Slow Sunday Stitching - Rag Rugs

Yesterday my friend Louise and I were at the Fergus Scottish Festival teaching people about making rag rugs. It was a great day! Here are some of the highlights:


**Albannach - what a great Scottish band, and the bass rhythm drummer Jacquie (on the right) is unbelievable! You can listen to their music here.

**Raymond - he is the maker of my new needles! I had been using the plastic toothbrush needle (from Aunt Philly's) but my friend Louise has this very creative neighbour Raymond who made us each a wooden needle and a bone needle. 

This is what the needles look like when threaded with a strip of fabric.  The bottom needle is Aunt Philly's, the yellow one Louise made from a plastic toothbrush, the white one is bone, and the brown one is wood.
These needles are amazing and are like stitching through butter.  My new favourite is the bone, and Louise prefers the wooden needle.






**Steel City Rovers - another great band, and these folks are from Hamilton. To hear them, click here or come over to the festival right now!




**Students - we had great interest in learning how to make rag rugs. Most people couldn't resist touching the rugs we had on display. And we heard wonderful stories about rug makers from days gone by, who used all kind of different materials including ties, saris, bottom cuts on trousers, nylon stockings, and binder twine. 

**Handwork all day long - This photo is of Louise helping to me start another rug. The beginning is the hardest part of this whole process, and between the two of us, we can usually figure it out with a minimum of swearing.

**Quilting - I snuck over to visit with the quilters and couldn't resist putting in a few stitches while I was there.

Uh oh... busted!
Get back to the rug making table!








The things to watch out for:



**this guy, who usually carries a large hatchet and is scary looking!



and





**these guys, who shoot their old (LOUD) guns right beside the heritage tent, and scare the living daylights out of people who have sharp objects in their hands!


Today is day 2 of rug making at Fergus Scottish Festival, but Louise can't come today, so if you're in the area stop by and keep me company, and make some rag rugs.

Those of you who can't come to the festival, link up your blog post below and share what you are hand stitching at your place.