Binding a Carpet Remnant

Wall-to-wall carpeting is convenient, provides a soft walking surface, a comfortable place for children to play and helps to insulate the floor and keep bare feet from getting cold. But, sometimes a design cries out for a central rug as the focal point. Unfortunately, rugs can be expensive, especially ones for oddly shaped areas. Instead of buying a rug, use a carpet remnant in the appropriate color and finish it by binding the edges for an inexpensive alternative.

Scissors
2-inch carpet binding
Heavy-duty thread
Carpet needle
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  Trim the fibers to create a 1/2-inch-wide border, free of carpet fibers, all the way around a carpet remnant with scissors. Remove as many of the loose fibers as you can to expose the carpet backing.
- 2
  Place the binding tape snugged up against the untrimmed carpet fibers on the rug remnant. Thread the carpet needle with heavy-duty thread in a matching color to your binding. Hand sew the top of the binding tape all the way around the carpet remnant using a whip stitch. Overlap the beginning of the binding tape by 1/2 inch with the end of the binding tape after you've finished the sewing the binding tape to the top of the carpet. Cut the excess away.
- 3
  Fold the carpet binding tape under the edge of the rug remnant allowing a fold to extend 1/4 inch past the edge of the carpet backing.
- 4
  Sew the back edge of the carpet tape onto the backing of the carpet using the same whip stitch.
- 5
  Iron the fold line flat.

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