Rag Rugs, Pillows and More book review

It’s not often I get sent a lovely adult craft book to review, but I am so pleased when I do! The latest book on my bedside table is the wonderful Rag Rugs, Pillows and More by Ragged Life founder, Elspeth Jackson. This is a wonderfully modern approach to a traditional, and rather forgotten, craft filled with beautifully contemporary projects all illustrated with gorgeous photography. Elspeth also includes all the techniques and tools you’ll need to get started on an exciting new craft.

In this stunning new book, crafter Elspeth Jackson reinvents the old (and somewhat forgotten) technique of rag rugging to create contemporary and sustainable homeware items from leftover fabrics. My mum remembers her grandmothers’ house which was filled with home made rugs. She was a thrifty lady who gave everyone a hand knitted scarf for Christmas (every year!) and was able to re-use any worn fabrics to make rugs for the floor. I loved these stories when I was a child and always wanted to have a go myself. A few years ago I took a class at the Knitting and Stitching Show and was delighted to make a brooch using the traditional techniques of rag rugging.

Arranged into three chapters: Rugs, Home Accessories and Gifts and Seasonal, you will be amazed at how simple and enjoyable it is to upcycle old and well-loved garments into beautiful rugs, pillows, artworks, bags and other gifts, using just a few basic tools and some simple techniques.

With lavish colour photographs and clear, step-by-step instructions and artworks, crafters of all ages will enjoy this introduction to rag rugging.

Elspeth Jackson has been a lover of crafts all her life but knew she’d stumbled upon something truly special when her mother taught her how to rag rug at the age of 14. In 2014, Elspeth left her job in marketing and founded her company Ragged Life to sell rag rug homeware, fashion, and art full time. She now sells rag rug kits, takes rag rug commissions, and runs rag rug workshops across the UK. She prides herself on making rag rugging accessible to everyone and bringing this age-old British craft into the twenty- first century with manageable, contemporary designs. She has established herself as one of the leading rag ruggers in the country and is now regularly featured in craft and lifestyle magazines at home and abroad.

Rag Rugs, Pillows, and more: over 30 ways to upcycle fabric for the home by Elspeth Jackson is published by CICO Books, priced £12.99.