Easy Ways to Make a DIY Rag Rug From Old Fabric

Written by Elisabeth Judy Published on December 28, 2024

Making a DIY rag rug is a fun, eco-friendly, and great way to repurpose old clothing, old sheets or scrap fabric into something both beautiful and functional. You can use fabric from a thrift store, bed sheets you want to get rid of, even t shirt yarn, … and make new life from the scraps! Some times, in the winter, when you are stuck indoors for a long time, crafting is just what you want to do. This is a perfect winter craft to refresh for a new year. For most methods, the first step is to cut the fabric into long strips. You can form a circular rug, an oval rug, even a square rug! Often, no sewing machine is needed. So, if you don’t have one, don’t worry, there’s still an easy way for you to make a DIY rag rug. There are several methods to create rag rugs, including braiding, crocheting, and weaving. Here’s a quick guide for each method, along with some tips to get you started:

Happy Rug Making!!

1. Braided Rag Rug

Braiding is one of the easiest and most popular ways to make a rag rug. It gives the rug a nice, textured look, and you can make it as large or small as you like. Old bedsheets work great for this one! If you have lots of fabric, you can make a large rug!

Materials Needed:

– Old clothing (like T-shirts, sheets, or towels)

– Scissors

– Needle and thread or hot glue gun (for assembling the braids)

– Fabric stiffener (optional for extra durability)

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the Fabric**: Cut your old fabric into strips. A rotary cutter works well. For T-shirts, cut them into 1-2 inch wide strips, stretching the fabric slightly as you go. If you’re using sheets or towels, cut them into similar-width strips. You can choose to tear the fabric for a more rustic, uneven look, or use scissors for neat edges.

2. **Make the Braids**: Take 3-4 strips of fabric and braid them together. The length of the braid depends on the size of the rug you want to make. Keep braiding until you’ve got enough to cover the desired size of your rug.

3. **Shape the Rug**: Begin coiling your braids into a circular or oval shape. Start from the center and gradually add more braided strips as you work your way out. At the end of a strip, you can wither stitch the ends of the braids together using needle and thread, or use a hot glue gun to keep them secure.

4. **Finish and Secure**: Once you’ve reached the size you want, stitch the edges of the rug to prevent unraveling and make the rug sturdy. You can also add fabric stiffener or a rug backing for extra durability.

This braided rag rug is so simple with easy to follow instructions! Check out their tutorial.

2. Crochet Rag Rug

Crocheting a rag rug is another fantastic option. It’s a little more time-consuming than braiding but results in a smooth, tightly woven surface. You can find easy crochet tutorials here if you aren’t completely familiar with basic crochet stitches.

Materials Needed:

– Old clothes or fabric scraps (cut into strips)

– Large Crochet hook (typically size J-10 or K-10 for a larger rug)

– Scissors

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the Fabric**: Cut your fabric into strips that are about 1-2 inches wide. You can join the strips together by tying the end of the strip to the next strip or sewing them, depending on your preference.

2. **Make a Foundation Chain**: Start with a slipknot and make a chain of the desired length. This will be the width of your rug, so make it as wide as you want your rug to be.

3. **Crochet the Rug**: Once you have your foundation chain, crochet back and forth across the chain. A basic single crochet stitch works well for rag rugs, but you can experiment with different stitch types (like half-double crochet) for different textures. Turn your work at the end of each row, adding new strips as you go along.

4. **Keep Going**: Continue crocheting until the rug reaches the desired length. You can change colors or fabric types for a striped or patterned effect.

5. **Finish the Edges**: Once you’re finished, trim any excess fabric and weave in any loose fabric tails using a yarn needle. You can also add a non-slip rug pad to the back for added safety.

I love this crochet rag rug. I made one similar to it several years ago. They have simple instructions to get you started.

3. Woven Rag Rug

This method requires a loom or a makeshift frame, but it creates a smooth and tightly woven surface that’s both practical and decorative.

Materials Needed:

– Old clothing or fabric scraps (perfect way to use them!)

– Scissors

– A frame or loom (a simple homemade loom can be made using a piece of wood or a cardboard box)

– Needle and thread (optional)

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the Loom**: If you’re using a loom, set it up by securing vertical warp threads across the frame. The spacing between the threads should be even and about 1 inch apart. If you don’t have a loom, you can create one using a sturdy piece of wood or a cardboard box with slits cut along the top and bottom to hold your fabric in place.

2. **Prepare the Fabric**: Cut your fabric into strips, as you would for the other methods.

3. **Weave the Fabric**: Start weaving the strips of fabric over and under the warp threads, alternating direction each time you cross a row. Pull the fabric taut to ensure the rug is woven tightly. Continue until the rug is the desired size.

4. **Finishing**: Once the rug is woven, tie off the ends of the fabric and remove it from the loom. You can add a backing if desired, and trim any loose threads.

This is so neat!! If you’re up for a challenge, maybe this is your method!

I love how this blog created a cardboard loom. How nifty!!

4. Knotted Rag Rug (Amish Method)

The trickiest part is the starting point, but once you’ve completed the first few circles it’s easy. After that, it’s repetition, repetition, repetition… quite therapeutic really!

Materials Needed:

– Old duvet cover

– A crafting needle

– Scissors

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the Fabric**: Cut your fabric into strips as before (about 1-2 inches wide).

2. **Begin a starting point**: You can watch the video here! You’ll begin with a special knotting technique using your fingers and a craft needle.

3. **Trim and Finish**: Once the rug is round to the size that you would like, you’ll just have two tails to weave in to finish it off.

This one is easy for parents and children to make together. It’s great to have a method where some younger hands can join in the activity. A child will be proud to display this cute rug in their room!

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Additional Tips:

– **Fabric Choices**: You can mix and match different fabrics for unique patterns and textures. Cotton fabrics, like old T-shirts or sheets, work well for soft, comfortable rugs. A T-shirt rag rug is my personal favorite. Towels or thicker fabrics will give the rug more durability and a plush feel.

– **Upcycled Materials**: In addition to clothing, you can use old bed linens, curtains, or even fabric remnants from other projects.

– **Color Variations**: For a fun, colorful rug, choose fabrics in various hues. You can go for a pattern (e.g., stripes, checks) or just randomly mix colors for a bohemian look.

Creating your own rag rug is a rewarding project that can also add a personal touch to your home decor. Whether you’re looking for something simple or more complex, there’s a technique for every skill level! Beautiful rugs make a beautiful home!