Hello there!
I'm Elspeth, founder of Ragged Life. If you've made your way here then the chances are that you've purchased one of our Ragged Life kits (or better yet, you've been the lucky recipient of a thoughtful present). Either way, welcome! I just know you're going to fall in love with rag rugging, and I bet you can't wait to get stuck in.
This Kit Companion page includes all the basic rag rug resources to get you going with your first project. However, if after wading through all this juicy content, you still can't find what you're looking for, then scroll to the bottom of the page to get in touch. We're perfectly friendly, so don't hesitate to drop us a line.
Here's what's covered below:
- Techniques Videos
- Bonus Videos
- First Project Design Tips
- Rag Rugging with Blanket Yarn
- FAQs
- Additional Resources
- Get in touch!
Techniques Vidoes
To get to grips with the tools and techniques of rag rugging, we recommend watching our Introduction to Rag Rugging playlist before starting your first project.
However, if you just want a refresher in one of the techniques then you can also select a specific video to watch below.
• Introduction to the rag rug tools
• What fabrics can be used
• Creating your strips for rag rugging
• Shaggy rag rugging with the spring tool
• Shaggy rag rugging with the latch hook
• Short shaggy rag rugging with the spring tool
• Loopy rag rugging with the rug hook
• Loopy rag rugging with the latch hook
Psst… if you want to see new videos as we create them, please subscribe to our Ragged Life YouTube channel.
Bonus Videos
Already whizzed through the videos above? Don’t worry, we’ve developed the below videos to go deeper into the special features of our tools and techniques. We hope you find them interesting and useful. Keep your eyes peeled as we’ll be adding videos to this area as time goes on…
• What makes rag rug scissors so great?
• How to use the rag rug gauge
• Rag rugging with blanket yarn
• How to make a rag rug letter
First Project Design tips
As crafters ourselves, we know that it’s totally demoralising when you spend hours making something, only to realise that you’re not happy with the end result. So, to prevent that from happening, we’ve pulled together some of our best beginner design tips to ensure you create a rag rug piece you’ll love. Click through to our blog post below...
Psst: If you’d like to develop your design skills further, sign up for one of our “How to Design a Rag Rug” live online workshops. They’re a hoot and will really take your designs to the next level.
Rag Rugging with Blanket Yarn
If you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on some of our 100% Wool Blanket Yarn then below has a few of the key dos and don’ts of working with it and making the most of your balls.
Blanket yarn can be used for the shaggy, short shaggy and loopy techniques.
You may need to cut some blanket yarns in half lengthways to make them thinner, and therefore easier to work with.
You can rag rug with the woollen strands between your fabric strips (as I have done in this rug), or cut them out.
A 100 x 60cm medium rug takes 1.3-2.6kg of blanket yarn to make, depending on the technique used. A 40 x 40cm cushion takes 300-600g, depending on the technique.
For more tips, including quantity calculation, watch our Rag Rugging with Blanket Yarn video and read our Blanket Yarn blog post.
FAQs
It’s hard to cover all the quirks of rag rugging in our videos and kit booklets, so we’ve pulled together some frequently asked questions and their answers below. Hopefully they’ll put your mind at ease and will save you having to trawl Google.
Do I rag rug through the hemming?
My fabric is shedding a lot – is that bad? Can I wash a rag rug?
What stops the rags from falling out? How long does it take to make a rag rug?
If you think of any other questions that you think we should address in this list, please email it over to hello@raggedlife.com.
Additional resources
Online Shop
Missing any of the rag rug tools or materials? Visit the Ragged Life Online Shop.
Ragged Life Blog
For rug inspiration, textile artist Q&As and step by step projects, browse our Ragged Life Blog.
Newsletter
And to keep up to date with new products, DIY projects and more, join our fortnightly Rag Rug Inspiration newsletter.
Workshops
Want to learn more and meet like-minded crafters? Join one of our rag rug classes offline or online. Browse workshop dates and venues here.
Get in touch!
Sometimes you just want to check you’re on the right track, or maybe you have a burning question. If that’s the case, message us below – we’re happy to hear from you!
Email: hello@raggedlife.com
Or please do share your rag rug creations with us on social media. Who knows, you may even make it into the coveted Student Spotlight of the newsletter!
Thanks so much for staying tuned and happy rag rugging,
Elspeth x