Monk's cloth is the base fabric of choice in Australia for rag rugs. Much more durable than hessian, without the short fibre issues that trigger your allergies. While it's not cheap, by the time you've finished the rug, the cost per hour is far cheaper than the pub or a therapist 😊
Absolutely love this newsletter! Perfect timing too as I’ve just been pondering uses for my my extensive stash of fabric scraps. A rag rug might be just the thing!
Hi Jane - I am really enjoying these Sunday morning readings. My aunt ran a pub called the Dog and Partridge in Nottingham. I remember visiting her there in the late fifties. The pub seemed to hang over the old Victoria railway station and always be enveloped in steam and smoke. There was a rag rug on the floor in front of the fire in her quarters. It was very serviceable and dull - she made them from scraps of worn-out suitings and "costumes", so black, navy and brown. Those were the fabrics available to her and the rugs had the merit of not showing the dirt.
Hi Linda, it's lovely to hear from you and I'm very pleased you are enjoying the newsletter. Interesting that even though your aunt's rag rug wasn't bright and/or beautiful, it remains a strong textile memory for you. Have you made any rag rugs?
I do remember the rag rugs very clearly although I was only about 7 or 8 when I saw them. I have never made one myself. I may be visiting Cambridge in April - will send message via less public forum of Instagram Lx
Thanks so much for the mention Jane! Precious tatters is a great turn of phrase. Personally, I love how rag rugs become a social history of your family. It's a shame that there isn't more history written up about the craft, but that's often what happens with things that were seen to be "women's work" and shameful (if you had rag rugs, it was because you were poor). I loved reading your post - thanks!
Hi Elspeth, we enjoyed getting into rag-rugging at the workshop (Emily was fantastic) and Phoebe has nearly finished her cushion cover. I just need to find an alternative to eye-itching hessian. As you say, it's an interesting gap in textile history, and yet so many households would have had rag rugs and even the V&A has some. Something needs to be written, I think!
Wow, Phoebe is quick! Can't wait to see a photo of the finished cover. Do you have hay fever by any chance? Sometimes people who have hay fever are set off by the hessian. You can use monkscloth as an alternative, but it's quite a bit more expensive and less robust as a base. Was it a rug you were working on?
Hi Elspeth, just seen this message - sorry. Yes, bad hay fever! It's good to know it's not just me, then, who has problem with hessian. I've ordered a piece each of monk's cloth and a linen base (the weave is like hessian) to experiment with. Phoebe has now finished her cushion top and it's amazing. I was working on a cushion, too, but had to pause.
Louisa Creed is a relation of Nancy Nicholson the first wife of Robert Graves and daughter of the Artist William Nicholson. Nancy designed fabrics and sold them in a shop in Belgravia is the 1940’s. She never made a name for herself sadly.
Growing up my Mum made hooky or Proddy rugs as they are called in the NE. My Dad fashioned her a loom and both her and her sister would spend time in front of the fire making them, I as a teen never took any notice and when she died I have no idea where the stuff went as it isn't in the house. I remember them being in front of the hearths at all my relatives houses and also down our kitchen which had no heating and concreate floor under the lino!
They make the at Beamish (the NE open air museaum).
Thanks for arousing happy memories with this piece, Jane. I was brought up amongst the woollen mills of West Yorkshire and my Dad (a nurse) was very keen on rag rug making. There were always bags of off cuts to be had from the mills - often mens' suiting in fine cloth, so we had a few navy pin stripe rugs! He loved the Readicut wool shop in Huddersfield, as a special treat. Kits of hessian with printed patterns and brightly coloured cut wool were always a favourite present. I was wondering whether Readicut had survived and, thanks to Google, I have discovered that it was founded in Wakefield in 1928, where it opened a shop and set up a mail order service and is still in business. Hooray!
Very interesting article. Thanks for highlighting such great designs. I remember trip to a local community centre in the North East where I live in the mod 1980s to watch the locals make hooky and proggy mats. It was a great day.
I have my grandmas hook and have long thought about giving it a go! Will look at the course - so interesting about the fabric choices! Sounds a bit like my weaving. Sometimes I pick colours that I think will look amazing and they do not... 😂
I (who also worked with Elspeth!) have started to transition to linen. It is a bit more expensive, but is better for the allergies. If you want to continue with the hessian, you can also leave it outside for a few days, spray it with vodka, or even wet it with water and let it dry outside to help. Thanks for this!
This brings back memories of my aunt and uncles farmhouse in Farndale. There was a rag rug in every room and every winter Auntie Martha would make a new one. The newest would be in the parlour and the oldest rotated to the scullery.
Monk's cloth is the base fabric of choice in Australia for rag rugs. Much more durable than hessian, without the short fibre issues that trigger your allergies. While it's not cheap, by the time you've finished the rug, the cost per hour is far cheaper than the pub or a therapist 😊
thanks very much for this - I've had a look and it would be much nicer to work with!
