It’s the ultimate make-do and mend, giving old and worn-out clothes a new lease of life as eye-catching rugs. And helping to keep the tradition alive is Stephanie Gaston, who first fell in love with the craft almost a decade ago. Until the mid-20th century rag rugs were a common sight in working-class homes, helping to protect families from cold drafts and keeping feet warm and toasty. Older generations may remember helping to make them as a child or sitting on them at their grandparents’ homes. They were made from old sacks and strips of old clothing, sheets and other fabric such as scraps from dress making. It was a time where everything was used and nothing was wasted. Now Stephanie is one of a number of people helping preserve the traditional craft which had been born out of necessity. “I like rag rugs because they’ve got a history. In the early 1800s, they didn’t have fitted carpets, they would have had quarry tiles or packed earth and later lino – which would have been a...
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