jenni's rag rugs
I have been recycling textiles into rugs and teaching rag rug making since 1986,
using traditional rag rug techniques of hooking, progging and plaiting. I
believe in re-using, sourcing locally and treading lightly on the planet. My
early work was informed by mythology, lore and ethnic art. Recent work has
focused more on texture, colour and twentieth century art movements, with Nature
as a continuous inspiration. Whilst bringing rag rug making into the
twenty-first century, I honour the generations of ordinary people who used their
cast-off clothing to make rugs out of necessity. I love helping people to
explore their creativity through such an accessible medium and offer courses
locally and around the country. I work to commission, exhibit and sell rugs,
kits, rug making tools and equipment. I am a member of the Worcestershire Guild
– Contemporary Craft, the Creative Breaks Association, the International Guild
of Handhooking Rug Makers, TAFA, lowimpact.org and the Heritage Crafts
Association. I give talks and demonstrations locally and workshops from the
Welsh Marches to the Cotswolds. In 2003 Traplet Publications published my book
RAG RUG MAKING, reprinted in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2014 (currently sold out) and
MORE RAG RUGS & Recycled Textile Projects, in 2011, available from me. My work
can be seen in: Herefordshire: Timothy Hawkins Gallery, Church Street, Hereford;
Made in the Marches Gallery, Kington, Oxenham Art, Broad Street, Leominster and
The Courtyard, Edgar Street, Hereford. Shropshire: At Home, The Bull Ring,
Ludlow.
