Making A Rag Rug
I’m considering making a rag rug. The idea is that you use strips of fabric to make a rug. I’ve never made one before, but it seems like a cool project and a great way to re-use old (read: baby) clothes.
There are all kinds of ways to make a rag rug. They can be made with a loom, a sewing machine, braided, crocheted, knotted, and so on. After some research, I’ve narrowed it down to a few techniques:
1. Braided.
There are two types of braided rugs. In one, fabric strips are braided together until it forms a rug, usually a large oval or circle. Here is a tutorial.
Alternately, you can braid the fabric in one long rope and then sew it together as a rug, like so:
This last method is a lot of work, but it also gives you leeway for manipulating the rug to look the way you want.
2. Crochet.
You use a crochet hook to crochet the rug. This video shows how:
I’m not very good at crocheting, but this method seems to yield consistently attractive rugs.
3. Knitted.
This technique uses knitting needles. It seems to work well for square or rectangular rugs. Here’s more on knitted rag rugs.
4. Loomed.
As you might expect, you use a loom to make the rug. Most commercial rag rugs are made with looms. But as I don’t have a loom, I’m probably not going to go this route.
5. Woven.
The fabric is criss-crossed the same way thread is woven to make fabric. Usually these rugs are rectangular or square and have tassels at the end. Here’s a tutorial.
6. Knotted.
I’m not sure what else to call this technique, but instead of long strips of cloth, the cloth is cut into 1 X 5 inch rectangles and knotted onto a non-skid rug mat, like so:
According to this site, “for a thicker rug, knot along every line or knot along every other line for a thinner mat.” (Reminds me of these t-shirt rugs.)
Frankly, this one looks the easiest.
Have you ever made a rag rug? Tell me about it.
