This is not an exhaustive resource list, but refers to
materials that I have found useful and/or interesting.
Most of the items are available in our MWFA library.
C. Kaye
(Updated Aug. 03, 2008)
BOOKS
Rug Weaving for Everyone, 1957
Osma Gallinger Tod and Josephine Couch Del Deo
pg. 115 ff., thorough; much of the information is timeless, rag preparation, warps, design and colour discussion
Rugs from Rags, 1977
John Hinchliffe and Angela Jeffs
See pages 78 and 79 for interesting twill possibilities, and page 87 for color squares
A Rug Weaver’s Source Book, 1984
Linda Ligon, ed.
Pgs. 72-96, chapter by Inga Krook, chatty and informative
Handwoven’s Design Collection 8, Just Rags, 1985
from Interweave Press, Ed. by Jane Patrick
Many appealing projects with detailed instructions. A great source of ideas for rugs, table mats and runners, clothing, wall hangings and bags. Interweave Press has recently announced that this booklet will be re-printed.
Rag Rug Handbook, 3rd ed., 1992
Janet Meany and Paula Pfaff
Good basic information and some color plates for design and colour inspiration.
Swedish Rag Rugs, 1995
Vav Magazine
Lots of inspiration for colour and design.
Weaving Contemporary Rag Rugs, 1998
Heather L. Allen
Good for inspiration with lots of colour plates and detailed illustrations of techniques. Includes an excellent project section with detailed instructions from other weavers, such as Wendy Bateman, Jane Evans and others.
Rag Weaving Gimmicks and Tricks, 1999
Johanna Erickson
A neat little self-published book -a quick read – that offers several useful tips. Her trick of notching and ripping fabric with a helper (see p. 34) has saved me a lot of time. It works really well!
Favorite Rag Rugs, 2006
Tina Ignell
– Many appealing design and colour ideas.
– Rosepath and diamond twill – great ideas for MWFA’s upcoming exhibit at MCML!
JOURNALS
Handwoven, May 1981
Five articles on rag weaving in this issue. Lengthy article, p. 51, by Olive Lindor is well written, chatty and informative.
Handwoven, Summer 1983
“From Rags to Riches” by Inga Krook – a great article that is chatty and informal, with solid information. Good explanation of double binding technique.
“Warp Stuffer Weave with Shaft Switching Applications” by Jane Evans, using Summer/Winter, 4-shaft, 2-block weave.
Handwoven, March/April 1984
Overshot and rags by Jane Patrick (p. 56). Twill wool rag rug by Kay Stoehr, p. 57, using recycled wool garments which were felted.
The Weaver’s Journal, Spring 1985
“Beyond Rags: Fabric Strip Design” by Susan Larson-Fleming. A brief article with a few ideas about choosing fabric strips to use in rag weaving for making garments.
This issue also has a couple of articles on rag weaving by Janet K. Meany – “Log Cabin Rag Rugs” and “Rag Rug Traditions”. However, most of this information appears in Rag Rug Handbook by Meany and Pfaff.
The Weaver’s Journal, Spring 1986
“Danish Twined Rag Rugs – Lillie Sherwood’s Legacy” by Bobbie Irwin. An interesting technique where the rag weft is twined around a rag warp to make thick and heavy rugs. The article provides a thorough description of the technique.
Handwoven, May/June 1987
Rag table runner by Inga Krook, p. 38. Interesting Monk’s Belt variation yields a contemporary look.
The Weaver’s Journal, Summer 1987
A Weekend Weaver article, “Two-Block Rug in Boundweave”, p. 26 explains the double binding weave for rag rugs very clearly, shows profile drafts, possible drawdowns and suggested materials. It also shows how to do a twined heading, talks about finishing techniques, and how to prepare the rag strips. A very useful article.
Handwoven, Jan./Feb. 1989
“Harbinger of Spring Placemats”, p. 11. The very simplest of mats and instructions: 4/8 cotton set at 10 epi, woven with 1″ rags in compatible colours.
Handwoven, March/April 1990
“The Thick and Thin of Shadow Weave”, p. 40. Jane Evans alternates thick and thin threads in both the warp and the weft for an interesting variation of shadow weave. The thick weft “threads” are rag strips.
Handwoven, Nov./Dec. 1993
“Wonderful Rugs – Weaving in Krokbragd, Double Binding, Chenille and Log Cabin with emphasis on Colour”.
“Bring Me Your Shirts, Your Sewaters, and Pants” by Wendy Bateman shows use of chenille rags and refers to Stephanie Gaustad’s article in Handwoven, Sept./Oct. 1992 for an overview of making chenille.
Jane Evans – pictorial rugs using split sheds.
