apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Ugh! I picked that rug up last week because it was pretty and $3.99. The previous shopper came back and made a ruckus at the counter, toppling the debit machine in the middle of my transaction and distracting me from the cashier. They charged me $6.00!

I'm taking it back.

(Otherwise, I like this project.)

Great idea...I've been trying to figure out how to cover the hideous fake-wood linoleum in my (rental) kitchen. This might be a really cool, washable way to do it. Could even go patchwork...

So clever and pretty!

thanks for the idea, I need a runner for the kitchen :-)

Wow. Great idea. Seriously, I think this might just have solved my issue with my 10ft long hallway.

you know i was in target last week starnig at these rugs wondering what in the world i could do w/ them. they are such a rich blue-green in person. now, i know. i'm so going to go get these.

This should have been in the Do It Now Jumpstart contest!

I used that rug near my door. Love target.

You could probably make a larger version for as much money by using placemats from the dollar store...

Hi, I was getting rid of stuff and found some placemats.I was thinking of making a rug or a tablecover. I was just going to sew and duck tape the stitches. I then decided to look up crafts using placemats and found your article. I am going to make one after I visit the resale store. They sell bags of nice placemats for $1.50 - $2.00 per bag. Thank you for confirming that I had a good idea.

killer idea.

thanks for sharing.

That is how they made carpets before industrialization, long and narrow pieces stitched together. To clean them they had to un-stitch each section and beat them out and restitch them back together.

I bought the same rugs at Target months ago (in turquoise and pink) and was planning on doing this. I remember ny Great Grandma doing this back in the day. Cool to also see it here!

i did a bad thing and forgot that cute turquoise rug on the back deck after a party . . . . it was pale pale baby blue in just a day. :-(

NorNor, I had 2 of these rugs in my bedroom and they faded in less than a week! I know exactly what you mean...bummer!

Thats awesome! I'm totally going to do this.

Does anyone know how well these hold up to washing? I'm looking for a cheap rug that can hold up in the wash.

Great rug! I love the handmade w/love look. Wabi Sabi ; )

Spectacularly simple - thanks for the great idea Hanners!

Note to Lizzz - "cheap" and "hold up in the wash" don't usually marry :-)

Often not, I agree. I've had one rag rug for about 5 years now that's been just fine in the wash about once a month (no idea on the brand). Every other one I try falls apart after a few washes. And I'd really rather not spend much on a rug that goes in the utility room under the cat box.

O.K. I love this idea and I'm ready to produce one for myself. The problem is I cannot find these rugs for as cheap a price as it seems you guys have. (Everything I've seen is about $25) Target doesn't have anything in stock right now. Does anyone know where to get these things for about $5? I've done a Google search as well but to no avail. Any suggestions?

thanks for the great idea. you can find the rag rugs at Ikea for approximately the same price (maybe cheaper). I've washed mine a dozen or more times and they still look great.

I used the same process but I used carpet samples from a carpet store (they always have samples they want to get rid of) I did not even stitch them I duck taped them together. You have endless color pallets. Even if you but the carpet samples at the 99 cent store you can do a very large rug for under 20 bucks.

I am a dummy: I've thought about doing this so often, but figured the seams would look like they were made by someone who can barely sew (i.e. me). This is so the way to do it.