How to Bind & Back a Rug

Protect your handiwork for years to come.

Handmade rugs can be made from a variety of materials using many different techniques. Whether you've made a whimsical felt rug for your playroom featuring dancing animals or an elegant, jewel-toned hooked rug for in front of your fireplace, you will want to bind and back your rug to protect it for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Broadcloth, felt, or whatever heavy fabric you choose to back your rug with
• Scissors
• Binding tape
• Straight pins
• Hand needle
• Carpet thread
• Quilter's temporary spray adhesive

Instructions

1. Measure your rug. Cut your backing fabric to the same size as your rug.

2. Measure and cut your binding tape two inches longer than each side of the rug.

3. Take one piece of binding tape and align one edge with one edge of the rug. Pin in place. You should have one inch hanging off either end.

4. Secure the rug binding in place with cross stitches down the entire length of the binding. Cross stitches look like the letter X. First stitch a row of angled stitches across the entire edge of the binding into the rug. When you reach the end of the row, reverse direction crossing back over each stitch.

5. Sew the binding to your rug on the remaining three sides in the same way.

6. Flip your rug over, bottom side up and spray with adhesive. If you have a large rug work in small sections. Smooth the backing piece onto the back of the rug until the entire back is covered.

7. 

   Miter your corners to look like the corners of a frame

   Fold the rug binding to the back, and pin in place. Fold the ends of the binding in for a squared off finish, or angle and join the ends together for a mitered look. Stitch the rug binding to the back the same way you did to the front.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are laying this rug on a particularly slippery floor, you might want to lay it on top of a rubberized mat, or brush a layer of liquid rubber onto the backing fabric.

References

• "Better Homes and Gardens Stitchery and Crafts"; Meredith Corporation; 1966