How to Make a DIY Rug from Scratch

I made a huge DIY rug (5×8) from scratch with just a handful of supplies. And you can make one too…any size you want! 

After my DIY weaving project I felt like I needed another challenge, so I decided to tackle another large-scale project that’s been on my list…a DIY rug from scratch! I desperately needed a new rug and I tirelessly searched for one that I absolutely loved (that was also budget-friendly).

Sadly, I apparently have very expensive taste because every rug I found that would work was WAY outside the range of what my wallet felt like it could handle. So, like any DIYer, I decided to make one myself, using cotton piping.

It was definitely a labor of love (as I’m sure you can imagine making a giant rug by hand would be), but I really like how it turned out. And it is just in time for the weather to start cooling down because this thing is as cozy as it comes…It’s like walking on clouds! Super fluffy and plush.

How to Make a DIY Rug with Cotton Piping

This DIY rug technique can be used for a runner, a small rug in the kitchen or bathroom, or even a larger rug for seating areas like mine. Want to make your own cotton rug like this one?

Here are the step by step instructions…

DIY Rug Materials

• Multi-use netting (I used this exact one)
• Cotton piping* (available on Amazon + fabric / craft stores)
• Small rubber bands (like the small ones you can find in the hair aisle)
• Scissors

*Cotton piping is available in various thicknesses (ranging from 1/4 inch up to 1 inch and more) and any thickness will work for this project. But the thicker the piping, the faster the DIY process will be (and the less yards you will need to use to complete it).

My personal favorites for piping sizes are: 1/2 inch and 11/16 inch, but you can use ANY size. Piping comes in lots of sizes.

How to Make a Rug – Step by Step Instructions

1. Determine what length you’d like your rug to be. In my case, I wanted a 5×8 rug for underneath the couch.

My roll of netting is smaller than that, so I did some quick math to determine how many pieces I would need to cut to make a 5X8 rug (3 pieces that are 8 feet long, since the netting is 2 feet wide). And I would have an extra foot leftover from the width, that I could cut off of the mesh before getting started, etc.

Once you have that figured out, roll out the length of the netting you need and cut the pieces with a pair of scissors.

2. Next, start cutting pieces of cotton piping that are about 4 inches long (each). You want them all to be roughly the same length, so that the rug looks relatively even when its completed, while also having a little bit of variation, so you can more of a textured feel that looks handmade (and not manufactured).

Note: Depending on the size of your rug, you’re going to need a lot more cotton piping than you might expect. To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about…we used more than 200 yards of cotton piping for an 5×8 rug. That’s a lot of cotton!

But cotton piping is pretty affordable, so it’s still relatively budget-friendly, when you consider the cost of a thick handmade rug like this one would cost thousands of dollars to purchase in store. The cost of materials for a 5×8 rug totaled $300-350.

3. Next, weave the cut cotton pieces in between the netting grid, as shown in the photo. Then, pull the pieces upward and tie them together with a rubber band (again, as shown in the photo).

Once secured with a rubber band, fluff out the piping pieces so they have more of a fuzzy pom-pom shape.

4. Repeat steps #2 and #3 until you’ve completely covered the netting pieces you cut in step #1.

5. Now it’s time to assemble the pieces into one single unit. This may not apply if you’re making a small rug or a runner.

The process is the pretty much the same as step #3, but this time, you’ll be weaving pieces though the ends of each separate piece of mesh to bring them together as one.

Securing them together in the ‘pom-pom form’ (for lack of a better term) with rubber bands, and fluffing them out once secure.

6. Repeat this process along the edge of all pieces that need to be joined together until completed.

7. Lastly, trim any edge or interior pieces that feel like they need it, with a pair of sharp sicissors.

I like to trim the outer edges all the way around to make them even to one another and then occasionally, there will be an interior pieces that needs a trim because it’s way longer than the others.

Update: Note about Cotton Piping Sizes

You can use any size piping to create a rug like the ones you see in this post, but one thing to note in that the smaller the piping, the more it will take to complete your rug.

So for example, if you use a cotton piping that is 1/6 inch thick, you may need to double that piping up in the netting to get a thick, cushy look like mine. But if you use piping that is a 1/2 inch or thicker, you will not need to do that.

