Types of Rugs to Craft
Article by KarensVariety.com

Throw or scatter rugs are lovely on floors or carpeting. They pick up the colors of your curtains or furniture and tie your room together. They save wear on tear on carpets and floors when placed on high traffic areas. Making rugs can be a fun and rewarding craft or a highly skilled art.

Rug patterns can be purchased pre-stamped or in kits. You can be creative and make your own pattern. The traditional way to make a rug pattern is to draw a design on a base of burlap, canvas or monk’s cloth. This can either be done freehand, or from a pattern. If you decide to use a pattern, you will want to enlarge it to the desired size at a copy shop (you may end up with several sheets of paper) and then use a transfer pen to trace the pattern on the paper. After you have traced the design, iron the design onto the fabric. Stretch your fabric tightly over a frame.

Rag rugs are a great way to recycle old clothes, sheets or other fabric. Strips of cloth are cut in widths from 1/4 to 2 inches, depending on kind of rug and sturdiness desired. It isn’t necessary to overcast the edges of the fabric. The slight raveling is part of the look of a rag rug. Wider strips can be used with raw edges turned under so no raw edges will show on right side of rug. To join strips, you can tie and hide the tie at the back or the rug, or sew the two edges together (cut diagonally and the join will be less lumpy). Each strip of cloth is rolled into a ball. The strips serve the same function as yarn; you can crochet a round, square or rectangular rug. You can also use fabric cut into small strips and hook your rug.

Braided rugs are often referred to as Rag rugs as they are typically made from strips of fabric prepared as in rag rugs. Sew three strips together at the top and begin braiding. You can assemble your braids into a round, square or rectangular rug by sewing or tacking the braids together as you go.  Be sure to use a heavy durable thread; avoid cotton as it deteriorates over time; choose nylon or synthetic. As you make your braids, wind them around a roll to keep them flat and as you assemble them, again check as you go to be sure you are sewing your braids together flat. You can make braided rugs from yarn or rope as well. With yarn, again choose a durable nylon yarn and be careful or dye lots; be sure there is enough of one dye lot to finish your rug. Double braiding refers to braiding together three strips, then braiding together three of the finished braids.

Patchwork rugs are made by joining several finished rug squares together. It is easier to work on a smaller square than a large rug.

Crocheted rugs are made from strips of fabric or yarn crocheted into shape using a single crochet stitch worked over a beginning chain stitch. One common problem with crocheted rugs from fabric is getting them to lay flat, especially with round rugs. Since all fabric is different, you must determine yourself when to increase stitches as you crochet around.

Woven rugs are usually made using a loom. The loom is square or rectangular shaped with pegs at each end. The fabric or yarn is wound around each peg to create vertical stripes the width desired. The fabric or yarn is wound over a shuttle and is woven in and out through the vertical stripes to create the length desired. Care must be given to keep edges and tension even. Another way to weave rugs is to use a canvas or burlap fabric with large holes and weave the yarn or fabric through the existing holes. Or you can crochet a mesh with holes as large as you wish. In either case, your mesh must be tacked onto a wooden or plastic frame to keep its shape before you begin weaving.

Hand Hooked rugs are made using a stiff woven base such as burlap, canvas or monk’s cloth attached to a frame. Pieces of yarn or fabric are cut to the desired length and then pulled through to the right side of the base using a hook. The hook used has a hook similar to a crochet hook attached to a handle and comes in different sizes. This is the traditional method of rug hooking. The loops pulled through can be of different lengths to create a sculptured effect.

Punch Needle Hooked rugs are also a tufted rug made using several different needles, each with a gauge to set the length of the yarn loop. The loops can be left as is or can be trimmed. This method can also be used to create a sculptured effect by pulling through loops of different sizes. A cutting tool can be used to cut the yarn to the desired length. This is a much faster method.

Latch Hooked rugs are also a tufted rug made in a similar manner but pre-cut pieces of yarn are used. The hook has a latch which opens and closed as you work. One piece of yarn is folded in half and the loop end is pulled through a hole in the mesh using the hook. The two ends are then pulled through the loop to create a knot in the back. The right side of the rug has yarn ends rather than loops. Care must be given to keep the folded yarn even. This is the fastest method since the hooking is faster and the wool is already cut to length.

Hand Tufted Rugs are made without tying knots. A tufting gun is used to push loops of yarn through a backing. The backing is then covered with latex glue and another backing applied. The tops of the rug loops are cut to create the pile.

Hand Knotted Rugs are the best quality. They are made by individual knots so the front and back are identical.

Pompon rugs are made by sewing pompoms onto a fabric or crocheted backing. They make a soft fluffy rug.