Go on a course: rag rug making

'I joined the class at Rodbaston College in Stafford, in the grounds of a 19th-century hall. Looking around, my classmates had brought along a variety of fabrics - from denim jeans to old shirts, and even a leather jacket. Tutor Diane Crittenden explained the techniques we would be using to transform these old garments into our own rag rugs.

'It was surprisingly simple: cut the fabric into strips and then thread them through wide-weave hessian backing. The only tools we needed were scissors and the special rag-rugging bodger. This looks rather like a pair of pliers: the pincer part is threaded through a couple of holes in the hessian before being used to pull a fabric strip back through. It didn't even need to be knotted, as the thickness of the material was enough to hold it in place.

'Diane explained how to create different patterns and a variety of effects depending on the material you use. We chatted and cut our fabrics and, before we realised, it was time for lunch. When we returned to our rag rugging, feeling rather full after pudding and custard, everyone agreed that it was very relaxing and felt almost therapeutic.

'The afternoon ended at 3pm, with all of the students, heads downs, busily trying to complete their masterpieces. Sadly, the day was just not long enough. We all left promising to finish our creations - some pledging that this was the start of many more rugs. Others planned to hang theirs on the wall or turn it into a cushion cover. My head was full of ideas for a new enterprise: Rag Rugger Reeves' corsages made with vintage fabrics. What a fantastic way to recycle old clothes - and provide accessories for new ones.

For more information about the rag rug making course at Rodbaston College, Penkridge, Staffordshire, call 01785 712209 or visit www.rodbaston.ac.uk.

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