You really must visit the Boucharouite museum in Marrakech to feed your new addiction!
And another name for you is Ilka White, a local artist here in Melbourne who makes beautiful woven/braided rag rugs and offers workshops too. I’ve done one of her workshops but sadly my project remains in my WIP pile. You can find Ilka on Insta x
Hi Susan, I've been looking at flights to Marrakech after you mentioned this place! I followed your tour on IG with great interest. Just had a look and I love Ilka's red and white braided rug.Thanks for the recommendations.
Further going down the rag rug rabbit hole, and with an example from NYC across the pond, I think you'd be delighted by the hand-hooked rugs of New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast. A Google of "Roz Chast" and "hooked rugs" will bring up some great images, and here's an article about it that is behind a paywall, alas but has one or two images! https://www.rughookingmagazine.com/Rug-Hooking-Articles/How-Roz-Chast-Got-Hooked
Thanks, Joan! Did you grow up with any rag rugs? Yorkshire and the NE have a particularly rich rag rug history - all those lovely wool fabric offcuts and scraps!
Yes, I certainly did. I think I responded to your last post about rag rugs to say that my Dad (who was a nurse) loved making rag rugs. Ours were rather posh because the local mills made fine wool suiting for export so we had some very smart pin striped rugs! Also, his big treat was to buy packs of wool from the Readicut wool shop in Huddersfield, to make great colourful rugs. I remember him sitting for hours, very contentedly, pegging away. Happy memories. x
I'm so sorry, Joan, you did leave a comment and I didn't realise it was you otherwise of course I would have replied! I've come across several men who make/have made rugs which are really beautiful - they deserve a newsletter. I saw some great pinstripe suits in a charity shop here and was already thinking they'd be good for rugs (shredding office workwear seems like a good thing!). Have you ever made rag rugs?
Your posts brighten my Sunday mornings and I've sent them to several interested friends.
Do you know about a shop in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin that sells gorgeous textiles crafted by women around the world? The story of how two women found and trained others to make beautiful works of art, useable apparel and household objects inspires: www.culturalcloth.com.
While falling into a rabbit hole of vintage French TV commercials, I stumbled upon this one for tuft rag rug kits sold by DMC in the late 1980. I was too obsessed with knitting and Elle magazine's Fiches Tricot back then to take notice; besides, TapiTouf did not make it from fad to trend. Still ,the commercial is a nice time-capsule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hfVQkBcMt0 (I can't believe DMC actually had a TV commercial budget once upon a time).
So gorgeous these rugs!!!! I used to attend the “hook in” in Richmond, VA…. Yea, more animals than one can imagine, but some forays into abstract as well…. I love shopping at the thrift stores for wool to slice and hook…. Like quilting, the ultimate recycling project!! ❤️❤️
love this rag rug update! each new one i see makes me more tempted to give it a try myself - will have to sort through my scraps bin and see if i have anything suitable!
Absolutely fascinating! I'd never heard about Winifred Nicholson's designs before. I tried rug making in the 90s and have been meaning to try again for ages and like you point out it's the perfect craft for reusing our abundance of waste textiles.
Wow....what fantastic rugs and a great article. Never thought I'd get so hooked - no pun intended! I just love Rosie in The Airing Cupboard. How clever is that!
You really must visit the Boucharouite museum in Marrakech to feed your new addiction!
And another name for you is Ilka White, a local artist here in Melbourne who makes beautiful woven/braided rag rugs and offers workshops too. I’ve done one of her workshops but sadly my project remains in my WIP pile. You can find Ilka on Insta x
Hi Susan, I've been looking at flights to Marrakech after you mentioned this place! I followed your tour on IG with great interest. Just had a look and I love Ilka's red and white braided rug.Thanks for the recommendations.
Before you go, DM me. I have a couple of recommendations of places in Marrakech you will enjoy I think.
Further going down the rag rug rabbit hole, and with an example from NYC across the pond, I think you'd be delighted by the hand-hooked rugs of New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast. A Google of "Roz Chast" and "hooked rugs" will bring up some great images, and here's an article about it that is behind a paywall, alas but has one or two images! https://www.rughookingmagazine.com/Rug-Hooking-Articles/How-Roz-Chast-Got-Hooked
Thanks, Nancy! Just had a look, and Roz Chast's rugs are amazing! I didn't know about them - wonderful how well well her style works with rugs.
Yes seconding Ilka White she is wonderful!
Also Rachael Matthews (who used to run pick your finger in Bethnal Green) has been doing a deep dive into scrap rug making… more on her Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/rachaelmatthews1174/?hl=en
Now I want to make one! I love Winifred Nicholson so will definitely check out her rug designs….
Thanks for the suggestions - I'm having a great time looking at these!
Oh, wow! Thanks Jane, this is such a fascinating article. Much appreciated.
Thanks, Joan! Did you grow up with any rag rugs? Yorkshire and the NE have a particularly rich rag rug history - all those lovely wool fabric offcuts and scraps!
Hi Jane
Yes, I certainly did. I think I responded to your last post about rag rugs to say that my Dad (who was a nurse) loved making rag rugs. Ours were rather posh because the local mills made fine wool suiting for export so we had some very smart pin striped rugs! Also, his big treat was to buy packs of wool from the Readicut wool shop in Huddersfield, to make great colourful rugs. I remember him sitting for hours, very contentedly, pegging away. Happy memories. x
I'm so sorry, Joan, you did leave a comment and I didn't realise it was you otherwise of course I would have replied! I've come across several men who make/have made rugs which are really beautiful - they deserve a newsletter. I saw some great pinstripe suits in a charity shop here and was already thinking they'd be good for rugs (shredding office workwear seems like a good thing!). Have you ever made rag rugs?
Hi Jane No, I never made much progress with rag rugs. It always seemed very hard on the hands. I loved reading about your research. Thank you.
This is just amazing!! Thank you so much
Your posts brighten my Sunday mornings and I've sent them to several interested friends.
Do you know about a shop in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin that sells gorgeous textiles crafted by women around the world? The story of how two women found and trained others to make beautiful works of art, useable apparel and household objects inspires: www.culturalcloth.com.
Such a fascinating article, and oh such wonderful designs and colours. Made me want to learn how...
While falling into a rabbit hole of vintage French TV commercials, I stumbled upon this one for tuft rag rug kits sold by DMC in the late 1980. I was too obsessed with knitting and Elle magazine's Fiches Tricot back then to take notice; besides, TapiTouf did not make it from fad to trend. Still ,the commercial is a nice time-capsule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hfVQkBcMt0 (I can't believe DMC actually had a TV commercial budget once upon a time).
So gorgeous these rugs!!!! I used to attend the “hook in” in Richmond, VA…. Yea, more animals than one can imagine, but some forays into abstract as well…. I love shopping at the thrift stores for wool to slice and hook…. Like quilting, the ultimate recycling project!! ❤️❤️
love this rag rug update! each new one i see makes me more tempted to give it a try myself - will have to sort through my scraps bin and see if i have anything suitable!
Absolutely fascinating! I'd never heard about Winifred Nicholson's designs before. I tried rug making in the 90s and have been meaning to try again for ages and like you point out it's the perfect craft for reusing our abundance of waste textiles.
Wow....what fantastic rugs and a great article. Never thought I'd get so hooked - no pun intended! I just love Rosie in The Airing Cupboard. How clever is that!