Rag time fun for rug-makers' group

While most people moan about the recession, one group of women are enjoying the return to the more economical make-do-and-mend mindset.

Rag rug-making turns recycling old and unwanted clothes into a hobby, and all that is needed is a dolly peg, a piece of hessian sack and some strips of cloth. For three years a class has been running at Bantock House in Wolverhampton and is jam-packed with keen rag rug-makers.

Among them is Audrey Nicklin, 76, from Wombourne, who has been a member of the group for six months and remembers making rugs as a child. "Rag rugs were something that you always made during the war when people had a make-do-and-mend philosophy," she said. "In those days we made them out of old coats but today we use old fleeces and T-shirts.

"My daughter Tracey runs marathons and for each race she is given a souvenir t-shirt so I'm making all of them into a rug, which will be filled with her memories of running." Jane James founded the group with four other women after she put an advert in the Express & Star asking for help making a rag rug for a 1940s exhibition at Bantock House.

"I was surprised by how much interest people have shown in making rag rugs," said the 52-year-old who now runs the class.

The group at Bantock House is now full with more than 30 members but organisers are looking for people to attend similar classes on Friday evenings at Lea Road Church in Penn Fields, Wolverhampton.

Brenda Wellsbury, from Wombourne, was the person who answered Jane's advert saying she knew how to make rag rugs.

Brenda, 78, said: "When I was young we lived on a farm in Brewood and we used to use sacks and old clothes to make rugs.

"We would make the cloth rugs for downstairs and then would unravel old jumpers to make wool rugs for upstairs." Sisters Evie Shell and Alma Yewbrey used to make rag rugs as children and enjoy the chance to try out different designs. Alma, 74, from Codsall, said: "Rag rugs are not the kind of thing we would have around our house anymore but they make nice decorative items for the wall." Evie, 73, from Telford, said: "We made rag rugs as children. We would sit around the fire in the evening and come up with different designs using old clothes."

Joan Barlow, 58, from Compton, Wolverhampton, only intended to go along to the class for one week to learn the skills but said she is now hooked. I've just finished my first rug and I'm very proud of it," she said.

Stacie Clark, 22, from Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, decided to go to the class with her mother Sharon as a hobby and has now made two rugs. Another class member, Jane James, said that by using the rag rug technique people can make a range of items from cushions and wall hangings to rugs and wreaths.