How to Make a Four-Strand Braided Rug
Braided rugs add a warm and homey feel to any room of the home. While these pieces can now be mass produced and purchased at any home store, you can still create this time tested craft with household fabric scraps. Select an assortment of fabric pieces in colors and patterns which compliment the room that the rug is intended for. The scraps don’t need to match perfectly, but should compliment one another. For the most professional looking results, begin with lighter colored scraps at the center of the rug and work toward a darker color around the edges.
Instructions
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1
Gather several scraps of fabric in a similar material. Wool and linen are popular choices. The fabrics don't need to match exactly, but should have a similar weight and thickness.
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2
Cut the scraps of fabric into long strips, about three inches wide. Cut along with the grain of the fabric. The strips should be as long as possible, but do not need to be the same length. As one strip runs out, you will simply sew a new strip on to the end and continue working. In general, you will need about 32 yards of fabric strips per square foot of finished rug.
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3
Sew the ends of your first four fabric strips together. Safety pin the end of the strips to a blanket or pillow to hold the braid steady as you begin.
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4
Lay the four strands flat, side by side. From left to right, consider the strands, A, B, C, and D. Pass the left of the two center strands (B) over the right (C). You now have A, C, B, D. Pass the far left strand (A) under the adjacent piece (C). You will have C, A, B, D. Wrap the far right strand (D) over the adjacent piece (B). You end with C, A, D, B. This concludes the pattern which will be repeated throughout the braiding process.
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5
Repeat the pattern in step four until you reach the end of one of your fabric strips. Securely sew a new strip on at the end of the previous strip and continue.
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6
Wrap the braid around loosely as you work to see the size and shape of your developing rug. Your rug will begin with a straight center strip. The rest of the rug is wound around this, gradually creating an oval or circular shape. For a circular rug, the center strip is only an inch or two, as the shape quickly becomes round and even. An oval rug has a longer center strip. To determine the length of the center strip for an oval rug, subtract the desired width of the finished piece from the desired length. A rug measuring two feet by three feet would therefore have a one foot center.
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Sew the ends together when you have reached the desired size and shape of your rug.
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Wrap the finished braid around the center strip. As you work, secure each layer of braid to the next by sewing together with carpet thread. Pass the thread through adjoining loops on the two side by side braids. As the rug grows, the side by side loops may not match up. At this point, pass the thread through two loops on the outer layer of the braid for each one loop of the inner layer, particularly along the corners.
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Lay a damp cloth on top of the finished rug. Press with a hot iron to flatten the completed piece.
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