Rags to Rugs: Local Couple’s Colorful Hobby

When Donna Lindberg was five years old, she remembers her mother buying her first loom in Davenport, Iowa. Her family lived in Illinois and came across the border to buy the big contraption. Lindberg soon found herself and her siblings helping her mother make rugs out of clothing scraps. Decades later, Donna and her husband Larry are carrying on the family tradition of rug-making and sharing their handicrafts across the country.

As a child, Donna remembers her mother crocheting, knitting and tatting. Moving on to rug-making on the big loom was a next logical step. Donna said it was a whole family affair that she personally enjoyed and helped the family supplement their household income.

For her part, Donna remembers getting her first loom over 60 years ago and thus continued an art that her mother taught her. She began making rugs for her sister to sell in her gift shop in Illinois. Years later, the work has blossomed into a bigger operation.

There are many steps to the rug making process. One of those is accumulating the material that forms the main part of the rug. The Lindbergs use a variety of textiles from denim to used pants. But the most often used material is old bed sheets. The rug-makers explain that they usually acquire sheets from yard sales in Nevada, where they spend their winters.

“The sheets work well because you can cut them into long strips,” explained Donna. She does this and then sews the pieces together, combining different colors and patterns of sheets, to make interesting designs on the rug.

Donna uses something called a horse, that does indeed resemble a small hobby horse, to put the long material strips in canister-looking containers to eventually feed them in the loom.

The special string used on the loom is called ‘warp.’ The Lindbergs order it from Michigan and explain that when they load that onto the loom, it takes days. But once the warp is properly positioned, they can make many rugs before reloading it. According to Donna, you can make one rug in two or three hours.

Over the years, Donna’s husband Larry also got involved in the rug making. The two now tag team the operation which has become known as “Rags to Rugs by Grandma Donna and Grumpy Grandpa.” For the grumpy grandpa, he calls the work his ‘exercise.’ Indeed, when Larry thrusts the beater part of the loom to tighten fabric, it is a workout. “It takes your whole body, arms, back, and stomach to do this,” says Larry.

Larry also contributes to the operation by making sure they have plenty of parts on hand should something on the loom break. “I have a bad habit of buying looms at auctions,” he laughs. Thanks to this habit, the Lindbergs have several looms currently and keep one both at their Britton home and in their Nevada home.

These days, they sell the rugs in a variety of places. A granddaughter sells them out of a gift shop in the Twin Cities. The Lindbergs also explain that they spend their Saturdays while living in Nevada set up at a local Farmers Market where handmade items are sold. Donna adds they are also happy for people to stop by their Britton home near the golf course to check out their inventory. “I usually have around 100 rugs on hand,” she says.

She also said that she is happy to consider custom orders. If someone has a certain color or material in mind for a rug, she might just be able to oblige. Donna adds that the rugs are washable and can last years as long as you hang dry them.

The Lindbergs say they truly enjoy the rug work and do it for fun rather than out of obligation. They explain that some days they’ll take a break and not touch the loom, but other days, they’ll whip out two or three rugs. “My favorite part is to create fun little patterns,” Donna says.

They also add that they do it as a form of stress relief. “My mother used to say, ‘busy hands, healthy heart,’ and I really believe that,” emphasized Donna.

The Lindbergs welcome people to come check out their stock of rugs. They can be reached at 605-467-0191.