Bright And Breezy

J E N N I S T U A R T A N D E R S O N

In this project, instead of hooking or prodding the materials, the strips are plaited/braided before being sewn together to make a rug.

Cotton fabrics, from a blouse, dress, skirt and part of a duvet or continental quilt cover, were used to make a cheerful rug a child’s room. If you prefer to make a heavier rug, then you could use woolen or synthetic fabrics.

You could make similar plaited strips to form a border for a hooked or prodded rug.

66 x 52 cm (26 x 20.5 in)

Materials and Equipment

• Scissors
• Assortment of cotton materials
• Tape measure
• Needle
• Cotton thread
• Dressmaker’s pins
• Large pin (safety, nappy or kilt)
• Wall (cup) hook
• Button thread
• Thimble

Cut the material into strips, 7 cm (2.75 in) wide. Sew the strips end-to-end to make lengths of about 2 metres (2,25 yds)

For each plait/braid, roll up three separate strips, leaving about 90 cm (35.5 in) of the lengths unrolled. This will help to prevent the strips from becoming entangled while plaiting. Secure each roll with a pin.

Using a large pin, fasten three of the strips together at the unrolled ends, ready to start plaiting.

Hook the large pin over a wall or cup hook which you have screwed into a beam or door frame, just above eye level.

Turning the raw edges towards the back (away from you) as you work, start plaiting next to the large pin. This end of the plait will not be neat at this stage. First, bring the right strip over the middle strip.

Bring the left strip over the new middle strip and continue plaiting fairly loosely.

Remember to turn the raw edges back as much as you can, gradually unrolling the strips as you work. On reaching the ends of the strips, secure with a pin.

Arrange a selection of plaits on the table and move them around until you have a colour scheme that pleases you. Cut 16 plaits, each 53 cm (21 in) in length, securing the ends with pins so that they do not unravel. You must work with the plaits flat on the table, otherwise the rug will be misshapen. Using a needle and button thread, catch a little of one a plait, then a little of the adjacent one, working from side to side and along the length to sew two plaits together. The stitches should not show. Repeat to secure all 16 plaits together.

Sew together the loose ends of all 16 plaits. Sew a 70 cm (27.5 in) strips of fabric across the ends of the plaits at the top and bottom from the right side of the rug, using a simple back stitch.

Turn the fabric over to the back of the rug and hem down.

To prepare for the rug border, taper one end of a new long plait, and stitch it neatly.

Sew the long plait around the rug, using the same technique as in step 8. Cut the plait a little beyond the point where the ends meet and taper one end neatly, sewing it to the other end of the plait. Sew two more plaits all around the rug, in the same way, staggering the places where the ends meet.

Place the rug face-down on the backing fabric and cut around the rug, leaving a border of 3 cm (1.25 in). Turn the rug over and pin the backing to the edge, turning it under and following the shape of the rug. Pin the backing to the rug a t regular intervals. Using button thread, back-stitch lines about 6 cm (2.5 in) apart across the rug at right angles to the plaits. This joins the plaits together more securely. Hem around the backing.