Rag Rugging for Beginners: Make Textile Home Decorations

A course by Elspeth Jackson (Ragged Life) , Textile Artist and Rug Maker

Textile Artist and Rug Maker . London, United Kingdom.
Joined November 2020

Transform old clothing and textile cut-offs into colorful home accessories using creative rag rugging techniques

100% positive reviews (37)
1,114 students
Audio: English
English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Transform old clothing and textile cut-offs into colorful home accessories using creative rag rugging techniques

Through rag rugging, you can transform any clothing or fabric you have lying around into unique works of art. For textile artist and rug maker Elspeth Jackson, it’s a meditative craft that offers the opportunity to express yourself with minimum waste. She runs her own craft business, Ragged Life, and has published two books in which she shares her expertise.

In this online course, Elspeth teaches you how to use your old clothes and textile offcuts to create beautiful home decorations. Discover innovative rag rugging techniques to create your own custom rug from start to finish. Ready to get hooked on a new craft?

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What will you learn in this online course?

20 lessons & 14 downloads

  • 100% positive reviews (37)
  • 1,114 students
  • 20 lessons (4h 8m)
  • 14 additional resources (5 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: English
  • English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Create a rag rug using three traditional British techniques: the shaggy, the short shaggy, and the loopy techniques.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is for anyone with an interest in learning to create unique home accessories through sustainable crafting.

Requirements and materials

No previous experience is required to take this course.

In terms of materials, you will need old clothing, hessian (burlap), rug tools, scissors, and other basic materials specified by the teacher in the course.


Reviews

1,114 Students
37 Reviews
100% Positive ratings

Elspeth Jackson (Ragged Life)

Teacher Plus
Textile Artist and Rug Maker

Elspeth Jackson is a textile artist and rug maker based in Brighton, England. She’s also the founder of sustainable craft business Ragged Life. Elspeth grew up in a creative household and was first introduced to the technique of rag rugging by her mother. As a teenager, she began making rugs of her own using recycled materials, and later went on to run workshops on the art form. In 2014, after the success of her workshops, she started her brand Ragged Life.

Since then, Elspeth has taught thousands of crafters how to upcycle their textile waste through rag rugging and sells everything from pre-printed hessian to rug ragging tools. She also works with local mills to prevent their textile offcuts from going to landfills as part of her commitment to sustainability. Elspeth has published two books in which she shares her expertise on the craft, Rag Rugs, Pillows & more and Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners, and has appeared on TV both in the UK and globally. In 2019, she also won the Mollie Makes Best Established Business Award.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • About Me
    • Influences
  • U2

    Rag Rugging: History, Techniques, and Inspiration

    • Rag Rugging: Its History and Techniques
    • Materials and How to Source Them 1
    • Materials and How to Source Them 2
    • Inspiration and Practical Tips for a Successful Rug 1
    • Inspiration and Practical Tips for a Successful Rug 2
  • U3

    Getting Ready

    • Sketching the Design and Choosing the Colours
    • Hemming the Hessian (Burlap)
    • How to Transfer the Design onto the Hessian
    • Preparing Your Material 1
    • Preparing Your Material 2
  • U4

    Shaggy, Short Shaggy, and Loopy Techniques

    • Building the Design: Shaggy Technique 1
    • Building the Design: Shaggy Technique 2
    • Short Shaggy 1
    • Short Shaggy 2
    • Loopy Technique and Finishing Touches 1
    • Loopy Technique and Finishing Touches 2
  • U5

    Taking Care of Your Rug and More

    • Care and Maintenance
    • Applying Your Skills Elsewhere
  • FP

    Final project

    • Rag Rugging for Beginners: Make Textile Home Decorations

What to expect from a Domestika course

  • Learn at your own pace

    Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.

  • Learn from the best professionals

    Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.

  • Meet expert teachers

    Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.

  • Certificates
    Plus

    If you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.

  • Get front-row seats

    Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.

  • Share knowledge and ideas

    Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.

  • Connect with a global creative community

    The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.

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FAQs

Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.

All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.

The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.

You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.

If you're a Plus member, when you complete a course you've purchased, you'll instantly get your personalized certificate. You can see all your certificates in the Certificates section of your profile. You can download your certificates as PDFs and share the link online. Learn more about certificates.
Rag Rugging for Beginners: Make Textile Home Decorations. Craft course by Elspeth Jackson (Ragged Life)

Rag Rugging for Beginners: Make Textile Home Decorations

A course by Elspeth Jackson (Ragged Life)
Textile Artist and Rug Maker . London, United Kingdom.
Joined November 2020
  • 100% positive reviews (37)
  • 1,114 students