Absolutely love this newsletter! Perfect timing too as I’ve just been pondering uses for my my extensive stash of fabric scraps. A rag rug might be just the thing!
Hi Jane - I am really enjoying these Sunday morning readings. My aunt ran a pub called the Dog and Partridge in Nottingham. I remember visiting her there in the late fifties. The pub seemed to hang over the old Victoria railway station and always be enveloped in steam and smoke. There was a rag rug on the floor in front of the fire in her quarters. It was very serviceable and dull - she made them from scraps of worn-out suitings and "costumes", so black, navy and brown. Those were the fabrics available to her and the rugs had the merit of not showing the dirt.
Hi Linda, it's lovely to hear from you and I'm very pleased you are enjoying the newsletter. Interesting that even though your aunt's rag rug wasn't bright and/or beautiful, it remains a strong textile memory for you. Have you made any rag rugs?
I do remember the rag rugs very clearly although I was only about 7 or 8 when I saw them. I have never made one myself. I may be visiting Cambridge in April - will send message via less public forum of Instagram Lx
Hi Linda - only just seen your message, sorry. Yes, do let me know if you are coming to Cambridge. It would be lovely to see you and catch up x
Thanks so much for the mention Jane! Precious tatters is a great turn of phrase. Personally, I love how rag rugs become a social history of your family. It's a shame that there isn't more history written up about the craft, but that's often what happens with things that were seen to be "women's work" and shameful (if you had rag rugs, it was because you were poor). I loved reading your post - thanks!
Hi Elspeth, we enjoyed getting into rag-rugging at the workshop (Emily was fantastic) and Phoebe has nearly finished her cushion cover. I just need to find an alternative to eye-itching hessian. As you say, it's an interesting gap in textile history, and yet so many households would have had rag rugs and even the V&A has some. Something needs to be written, I think!
Wow, Phoebe is quick! Can't wait to see a photo of the finished cover. Do you have hay fever by any chance? Sometimes people who have hay fever are set off by the hessian. You can use monkscloth as an alternative, but it's quite a bit more expensive and less robust as a base. Was it a rug you were working on?
Hi Elspeth, just seen this message - sorry. Yes, bad hay fever! It's good to know it's not just me, then, who has problem with hessian. I've ordered a piece each of monk's cloth and a linen base (the weave is like hessian) to experiment with. Phoebe has now finished her cushion top and it's amazing. I was working on a cushion, too, but had to pause.
Louisa Creed is a relation of Nancy Nicholson the first wife of Robert Graves and daughter of the Artist William Nicholson. Nancy designed fabrics and sold them in a shop in Belgravia is the 1940’s. She never made a name for herself sadly.
What an interesting link! Thank you. Hope you are well?
Growing up my Mum made hooky or Proddy rugs as they are called in the NE. My Dad fashioned her a loom and both her and her sister would spend time in front of the fire making them, I as a teen never took any notice and when she died I have no idea where the stuff went as it isn't in the house. I remember them being in front of the hearths at all my relatives houses and also down our kitchen which had no heating and concreate floor under the lino!
They make the at Beamish (the NE open air museaum).
Ok. So now another textile craft to add to list of things to try. And maybe look out for a course I think 🙏🏼❤️💚💙💜💛🖤🤎
Thanks for arousing happy memories with this piece, Jane. I was brought up amongst the woollen mills of West Yorkshire and my Dad (a nurse) was very keen on rag rug making. There were always bags of off cuts to be had from the mills - often mens' suiting in fine cloth, so we had a few navy pin stripe rugs! He loved the Readicut wool shop in Huddersfield, as a special treat. Kits of hessian with printed patterns and brightly coloured cut wool were always a favourite present. I was wondering whether Readicut had survived and, thanks to Google, I have discovered that it was founded in Wakefield in 1928, where it opened a shop and set up a mail order service and is still in business. Hooray!
Worth checking out this amazing group of women who make rag rugs in Guatemala. https://multicolores.org/. Wonderful colours and designs.
Very interesting article. Thanks for highlighting such great designs. I remember trip to a local community centre in the North East where I live in the mod 1980s to watch the locals make hooky and proggy mats. It was a great day.
This is brilliant and I am so excited that she runs classes in Brighton.
I have my grandmas hook and have long thought about giving it a go! Will look at the course - so interesting about the fabric choices! Sounds a bit like my weaving. Sometimes I pick colours that I think will look amazing and they do not... 😂
I (who also worked with Elspeth!) have started to transition to linen. It is a bit more expensive, but is better for the allergies. If you want to continue with the hessian, you can also leave it outside for a few days, spray it with vodka, or even wet it with water and let it dry outside to help. Thanks for this!
This brings back memories of my aunt and uncles farmhouse in Farndale. There was a rag rug in every room and every winter Auntie Martha would make a new one. The newest would be in the parlour and the oldest rotated to the scullery.