Beautiful! I'm inspired... just might have to tackle this project.

I have the same questions

I tried this...maybe its me...but I did not enjoy it. I tried a glue stick...too hot...regular elmers glue what a pain...and the sewing....mine looked fine one it was small but as it get bigger it curled up and I had to sew and sew and sew...or it seems flimsy. I gave up. I would like to try a regular braided rug using scraps.

I would LOVE to make this rug but have several questions.
#1- How wide are the strips? Do you make a seam and add each new color as you go?
#2- What kind of thread and what type of needle?
#3- Does the needle go through the rope also? I don't understand how it does not break

PLEASE help me understand. I am so anxious to start this rug, BUT how do you fit it under your arm of the sewing machine as it gets bigger? I just don't get it. What size needle? What size zigzag. It is unbelievable that it doesn't break the needle and the rope can fit under the feed dogs.
Can't wait to get a reply. Your rug is beautiful!

wow just joined, then found this tute and LIKE IT LOTS, i have been looking for how to do this for quite a while THANK YOU lots.
:D

Try this thread:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-10783-1.htm

This is a tutorial on how to do the rug. I use a size 16 needle and a zig zag stitch. you need a flat surface next to your machine to support the rug as you're sewing it-if the rug bends over the side of the machine it will not lay flat when you are done. Anne

The circle rug is beautiful!! I always wanted to make one, but just haven't tried yet. Thank you for clearing up how to do it.

Mary,

Nice work. Can't wait to make one.

Great idea, I think I may give that a try. They certainly are beautiful looking rugs and are very durable I'm sure.

I book marking this tutorial.

Thanks!

This is so awesome...I am going to bookmark this one!

I wrapped my first piece of rope tonight. I tried a 1 1/2 strip and a 1" strip. I like the lookof the 1". Now to figure out how much fabric I need to make one large enough to go under my kitchen table. Any suggestions?

That's a very big project to start with. I would recommend a smaller project first. 100 ft of rope with cotton fabric will make a rug about 18" x 24" . I also made one with a thin flannel that measures 19" x 28". You can gauge how far a strip will go by measuring the length of a strip of fabric and see how many inches it will wrap around the rope. I just wrapped a strip of fabric 3/4" x 20" and it covered approximately 10" of rope- so if you have 100 ft of rope you will need at least 200 ft of strips. you can figure that out by ---one yd of fabric is 36 x 42 . you like 1" strips. multiply 36 x 42 = 1512 inches divided by 12 = 126 ft per one yard of fabric. 3/4" wide is my favorite width. any wider and it wrinkles up on me. thinner than that it covers less rope. I use clip clothespins to hold the strips in place when i put the project down. I also use the gluesticks( not the type to use with a glue gun) that the kids use on paper projects to attach the strips together. It's non toxic and it's washable. If you use selvedges from fabric I keep the smooth edge exposed so there's no threads from a cut edge exposed. I also use old clothing-flannel shirts, blouses that won't be worn again and cut them up into strips. I have used strips as small as 4" long. the glue stick works great on them.just press the glue stick like you would butter a piece of bread on the edge of the strip and stick it to the piece hanging from the rope press them together with your finger and stat the wrap. It really is so easy. I'm working on one that will match a quilt I'm working on by using all the scraps. This is a fun project. I hope I helped. Anne

This is a great tutorial. I'll have to try it. Thanks for sharing

wow- these rugs are so pretty- thanks for sharing!!!

Thank you for the info. Wouldn't you get the cut edge showing no matter how you cut the fabric?

I will try the 3/4" strip tonight.

I can do this while watching tv late at night.

:thumbup: :D

thanks Mary! I'll be trying this out soon, I've been wanting to do one for quite awhile now!
Blessings,
MaryAnna

Hi, yes if you're cutting a whole piece of fabric. Some only use the selvedges and there's only one cut side. oops- some fabrics have a fuzzy edge but it doesn't fray. Anne

Good I thought I had done something wrong. For a big rug I could not use just the selvage it would cost to much.

Hi, No, not to make one of all selvedges! Some throw them in the trash. I trim all my fabric of the selvedges and save them for a project just like this. I include some of the color when trimming and it ends up looking like a spiral stripe. You just add them to the rest of the cuttings. and intersperse them with all the others. How would you clean something that big? The smaller rugs can be machine washed gently and the lay them flat to dry. Anne

In a machine at the laundry mat. Mom has a rug she bought that is tha size and we wash it often.

Why didn't I think of that!!!

Great tutorial! Great way to use up the scraps I have accumalated.

I love this idea and I have practiced a little, making a small bowl and a couple coasters. I have started to make an oval rug, being careful to try to keep it flat as I sew. It is now about the size of a placemat and it still seems to want to curl up. What am I doing wrong?

Are you supporting the side of the rug on the left side of the machine?---keeping the unsewn covered rope straight and not twisted as you sew it to the rest of the rug? I have a tendency to turn the rope as I bring it close the needle --that will keep it from laying flat. Anne

I do keep it supported on the left of the machine, but I bet you're right about turning the rope as it gets closer to the needle. Thank you for the advice. I will give it another try!

My group at church made these to use as hot pads when we have a potluck. Made them in various sizes, from small to fit under a small casserole to large enough to fit under a platter. They work great. Made exactly the same way.

This is basically the same technique used to make wrapped bowls, plates, pots, etc. Really a cool technique!!! They are really fun & sooooooo easy to make!!!! In fact, it seems the larger & uglier the print, the better a plate, rug, bowl, or pot it makes!!! Try it.....you'll like it!!!!!

I two like this rug pattern,and wonder what size needle to use. waiting to hear. thanks for the wonderful post

I use a 16 denim or topstitch needle

Thanks for fast reply on needle to use.

Love doing these.

That's awesome...

Does cheap fabric work as well as LQS fabric. We can buy odds & ends of fab at our local Sr. center but the quality varies. This might be a way for me to begin as I haven't been quilting very long and don't have a large stash of scraps. If using cheap and higher quality fabric mixed, would it still wash OK or would the cheap shrink or maybe fade more? Thanks for the tutorial and all the questions and answers. I an currently making a braided denim rug from old levis and weaving it together with a popsicle stick - it is fun - but getting heavy!

thank you so much, i will try this !! just had to but rugs the other day, they were 50% off at kolhs anf i had a 15% off. still paid $75 !! thanks so much!!

I'm wondering (and perhaps this has been asked and answered) could we make mug rugs out of these? I think they'd be so cool! And since I'm only on page 2 and don't have time to read the rest...how do you end when you have it as big as you want?

I have started mine .Thanks

Can you attach additional clothesline? And if so, how?

this is my beginning rug...these are all ends of bindings I ironed flat but found that 2½" are really too wide so I cut alot of them down and found it easier to wind on the rope. I have a couple of places I need to go back and re-stitch where I missed when bobbin runs out but it was fun. :roll: it was 100 feet so think I'll just go til I run out...

Lind that is going to be very pretty.
Thanks for sharing.