rug time blues--Homemade Jeans Rug

I'm cheap.

I am a do-it-yourself-er because I'm cheap.

I think if I were rolling in the dough, I'd still be cheap.

ok, fruuuuugal.


So, in our entry way, we need a rug.

Have you priced new rugs lately?  Ridiculous.  I'm not paying that kind of money for something we wipe our feet on.

I've pinned a lot of DIY rugs that involve some kind of hula hoop loom, big crochet hook, old sheets, old t-shirts etc., in hopes of finding one that I could make myself.  Yeah, I'm not a crochet-er, or knitter or hula hoop weaver, but I do sew.

Here's my train of thought on this project...  All aboard?


Have you ever seen those blankets or pillows that are multiple layers of flannel or some other fabric?  You sew many straight lines then cut through all but one of the layers of fabric between the sewn lines and then the raw edge frays and is as soft as chenille.  They are amazing.

 I simply thought that I could do this with  multiple layers of fabric to achieve the same concept and create a rug for the entry way.

I quickly quilted (say that five times fast)  craft jeans* together to form a top and a bottom.  Jean material is heavy, durable and it frays (or so you'd think).

I really didn't take much time to make this perfectly square, or particularly lovely because, well, it's for feet wiping...

I sewed several lines through all layers of the fabric, eight I think.  The other layers were catholic thrift store second hand ~upcycled~ sheets.

I enlisted help, because after cutting through seven layers multiple times, the ole hands get a little tired.  Ok, a LOT tired.

I threw it in the wash to expedite the fraying process.

It frayed (mostly)...I clipped the frays, then threw it in the dryer in hopes it would fray more.  It did.  I clipped, and clipped, and clipped the frays and this is what I got. 

It's not exactly what I had pictured in my head, but it works.  I want to do it again, but different colors, sew the lines closer and make it a different shape.
I was going to put that rubber backing stuff on the bottom, but with two layers (top and bottom) of jean fabric it's pretty heavy and doesn't go anywhere.

*Craft jeans at the thrift store cost 25 cents each! Score!
One problem though, I think the jean fabric on the far left was a stretchy jean material and it didn't fray much.  I'll make sure to check for that next time.