People have been DIYing and bringing new life to old items since the beginning of time, but with the rise of the Internet and social media platforms like Pinterest, the Do It Yourself trend is more popular than it has ever been before. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be naturally crafty to be a successful DIYer, and all that it really takes is putting some time aside to research whatever it is you’re looking to make (plus maybe a bit of trial and error). In today’s blog, we’ll be fulfilling your DIY dreams and giving you the 411 on how to make a rag rug!
What Exactly Is A Rag Rug?
Rag rugs are small carpets comprised of old pieces of cloth that have been woven or stitched together. The craft of rag rugging was once considered to be a sign of poverty and women would take to the practice as a way to socialize, build community, and, most important of all, save money. Today, rag rugs are widely accepted, and people of all social classes have embraced them.
Six Steps to Make A Rag Rug
Step 1 – Gather the Goods
Before you can get into the looping and shagging, you first need to gather the materials that will make up your rag rug. Here are some rag rug essentials that will start you off on the right foot:
· Scissors
· Thread
· Old clothing, old sheets, and/or rags
Step 2 – Start Cutting Strips
Now that you have your materials handy, it’s time to start cutting your chosen fabric into strips. In general, you’ll want to cut the fabric into 1-2 inch wide strips, and each strip should be wide enough to make for a substantial piece of yarn. It’s also a good idea to take into consideration how tightly braided you want your rag rug to be when cutting your chosen fabric into strips.
Pro tip: You don’t have actually to cut the material all the way through. Save yourself some time and effort by making a little slit in the fabric and ripping it right down the middle.
Step 3 – Decide on a Colour Scheme
You need to decide how you want your rag rug to look before you go about the braiding process. Do you want your rug to be all one cohesive colour, or would you rather it be a blend of a bunch of different ones? Is there a specific pattern you’d like to create? Will the rug you have in mind suit the room it’s going to be in? All of these questions need to be answered prior to putting together your rag rug.
Step 4 – Double-Check You Have Enough Fabric
There’s nothing worse than starting a project, then finding out you don’t have enough material to actually finish it! To save yourself the stress of running out of rag rug material, it’s always a good idea to double-check you have enough (and maybe even a little extra). Making a test swatch and multiplying its weight by the square footage you want your rug to be is a great way to determine how much material you’ll need and what it should weigh.
Step 5 – Tie or Sew Your Strips Together
You’re getting close to the end – now it’s time to tie or sew your strips together. Simply grab the ends of two strips and join them together using your preferred method. If you’re tying your strips together, you may want to create slits and slide the end of your first strip into the slit in the second strip then push the opposite end of the second strip through the first strip’s slit for extra reinforcement.
Step 6 – Crochet Away
Now for the fun part – crocheting! Grab a large crochet hook and follow these steps:
1. From front to back, wrap the yarn around the hook.
2. Hold the yarn in place with your finger.
3. Push the tip of your hook through the hole.
4. Grab hold of the yarn with your hook.
5. Pull the yarn through the hole again.
6. Continue to pull the yarn through both the loops on the hook.
7. Easy peasy! You’re all done.
Also Read: Must Know Before Purchasing Leather
Armed with this guide on how to make a rag rug, you’ll be in a great position to make the rug of your dreams a reality! And if your prized possession endures some wear and tear once you start using it, Love Your Rug can help put it back together.
Love Your Rug is Ontario’s premier area rug cleaning and rug repair facility located in West Toronto. We’ve been putting rugs back together for Over a Century, and we’re so confident in our ability to restore your rug that we offer all our customers a 100% money-back guarantee. Contact us today to keep your rag rug looking its best!
