Braided rugs have been around for a long time and there are countless different ways to make them. We've found an easy way that takes a fraction of the time using simple braids and a sewing machine.
If you're making your own t-shirt yarn, cut the top of the t-shirt directly below the arms and cut the hem. Discard those pieces.
Fold the shirt in half, bringing the side seams together. Turn it over so the side seams are on top, leaving a one inch gap between both side seams. Use a rotary cutter or scissors and a ruler to make cuts from the bottom crease to the top, DO NOT cut through that top inch of space. Cut 1" to 2" equal strips.
Open the shirt and place the one inch uncut space in the center. Starting at the bottom of the shirt, make diagonal cuts from one strip to the next. This will give you a long string of yarn.
To make the t-shirt thread curve slightly at the edges, simply pull on the strip.
Wrap the shirt in a ball of yarn.
Repeat for all of your shirts until you have enough yarn. Approximately five to six skeins will give you a 2' x 3' rug and 10 to 12 skeins, a 4' x 6' etc.
Tie the ends of three skeins of yarn into a knot. Place the knot on a work surface and begin braiding the thread keeping it tight and even. At this point, there are two ways to proceed. You can braid ALL of the yarn at once, or you can braid while you sew and turn. We choose the later method. To do it this way, you'll need to braid about five feet of yarn to start.
If you want an oval rug, start with a long center and wrap the braid clockwise. If you want a circle, start with a simple circle direction, also clockwise. Wrap the braid around until you've gone two or three times. Pin the braid together.
Set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch with the longest stitch length.
Sew the braids together to the sides of the braid, using the zigzag stitch to connect them. Move around the circle or oval.
When you get to the end of the braid, where the braid starts to curve, simply turn the machine to move with the curve around the braid. The t-shirt fabric is a knit material that stretches. Try to keep that in mind that when you are sewing, keep the braid loose and not tight. Otherwise, you could end up with curves or waves in your carpet.
When you get to the end of the braided thread, push the sewing machine needle down so that it is caught inside your rug and leave the sewing machine foot down. Push your chair back and braid a few feet of yarn. Then just keep sewing. If you come to the end of a skein of yarn, tie a loose knot with a new skein and continue braiding and then sewing.
When your rug reaches the finished size, simply cut the thread and slide it under the rug. Sew the braided end in place with the zigzag stitch.
Press your rug to make it nice and flat.
Enjoy your new carpet.
