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A Modern Rug with a Cozy Secret
This project uses small strips of T-shirts to make a shag rug.

Materials
  • 3-by-5-foot non-slip rug pad
  • (40) Assortment of adult-size T-shirts—color combination of your choice
  • Chopsticks
  • Scissors
  • Large bowl

    Directions

    1. Cut your T-shirts into 1-by-5-inch strips and place in a large bowl. The strips don't need to be exact, just approximately the same size.
    Expert tip: To cut the strips quicker, cut a 1-inch-wide fringe along the bottom of the T-shirt, cutting up 5 inches. Once the fringe is made, cut off the fringe to make a batch of 1-by-5-inch strips.

    2. Take a strip of T-shirt fabric and fold it over the top of a chopstick. Pass the chopstick with the fabric through two holes in any corner of the rug pad, then remove the chopstick.

    3. Tie a single knot in the fabric strip and pull tight.

    4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for adding more strips to the rug pad. For a full thickness rug, place the strips through most of the holes in the rug pad. For a less full thickness rug and to save time, the strips can be spaced a few holes apart.
    Expert tip: Start at one end of the rug and work across. You can always go back through at the end and add more strips in between if you want to add more fullness or a splash of color.