How to Braid Rope for a Rug

Make a braided rug using hemp rope.

When you want to decorate your home with braided throw rugs, you may feel disappointed by the high cost yet low quality of some of the rugs found at department stores. It's a good enough reason to make your own braided rug. Not only can you save money by using materials that can be purchased inexpensively at any fabric supply store, you can also be as creative as you want without compromising quality. You can even make a braided rug out of hemp rope, a durable material that is able to withstand heavy wear and traffic.

Things You'll Need

• Hemp rope, medium weight
• Safety pins
• Nylon thread, heavy weight
• Embroidery needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Cut three pieces of medium-weight hemp rope to measure 10 feet long. Secure them together at one end using a safety pin.

2. Braid the ropes tightly. Hold two of the ropes in your left hand, and the remaining rope in your right hand. Fold the right rope in between the other two ropes in your left hand. Grasp the two rope that are the farthest to the right in your right hand. Fold the left rope in between the other two ropes in your right hand. Repeat this process until you reach the ends of the ropes. Secure the ends with a second safety pin.

3. Wind the braided rope into a tight spiral. Lay the braided rope outstretched onto the floor, and curl one end of the braid into a coil in your hand. Keep the coil flat on the ground, and continue winding the length of the braided rope around the coil. Continue until the entire braided rope has become a larger spiral. Secure the spiral in place by attaching safety pins across the seams of the spiral.

4. Sew along the spiral using medium-weight nylon thread, starting from the center of the spiral and stitching outwards.

5. Tuck the end of the braid underneath the rug, and sew it into place with the nylon thread. Cut off any excess thread with scissors.

6. Remove all the safety pins and place the braided rug on the floor.