Guest Author - Iris ten Holder

Braided rugs have conquered a territory of their own. They are firmly attached to country living and country decor, but deserve a wider application. Historically these methods of rug making evolved when no scarp of textile was ever discarded, but instead used to make other useful household items.

I have talked to people who have saved blue jeans for years and I am sure these remnants would contain the whole family history if jeans could talk.

Some save everything and some save nothing. Those who save everything will have adequate material of various thickness and blends to create very attractive braided rugs. For those who do not save, there are various sources where one can buy materials specifically for rug braiding and other kinds of rug making.

I like the idea of using available materials, and to be challenged by the combination possibilities that are presented. It is not unlikely that the remnants already reflect a color scheme that is prevalent in the decor. On the other hand some of these materials, if they have been kept long enough, my bring back memories of earlier fashions and color combinations.

There are several kinds of braids, including false braids and chain braids.

The chain braid is similar to the chain one makes in crochet. In this case one uses a large hook, or even a finger, to loop the strands through the loop and thus create a chain. Heavy yarns are suitable, as are fairly thin fabrics, cut in strips and folded to hide the edges. This method may have been one of the earliest methods of creating a rug.

The standard braid--and there are variations--is the one most commonly used in the country-style braided rugs. In this case heavier fabrics may be used, again folded, and then braided. These braids are then sewn together into a circular, rectangular, square or oval rug. The process of starting the sewing of these rugs varies, and depends on the intended shape of the rug..

To eliminate the sewing, a different method can be used, linking the braids to one another in a continuous process. A minimum of four braids is necessary to do this. Braids can have many strands, but of course get slightly more complicated and more difficult to handle. Experienced braiders will be anxious to explore these methods, as will those who like to skip the sewing process.

Rugmaker's Homestead is a great place to visit for information on rug making. There are two sections in their "Rug Tour" dealing with rug braiding, one on standard braiding with its variations and one on chain braiding.

Another interesting source is Luis Michel, who makes custom braided rugs His software is useful in designing a braided rug for those who want to order a custom braided rug. However, in his demo, the PLUS edition, he includes illustrated instructions for making a braided rug. When downloading the free demo, choose the PLUS version. The illustrations are inside a file called Rug.exe. Place it on your desktop for easy access. Please heed all copyright notices, but feel free to use these instructions to create your own rug. He also shows how to join the braids by looping with a strong thread through the braid loops, thus making the joining invisible.

With what is described here, you can experiment. Just imagine you are an early settler with time on your hands, and you dearly want to create a rug to enliven your decor, to have a firm warm footing, or to have a safe place for your child to play on.

There is more, much more, that you will discover when you go on this journey. Accept the challenge and dare to create.

Enjoy the journey!