Handwoven, November/December 1994
Use of Ikat in rag rug weaving. Overdying – “The more intense the original fabric colour, the more exciting the results of overdying.”
“Unusual Rug Wefts”, p. 61. The information here is dated, but the idea of looking for scraps from mills or small companies that deal with fabrics to use as rug wefts is a good one.
Handwoven, March/April 1995
“Rags to Wear” is a theme of this issue. “Rag Weavers’ Tips for Wonderful, Wearable Clothing”, p. 49 has lots of good information from seven different weavers. The article and instructions for Johanna Erickson’s “Glad Rag Scarves” is noteworthy.
Handwoven, January/February 1996
A theme, “Country Weaving”, p. 65 ff., consists of three articles. “Country Skies Runner” offers some suggestions for colour shading when using rag wefts; “So, You’d Like to Build a a Rug” is the musings of a veteran weaver of rag rugs who shares tips and some things he has learned over the years; “Country Charm Rugs” describes a Shaker-Style rugs that uses upholstery fabric strips twisted into tubes for weft.
Handwoven, September/October 1997
“Rag Rugs” is one of the themes of this issue. “The Mrs. Irene Brown Rugs” by Barbara Kent Stafford gives a brief description of rag rugs woven in double binding and log cabin.
In “Nantucket Hit-and-Miss Rag Rugs”, Johanna Erickson uses five strips of different fabrics wound together on each of three shuttles.
Handwoven, May/June 2007
Johanna Erickson’s “Tapestry Rag Rugs” are inspired!! The instructions and “Project at a Glance” are included for them. See some of these rugs also on her website, which is linked below.
Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, Issue 69, Winter 1986, pp.45-48
“California Rags” by Sarah F. Saulson, describes how weaver Trudy Roberts of California weaves fabric for clothing with lightweight cotton fabric strips, sometimes painting her own fabric to get the design and colors she wants.
VAV Magasinet, 4/06
“Marie’s Technical Tips” by Marie Rolander, p. 42 – Plain Rag Weave. Simple techniques for altering plain rag rug weave: rag inlay, rag stripes in the warp, pick-and-pick, meet-and-part and taqueté on 2 or 4 shafts.
VAV Magasinet, 1/07
“Marie’s Technical Tips” by Marie Rolander, p. 48 – Twill Rag Weave. Twill variations – horizontal point twill with narrow bands of extended plain weave, twill woven on opposites, pick-up twill on plain weave ground.
Weaver’s, Issue 16 – 1st Quarter, 1992
“Rag Rug Weaving” by Anja Hoykinpuro. Useful information based on Finnish rag weaving. Suggests three-shuttle technique is useful for blending colours and for mixing different types of rags evenly. Also suggests adding threads from thrums to add fullness to fringed edges.
“Shadow Rags” by Deborah Linden. Describes a project using rags in shadow weave.
Weaver’s, Issue 28 – Summer 1995
“Windows Microsoft Rug”, p. 22. Remember Windows 95?? ” . . . a bit like something you’d find in the ‘circular file’ underneath your computer printer.” I think you can skip this one!
WEBSITES
http://www.crazyasaloom.com/
A “must-see” website! This enthusiastic rag weaver has lots of pictures, prices and information about her rugs, mats, bags, runners, etc., and her “Gumball Explosion” is wild!
http://www.gladragsrugs.com/index.htm
This is Johanna Erickson’s site. Colourful and complementary to her print materials. Good color photos of her beautiful “Stella” rugs, which are based on the work of artist Frank Stella.
http://www.sandpoint.net/~rafter4/ndlwvn.htm
A lot of reading here – not exclusively on weaving rag rugs. It is worth having a look at the section on “loom woven” and reading some of the questions and answers.
http://www.weaversfriend.com/
page5/page18/page18.html
This site is by Janet Meany and has some interesting information about different types of looms for rag weaving. “The Weavers Friend” newsletter is mentioned on this site.
http://www.ragrugs2order.com/index.html
Rugs and shoulder bags – made to order. Interesting FAQ page and pictorial description of the weaving process.
http://www.eco-artware.com/catalog/CG-rag-rugs.php
A weaver in Indiana who weaves rag rugs using selvedges from fabric mills.
http://www.homesteadweaver.com/rugstyles.htm
This is the home site of the weaver from Indiana whose work was shown in the previous link.
http://www.countrycraftsetc.com/twinewovenragrugs.htm
This is a rather “crafty” site. Twined rag rugs; warp is also made of rag strips.
http://www.underfootweavers.com/
This has been a good site for rag weaving for quite awhile, but recently appears to be being updated less frequently. Sizes and prices were a handy reference when the site was being updated regularly.