How to make a home rug

Recommendation points

• History of the Slavic rug
• Entrance mats
• Corridor rugs
• Modern trends in the manufacture of rugs
• How to make rugs with your own hands

Warm and cozy home decor, the unprecedented relevance of which has been successfully used by designers in recent decades to offer new products, can be completely made by hand, and no worse than famous masters do. This decor makes an ordinary living space a truly homely home..

One of these favorite decor items is definitely the rug. More recently, the fashionable trend of interior decoration with oriental-style carpet products has changed. It has transformed into something new, minimalist-cozy, uncomplicated, but exclusively complementing any interior. Woven, felted and knitted rugs, with all their simplicity, are able to organically blend into almost any interior design, dilute the strict minimalist lines of modern organic interiors, add a bionic component to a classic design, make static “old” styles interesting and modern, become an elegant addition to style interiors art deco, modern, pop art, etc..

The relevance of the floor decor and the handicraft also imply its high cost. But it turns out that creating such a product as a home rug is quite affordable for everyone. What makes the carpet making technique different from other artistic techniques? These are mainly inexpensive manual manufacturing methods, so not only designers with a name can make beautiful rugs..

History of the Slavic rug

Weaving originated at the dawn of mankind, over 25,000 years ago. The manufacture of rugs, rugs, paths appeared simultaneously with the advent of hand weaving and knitting. Almost every corner of the world has its own traditional rug-making techniques, which have evolved into world-renowned hand-woven weaving techniques, the secrets of which have been passed down from generation to generation..

A well-known technique is the weaving of Persian carpets. The spread of wool-based carpet techniques is largely associated with the development of cattle breeding and the availability of wool as a material for production. Carpets were at the same time an ornament and insulation for nomadic dwellings, in addition, they were ideal for transportation, since they took up little space. The manufacture of small rugs was originally associated with religious oriental rituals; unique hand-woven samples are presented in museums. Handmade Persian carpets still involve an almost filigree weaving technique that cannot be reproduced by machines, and have an incredible value..

Loom of the 19th century and craftswoman Evseeva Lidia Ivanovna, Kroshnozero village, Karelia

Among the Slavic peoples, carpets and rugs belong to the “grassroots” techniques that do not imply a high level of skill, such as weaving thinner fabrics, weaving lace, lace knitting. In Russian huts, it was customary to cover benches, chests, sleeping places on stoves with rugs. Over time, housewives began to use them for floor insulation and as a decor item, as bedside or entrance rugs. This use initially had only a practical component, since the huts often cooled down in the morning, and walking on the cold floor after sleeping often led to respiratory diseases. Only over time do rugs become the subject of traditional Slavic decor..

Homespun rug in a Russian hut

Woven paths, round rugs were traditionally made from things that have served their time, this is a kind of processing technique, giving a new quality to old things. Homespun runners became popular in the 19th century. Flax, hemp, bast, and straw were also used as a material, that is, materials that could not be used for weaving. Rugs made of coarse materials were used to enter the huts, and softer fabrics were used as bedspreads. Initially, the fabric was cut into long pieces 0.5-2 cm wide, and then rolled on a spindle. Then they were woven in the usual way, using threads made of durable material – hemp, linen, cotton – as a warp. Usually, the method of weaving rugs involved a two-thread technique, but there were also rugs woven on three and four threads. For weaving rugs, special reeds with larger teeth were used, they were used to knock threads into a single canvas..

Russian homespun rugs in a modern interior

As a rule, there was no special eclectic meaning in the drawings and ornaments of the paths, as is characteristic of other techniques of folk needlework. The decorative effect was achieved due to the different colors of the threads, most of all there are “irregular” tracks without any rhythmic pattern. There was no system in changing the color of the thread, the paths resembled a picturesque field and always adorned the interior perfectly. Various techniques were used to decorate the rugs, for example, “bows” and “butterflies” were used, which were made of contrasting inserts with raised pile. For complex patterns, well-known textile techniques were used: wrapping, embedded weaving, hand fingering. “Pigtails” were made as a decoration or border of the report – white and red or black threads were twisted together and used to lay a strip of pattern.

Round plait rug

In addition to homespun rugs, round rugs were popular in Russia. For weaving such rugs, a more complex braiding technique was used on the basis, a little later, to simplify, we used braided braids, which were sewn together, and crochet rugs were also widely used. As the main pattern when crocheting, a regular single crochet is used.

Crochet rug

Entrance mats

The entrance to the dwelling has a certain meaning. Entrance rugs are the hallmark of any home, they convey the emotions of the owners, joyfully greet everyone who has entered, and protect the house from “bad” energy and the evil eye. In addition, entrance mats should be functional, sturdy, made of dense, rough materials, often on a rubberized base. Entrance rugs are usually made of dark materials to help them get less dirty. The ideal solution for the entrance will be bright multi-colored rustic rugs on which dirt is not visible.

Entrance mat, woven from straw

A popular solution for the entrance will be various straw rugs that can be weaved on their own – both braiding techniques and woven techniques are used. The only drawback of such rugs is the fact that over time the straw begins to crumble, however, the high-quality service life of such rugs is several years.

Making a round rug from durable colored rope

It is recommended to use rigid thick ropes as a material for the manufacture of entrance mats; different colors give the rug decorativeness. Fastening the rope in such rugs can be done in different ways. The decorative part of the rug made of rope is attached with silicone or glue, and then glued to the rubberized base. Such a rug may well be used outdoors..

