How to Make a Traditional Rug

A traditional rug can be used to complement modern furniture designs. A Persian or an Asian rug may create decor anchor for the dining room, media room or living room adorned with leather chairs and couches. Choose a rug that accent the furniture color.

The easiest traditional rug for one to make is usually the braided rug, therefore people who could not afford to buy manufactured rugs can make their own rugs by utilizing old clothing. Starting with wool or cotton fabric strips, one can be able to make a room-sized rug or a throw rug by using very few tools even when they do not have any prior experience.

Start by cutting old clothes or the fabric into strips measuring 2 inches in width. Your fabric must be all wool or all cotton and not a blend. Turn the strips into 3 long strips by stitching the strips ends together. For a harmonized look, strips may all be from a similar family or any rainbow color for an informal country feel. The ultimate length of the long strips will be determined by the size of the finished rug. Therefore, continue to add strips until the rug is as large as you would like it to be.
 
Tie together all the three strips at one end and you can put something that is heavy on the knot in order to hold it in place or you can have someone to hold the knot for you. Start to braid the three strips the same way you would braid your hair and ensure to keep the braid tight but do not make it so tight until they start to curl up. Keep on braiding ensuring that the braids are flat and not warped. Braid until when you have a big ball of material that is braided.
 
Decide if you need an oval or a round rug. If round, then begin by laying the braid out on the floor then spiral around itself. Continue laying it down in spiral shape and keep it flat ensuring that you do not twist it. If you need an oval rug, then start by laying out a foot of braid on a straight line and continue to make the braid laying out the braid on the floor up to when your rug reaches the size that you want it to be.
Using a big needle as well as heavy cotton thread, while the braid is laid out in spiral shape, start at the middle of the rug and begin to sew the braids together in the spiral while you go alongside the spiral between every braid.
 
Sew alongside the spiral each inch the layers of the braid touch each other and keep the braids flat and not twisted. Pull the seams tight in order to maintain the braid touching always. Once you are done sewing the whole spiral rug, sew the braid end to the row that is next and finish off neatly the raw edge. Turn over the rug to reveal its topside and if you wish to make it non-slip then cut rubber shelf liner pieces then super glue the pieces on the backside of the rug. Note that the rug is machine-washable and it will become more country looking and rustic as it is utilized.