How to Use Old Clothes to Make a Hall Runner

Cut the cleaned clothing into strips about 2 inches wide. Remove any buttons or zippers but keep seams intact. If desired, you can sort the strips into piles of different colors.

Make your frame by screwing together a frame the will be six inches longer and wider than the rug you wish to make. For instance, if you want to make a rug that is 4 feet wide and 6 feet long, make your frame 4.5 feet wide and 6.5 feet long. Drill screw holes to keep the wood from cracking when screwing it together. Secure the L braces on the inner corners for stability. Now drill holes into the end strips about 1.5 inches apart and about half an inch deep. Screw the screws in leaving the ends sticking out about 1 inch. This will form the loom for the rug.

String the loom using a strong string, preferably a cotton/polyester mix. Knot the beginning of the string by making a full loop from one end of the frame to the other and then tie the string to itself, not to the screw. Do not tighten the string too much as it will tighten with the addition of the rag strips. Loop the string back and forth until the end is reached and then knot it back on itself.

Connect the strips together by needle and thread or a sewing machine if you would rather. Trim any excess strings. Make strips about 20 feet long - if you go too long, it will be harder to weave.

Weave the rag strips in and out through the string loops on the loom, pushing them tight against the end piece of wood. Every alternating row should be woven in the opposite pattern as the previous, forming the woven pattern. Keep the weaving tight. When you get to the end, loop the strip over the end string and make a knot.

Lift the strings off the loom, one at a time using a wooden skewer until the whole rug is released. The frame can be saved to use again.