Instructions for Making Homemade Rag Rugs

You can make your own braided rug.

Rag rugs, also called braided rugs, are traditionally created using old, worn rags, clothing or textiles. This allowed people to make use of the supplies they had available without added expense. If you are interested in historical handicrafts, or simply want to recycle some old textiles, you can successfully make a rag rug by following a few basic instructions.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton or wool fabric
• Scissors
• Needle
• Thread
• Iron
• Press cloth

Instructions

1. 

   Cut long strips of wool or cotton fabric.

   Collect pieces of used clothing or textiles that are 100% cotton or 100% wool. Cut strips out of the cloth that are at least 3 inches wide. The length of the fabric does not matter, as they will be sewn together before constructing the rag rug.

2. 

   Sew the strips together.

   Turn in the edges of the strips, and fold the strips in half. Sew along the edges of the strips. Once all of the strips have been sewn together, create three long strips by sewing the ends onto each other.

3. 

   Braid the strips together.

   Knot the ends of the three long strips together, and hold it in between your knees. Braid the three strips of cloth together tightly. Be careful to ensure that the braids are all facing the same direction. This will allow the final product to be a clean, professional-looking rag rug.

4. 

   Sew the braids in a spiral pattern.

   Lay the entire braided cloth onto a large, flat surface, such as a floor. Coil the braid around itself until the entire braid has been coiled into a large spiral. Starting at the center of the rug, sew the braid onto itself along each crease. Continue sewing until it reaches the desired size.

5. Put a damp cloth over the rug and press it flat with a hot iron. Move the damp cloth around until the entire rug has been pressed and lies perfectly flat.

References

• Craft Town: Braided Rug Instructions
• Green Light Write: Making a Braided Rug