi Kathie, by "hoop" do you mean do the loopy technique of rag rugging? If so, yes, I've made lots of large rag rugs in that technique and it looks great :)
Hi Kathie, I never generally use a frame as they can make things more cumbersome, but you could use a hoop as a frame to finish the edge of a rag rug piece off nicely :)
Colette Black Hi Colette, I would recommend mixing different fabrics together so you get a mix of different textures. I like using fabrics like jersey, fleece and cotton, but you can use anything. Generally choose fabrics that don’t fray too much when you cut into them as they will continue to shed. Hope that helps! Elspeth
Hi blossom, it’s probably the fabric settling. Give it a very thorough vacuuming and it’ll take off most of the surface strands and will hopefully stop shedding. Did you use upholstery fabric? All the best, Elspeth
blossom Ok, let me know how it goes :) I’m hoping that it’ll get rid of all the loose fibres when you give it a good vacuum then it’ll begin to settle x
unearthedgwyny Loopy rag rugging is only really vulnerable from the back of the hessian. If it gets pulled from the front then it just pulls the rag rugging tighter against the hessian. Most of the time, the back of the rag rugging is underneath or inside so isn’t really on show. If any did get pulled out though you can always put it back in again as you can rag rug into hessian that has already been rag rugged into. Hope that helps!
So glad to have come across this, I can remember my mother making these rugs 70 years ago and i wanted to show my granddaughter how to make one but couldn't remember how she did it. I can't wait to get the hessian. i have already started her on latch hook work so this will be easy for her. Thank you for bringing back some wonderful memories
my grandmother when she was in service used to make rag rugs
What a lovely memory. Have you given it a go?
Hi there thank you for your tutorial. I know its from a few yezrs ago but its still so relevant. OCT 2024
Great tutorial, no nonsense, thank you.
Pretty and simple and love that one can recycle so many types of fabric!
I wish I could double like! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for and that was extremely well described. Thanks so much
You're very welcome!
Just came across your book the other day. Funny thing is i found your youtube channel not knowing you had one. This looks like lots of fun and can't wait to get started.
So glad you're feeling inspired Lana. Any questions, let me know and I'd be happy to answer them :) Elspeth
I just rediscovered your book that I bought a year or so ago. I learned traditional wool rug hooking as a child but haven’t done it in decades. So excited to see what can be done with T-shirt fabric ( have loads of scraps from currently making a T-shirt Quilt) . Thank you so much for your expertise!!
That’s so lovely to hear Wendy. You’ll have plenty of fun chopping up your old clothing (it gets addictive). Do send me a photo when you’ve finished your quilt :)
Ragged Life I sure will ! Thank you again for your lovely and easy to follow teaching style.
Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try this.
That's so nice!
Really well presented - thanks!
Anna McHugh Thanks Anna :)
I’ve inherited my great great grandmothers hook and I’m so pleased you posted here. The stories that came from my Nana’s rug always inspired me ! I can’t wait to start , I’d just like to know how you secure the edges of the hessian , any particular consideration ? Thanks
How lovely that you've got the stories that have been passed down! You need to make sure that you hem the edges of your hessian by turning them over twice about 1cm and stitching them in position. That'll make for a very secure rug. Good luck with it!
You are so cheery I had to subscribe 😊
Angela Lee Heal With Compassion Thanks Angela - that’s very kind of you 🙂
Can you put a backing on this to further secure the material and make it look more finished.
Wanna try it !
Hey! I would love to make one of these rugs, but I had a few questions.
First of all, is there an easy way to cut the strips of cloth all the same size? My plan was to go to a thrift store and just buy a bunch of old shirts, skirts, rags, blankets, etc. for this project, but cutting them with scissors seems like a nightmare!! D:
Secondly, is there a cheap place to get this "hessian" stuff? Another comment said that it's basically burlap, but I'm not sure where to get it that isn't super expensive.... :(
I don't want my rug to end up costing $100+!
Lastly, not a question but.... I ADORE this kind of rug. When I got my first house, I was given a hand-me-down rug made from a family friend. It was mostly black with a pattern of ducks on it. It was about 5 feet long, and about 3 feet wide, and I always kept it in my kitchen. It kept the floor nice and dry, and was always so comfy on my feet!
My cat loved the "duck rug" too!
Sadly, the duck rug is nearing the end of its life. Hence my interest in making my own "duck rug" haha.