Corridor rugs

The appearance, texture, size of corridor rugs depends on the type of room. Among them, homespun paths are most relevant, especially for long narrow corridors. In small apartments, rugs of various sizes and colors can be used, the material for production is selected based on the required functionality of the rug, service life, the number of residents permanently in the apartment. The lower the durability requirements, the more creative possibilities.

Weaving a rug from a rope using the crochet method, such a rug can be used in the corridor, living room, bedroom

Of course, the traditional Slavic technique of making rugs allows you to make more than just a covering from floor tracks. At the moment, multi-colored paths are a full-fledged decor that brings a life-affirming touch to any interior. The element of decorative organics, giving things the possibility of a second life, surprisingly positive color images make the use of such a traditional decor popular. It is also important that such rag rugs are well washed, do not wear out, do not accumulate dust, which other floor coverings, presented in a wide range of stores, cannot boast of. In most cases, these rugs are natural, although synthetic fabrics can also be used. Rugs can be both summer and winter woolen. Replacement rugs are very convenient to store rolled up in the closet.

Crochet rug from thin cotton rag ribbons

Modern trends in the manufacture of rugs

Manual techniques for making various decor have long been used by designers, and rugs are no exception, which offer a huge space for creativity and self-expression. The techniques used allow you to create almost any patterns, experiment with color, and create new original solutions. And always colored rugs will be associated with positive emotions. They love to give them, decorate interiors and create on their own.

Contemporary crochet rug

A simple and affordable technique for weaving rugs, of course, is the technique of weaving “pigtails” and sewing individual braids together. The use of different materials allows for stunning experiments, such as the manufacture of rugs from fleece ribbons in various colors. These rugs can be used as bedspreads, napkins. New materials for weaving, of course, allow more careful selection of colors, it becomes more harmonious and refined. Masters use soft transitions between shades, experiment with the shape of the rug, create amazing collages that blend into almost any interior. In the example below, the pigtails are woven, and a zigzag stitch is used to sew the rug..

Rugs for children and bedrooms become the object of author’s design. At the moment, soft pom-pom rugs, fluffy pile rugs, and sirloin mats are produced. Such rugs take a worthy place near fireplaces, near beds, in children’s.

Soft pom-pom mat

Tufted mat made of fabric based

Children’s rug made of pompons

Rugs can be made using the tapestry technique, perhaps these will be the most expensive rugs, but the result will surpass what was conceived. The tapestry weaving technique has recently become more and more popular, which is why it is used by craftsmen to make expensive designer rugs. A pre-created sketch, careful selection of threads allows you to get an extra result. For ease of manufacture, a full-size colored sketch is attached to the base. Weaving carpets using the tapestry technique is painstaking and slow work, but the result is worth the time.

Tapestry rug and tapestry making process

How to make rugs with your own hands

You can make rugs yourself in several ways. The simplest method is to braid the rugs. This is an easy-to-use, simple and effective way to get a beautiful rug with your own design, perfect for your preferences..

Pigtail rugs can be completely different shapes. If you decide to make a rug from old things, then the rag thread should be properly prepared..

For a beautiful braid weaving, it is important to make clean connections of rag ribbons with each other. This can be done, for example, as follows:

Pigtail rugs can also be woven on the backing, eliminating the need to sew pigtails.

Weaving pattern of the rug based on: 1 – left weaving; 2 – right weaving; 3 – weaving with a gap; 4 – compact weaving; 5 – weaving with alternating slope; 6 – weaving with a constant slope

Weaving of a rug can be done on a fairly simple equipment, and the length of the rug can also be adjusted by rearranging the fabric. Radial rugs are woven using the same technique with a radially fixed base. Depending on the thickness of the fabric thread, the size of the rapport can be adjusted, of course, the thinner the original fabrics, the thinner the thread will be. As shown above, thin fabrics are strengthened with several folds..

Video: master class on weaving a rectangular rug on a loom

An alternative to weaving on a loom can be crocheting. Moreover, very beautiful rugs are obtained from linen and blouse fabrics. If you are making thread from small pieces of fabric, we recommend cutting it in a circle to avoid multiple joins. The preparation of the thread and the weaving itself are laborious processes, as a rule, weaving 1 m² the mat takes about 5 hours.

On the finished product, you need to fix the warp threads well. In many cases, the edges of the track are trimmed with tape, which can be an additional decoration. Most often, the warp threads are fixed and left as a fringe that adorns the edges of the track. Weaving on the base allows you to make a variety of patterns. The texture of your rug will depend on the thickness of the thread, the thinner the thread, the more the rug will look like a tapestry.

In conclusion, let’s say a few words about creating pile rugs based on. These rugs are pleasant to the body, and the technique allows you to create the most complex patterns. In order to weave a rug, you need to prepare a strong base with rare threads and prepare threads of the same length. Typically, these rugs are made of yarn. The pile is fastened according to the scheme shown in the photo.

Also an interesting solution is the manufacture of rugs from pompons, for this you must first make pompons according to the scheme below, then they are attached to the base. Different colors can be used to create different patterns, making pom-pom rugs is an excellent way to dispose of yarn waste..

Pompom making scheme

Attaching pom-poms to the base

Various options of rugs – entrance, bedside, paths, rugs, allow us to make any, even the most modest home, cozy and comfortable. Rugs can be made from different materials to suit different seasons. They are convenient for storage, cleaning, wear-resistant enough. In addition, the old techniques for making doormats allow you to get rid of boring things and give them a new life in the form of a rug that will delight the eye for many years. It all depends on your wishes, capabilities and imagination. Any rug will be original and truly author’s.