Braided Rag Rugs?

OK don't yell at me yet.

But redirect me to a more appropriate group if you know of one.

I am retired, 64 years old and besides an addiction to the internet
and lots of friends, I have been wondering about a 'mindless' hobby, so
to speak, to do while I am sitting around and just listening to the
radio or music etc. Actually to show for my time.

Years ago I met a woman, who lived in a small cottage/cabin and she
verbally told me how she made all the circular, braided rag rugs in her
home. As she told me, it sounded easy as pie to do.

Being a Virgo, I am doing it all in stages. Recently moving my
summer clothes to the basement and bringing up my winter clothes, I have
a bag full of old clothes that no longer fit etc. I am almost finished
with tearing them into long strips.
My next phase will be actually braiding all the strands I have and I
figure on my 3rd stage, I will use a big ole darning needle and clear
nylon thread.

Has anyone ever made one before?

I know you can make small place mats the same way, but I think I'll
first go to a medium size area rug. My first one will either be my best
or worse, but I'm going through with it.

The gal who told me or suggested I go to yard sales etc and get
ole winter coats, because the fabric was usually more durable, which I
will keep in mind, but I am going to use what I've go at this point.

Bob in Saint Louis, MO

I'm not yelling Bob - and welcome to the group. :-)

I remember my Mom making braided (and hooked) rag rugs when I was a child
and have managed to find three helpful sites that should get you started.
The first one has loads of information about the different kinds of braids
you can make: http://www.netw.com/~rafter4/braids.html

Next is a fully illustrated one which shows you the "how to" bit:
http://www.homesteadweaver.com/braidedrug.htm

The third one is text only but does give some useful hints and tips:
http://wi.essortment.com/braidedragrugs_rjmn.htm

Have fun and do check in to let us know how you get on with it.

All the best
Bernadette

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:31:15 -0500, Bob Young wrote:

OK don't yell at me yet.

But redirect me to a more appropriate group if you know of one.

I am retired, 64 years old and besides an addiction to the internet
and lots of friends, I have been wondering about a 'mindless' hobby, so to
speak, to do while I am sitting around and just listening to the radio or
music etc. Actually to show for my time.

Years ago I met a woman, who lived in a small cottage/cabin and she
verbally told me how she made all the circular, braided rag rugs in her
home. As she told me, it sounded easy as pie to do.

Being a Virgo, I am doing it all in stages. Recently moving my
summer clothes to the basement and bringing up my winter clothes, I have a
bag full of old clothes that no longer fit etc. I am almost finished with
tearing them into long strips.
My next phase will be actually braiding all the strands I have and I
figure on my 3rd stage, I will use a big ole darning needle and clear
nylon thread.

Has anyone ever made one before?

I know you can make small place mats the same way, but I think I'll
first go to a medium size area rug. My first one will either be my best
or worse, but I'm going through with it.

The gal who told me or suggested I go to yard sales etc and get
ole winter coats, because the fabric was usually more durable, which I
will keep in mind, but I am going to use what I've go at this point.

Bob in Saint Louis, MO

Bob Young wrote:
OK don't yell at me yet.

But redirect me to a more appropriate group if you know of one.

I am retired, 64 years old and besides an addiction to the internet
and lots of friends, I have been wondering about a 'mindless' hobby, so
to speak, to do while I am sitting around and just listening to the
radio or music etc. Actually to show for my time.

Years ago I met a woman, who lived in a small cottage/cabin and she
verbally told me how she made all the circular, braided rag rugs in her
home. As she told me, it sounded easy as pie to do.

Being a Virgo, I am doing it all in stages. Recently moving my
summer clothes to the basement and bringing up my winter clothes, I have
a bag full of old clothes that no longer fit etc. I am almost finished
with tearing them into long strips.
My next phase will be actually braiding all the strands I have and I
figure on my 3rd stage, I will use a big ole darning needle and clear
nylon thread.

Has anyone ever made one before?

I know you can make small place mats the same way, but I think I'll
first go to a medium size area rug. My first one will either be my best
or worse, but I'm going through with it.

The gal who told me or suggested I go to yard sales etc and get
ole winter coats, because the fabric was usually more durable, which I
will keep in mind, but I am going to use what I've go at this point.

Bob in Saint Louis, MO


Bob,

Just about any book on hand-made rugs will provide instructions on
making a braided rag rug. Check your local library. For example:
http://www.amazon.com/Braided-Rug-Bo...0237300&sr=1-1

Have fun!

Alan

I have made small rugs for my bathroom from old sheets, torn into 2"
strips and then crocheted. An elderly lady at a craft fair showed me
how to do it! The rugs are reversible, absorbent, and go through the
washer and dryer very well. They can be made into round, oval, or
squared shapes. One piece of advice she had was to buy sheets at the
Salvation Army, Goodwill, or garage sales. Another was to keep a
needle and thread handy to attach the ends of strips together as you
do, which avoids knots.

