Tutorial: How to Make A Rag Rug Flower Bouquet

Learn how to turn old pieces of fabric into unique home accessories with professional textile artist Elspeth Jackson

Rag rugging is a sustainable craft that involves taking scraps of fabric and transforming them into beautiful textile accessories. Originating from Sweden, rag rugs were considered a sign of wealth, usually displayed in grand manor houses as a symbol of affluence. Since then, this art form has developed into an accessible way for creatives of all disciplines to express themselves and prioritize recycling.

Elspeth Jackson (@elspethcjackson) is a textile artist and rug maker specializing in the rag rug technique. Through her sustainable craft business, Ragged Life, she teaches creatives how to upcycle their textile waste, and she has published two books on her area of expertise: Rag Rugs, Pillows & More, and Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners. Elspeth also sells rag rugging tools and other materials online, and works with local mills to reuse their offcuts.

Her Domestika course takes you step by step through her process for rag rugging, and in this tutorial, she shows you how to apply some of those techniques to craft a bouquet of colorful textile flowers.

Tools and materials:

- Hessian
- Scissors
- Jersey fabric
- Rag rug spring tool
- Sewing machine
- Wooden Sticks
- Glue

Make Rag Rug Flowers

1. Draw and sew a figure eight onto your hessian

Each flower starts as a figure eight on the hessian. Elspeth recommends using circular items from around the house to draw your shapes before securing the pattern in preparation for cutting. You can do so using a zigzag stitch to follow the drawn lines with a sewing machine.

2. Prepare and cut your first fabric

Choose a jersey or t-shirt fabric and fold it in half a few times over until you have a tube of material that’s not too thick to cut through. Use a pair of scissors to create strips approximately 2 cm in width and 9 cm in length. You can layer the pieces on top of each other for consistency, but the measurements don’t need to be exact.

3. Use the rag rug spring tool to attach your fabric to the hessian

Poke the tip of your rag rug spring tool into the hessian, grab onto the corner of your fabric, and pull half of it through, working around the inside edge of the figure eight shape. Continue the process, experimenting with different methods and directions until your flower is full.

4. Cut around your flower

Once you’re happy with the texture, grab hold of your shaggy pieces, being careful not to give them a haircut, and snip around the stitching.

5. Add a wooden stem using glue

Take a wooden stem or even a twig, add a small amount of glue, and attach one half of your figure eight to it. Then fold your flower in half so it’s sandwiched over the stem to create the finished flower.

6. Arrange your rag rug flowers in a vase

Time to assemble your bouquet. Repeat the process until you have a collection of flowers. Elspeth advises starting with a larger flower in the center and building your bouquet around it. You can also add fresh foliage for an organic, natural feel.

Did you like this tutorial? Check out Elspeth’s course and put your newfound skills to the test with Rag Rugging for Beginners: Make Textile Home Decorations.

Discover more resources on textile art

1. Explore an alternative method for creating home accessories filled with texture in this course: Tufting Technique for Creating Rugs.

2. Design unique fabric flowers from scratch and create wearable accessories inspired by nature.

3. Take sustainability further with 10 Easy DIY Furniture Upcycling Ideas to Try at Home in 2023.