How to Make an Eco Bath Rug

Preparing Materials

• 1

  Wash the towels, terry cloth or woolen sweaters. Use the hot water setting. Dry them thoroughly at a cotton heat setting.

• 2

  Cut the towels, terry cloth or woolen sweaters into 3/4-inch strips. Avoid worn areas in the towels or terry cloth. Cut the sweaters in a spiral manner to get a long strip, starting at the bottom and working up toward the sleeves.

• 3

  Cut the strips into 6-inch lengths.

• 4

  Cut a piece of gridding the size you want your bath mat.

Knotting the Rug

• 5

  Knot a 6-inch fabric strip onto the gridding using a single square knot.

• 6

  Thread an upholstery needle with buttonhole thread. Tie a knot in the thread end. Push the needle through the center of the knot using a thimble. Take a back stitch to anchor the thread.

• 7

  Tie another strip of fabric onto the netting next to the first one. Put the needle into the knot, take a back stitch, then a cross stitch, then a back stitch. Repeat this sequence down the row of gridding.

• 8

  Tie another strip of fabric onto the netting next to the first one. Put the needle into the knot, take a back stitch, then a cross stitch, then a back stitch. Repeat this sequence of knotting and stitching down the row of gridding.

• 9

  End the buttonhole thread when you are within 6 inches of the end by taking two back stitches and then cutting it off close to the fabric strip. Rethread the needle and continue stitching as before.

• 10

  Examine the density of the pile produced after doing several knots. Adjust the spacing as needed by skipping a space if the pile is so thick that it is hard to knot the next space. Complete the knotting and stitching and use the rug.