How To Make Braided Rugs: Questions And Answers
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First of All -- Why Make a Braided Rug?
The first question we need to answer right off is this -- why even bother going to the trouble of constructing a braided rug? Is there really any advantage in this type of rug? Why not just go out and buy a rug ready-made?
First of all, many people learn how to make braided rugs as an interesting hobby. They find they enjoy the effort involved, and are pleased with the results. Another reason for learning how to make braided rugs is that you will be able to equip your household with very unique and practical home furnishings, as braided rugs (especially those made from fabric scraps) are unique -- each one is different from the rest.
A final reason for learning how to make braided rugs is that if you can become proficient and polish your rug-making skills, you may be able to turn this part-time hobby into an income-producing activity. Many people who learned how to make braided rugs at first simply for themselves are now operating profitable and successful rug-making businesses -- just do a quick Internet search if you need proof of that.
Which Type of Braided Rug Will You Make?
When you sit down to learn how to make braided rugs, the first thing you will need to decide on is the type of rug you want. Most of the braided rugs which I have seen were constructed either from strips of fabric (sometimes called "rag rugs") or from some sort of yarn. So you will need need to decide, right from the outset, which type of braided rug you're going to make. The techniques of construction are similar, but not identical. In time, of course, you may gain experience in learning how to make both types of braided rugs.
Where Do I Find Materials?
A question which beginners often ask, when first learning how to make braided rugs from fabric scraps, is where to find suitable material. If you want to get creative and branch out a bit, you can visit around at secondhand or thrift shops, or swap meets/flea circuses for cheap clothing or leftover swatches of fabric.
If you don't want to spend the time shopping around, or if money is tight, then I suggest that you go through the boxes and bags of leftover clothes that may be laying around your house. An active family of any decent size will probably have more than enough spare clothing that could be turned into a braided rug.
What Types of Fabrics Are Suitable for a Braided Rug?
An important aspect of learning how to make braided rugs is to learn how to select the right type of materials to be used in their construction. A very good recommendation which I have received from others is to try to use knitted fabrics -- when you cut them apart into strips and they will not unravel at the edges the way other types of material will, and as you gain more experience in how to make braided rugs you will find out that these knitted fabrics are easier to weave because they will stretch somewhat.
Should I Use Any Particular Type of Thread for Areas That Need to Be Stitched Together?
Another important issue when learning how to make braided rugs is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of various types of thread. At some point in your braided rug construction certain lengths of fabric and will need to be stitched together -- and this is where your thread comes in.
It is VERY IMPORTANT, in my judgment, that you do NOT use any type of cotton thread for your stitching. Why is this? Because cotton thread can deteriorate over time -- even if it is kept dry. Instead of cotton thread, try to learn how to make your braided rugs using something like nylon thread, or other synthetic materials. Nylon or monofilament thread is not susceptible to this type of deterioration -- and as a consequence your rug will last much longer.
In learning how to make braided rugs, please keep in mind that unless you want your thread to be seen as a part of your rugs overall design, you should use a color of thread that will blend in with your fabrics: some synthetic threads such as monofilament can be ordered in a colorless or clear shade which will blend in well.
What If I Am Making a Braided Rug from Yarn Instead of Fabric?
Remember that, by definition, a braided rug is something that is going to lay on your floor and be walked on -- in some cases a lot -- so you need to learn how to make braided rugs so they will withstand a lot of wear and tear. If you want to construct a braided rug from yarn I would recommend the use of nylon yarn rather than cotton. Nylon yarn will last a long time and the colors will not fade as quickly as with other types of yarn.
Another recommendation: if you are trying to learn how to make braided rugs for commercial resale, try to purchase your yarn from one company -- if you pick and choose yarns from different manufacturers, you will be struggling to reproduce the braided rugs with the same consistency in appearance, as the colors of the yarn will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from one dye lot to dye lot.
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