Judi Galvin (Arlington) makes traditional braided rag rugs. Galvin, who was inspired by her husband’s aunts, taught herself the time-honored skill of recycling second-hand clothes and hand-me-downs into useful rugs.
Bio
Judi Galvin makes braided rag rugs, as did her husband’s aunt and great-aunt. Inspired by their example, Galvin set out to braid her own. Her first attempt was a failure, and she had to take the rug completely apart. Unfazed, Galvin immediately started over; with time and practice, she has become a skilled artisan. Finding that ripping old clothes was so time consuming, she started to find wool yardage at the Goodwill, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent DePaul facilities, and the leftover pieces at the woolen mills. Her house is full of braided rugs large and small, and there’s always another one in progress on the table. Galvin cuts the fabric in uniform strips of every different color and braids them together with metal pieces called Braid Aids. The final step is to coil the braid and lace it together using stitches to secure it into the shape of the rug, whether oval, round, or square. Galvin doesn’t sell her work; her rugs are cherished gifts that brighten the homes of friends and family.