My favorite cotton piping sizes for the rugs I’ve made with this technique are 1/2 inch and 11/16 inch. I also like 1 inch thick piping, but not quite as much as the other two.

This is just what I like though. You may find a groove with a different size that you like better, so it doesn’t hurt to buy a very small amount (like a couple of feet) of a few different sizes to test them out first before buying lots of yardage. You can find cotton piping by the yard at craft supply stores like JoAnn’s, usually with the upholstery supplies.

And then when you’ve decided which size you like best, you can shop around to see what’s cheapest (online on Amazon or somewhere similar or in-store at a craft supply store).

Update: Note About Using Rubber Bands to Secure the Piping

It is true that over time (years) rubber bands may deteriorate or break. This was not an issue for me personally, but there are many comments asking questions about this particular thing. So, if you would prefer not to use rubber bands, there is another option.

You can use string to wrap around the cording instead of rubber bands, if you prefer. If possible, a thin string with a little bit of elastic would be ideal, if possible, like these (just stay away from the clear option as I’m not sure that’s strong enough.

Pull each one tight and double knot it then cut off the excess. NOTE: This will be more time consuming than the rubber band method. And for me, the rubber bands have held up quite well. But I wanted to share this option for anyone that would prefer to use something else.

I’ll be the first to admit, the process is time-consuming. I’m not going to lie. BUT the results are really pretty cool, if you ask me.

And literally ANYONE at any skill level can make one, as long as you have the patience to stick it out. And then you can add rug making to your list of skills! 

The process is SUPER easy. It’d be a good nightly ritual while sitting down to watch a movie, etc. Kind of like knitting…slowly plugging away at a project a couple of hours a night until it’s done.

And when it’s done, you have an actual rug to show for it. That you made yourself! How many people can say that that they made a rug?!

How to Care for your DIY Rug

I recommend spot cleaning for spills. Since you are using a cotton material, any spot cleaner that would work on this material should be fine. Just dab the area clean / dry when finished, instead of rubbing.

For spills and stains that aren’t able to be spot cleaned and are in need of repair, the piping can be removed and replaced with new piping very easily.

Just remove the piping that is damaged or stained beyond repair and use the same method you used initially to fill in the missing pieces.

Does this Area Rug Shed?

The rug does shed a little at first, just as many other rugs this still do. But it sheds less and less as time goes on.

Is this Rug Technique Similar to Latch Hook?

It is kind of similar, but there are two key differences. One of those difference is that the cotton cording I used to create this DIY rug isn’t secured on it’s own (with a knot like latch hook is). And the second key difference is that there are no special tools to use.

As you can see in the materials list toward the top of this post, there aren’t very many materials or special supplies need to create this rug. Which in my opinion, is a huge plus. No learning curve for new tools required!

Can I Make a DIY Rug Like This in Any Size?

Yes! In fact, I recently made a new version of this rug, as a runner and it looks great! I used the exact same technique as what I shared above.

But this handmade cotton rug is a runner and I wanted to share a couple new photos, in case you’d like to create something similar.

My DIY rug runner is 2 feet wide and 5 feet long, but you can create a runner any width and length you need. Making it a cool option for any spot in your house that you can’t find the ‘perfect’ size rug for. I have a super long hallway upstairs (it’s almost 20 feet long) that could totally use an extended runner.

I have also received updates from people who have made one of these DIY rugs from my tutorial and several people shared that they made a bath mat size rug (2×3 in size) in an afternoon or over two days.

So, there really is no limit on the size for this project – big or small.

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DIY Rug: How to make a DIY rug (large scale) with cotton piping

Make a large scale (5x8) DIY rug with cotton piping and a few other supplies.

Keyword: diy apron, diy rug, home decor, rug

Servings: 1 rug

Ingredients

• Multi-use netting
• Cotton piping
• Small rubber bands
• Scissors

Instructions

• Determine what length you’d like your rug to be. In my case, I wanted a 5x8 rug for underneath the couch.

  My roll of netting is smaller than that, so I did some quick math to determine how many pieces I would need to cut to make a 5X8 rug (3 pieces that are 8 feet long, since the netting is 2 feet wide), and I would have an extra foot leftover from the width, that I could cut off of the mesh before getting started, etc.