ProjectAlci So glad that you’re feeling enthusiastic! Firstly, a small apology. I’m from the UK (as you can probably tell from my accent), so my knowledge of where you can source stuff in the US is a little patchy I’m afraid. Burlap is the American word for “hessian”, so I’d probably try searching for that on amazon or eBay to start off. You can normally get it pretty cheaply. Fabric-wise, we’re very lucky to have lots of cheap charity shops here in the UK (an even cheaper version of American thrift stores), so that’s where I get some of my fabric from, but I’d probably ask friends and family first to see what’s knocking round. Old duvet sets are great as you get so much fabric from them. In terms of using scissors to cut it all up, I actually weirdly enjoy it (I find it’s part of the therapeutic process to cut as I go along), but you can also use a rotary cutter as well if you have one of those. I hope that answers some of your questions, but do check out my blog for more resources www.raggedlifeblog.com 🙂
@@Raggedlifedesigns Thanks so much for all your info! I figured I might as well reply to everything here instead of having both comments clogging into one big thread haha.
I'm actually not in the US. :(
Would love to immigrate someday haha.
I found a roll at my Walmart for $45, but again it's 100ft. So, I think that's actually a pretty good price, since 100ft makes MANY rugs!
I briefly checked out your blog (and bookmarked it for later!) but I had a couple more questions. How long do you cut the strips? They look about 4 inches long in the video.
And I'm still wondering if I can get away with not hemming the hessian?
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and reply to my long comments!
@@ProjectAlci No problem, I'm happy to help where I can. I cut the strips roughly about 7cm long using the wooden gauge. That's just under 3 inches, but you don't have to use a particularly length. Just keep it consistent for a more uniform look. I would always hem the hessian before you start a project if you can. You don't need to do it with a machine. You can even do it by hand by pinning an edge in place and tacking along it. A bit of work at the beginning will save you a lot of work near the end ;)
I use a craft rug canvas, which has much wider "windows," and you can therefore make your strips a bit wider. I live in Canada, and canvases are easily available here--no doubt you can also get them in the U.S. A couple of weeks ago I lucked into some second-hand rug canvas at a thrift store, but the new stuff isn't too expensive.
I tried this with torn-up cotton sheeting but ended up with a frayed mess. What fabric do you use? Would teeshirt material be better than sheeting? Thanks!
Hi Rhonda, was it a pure cotton or poly cotton do you know? Cutting cotton diagonal to the weave (on the bias) stops it fraying as much. It also frays less if you cut it versus tearing. Jersey is by far the easiest fabric to work with so I would definitely try that. Hope that helps, Elspeth
Very nice thank you
Alex Hernandez You’re welcome Alex :) hope you have fun rag rugging!
How can I get one of your book am from Jamaica 🇯🇲
Can you wash a shaggy rag rug as I have chosen light colors
after doing this step..... how do you finish the rug? what happens if you need to wash it?
Hi Rachel, you leave them unbacked, so that the dust can pass through. You can read more in my blog post on how to clean rag rugs here: raggedlifeblog.com/how-to-clean-a-rag-rug/ Hope that helps, Elspeth
Do you have any techniques on how to quickly cut the strips
I do indeed: ruclips.net/video/W8ebd7xCg2w/видео.html :)
Hi. First of all, exactly what is "hessian" ? And then.... I've made several rag rugs using BASICALLY the same technique, but I always tie the strips into a knot to make sure they don't come off. But I've also never used anything that looks like whatever that "hessian" is. Is that similar to "burlap"?
Lisa matthews Hi Lisa, “hessian” is the British name for “burlap”. It’s the same thing, just called different things depending on where you’re from (confusingly!) You don’t need to knot pieces into the hessian as long as your hessian is a tight enough weave as it will gradually tighten to secure the pieces in if you pack it tightly enough. You only need to knot materials into the hessian when the weave is too loose or if you’re using wool (which isn’t thick enough to fill the holes of the hessian properly). It’s only a last resort though as it takes far more time and faff. Hope that helps! Elspeth
What do you use under the bottom of your rugs to keep them from sliding and how do you attach something on the bottom
Hi Barbra, normally my rugs are so heavy that they don’t really slip around much, but you can stick non slip webbing underneath as well. You can buy it from Ikea 🙂
@@elspethjackson8725 Thanks
How washable are these? or what backing would I use to be able to wash the rug and hang it out to dry?
Lynda Jones Hi Lynda, you can easily clean rag rugs. Beat them outside to get the worst of the dust out (that’s why you never back a rag rug as it traps the dust between the backing and the rag rugging). If you need to give it a more thorough wash then just put it in a pillowcase and put it in the washing machine on a low temperature wash. I even vacuum my rag rugs :) hope that helps! Elspeth
Can you use yarn strips with hessian too?
Hello, you can mix in yarn strips as long as you tie them into the hessian and don't leave them loose like the rags. You can Google "redicut rugs" to see how this is done. Yarn strips don't tend to be thick enough to tighten the hessian up on their own without securing them in place, so if you don't knot them in, they fall out. I've used some super chunky yarns before, but I tend to use them for the loopy technique. Hope that helps :) Elspeth
Can you wash this rug?
