How to Make Rugs From Neckties
Rag rugs used to be common, when women did a great deal of sewing. These rugs used scraps of leftover material, since everything that could be used was. You can take a tip from these women as society becomes concerned about creating less waste. Though you may not have lots of fabric odds and ends hanging about, what you need may still be at your fingertips if you think outside the box. Make a rag rug from ribbons, T-shirts, or even old neckties.
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Cut the broad end off of each tie so that the strip left is a consistent length all the way down. Cut the seam on the back of the tie strip and open up the fabric. Remove any filling and discard it.
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Cut the tie strips into smaller strips about 2 inches wide and all the same length. Mix and match the strips into groups of 3. Try to match up different coordinating patterns for a more interesting rug.
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Start with the first group of 3 strips. Baste stitch them together at one end and pin this end to a piece of cardboard. Braid the 3 strips together and baste together the bottom ends; repeat this step for every set of strips.
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Roll up the first braid slowly into a spiral and hand-sew the new row to the outer row as you go, leaving about ½ inch loose at the outside end. Trim off the excess thread. Match up one end of the next braid with the loose end of the spiral and baste them together.
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Spiral the new braid around the outside of the first, hand-sewing it to the outer ring as you go. Again, leave about ½ inch loose at the end. Baste stitch on a new braid and continue; repeat this until you have used all of the braids or the rug is the size you want.
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Tuck the final end of the last braid toward the bottom of the rug and up behind the outside ring. Hand-stitch the end into place and trim the excess thread. Look over the rug and snip away any loose threads and release any visible basting threads.
References
Writer Bio
Jourdan Townsend has been writing since childhood. Her articles appear in a collection of student works at the University of Oklahoma as well as in the school's "Honors College Journal." Townsend also composes poetry, some of which can be found in an edition of the "Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans." Townsend holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
Photo Credits
- Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
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