How to Make a Braided Nylon Rug

By Jane Smith

Overview

Rug braiding was one activity colonial and pioneer era families used to fill the time during long winters. Made from braided cloth that had become too worn to make clothes or use as cleaning rags, braided rugs were the colonial and pioneer housewife's final attempt to get the very last bit of use from every scrap of precious cloth. Children as young as three were taught to rip rags into strips, and braid them. Young girls and mothers would then sew the braids into flat circles and ovals for warm floor coverings. Girls would fill their hope chests with braided rugs, quilts and table linens to outfit their first home after their marriage.

How to Make a Braided Nylon Rug

Step 1

Save old, worn out panty hose. Ask friends and neighbors to save them as well. Wash all the panty hose in hot, sudsy water and hang dry. Cut all the legs from all of the old, worn out panty hose you have collected. Save the panty tops for other projects.
Step 2

Start with the outer left strand, run it under the center strand and make it the new center strand. Do the same with the outer right strand. Alternate left and right strands, making that strand the new center, until you have braided to within an inch of the end of the three strands. Make a hangman's noose knot at the end to tie the braid off and keep it from coming apart. Make another hangman's noose knot at the beginning of the braid.

Step 3

Make a hangman's noose knot to secure three panty hose legs together, one inch from one end. Trim ends so that the three panty hose legs are the same length. Use a T-pin to secure the three strands to a macrame board. Braid the three legs together, tying off the end of the braid with a hangman's noose knot made of coat thread. See the resources at the end of this article to learn to make a three strand braid and a hangman's noose knot. Continue until you have two hundred to three hundred braids.
Step 4

Secure a braid to a macrame board with a T-pin. Begin coiling the braid. Stitch braid coil together every inch or two to keep the coil from separating. Continue coiling and stitching braids until you have a round or oval rug the size you want. If you run out of braids before you reach the correct size, make more before continuing the rug.
Step 5

Cut a piece of burlap two inches smaller in diameter than the finished size of the rug. Stitch burlap backing onto the rug using whip stitches around the outer perimeter of the burlap piece; space no more than 1/2 inch apart. The burlap will help keep your rug from wearing out and will add stability in case the coils loosen from daily wear. Replace burlap backing as needed when it begins to wear out. Stitch braided coils back into place if they become loose. Rug can be repaired by removing worn braids and stitching new braids in place.

Skill: Moderately Easy
Ingredients:
Worn out panty hose
T-pins
Macrame board
Coat thread
Tapestry needle
Burlap fabric
Tip: Curtains, drapes, and even old shower curtains can be cut or torn into strips and braided into rugs.
Tip: Cut old knit fabric clothing into strips to make more colorful rugs.

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