Felt Rug Project
Grace Smith and I (Emma Jackson) are in the process of repairing and restoring her Shrydak felt rug. This is an ongoing project that began over a year ago after Grace discovered to her horror that moth lavae had munched their way through large parts of her rug beautiful felt rug. To date this has been a process of researching how to eradicate any last vestiges of lavae and prevent future infestations. We have clarified which wools were used to make the rug and selected the wool type most suitable to repair it. This has involved understanding the dyes used, the strength and durability of the wool needed and how the rug was originally assembled. It has and continues to be a steep learning curve, and has provided interesting insights into the changing use of dyes, from natural to acid dyes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during the last hundred years.

We have now moved onto the actual repair stage now, needle felting the new wool into the front and back of the holes and tracks eaten away by the lava. To help prevent the work becoming overwhelming, Grace has stitched a grid across the rug so we can work methodical, focusing on one area at at time. We are meeting fortnightly at The Old Printworks in Baslall Heath (Birmingham) and approaching this part of the restoration as a community project, inviting people to join in and learn about felting along the way. If you are interested in taking part please message me for further details.

Everyone is welcome to come along, see & chat about the project and have a go at repairing the rug. These are very friendly, informal sessions. You can drop in for one off visits, come for multiple sessions, when you can, be it an hour or for the whole morning you are very welcome. Come along & get involved with the repair project, it’s very therapeutic!

Held at The Old Print Works in Birmingham, B12 9AH from 9:30-12noon
The next meet up dates are;
April 24th
May 1st,
May 15th
May 29th.

Please let Grace know by messaging (07983 705793), when you’d like to come, so she can let you into the building. We’d love to see you.