True braided rugs are works of art! There are several books available
with excellent instructions, and very inexpensive tools for achieving
flat, even braids while turning the rough edges inside. There are
very nice, sturdy tapestry needles in half-circle shapes, which are
handy for the sewing together, and cording especially made for the
sewing which will hold very well and not cut the fabric braids. You
can even buy everything in a kit, except for the fabric to make the
braids. Enjoy!

One other note -- have you seen locker-hooked rugs? They also use
strips of old material, and are very nice as well as easy to do. The
instructions and special locker-hooks are available at almost all arts
and craft shops now, as well as Walmart and lots of fabric stores.

I have made a few of what they call toothbrush rugs. It's pretty easy
-- you have two strips of fabric, and you do a continual series of
half-hitches, with one strip enclosing the other strip (which serves
sort of like cording) and attaching to the previous row with the
half-hitches. It goes quickly and looks really nice, and as long as you
work on a flat surface, they just aren't hard to do.

--
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your
work with excellence.

I thought I was tearing my strips too narrow, but as I started to braid
them I realized that I could make them even a little thinner than I
first guessed.

I do sew/tack-on the next one to the next one with regular thread.
But when I sew the rings on to the rug (so to speak) I use a big ole
darning needle and clear nylon thread.

For the life of me every time I tie that first clear thread on , I have
to stand in front of a window and get sunlight. It's like threading a
spider web. Once I get it started then I can deal with it.

I live in the city and I am already a professional dumpster diver.
I have one of those deals that can pick up or 'grab' articles, cans,
etc.... I may keep my eye open now for discarded clothing etc. and
wash it with Lysol before I work with it.

Bob Young wrote:

I do sew/tack-on the next one to the next one with regular thread.
But when I sew the rings on to the rug (so to speak) I use a big ole
darning needle and clear nylon thread.

I'm not talking about sewing braids together with half-hitches, I am
talking about taking two 2-inch-wide strips of calico-thickness fabric
or old sheets or whatever and wrapping one around the other with
half-hitches, then when you come around to make a second row, you run
the half-hitch through the row next to it and it makes the rug while you
are creating the rows. No sewing afterward needed.

--
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your
work with excellence.

On Sep 20, 6:41 am, Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
wrote:
Bob Young wrote:

I do sew/tack-on the next one to the next one with regular thread.
But when I sew the rings on to the rug (so to speak) I use a big ole
darning needle and clear nylon thread.

I'm not talking about sewing braids together with half-hitches, I am
talking about taking two 2-inch-wide strips of calico-thickness fabric
or old sheets or whatever and wrapping one around the other with
half-hitches, then when you come around to make a second row, you run
the half-hitch through the row next to it and it makes the rug while you
are creating the rows. No sewing afterward needed.

--
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your
work with excellence.

This is called WRAPPING and is a traditional way to make baskets with
dried grasses, people have long ago learned to do this with all other
kinds of plyable materials ,, i made loads of baslkets with ropes and
rugs ,, rugs over trugs etc,,,,,
mirjam

Oh I see! Interesting! Problem right now is I am just using strips
from the legs of pants, the arms of shirts and any long strands I can
get out of them. But if I ever get material that large I will keep that
idea in mind.

I guess, because I am 'stocky' *, shall we say, the best way to cut
up a pull over shirt is straight across and then cut it one time to make
longer strips. Seems to me that makes them longer than going up and
down. *"Fat" is such an ugly word."

I live in an apt bldg. I thought about putting a cardboard box in
the laundry room and asking folks to thrown in any old sheets,
towels,dresses or pants they just want to pitch.

Bob Young wrote:
Oh I see! Interesting! Problem right now is I am just using strips
from the legs of pants, the arms of shirts and any long strands I can
get out of them. But if I ever get material that large I will keep that
idea in mind.

I guess, because I am 'stocky' *, shall we say, the best way to cut
up a pull over shirt is straight across and then cut it one time to make
longer strips. Seems to me that makes them longer than going up and
down. *"Fat" is such an ugly word."

I bought a sport coat recently and noticed that some on the racks were
marked "executive cut". I asked the salesman what that meant; he said
the old term was "portly." ;-)


I live in an apt bldg. I thought about putting a cardboard box in
the laundry room and asking folks to thrown in any old sheets,
towels,dresses or pants they just want to pitch.

Great idea! Snag them before they get to the landfill!

I've never made a braided rug before, but I remember reading that you
can sew the braids to the rest of the rug with thicker yarn or string
in a way that it doesn't show in the finished product. This involves
catching the loops on each side, rather than piercing the fabric. This
will make for a stronger finished product than one made with
monofilament nylon thread.

Alan