The ancient art form and master craft of hand knotting rugs continues today.
How to make a hand knotted t shirt rug.
Hand knotted rugs will never be woven using synthetic materials like polypropylene nylon acrylic or polyester.
The design is the same on both sides.
The time involved in making it also accounts for hand knotted rugs costing more on average than hand tufted rugs.
Silk being an expensive material rugs of this type have a higher price.
When i found out from researching persian rug selling companies on the internet that the authentic hand knotted rugs take about an hour per inch to make by the best weavers.
Continue to add glue and knotted sections until the full doormat is covered image 3.
The oldest rug in the world is the pazyryk carpet which dates to the 5th century bce.
Making the yarn is actually really easy.
A hand knotted rug will not have a backing on it.
It starts with a design drawn on graph paper called a cartoon.
You can find clearer instructions and other ideas for the amish knot here https.
Before the rug is knotted and starts to take form further preparations must be taken.
One of the easiest ways to spot a hand knotted rug is to flip it over.
I used 5 5 t shirts to make a rug that is approximately 18 in diameter but if you have more time and patience than i do or if you want a bigger rug you could use more shirts.
Lay a t shirt out on your work surface.
Rugs of this type are produced only using pure materials such as the following.
Place a strip of hot glue 1 inch from the previous row.
Make a braided t shirt rug sewing required.
Select a few old t shirts from your closet a thrift store or your aunt marcy s nascar t shirt collection.
After looking at a bunch of options here s how i decided to make my t shirt yarn.
Silk hand knotted area rugs that are woven from silk are stunningly luxurious.
Woven rugs require a loom but a piece of rainbow has shown how to make a simple rug loom with instructions for making this colourful rag rug.
Move onto the next row.
Continue to glue knotted t shirt sections all the way up the edge of the mat.
Well trying to learn persian knot tied rug making is a lot like trying to learn how to make cheese by first discovering you need to learn how to raise cows.
Then the weavers take the design and begin the process of making the rug one knot at a time.
It ll probably take a few shirts for you to get the technique down but after that you ll be able to turn a t shirt into a ball of yarn in just a few minutes.
With the wool cotton or silk spun dye is applied and left out in the sun in order to dry.
I originally made this video to show my workshop group how to make a rug.
Stick the knots into the glue strip leaving 1 2 inch between each knot image 2.
