An Easy Way to Make a Rug

Making a braided wool rug is a great summer project to undertake. Not only will you have a lot of fun, you will also make a unique and very personal braided rug for any of your rooms. Choose between round, oval, rectangular or square braided rugs and add new warmth and vibrancy to the rooms in your house. They can also be used a rug runner in your hallway to add some cushion to a wood floored hallwayMaking braided wool rugs is not at all difficult. All you need are the materials and instructions listed below:


Materials:

Colored wool
Scissors
Darning needle
Sewing needle
Thread
Sturdy string


Instructions:

Take three strings of wool at a time. Choose the length of the string according to what’s most convenient for you.

Tie the ends of the three strings together in a loop. Once the loop is ready, slip it around the leg of a table or chair to anchor it in place. Choose a comfortable place to sit in front of the table or chair.

Hold the strings tautly so that the string is straight and taut. Start braiding. Hold the three strips apart. Then starting with the right strip, pass that strip over the center strip. Then pass the left strip over the new center strip (what started out on the right). Continue alternating from right to left side as you braid one strip over the other in a three-piece braid.

Keep braiding until you have a long, consistent braid. You can keep sewing up more strings to the ends of the braid as and when you run out of string. Some people prefer to use short strings and keep sewing new pieces regularly. On the other hand, some people prefer using long lengths of string at a time. Choose what’s most convenient for you.

Now that you have a very long braid you will coil it into your rug. Use a flat surface, ideally your floor, and start coiling one end of the braid. Wrap a flat circle around the end. Curl two or three circles to start.

Use darning needle and heavy string lace back and forth across the circles positioning your needle over one braid then under the next. After lacing the first three circles together, start making the rug larger.

Keep adding more and more circles to the center. Also keep securing each circle with lacing as you proceed. This will ensure a uniformly flat braided rug.

Keep circling around and holding the rug tight until it reaches the size you want.
When your braided rug has reached the desired size, cut remaining braid, if any.

Then, trim the edges of the end and sew it into the previous circle.

Viola! Your very own braided wool rug is ready!

Leave some comments if you had any difficulties or success! Hope all is well! Be sure to follow us on Twitter!

A Little Info About Rugs for Your Home Decor

If you are considering buying a natural fiber rug, you will a wide array of materials to choose from. Rugs made from natural fiber like wool, cotton, jute, bamboo, sisal, seagrass and hemp are of higher quality and longer lasting than synthetic fiber rugs. No doubt, they are also more expensive, but if you want to buy an area rug that you pass on as an heirloom, then natural fiber rug is the right choice to make. Let’s look at some of the most common types of natural fiber area rugs:

Wool:

Wool has always been the most popular material used in making area rugs. This is because it is resilient, durable and of high quality. Wool rugs are also dust resistant, mite resistant, stain resistant, water resistant, fire resistant as well as fade resistant. Wool area rugs are a great choice for any room in your house.

Sisal:

While wool is the most popular animal fiber used in rug making, sisal is the most common plant fiber used. Fibers from the plant Agave Sisalana, native of Central America are also very durable and flexible and a popular choice of rug making material. Sisal area rugs are static resistant as well as fire resistant. They are also easy to clean and maintain. Since, they are also highly sound absorbent, they are very popularly used in apartments.

Jute:

Jute is a plant that grows in India and China. While the fibers of jute make very durable rugs, they also tend to be a bit coarse. They are also not spill resistant and have to be kept away from exposure to liquids. However, they are highly durable and are perfect for places with high foot traffic.

Seagrass:

Seagrass area rugs will give your room a very natural and soothing look. Seagrass area rugs are very popular because they are water resistant, but at the same time, they are highly prone to fading in the sunlight. Keep your seagrass rug away from sunlight to make it last longer.

Bamboo:

Bamboo rugs are very popular as they are amongst the least expensive rugs. Bamboo is both strong and durable and is very commonly used in items of home décor. It is also easy to maintain and is light weight.

Cotton:

Cotton is also a great material for rug making as it is sturdy and takes very well to dyes, helping make them even more attractive. But, an all-cotton area rug is likely to get wear out very quickly. It is highly recommended that you chose a cotton and wool blend area rug.

Hemp:

Hemp is also an extremely strong and versatile material for rugs. It has traditionally been used in a number of items that are usually made from fabric. It will wear color very well and look highly attractive.