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Make your own upcycled T-shirt rug

Have you participated in so many 5k fun runs you could have your own t-shirt shop? Instead of tossing out those hard earned shirts, upcycle them by picking out a few of your favorite colored T’s to make a stylish shag rug. This fun Do it yourself project will save your shirts from the landfill and add a pop of color to any room in your home.

This is for a small rug, perfect for in front of a sink or bathroom. You can always make your rug bigger simply by using more shirts.

Supplies: 1 XL t-shirt, cloth scissors, and 10-12 upcycled t-shirts in your choice of color, cut into 5”- 6” strips.  

1. Make the base.
For the base of the rug, lay the X-L t-shirt flat and cut a large rectangle out of the shirt, as large as you would like the size of your rug to be. It’s possible to make a larger rug by sewing more t-shirts together- two to make a runner, four to make a large square, etc. You could also cut it into a circle shape for a circular rug.
 
2. Make scraps.
Pick 10—12 upcycled t-shirts that are complimentary colors or that match the color scheme of the room you are making the rug for. Cut the t-shirts up into 5-6 inch strips. These strips will be used to weave through your base.

Cut these t-shirts into strips that are approximately 5-6’’ long and 1-1 ½’’ wide. You can use scissors, or a rotary cutter and board. Some t-shirt fabrics stretch and so you can pull them to make them longer. Once you cut a few t-shirts you’ll begin to see what works. Also, don’t be afraid to use imperfect scraps-scraps that have odd edges, it will add to the shag look of your rug.

3. Cut holes into the base.
Starting 1’’ from the edge of the base, carefully poke or snip horizontal and vertical rows of small holes about 1/2 ’’ to 2/3’’ inches apart. It will look similar to a light bright board without the colorful pegs to light up. Go ahead and cut your holes so you can get started weaving your pieces through
 
4. Start threading scraps into the base.
Beginning at one corner, thread a strip down through the first hole and back up through the second. Take a second scrap and thread it through the second hole (the same hole you just pulled the first scrap up through) so that it shares this hole with the first scrap, and then pull it up through the third hole.
 
Similar to knitting, this process is a little time consuming, you can work on it while watching a movie or listening to music or anytime you have a little free time on your hands. You can weave your colors into a pattern like rows or blocks or just mix up the color for a confetti look.

5. Give your rug a haircut.
Because all of your pieces might be a different length, when you are finished, you can give your rug a little haircut to even out any longer scraps. Remember not to trim off too much.

With this project you end up with two rugs in one. The bottom of the rug looks clean and uniform with a woven look and the top looks soft and fluffy with the shag. When your shag looks flat, just take it outside and give a lit a little shake to fluff it back up.
Upcycling is a fun way to turn what would otherwise end up as waste into something useful. For more tips on how you can give everyday items a second life visit the Millennium Waste news feed.

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Keeping the Community Clean

Millennium Waste Incorporated is committed to the growth and well being of the Quad Cities area. That’s why it’s so important to us to contribute to community events and activities. As proud members of the cities we serve, we are dedicated to youth involvement and keeping Betterndorf, Davenport, East Moline, Moline, Rock Island and all of our communities clean.

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Contact us today with questions or suggestions.

 

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