Wednesday 28 January 2015

Rag Rug Workshop ~ Simple Living Toowoomba

Now that the Queensland school year has commenced our Simple Living Toowoomba workshops will be starting up again in February. There are some great workshops coming up in the coming months beginning with the very popular Rag Rug Workshop. This workshop is always well attended as it is a lot of fun making these rugs.


If you have never heard of a Rag Rug or Toothbrush Rug you can find photos and tutorials on how to make them on this Pinterest page. We would love you to come to our workshop if you live in the region but understand that it is a bit far to travel if you live in another area of Queensland or in another state or in another country :-) So, if that is the case and you would really love to make one, you can find lots of photos and instructions on Rag Rug Cafe.

However, if you do live in the Toowoomba region and would like to join in the fun then turn up at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 23 Glenvale Road, Toowoomba (which is just up the road from the Maccas which is across from Clifford Gardens shopping centre) at 9am on Saturday 21st February and we should be finished my midday. The cost of the workshop will be $5.

Please bring along strips of fabric approximately 3cm wide which can be torn or cut. A great source of material is sheets and doona covers from the second hand shop. It is hard to give an exact amount required but approx 8 metres x 1.2 metres or about 2 single sheets worth. Just bring a selection of different fabric that you want to use for your rug to start with on the day. You can always cut more later. There will be some strips available on the day if you are unsure of how to cut the fabric or you run out. 

For the tool you can use an elastic threader which can be purchased from Spotlight or Lincraft or a large safety pin used for nappies would be okay as well. Our co-ordinator, Margy, has a photo of the elastic threader on the Simple Living Toowoomba blog. 

Please let us know by the 18th February if you would like to come and book in here before then if you are able to.


Just to prove that I did finish Rhonda's pantry challenge here is a photo of the finished product. It took some time to find the extra storage shelves which are good to store my empty moccona jars under as well as other bits and pieces that I don't use all that often. KMart had them for $4 each and they also had extendable ones for $8 or $9. The pantry will stay tidy for about a week or so I would say :-) I have plenty of room to add some stockpile items as well. Annabel is doing a series on stockpiling and being prepared for an emergency on her blog The Bluebirds are Nesting if you would like to follow along.

By the way, if there are any Down to Earth Forum members reading this who have been going through withdrawal because the forum has been down, it is now up and running again so head over there and say hello to everyone.


11 comments:

  1. That’s it Chel! I am moving to Toowoomba so I can join in with the Simple Living Toowoomba workshops. My great-grandparents had a farm outside Toowoomba where they raised a family of 10 children, so I have a connection with the area already. I just told my husband about the pantry shelves you bought from K-mart. I think he is puzzled about my relatively new obsession with groceries and all things pantry. However he was pretty impressed when our shopping docket yesterday showed we had saved over $40 by buying specials. Thank you for the notice about the forum. It went down the day I joined. I hope that was just a coincidence!

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    1. Sherri, that was a shame about the forum and I was hoping you would come back. Yes, a move to Toowoomba sounds good. Not sure your hubby would agree though :-)

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  2. Hi Chel, I've just booked in for the workshop. Should be good. See you then.

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    1. I didn't finish mine last time as I decided I didn't have anywhere to put it where the gardener wouldn't put mud on it so am going to make a smaller version this time and perhaps use it to put hot dishes on. Looking forward to catching up, Barb.

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  3. I am so disappointed that I don't live closer, Chel. I would love to do this workshop. A rag rug in front of my kitchen sink would look very "country" I thought but will have to see if I can follow the on line tutorials for this one.

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    1. Sandi, you can also crochet a rug and it would look similar. The main issue with the rag rug is making sure it stays flat so you have to increase as you go around which you would be used to with crochet. The Rag Rug Cafe is a good start.

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  4. I would just love to come to this workshop! I am in love with rag rugs of all sorts. Only yesterday I went op shopping and got some vintage sheets too!
    Your pantry looks great! Adding shelves is brilliant! I am amazed how much more space that makes.
    Yesterday I visited my friend and saw her pantry. That was an education! I posted her ideas in comments after yesterdays blog (thank you for mentioning my challenge) From an afternoon with this lady I made so many discoveries! I love a day when you learn a heap of new things!
    Nanna Chle... for those of us far from Toowoomba could you possibly take lots of photos of the steps to make the rugs and do a post on that? I would love to make one. That would be wonderful! xxx

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    1. Annabel, I will definitely take photos this time. I was too busy talking last time we had a workshop and forgot :-)

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  5. Ok now that the photo has been taken and posted put the chips and bickies back in. Its all looking way to healthy for a home with two men in it. Ha See you cant fool me though i am impressed with all that neat stacking and use of empty jars. Rag rugs are so country and id love that kinda decor but it doesnt work with the boys. Off to work, month end, so busy busy.

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  6. Ha ha, Lynda...no biscuits and chips in this house! The tidy pantry won't stay that way long I would imagine. I think I cleaned out all the wildlife although I did open a bottle of Chia seeds today and had to throw them out unfortunately.

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  7. Nooooo I am going away that week end :( so sad to be missing the workshop. We are doing a rocket run up to Charters for Masons birthday...Have fun though..
    I'm still atching up on blogs after my bloggy holiday....

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