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| Photo credit: http://www.btcelements.com /product2928/recycled-t-shirt-shag-rug |
I’ve been thinking about the cold all winter and wishing I had a big fluffy rug to add some color to my room and to warm up my feet. But, have you ever tried shopping for a rug? Even the cheapest, most unattractive rugs always seem too expensive and they’re usually made of nylon or polypropylene or something equally un-fluffy sounding. What about the good old days when rugs were made out of wood, cotton, and animal hides? Think about the earliest rug ever discovered (called the “Pazyryk” carpet, unearthed at a burial site in Siberia. Dating back to the 5th century BC, it was frozen in ice, which kept it preserved remarkably well. Made with a hand-knotting technique still used today, it exhibited wonderful detail in rich colors. With an average of 200 knots per square inch it was made out of the natural materials available in that area (no polypropylene).) Such labored, natural beauty is part of what has made rugs such coveted, heirloom items in so many different cultures.
Even if we don’t have the time to make 200 knots an inch on a carpet all by hand with grasses we’ve collected out in the yard, you can skip the chemical fibers and make a beautiful, brag-worthy rug out of cotton Goodwill t-shirts. I’ll also show you ideas for other earth-friendly designs that you’ll want to play with.
Most t-shirt rug designs require that you cut your t-shirts up into narrow strips, and then either braid, crochet, knot, or otherwise use those strips to create the rug.
The design I tried needed a backing with a loose weave that you pull the t-shirt strips though to keep them in place. I used old coffee bags that I found at my local coffee roasters, but you could also use feed sacks, burlap, or any fabric with a wide weave. You pull the t-shirt strips through the burlap and make big loops on one side which you later cut, to give it that shag-rug look.
Here is a link to a great tutorial with more specifics to help you finish out your own rug: http://www.primeparentsclub.com/2012/04/09/upcycled-t-shirt-rug-craft/
This is what mine looks like now (I still have a ways to go) but it’s a fun thing to do while you’re watching TV and it doesn’t take very long to do small sections like this (do a little every night and pretty soon you're done!). You could make patterns or stripes or flowers, or color blocks out of different t-shirt colors (no reason to pick just one color). And Goodwill’s got a rainbow selection of tees to inspire you.
Instead of using the hook method I used, you could also try coiling or braiding your t-shirt for nice results (though, according to the authors, these seem to be a little more frustrating and more time consuming).
You could consider using old stuffed animals, and make a faux-fur rug like this artist, Agustina Woodgate!
The belts you find at Goodwill can also be fabulous floor coverings and a great way to upcycle old leather. http://dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com/2012/07/belt-it-out-upcycled-repurposed-belts.html
You certainly don’t have to limit yourself to t-shirts, try measuring tapes too! http://1800recycling.com/2012/06/repurposing-underfoot-diy-recycled-rugs/
Or, try something made out of old blankets cut into strips and sewn together. There's lots of variations to try, so have fun with this upcycling project, and make something exciting, eco-friendly and memorable that you’ll want to keep in the family.
