Hi there!! If you are stopping by via Pinterest or from another link, thanks so much for coming! And, while you're at it, take a look around...there's lots of fun stuff to see!
The first project I thought of when I decided to sign up for Feather your Nest was to make a bathroom rug...
Hmmm, that seems a bit weird doesn't it?...
Well, really I saw this bath mat and I really really loved it...that is, until I saw the price tag. So I thought, maybe I can make something like it. And then I thought, maybe I can make it out of some of our old, not so nice anymore, towels. It sounded like a fun feather your nest kind of project.
I took some towels out of our linen closet that are less than company worthy. You know, we all have them. They have been used for years and years, they have a couple of accidental bleach stains on them. Actually, they had been resigned to the closet as rags...so that's what I used them for, to make a rag rug.
First I cut the ends off of the towels. I only used the middle of the towels because I didn't want the non-terry cloth stripe to interfere with the braids. Then I cut the towels into one inch strips. For this part I just snipped all the way across on the edge of the towel and ripped down. This was a bit messy as there were terry cloth strings and fuzz everywhere, just be careful if you have cats around...So I cleaned that mess up first and then I started to braid until I had a basketful. Don't they look like giant sweatbands?! Ha ha!
Anywho...after I had all of my towels braided it was time to attatch them together. First I sewed together the tops of two of the braids. To attach the braided strips together I laid one down on top of the other and weaved it into the first one. Once it was in place I stitched them together. I continued on this way until all of the braids were attached.
Next, I started to wind it around itself.
As I coiled the braid I stitched together the rows tightly. Three recommendations here: 1) Use a very strong thread because you will be pulling hard to get the stitches tight, I used button thread 2) I used a curved needle that I just happened to have, this helped A LOT 3) sew the rug on a flat surface so that you know you are sewing it flat.
So stitch and stitch...watch little feet come and test it out as you go...feel good that they think it feels comfy!
Then, flip it over and make a few stitches on the other side as well to make sure it all holds together and is flat.
This project took several days to make. Brad rolled his eyes a bit ;) He said why don't you just buy the rug and then retracted that suggestion after I told him how much it cost. The finished product used about two and a half towels. It is not terribly huge, but then again...our bathroom is teeny tiny so it fits perfectly!
So small that it's hard to get a good picture of it in the actual bathroom! Oh well, it's a good reason for another pair of toes to try it out, outside this time! And, it's unanimous! Comfy!
It did take a while to make, but, again, it was free! It's not perfect, but then again, it's a rag rug, that's it's nature...And, who doesn't like the cushey, cozy feeling of a soft rag rug under their toes! Especially just after you hop out of the shower!
