How to make an upcycled braided rug with your sewing machine

[@Marianne_C_O_Art]

Cool! I've seen other videos doing similar and a couple have mentioned running straight a straight line of stitched from centre to edge - like a sunburst - to help keep it flat.

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

That might work! I also bought a walking foot for my machine and can't wait to try it out on this project.

[@mellibee100]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your videos! This looks like such a fun project! I am thinking of making something like this to protect my hands when I am eating off a hot plate or ice cream from a bowl when you don't want to feel the extreme temperatures.

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

That sounds like a perfect project! It would look so cute and homey too!

[@linw5302]

Beautiful colors! Years ago I made a few small braided pads. The hand sewing of the braid was a struggle. Brilliant to use the machine!

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

Thank you! It is so much faster with the machine and it washes nice too.

[@cherifrey5256]

Thank you so much, I will have to try this ❤😊

[@dar4835]

That's very awesome, I wouldn't have thought to try this on a machine! Brilliant!
Maybe if you put moleskin inside of your purple pusher, that might help it from poking in your finger?

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

Thanks for the tip!

[@dnastrom]

Love this ! I’ve made a few jelly roll rugs using cotton fabrics - the actual sewing construction of the rugs seems similar but I could see where the stretch of the t shirt fabric makes it more challenging. Love how it reuses t-shirts- that’s a rug that will outlast us!

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

I'm so glad you liked the video. Yes, these rugs last forever, wash well, and are soft and squishy to step onto. I just love them which is why I wanted to share what I do with others. It is such a good way to use up those old tshirts nobody wants.

[@thecat5620]

Thank you, Sherry for the tutorial. I just love the sustainable reuse.

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

Me too!

[@frankjanvari737]

hello sherry please kindly film how to rethread the serger overlock sewing machine by cutting the old threads and tying the new threads together at the top of the serger overlock sewing machine please ok?thank you very much 😊

[@jaygee9180]

Would it be possible to use a walking foot to help feed it through? It looks great!

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

I thought about that. I think it is worth a try. Also, I thought about making a fake center and removing it when the rug is done and doing the middle last.

[@Amritadivya54]

Beautiful! I'm thinking that the bubbling up in the center could be in part just the knit fabric stretching and it might work better to try using cotton fabric strips. What do you think? Have you tried making a rug with woven fabric strips?

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

The tricky part is the stretchy aspect of knit and yes there are many people making rugs with non stretchy cotton...like the jelly roll rugs. I just love how the knit wears, no threads, it is soft and squishy too! So I'm working on the best way to handle the bulging of the middle. I'm actually thinking of trying one with a cardboard center and then doing the middle last. Sounds like a fun experiment.

[@Amritadivya54]

what about adding a non-woven interfacing underneath the center?@@SherryJonesDesigns

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

That might work and is a great idea. I have also seen people do patchwork with a piece of paper underneath to keep fabric from moving or stretching then they rip it out when finished....so if a person wanted to try reusing paper for this it would be very earth friendly too.

[@sherryv7341]

Are you using needles for knits? Ballpoint? Just a thought...Love your channel.

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

I'm so glad you love my channel! I tried the size of needle recommended for knit and it didn't help but I didn't try the ballpoint needle. I don't actually have one at the moment but I think I will get it and try it cause I have more ideas now about other fun things to do with the braid and I would like to try it again soon. I had the best success with lowering the needle a little bit but not long enough to hit the bobbin. I also saw another channel do this after I did it. Thank you for pointing out ballpoint needles!

[@user-dy3oc3vt8h]

you are getting skipped stitches from one of three reasons:
The thread passing through the machine's needle is encountering too much tension or stretching when fully plunged and not making a proper loop(two reasons for the first reason it seems),
Most likely though it is needle deflection and a larger needle will help keep the needle going straight down and coming into proper proximity to the gib hook to make a proper stitch,
or.. your domestic machine's needle bar(think that's what its called.. been a moment.) itself is deflecting under the load of the needle plunge which case i would recommend experimenting with a "sailing sewing machine needle" :) by sharpening a flat edge on the tip of the needle to help reduce pressure needed to plunge the needle.

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

Thank you so much for sharing. I think it was mostly the first case. I've since then bought knit needles and a walking foot and am having much better results.

[@karlynrombalski5755]

Is this process possible to work project into a rectangle or other shapes?

[@SherryJonesDesigns]

I haven't tried it but I think it would work. A heart shaped rug would be so cute or a flower also! I'll let you know if I try it. Thank you for asking!