Saturday 2 February 2013

From Rags to Riches



One rainy Sunday in November 2010, I spent a very pleasant afternoon in Mayfield Scout and Guide hut learning how to make rag rugs.  If a square of hessian, old tee-shirts, sharp scissors, a carpet hook and a bit of wood with a groove in it  were all it took to produce the masterpieces that our teacher, Debbie,  pulled out of her carpet bags, then I was in. After endless cutting, wrapping, cutting again, prodding and pulling, that afternoon we each managed to produce a small cushion cover at the end of the 5 hour session. I was inspired and vowed to create a masterpiece, an heirloom for my daughter's bedroom.  I started that week and then.....
Fast forward 26 months:  My daughter asks if we have any spare rugs for her small apartment.  A great guilt washes over me. Her "heirloom" lies abandoned and unfinished in my "craft box." (Inverted commas very necessary in that last sentence.)  Luckily, the whole caboodle had been shipped over from England, and my carpet hook and dressmaker's scissors are still shiny from non-use.  I've spent every spare moment in the last two weeks cutting, wrapping,  pulling etc and I can now shine my halo and announce that  the slightly wonky rug is finished.  The pattern is not what I originally envisaged because I ran out of old sky blue and pink tee-shirts, but have made use of tracksuit bottoms, pyjamas, Christmas ribbon and an old Santa suit.  In a country of carpets, this may not seem a very accomplished offering but I FINISHED IT.

Debbie Siniska's Rag Rug Art





25 comments:

  1. And it looks fab! Well done for persevering! I made one many, many moons ago and enjoyed doing it, although the result was nowhere near as good-looking as yours!

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    1. I'm sorry I took such a long time to finish it. Work got in the way.

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  2. Dear Bodrum, to my untrained rug eyes this is lovely. It has a joyful spirit to it that makes me smile and feel happy. I so hope your daughter loves it too. And congratulations for completing it and for remembering how to do so!!! Peace.

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    1. Thanks Dee. The technique is very simple so not much to forget.

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  3. It's lovely! Well done you - you've inspired me to make rugs. (Though I must finish knitting my jumper or the weather will get too hot to wear it!) We have a mountain of old clothes that are not worth passing on. Rags to riches indeed. Great idea. Axxx

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    1. I'd like to start knitting. I've only ever been able to go in straight lines.

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  4. It looks gorgeous....lucky daughter!
    And congrats on finishing it.

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    1. Thank you Helen. She was very surprised when I finished it.

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  5. Is there no end to your talents? :-)

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  6. That is lovely.

    And you finished it! It does look like a lot of work.

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  7. Very nice.....I'm sure your daughter will love it. It looks like a lot of work went into it. It looks awesome... :-)

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    1. She says she does. Not sure what her boyfriend thinks!

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  8. It's beautiful. I'm sure she will absolutely love it. I so wish my clumsy fingers would allow me to make lovely things, but I can only admire others' handiwork. Well done you xx

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    1. It's very easy, that's why I can manage it.

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  9. . . it is superior because it is hand-made! That would have house space at my hearth - now you can be smug as a bug in a rug!

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  10. B to B, The best thing about it is the hearts woven into it. A mother's love woven in every stitch. It really made me feel happy and I'm sure likewise your daughter.

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    1. Lots of love and memories of abandoned outfits.

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  11. It is fabulous. I really love it, and must add learning to make rugs to the list of craft things that I intend to do.....when is there time for these things ? I'm about a quarter way through an "heirloom" afghan blanket for my daughter....must be more focussed. Congratulations on the completion of this gorgeous thing. Jx

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  12. How beautiful and how very clever of you, BtoB. Your daughter will love it. ;-) This post brings back memories of my grandmother making similar rugs and very hardwearing they were too. I really must learn how to do that and use up some of the old clothes i haven't got round to throwing away.

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  13. Perpetua - if you click on Debbie's link above you get to her web page
    the books are on here at http://www.debbiesiniska.co.uk/oldintonew/

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