If you use cotton strips you have to fold the edges in to the middle then fold in half. Put 3 longggggggggggggg pieces together and braid. Don't make the pieces to long,just enough for you to handle . Put a safety pin in the braid to hold in place and add more lengths. When you are done sew the braid together like a snail. It takes an awful fot to make a rug. Try a mat for a chair or to use under a plant to see how you like the craft. It is a good take along project really easy just time consuming.I have a coupls of these that must be over 50 years old or more from my husbands grandmother.