April 3, 2012

Braided rug...er...beanbag cover

Hello people!

If you know me well, you know that long-term projects and I don't mix.  I am a little impatient (did I just admit to that?) and I love quick results.  I'm sure I'm not the ONLY one out there like that (come on, help me out here..).
I started making a cute braided rug for my daughter's room a couple of years ago.  Yes, I said YEARS.  I started it when I was pregnant with Elias and finished it 2 weeks ago.  This is not a difficult project, it was just so boring and time-consuming, I only worked on it when I was extremely motivated.  Maybe you like these kinds of projects.  I would say it's a very similar project to quilting, except less difficult.
It's kind of funny...I made a braided rug when I was pregnant with Sam too, except that time I actually bit the bullet and finished it speedily.  That rug was in our entryway for a couple of years until it fell apart.  This time I determined to make this one a little stronger.

If you tackle this project, just know that it is very simple to make...it's just time-consuming.  And you'll be really pleased with the results, I'm sure!

You will need:

scrap fabric
nylon or other durable thread
darning needle
regular thread
thimble
patience (lol)

1.  Cut the scrap fabric into 1 inch strips.  It doesn't matter how long they are, you will be sewing the ends together as you go.

2.  Start with 3 pieces - sew them all together and safety pin them to something solid, like the arm of your couch or corner of a mattress.

3.  Start braiding.  As you come to the end of a strand, keep sewing new fabric strips on with a simple basting stitch.

4.  Once you have used up all your fabric pieces, roll the braid into a ball.

5.  To begin your rug, lay the braid on a flat surface and start spiraling and sewing the braid together in a circular/oval shape.  (see photo)

6.  Use the darning needle and nylon thread to sew the braid together.  Flatten as you go.  Make sure you don't stitch too tightly or the rug will roll.  Make each stitch about a half inch away from the last - any further and your rug will fall apart easily.  The closer the stitches are together, the more durable it will be.

Once you've finished, tie off your thread and you're done!

* If your rug curls a bit, you can spritz some water on it and flatten it by placing heavy flat objects on it.  Or you can do what I did, and use it to cover a beanbag chair instead!  :D











Happy rug-braiding!




1 comment:

Piril Maria said...

This is amazing! I want this for my home. Gonna try it out. But I am thinking the more soft color/cool soft. :) Like blue.

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