The Frugal Decorator
Make a Faux Braided Rug

Braided rugs are gorgeous, come in many different colours to suit many different homes, and usually cost an arm and a leg. Here's a simple recipe to make your own rug. It has the appearance of a braided rug, especially if you make it oval, like the real ones.

You need strips of fabric or bias and a length of rope, about ½" in diameter. The diameter determines the depth of the rug, that is, how thick your rug will be. The length you have determines your finished rug's size. The bigger you want your rug to be, the more rope you will need.

All you do is wrap your fabric strip around the rope, making sure that you overlap so the rope won't show through. After you've got a strip of rope done, start to wind the rope into your desired shape, either oval or round. You can either wrap fabric and wind rope at the same time; that is to say, do a strip of the fabric, then wind, strip of fabric, then wind; or wrap all your fabric around all of the rope, then wind the rope.

While you wind the rope into an oval, have a needle and thread handy to stitch the rope in place. Try to stitch on the underside where the stitches won't be seen. Use a strong nylon thread for the best results. This will ensure invisibility and durability.

Leah Wynne is Publisher and Editor of Frugal Living Online. Leah works part-time at a home-decorating store and practices frugal living on a daily basis.

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