Recycled Craft - DIY Braided Rug from Old Fabric

Our family is pretty thrifty and we don't spend on new clothing unless ours are really worn out. Hence when Hubby handed me some of his old polo t-shirts that were torn and beyond salvage, I decided to google online to see how I can recycle them instead of cutting them into smaller pieces as rags or send them to the trash bin.

It turns out that many has transform these old fabrics into gorgeous braided rugs! Despite my limited sewing skill, the steps are fairly easy and simple for me to give it a try.

STEP 1 : Collect your old fabric (clothing, scraps etc)

STEP 2 : Cut the fabric into strips

STEP 3 : The fun starts here for me! Using 3 strips of cloth and braid them together. Gather and mix with different colour strip to make the braids colourful!

STEP 4 : Twirl the braided strand in circle and stitch them together.

This is the most time and effort consuming step as it took me weeks to stitch all in place. In the midst of sewing I pricked my fingers multiple times too. I guess it will be much easier if you have a sewing machine at home.

While I was painstakingly stitching away, Denver and Gladys were curious what I was doing. Some nice guesses include rope, coaster, toy etc. I thought coaster is a very good idea as I can make a smaller-sized version and am sure it looks pretty on the table.

Efforts finally paid off after completing my very first braided rug made from Hubby's old t-shirts. It adds a nostalgic feel in the house and I love to make more if time permits. If you have old fabrics, do not throw them away, you may just be able to turn them into a beautiful piece of art for your home.