How to Cut a Braided Garden Rug

Braided rugs can be made of many different colors of fabric scraps.

Braided rugs are made by braiding scraps of fabric strips together in long braids. These braids are then sewn together in a spiral fashion to create large rugs. This type of rug is durable, washable and hardy and can be used in the home, on the porch or even at the garden under a patio table. The rug should be lifted to an indoor location during inclement weather and allowed to dry completely on a line or over a rail if it becomes soaked. If you acquire or make this type of rug, you can reduce the overall size with just a little work to make the rug exactly the size you want.

Things You'll Need

• Seam ripper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Needle and thread

Instructions

1. Determine the final size of the rug. Braided rugs are sewn together in a spiral shape, so to decrease the size, you must measure out from the center and determine that the same coil will be continuous on all sides of the rug. Mark the coil you want to reduce to with tape on all sides of the coil around the circumference of the rug.

2. Open the seam between the braids using a seam ripper and scissors. Try not to damage your braids as you can reattach them to expand the rug later or you can use them to make a smaller rug. Cut and remove all of the lashing threads until you reach the first taped mark indicating the coil you want to reach as your final size.

3. Cut the braid away from seams. If you look closely at the braids, you will see that each braid piece is a strip of folded fabric, and these fabric strips are seamed together. Cut in between a seamed area, where the fabric will tend to be more compact.

4. Cut across the braid. Use needle and thread to sew the ends of the braid together and tuck the end against the rug. Sew it so that it blends into the side braid of the rug. Check your rug size. If you need to go one coil smaller, then carefully remove one coil of the rug. It is easy to lose track and go too far.

Tips & Warnings

• Sew off the ends of your braid scraps so they will not unravel if you store them for a later project.

References

• Craftown: Braided Rugs