How to Make a Rope Rug

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PHOTO: MOTHER EARTH NEWS
Easily create a beautiful rope rug using old rags from around the house.

When it comes to attractive, foot-warming floor coverings, you just can’t beat an old-fashioned Colonial-style throw rug. “Especially,” says MOTHER staffer Travis Brock, “one that you’ve made yourself — for pennies — from recycled rags!”  

Two months ago, MOTHER researchers Travis Brock and Dennis Burkholder came up with a right smart (we thought) idea: “Why not use the rope-maker,” they suggested, “to twist ordinary rags into ‘fabric ropes’ that a person can — in turn — make into a Colonial-type oval rug?”

Well, we’re pleased to report that the boys’ idea has — in the ensuing two months — materialized into a brightly colored 3-by-4 foot floor covering.  For all you would-be rug-makers, then, here’s a quick rundown of how Travis and his wife, Linda, managed to create a lovely “rope rug” … with tips on how you can duplicate their success.

A New Way to Recycle

Most experts say that wool is the only suitable material for a floor covering of this sort. “But,” explains Travis, “Linda and I happened across a large quantity of double-knit polyester and decided ‘What the heck … let’s use it,'” First, the couple washed the approximately 30 square yards of fabric. (No one likes a dingy rug.) Then Travis and his wife:

  • Published on Jan 1, 1977
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