  Once you have that figured out, roll out the length of the netting you need and cut the pieces with a pair of scissors.
• Next, start cutting pieces of cotton piping that are 3-4 inches long (each). *The shorter the pieces used, the less height or thickness your rug will have when finished. *You want them all to be roughly the same length, so that the rug looks relatively even when its completed, while also having a little bit of variation, so you can more of a textured feel that looks handmade (and not manufactured).

  Note: Depending on the size of your rug, you’re going to need a lot more cotton piping than you might expect. To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about…we used more than 200 yards of cotton piping for an 5x8 rug. That’s a lot of cotton!

  But cotton piping is pretty affordable, so it’s still relatively budget-friendly, when you consider the cost of a thick handmade rug like this one would cost thousands of dollars to purchase in store. The cost of materials for a 5x8 rug totaled about $300.
• Next, weave the cut cotton pieces in between the netting grid, as shown in the photo. Then, pull the pieces upward and tie them together with a rubber band (again, as shown in the photo). Once secured with a rubber band, fluff out the piping pieces so they have more of a fuzzy pom-pom shape.
• Repeat steps 2 and 3 above until you’ve completely covered the netting pieces.
• Then it’s time to assemble the pieces into one single unit. This may not apply if you’re making a small rug or a runner.

  The process is the pretty much the same as step #3, but this time, you’ll be weaving pieces though the ends of each separate piece of mesh to bring them together as one. Securing them together in the 'pom-pom form' (for lack of a better term) with rubber bands, and fluffing them out once secure.
• Repeat this process along the edge of all pieces that need to be joined together until completed.
• Lastly, trim any edge or interior pieces that feel like they need it, with a pair of sharp sicissors.

  I like to trim the outer edges all the way around to make them even to one another and then occasionally, there will be an interior pieces that needs a trim because it's way longer than the others.

Notes

Update: Note about Cotton Piping Sizes

You can use any size piping to create a rug like the ones you see in this post, but one thing to note in that the smaller the piping, the more it will take to complete your rug.

So for example, if you use a cotton piping that is 1/6 inch thick, you may need to double that piping up in the netting to get a thick, cushy look like mine. But if you use piping that is a 1/2 inch or thicker, you will not need to do that.

My favorite cotton piping sizes for the rugs I've made with this technique are 1/2 inch and 11/16 inch. I also like 1 inch thick piping, but not quite as much as the other two.

This is just what I like though. You may find a groove with a different size that you like better, so it doesn't hurt to buy a very small amount (like a couple of feet) of a few different sizes to test them out first before buying lots of yardage. You can find cotton piping by the yard at craft supply stores like JoAnn's, usually with the upholstery supplies.

And then when you've decided which size you like best, you can shop around to see what's cheapest (online on Amazon or somewhere similar or in-store at a craft supply store).

 

Update: Note About Using Rubber Bands to Secure the Piping

It is true that over time (years) rubber bands may deteriorate or break. This was not an issue for me personally, but there are many comments asking questions about this particular thing. So, if you would prefer not to use rubber bands, there is another option.

You can use string to wrap around the cording instead of rubber bands, if you prefer. If possible, a thin string with a little bit of elastic would be ideal, if possible, like these (just stay away from the clear option as I’m not sure that’s strong enough.

Pull each one tight and double knot it then cut off the excess. NOTE: This will be more time consuming than the rubber band method. And for me, the rubber bands have held up quite well. But I wanted to share this option for anyone that would prefer to use something else.

Tried this recipe?Mention @paperandstitch or tag #paperandstitch!

Photography Amelia Tatnall Lawrence
Styling and crafting Brittni Mehlhoff

Still Have Questions about this DIY Rug?

I have you covered! I made a permanent rug highlight on my Instagram feed that will always be there for you to reference, which is very detailed. You can click that link and go directly to it, or go to my feed and click the DIY rug highlight from there.

It’s a much more detailed video, where I walk you through the answers to some of the most asked questions I have received about this DIY rug process and I even shared a hack for making this project move along a little bit more quickly, if you’re making a big rug like my first one (or even a runner size rug).

If that video doesn’t answer your question, and you didn’t see the answer in this post, which I’ve updated with new answers as new things  have been asked, feel free to ask your question in the comments. I still respond to comments on this post years later as much as possible to help.

Let me know if you make one of these! I’d love to see it.

-Brittni

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