Craft

from etcetera magazine March 2022

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Recycled Braided Rug

MAKING A BRAIDED RUG IS A FABULOUS WAY TO RECYCLE OLD TEXTILES INTO A COLOURFUL MAT. USE THEM AS DOORMATS, BATH MATS, PLACEMATS OR TRIVETS IN YOUR HOME

By Sarah Whiting

Sarah is the author of craftinvaders.co.uk where she blogs about her original craft tutorials, recipes, foraging, and developing wellbeing through being creative, spending time outdoors and connecting with nature

In today’s fast fashion and consumerism world, textiles account for 22% of total global mixed waste. Between 2000 and 2015, clothing production doubled. Fast fashion – the increase in numbers of styles and collections of clothing, along with lower prices – has led to a significant increase in fashion waste. The average consumer is buying more clothes, wearing them less, and creating more waste. Additionally, inefficient manufacturing practices mean that clothing ends end up on the cutting room floor, rather than being recycled Another study states that between 1975 and 2018, global per-capita textile production increased from 5.9 kg per person to 13kg per person. Globally, we consume 62 million tonnes of textiles per year. By 2030, this is expected to reach 102 million tonnes. This level of waste is unsustainable. While recycling is only part of the solution, reusing fabrics is one way to take individual responsibility for our waste. Materials Strips of fabric (see below for details) Needle and Strong Thread Scissors I decided to make a rectangular rug to sit in front of our stove. My finished rug measures approximately 80cm x 50cm, made from 20 braids. Each braid is made from 3 strips that range between 7cm and 10 cm wide and between 100cm and 120 cm long. I used a mixture of cotton and poly-cotton fabric for my braided rug. You can use old textiles such as bedding or clothing such as tee-shirts and denim to make rag rugs. Steps 1. Start by cutting your fabric into lengths to be braided. I made 20 braids, so I used 60 strips of fabric. 2. To start, I sewed three strips together at one end to secure them, as shown in the photo (above right). In each group of 3 strips, I tried to include light, dark and bright coloured fabric to make a pretty braid. 3. Once I had braided the strips of fabric, I used a few stitches to secure the second end. 4. Once you have all the braids, arrange them into any order you like, with the best side of the braid facing up before sewing them together. 5. I hand sewed my braided rug together, working, so the stitching sat on the less neat side of the mat. 6. The photo to the right shows my finished braided rug. My cat is adamant that I lovingly crafted it for him. So go forth, have a rummage in your cupboards and get creating!