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Rugmaker's Homestead Celebrating Our 24th Anniversary in 2008!
HOME TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTACT US ORDERING INFO CATALOG

Welcome!

modern bohemian braid basket We hope this quick guide will help you have an enjoyable visit. This site is structured in two levels. The first, and most important, is educational and it is this level that we call the "Rugmaker's Homestead." You can literally spend hours on the Rag Rugs Tour, reading articles, letters, free instructions or about the history of rag rugs. There is so much information available here that it will fill a large notebook-- essentially the educational level amounts to a free reference book about traditional rag rugs.

Please remember though that all of the information on these pages is copyrighted.

Our mail order business is Rafter-four Designs, and we do sell books, patterns, tools, kits, etc., for making rugs. That is the business level of the website, and you can click on the link to the catalog or ordering information when you are ready to.

The "Rugmaker's Homestead" is the oldest continuous website about rag rugs on the internet. As you explore it you will notice that some of the pages have URL addresses beginning with http://www.netw.com/~rafter4. That is the original web address and we are still using it. Newer pages will have addresses beginning with http://www.rugmakershomestead.com. We aren't trying to confuse you--we just ran out of room on the original site and have expanded into the domain address as well.

Finding your way around the "Homestead"

At the top of each page you will find links to these major features of the Rugmaker's Homestead.

HOME: This link will take you back to the main home page.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:This is a complete listing of everything on the site, both educational and commercial. If you are looking for a particular feature of the site, this would be the best place to start. The table of contents is divided into five sections.

I. Welcome to the Homestead--information especially for the first-time rugmaker. We know that with so many types of rugs it can be confusing finding a place to start being a rug maker yourself.
II. Articles for the Rugmaker--a listing of the letters, free patterns, rugmaking tips, rug history, articles to help you with making rugs, antique and vintage rugmaking information, etc. and the Rugmaker's Exchange where rug makers from all over have contributed letters and photos.
III. Who We Are, What We Do & How to Contact Us--These page includes contact information, our mission and privacy statements, our background and philosophy of customer service.
IV. About Our Products for Rugmakers--photos and detailed descriptions of our books and supplies with related information and tips.
V. Our Catalog & How To Order from It--When you want to order from anywhere in the world, here you'll find how to do it. A printable list of all our products is here also, which can be handy to have as you explore various rug making methods.

ORDERING INFO:All of the basic information about ordering from us.

CONTACT US: This page explains how to contact us with any of your rug making questions.

So Where Do I Start?

There is so much information about rugs and rugmaking on the homestead that it can be confusing. We suggest that you begin with the "Rag Rugs Tour." This is a self-guided tour with 21 stops covering all of the major types of traditional rag rugs. It provides a basic education and overview of the world of rug making whether you want to make your own rugs or not. Each tour stop has photos of rugs, information about their construction, and letters related to that type of rug. If you're interested in learning about all of the wonderful varieties of rugs, this is the place to start. You can access any of the tour stops individually on each page, so if you are interested only in one particular type of rug, you can find the information quickly.

I'm Looking for Someone to Make a Rug for Me...

We developed our "Connections Directory" to help rugmakers and their customers find each other. Whether you are looking for a one-of-a-kind handmade rug or you make custom rugs yourself, this is the directory for you. It lists traditional rug makers of all types, and how to contact them. The listings are free--the directory is a service we provide for rugmakers to encourage the rug making arts. Included are rugmakers, rug teachers and rug organizations from around the world.

The name of our mail order business is "Rafter-four Designs" and 2008 marks the 24th year we have been providing books and supplies to traditional rugmakers (and our 11th year on the web). If you'd like a free pricelist and printed order form you can e-mail us (send your regular mail address, North America only) at: info@rugmakershomestead.com

Or write to us at Rafter-four Designs, P O Box 40-N, Cocolalla, ID 83813.

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http://www.rugmakershomestead.com