Traditional Rug Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn how to design and create your own handmade rug with our handcraft short courses in Sydney!

Discover the timeless art of traditional rug making in this hands-on workshop.

Rug hooking is an ancient craft that has been practised for centuries. Despite almost dying out in the last century, it is experiencing a revival in the modern era due to its diverse design possibilities and mindfulness benefits. 

It is an eco-friendly craft where you can make 'rugs from rags', making use of recycled and scrap materials.

In this class, participants will delve into the fascinating world of hooky and proggy rug making, unlocking the intricate techniques that have been passed down through generations. 

Our experienced tutor will expertly guide you through each step, ensuring you start making your own beautiful and unique traditional rug.

You'll learn how to use the specialised hooky and proggy tools to make the beginnings of 2 very different styles of rug. You'll also learn how to finish the edges of your rugs in a variety of fun ways. 

You'll leave with the skills required to begin your own projects at home. Using this technique, you can create rugs, wall hangings, coasters, bags, cushions - the possibilities are endless! 

Join us for a meditative day of sustainable crafting!

(Photograph credit: Theresa Reynolds)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Traditional Rug Making Workshop, you should be able to:

• Design and make products using the hooked and progged methods.
• Understand the different ways to prepare base material for the rugs end purpose.
• Select materials for both practical and artistic purposes.
• Know the stages of the design process and how to transfer a design to a backing fabric.
• Finish the edges of the rugs and know which finishing method to use for each practical purpose.

Course content

What will be covered in this Traditional Rug Making Workshop?

Morning: Introduction to the two basic rug hooking techniques.

• Outline of the history of Rug Hooking: showing examples of different techniques and design styles from traditional to contemporary.
• Learn how to prepare and cut fabric ready to hook or prog.
• Learn the basic Hooky and Proggy techniques and experiment with ways to fill areas.
• Experiment with high and low effects, solid colour v patterned fabric, manipulating the strips and looped v cut loops
• Work with different materials and fibre types and constructions - knitted, woven or felted fabrics, yarn and non-traditional materials such as plastics.
• Combining techniques including making 3D effects and flowers.
• Understanding which technique will be best suited for a particular practical end purpose.

Afternoon: Designing and Finishing Techniques.

• Design Considerations, creating a pattern template and how to transfer a design onto the backing using chalk, pen or netting methods.
• Understand how to even out the fabric ready to finish off the raw edges.
• Mitred corners and facing method for finishing for light end uses such as coasters.
• Tape and thread method for finishing - suitable for wall hangings and low-traffic rugs.

Intended audience

Who is this rug hooking course for?

This comprehensive course is designed for individuals of all skill levels, whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced crafter looking to expand your repertoire.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

Materials provided

All materials and tools, including the hooky and proggy tool, are provided for you in class.

You have also the option to purchase your own tool set at the checkout, which you can take home for your own projects.

What to bring to class

• A notepad and pen for taking notes
• A medium-sized pair of scissors
• Any project ideas you have for discussion