How to Braid Rugs for Kids
Braided rugs make great accessories to any room, especially kids' rooms. If you already do a lot of sewing and have a stash of fabric, you can make your own braided rugs. Making braided rugs helps you use up all those leftover strips, and if the fabric is cotton, the rugs are washable.
Instructions
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Start with three strips of fabric. They don't need to be the same length; in fact, it's better if they are not.
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Fold the strips in half lengthwise. Join the strips at the end and put a safety pin through all the layers. Pin the safety pin to something stable, such as the arm of your couch or your pant leg. As the rope gets longer, you can just hold it between your knees.
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3
Braid the three strips together until you get to the end of one strip.
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Add another strip when one runs short. Overlap the new strip with the short strip about 3 inches and begin braiding it in with the two other strips.
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Keep working this way until you have a long, braided rope. Put another safety pin in the end of the rope. Do not tie the ends, because you might find that you need to add more length.
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Lay the rope on a large, flat surface, out to about 12 inches. Fold the rope around and lay it next to the first 12-inch length for the center of an oval braided rug.
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Thread a needle with heavy-duty thread. Insert the needle through the first length of the rope into the second 12-inch length. Keep sewing back and forth with tight stitches until you have sewn the two sections together.
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Wrap the rope loosely around the center of the rug, sewing as you go. Keep working until you have the desired size for your rug. Add more strips and length of braid if necessary.
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Tie a knot on the underside of the rug to hold the end of the braid securely.
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Tips & Warnings
Get the kids to help you make the braids for the rug. This gives you an opportunity to do a craft project with them, and they can tell their friends they helped make the rug.
Make a habit of cutting leftover fabric from other projects into 3-inch strips so you'll have a supply for the next time you want to make a braided rug.
