Braided rug

My grandmothers used to make braided rugs with rags. Yours might have done them also. Since very little was wasted in those days, they would use remnants or old
sheets or clothing to make them. The braided rugs were durable, colourful and long lasting.

I started one of my own a while ago. I seem to work on it mostly in the winter and leave it when the weather warms up. It's not done yet but probably will be next winter.


I am doing my rug with old jeans and other denim clothing such as skirts or dresses. I cut the denim in stips using a rotary cutter. But I must say that the fabric is really rough on my cutter and on scissors as well. Eventhough the jeans have been washed numerous times they still have lots of sand still left in the fibers of the fabric. And that is the worse thing for sharp scissors or rotary blades.

I will use dark jeans, light one and some with stripes or other pattern.

I have these things that are used to fold over bias. I don't know what they're called but as you can see in the picture, I use them to fold over the jean fabric as I braid it. That way, all the edges are hidden.

I usually will make the braid about 1 meter long then start sewing. I use heavy thread doubled up and roll the edge of the braid on itself and sew it up.

As you can see, I try to blend the different blues. I am slowly making progress. I am making mine an oval shape. At first, I thought of making it at least 5' wide but I won't make it that big! Maybe 3' would be big enough. It will probably be placed in front of the wood stove.

It's getting quite heavy now and I need to place it on my table (and not on my lap) to work on it. So, for now, it's back in the laudry room closet. I will take it out again once the weather gets cold and the days are short.

Hopefully, by next winter, I will be telling you it's all done!