This course of eight classes focuses on used clothes or linen. You will learn various rag rug and bag making techniques. You may opt to try out a variety of techniques or to concentrate on just one method and have a finished item by the end of the course. Techniques included will be:
1) Tee shirts upcycled into market bags or floor rugs - The tee shirts may have been loved but are now too tatty to wear any more or are a silly souvenir purchase or have slogans that no longer appeal. Some folk have happy memories of a tee shirt and can't bear to throw it away. I prefer natural fibres cotton tees so that your bag is soft, flexible, and ventilated and perfect for fruit and vegetables that you don't want to get sweaty and damaged on the way home from the food market. The bags are kind to the planet and fun. Depending on the size of bag you want to make, you need three or four adult size tee shirts, or in other sizes and shapes, such as yoga mat bags, or floor rugs for babies, and so on. 

2) You will learn the techniques for cutting fabric strips and basic crochet. Clothes and fabric scraps upcycled into shaggy hooked rag floor rugs These can be made from any fabric and do not need long lengths of fabric. My  preference is for natural fibres such as cotton or wool. The technique is hooking strips of fabric through a purchased base mesh. If you decide that this is your preferred project, then I will help you plan it and where to purchase the mesh and special hook. You will need to work on your project between classes to finish your rug by the end of the course.

3) Fabric strips upcycled into round coiled and wrapped placemats, floor rugs or baskets. Clothes or old linen is used with yarn wrapping and joining the fabric together, Cotton fabrics and yarns are best because they don't slip around while you work on them. This technique uses a large blunt needle. You are welcome to bring any of your own clothes, fabrics, yarns, hooks, and we will talk about what will work best. I have boxes of resources and you can buy what you need from me for small prices if you prefer. Bring a pair of scissors, sharp enough to cut fabric, if you have them.

I will introduce other techniques as we go and you may like to try these out other techniques at another time or at the next series of classes.

Please note: All courses need a minimum number to go ahead. If your course does not have enough enrolments, we regret that we will have to cancel and will let you know either by email or text. Courses are usually cancelled, when necessary, 1-2 working days prior to the scheduled start date.