Hi Stephen, you sure can. You may find this blog post I've written useful: raggedlifeblog.com/how-to-clean-a-rag-rug/
I'm looking to buy hessian 4 holes per cm but I canr see that when I'm looking at hessian online. Am I being dumb (probably, wont b the first time) lol
Xx
Use a sack.
Hello, so sorry that you're finding the hessian difficult to source in the correct weave. Which country are you in? Maybe I can help, Elspeth
@@Raggedlifedesigns im having the same trouble too. I'm in the United States. Is it what we call burlap.
@@stacynscottallen Hi Stacy, yes, hessian is called burlap in the USA 🙂
I had one more question! Can I use NOT hemmed burlap? I did a search for burlap in my area, and it seems to only come in big rolls for gardening..... which are sadly like $40. :/
They're 100 ft rolls, though, which would make a ton of rugs! Sadly, they're not hemmed.
If I machine hemmed it, would that be okay....? Or can I leave it not hemmed?
Sorry for the flood of questions!!
ProjectAlci Oh wow!! That’s so bizarre that you can’t buy less than that. Do you have any friends who do upholstery? If so, they’ll probably have some they can give / sell you. You can use other alternatives, but I think hessian is by far the best for longevity and ease to work with. Hessian is pliable and can be put in the washing machine once finished. Rug canvas is scratchy on the hands and can’t be fixed if things break, whilst other materials like monks cloth will be more expensive than hessian. You can even use an old potato sack if you have one lying around. Which area are you in?
you can buy burlap by the yard at most fabric stores
Olá, sou brasileira, achei muito interessante e prática essa técnica mas não entendo a sua língua. Gostaria de saber se posso fazer tapetes desse jeitinho q vc ensina e o q vc faz para não soltar os fios depois de colocados na juta. Espero resposta! 👍👍 p vc!
Eda Seade Olá, desculpe, mas eu não falo português. Você pode encontrar meu blog (www.raggedlifeblog.com) útil, pois tudo está escrito para que você possa usar o Google Tradutor. Desculpe que não posso ser mais útil e boa sorte!
Can you buy this stuff on amazon?
Hello, here in the UK you can, but I'm not sure about in other countries. Sorry if that's not much help, Elspeth
do you always have to flip your hessian? what if you are doing a big piece?
Vicki Stone Hi Vicki, once you get good at rag rugging, you should never look at the back of the hessian. By the time you've practised a bit, you just know where the strip is behind the hessian. When you're a beginner it's sometimes easier to check what you're doing on the back of the hessian so you don't end up with a lumpy back. Hope that helps, Elspeth :)
Do you ever hoop when doing a large item ,like a rug?
Kathie Massalon Hi Kathie, by "hoop" do you mean do the loopy technique of rag rugging? If so, yes, I've made lots of large rag rugs in that technique and it looks great :)
I mean hoop the project piece, like an embroidery hoop...if so, what would you recommend?
Hi Kathie, I never generally use a frame as they can make things more cumbersome, but you could use a hoop as a frame to finish the edge of a rag rug piece off nicely :)
What are the ideal fabric types to use in a project like this?
Colette Black Hi Colette, I would recommend mixing different fabrics together so you get a mix of different textures. I like using fabrics like jersey, fleece and cotton, but you can use anything. Generally choose fabrics that don’t fray too much when you cut into them as they will continue to shed. Hope that helps! Elspeth
Thank you! That helps a ton! 👍🏽😊
Drool
i started to make one but there are lots of threads coming off the fabric is that bad
Hi blossom, it’s probably the fabric settling. Give it a very thorough vacuuming and it’ll take off most of the surface strands and will hopefully stop shedding. Did you use upholstery fabric? All the best, Elspeth
thanks for replying :) i used an old sheet from my bed@@Raggedlifedesigns
blossom Ok, let me know how it goes :) I’m hoping that it’ll get rid of all the loose fibres when you give it a good vacuum then it’ll begin to settle x
Por favor subtítulos en Español
My dogs would pluck this bald just for fun. I'm afraid I'm stuck with latchook wool rugs
Same
Amei ideia
What’s to stop a bored child or dog pulling the strips out because they’re not knotted!
unearthedgwyny Loopy rag rugging is only really vulnerable from the back of the hessian. If it gets pulled from the front then it just pulls the rag rugging tighter against the hessian. Most of the time, the back of the rag rugging is underneath or inside so isn’t really on show. If any did get pulled out though you can always put it back in again as you can rag rug into hessian that has already been rag rugged into. Hope that helps!
Give the child a job to do and take the dog for a walk.
Treats & threats!
Denim you say? Lol
Huskylock936
Huskylock936