How to Make a T-Shirt Strip Rug

Strip rugs are a fun way to recycle old T-Shirts. The shirts are cut into strips, which are then knotted to make a rug canvas. The rug canvas is a large grid made of interwoven stiff cords. You do not need any tools other than a pair of scissors to make this type of rug because all of the knotting is done by hand. When the rug is finished it will be soft and shaggy.

T-Shirts
Scissors
Rug Canvas

Instructions

- 1
  Cut several T-Shirts into strips. Each strip should be 1 inch wide and 4 inches long. When selecting the shirts, consider the colors and patterns that you want included within your rug.
- 2
  Cut a rug canvas into the size and shape that you want for your finished rug. If you are new to making strip rugs, select a canvas whose grid is made up of large cells. As you gain skill, you can move to more tightly-woven canvases.
- 3
  Tie the first strip to the corner of the rug canvas, at the intersection of the two cords. Tie the strip at the midpoint so that the two ends stick up like a shag carpet, using a double-knot to prevent the strip from pulling loose later.
- 4
  Tie strips along the side of the canvas, knotting one at each grid intersection, until you have reached the end. Continue to double-knot to ensure that the knots hold over time.
- 5
  Continue tying strips to the grid intersections, moving back and forth along the canvas, until you have filled it completely. If desired, create a simple pattern in the strips using different colors.

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