I really love flokati rugs. I have two that are safely tucked away in my parents basement awaiting our reunion. When I learned that I would be having a child and building a nursery for him, I wanted a flokati. A gray one. Being a flokati snob though, I knew that I couldn’t afford the price tag (a whole months rent), and I knew that I would be too precious about the rug (and be leary of the body fluids that babies seem to leak all over the place). So I chose the only sensible alternative: I would make a rug.
I’m going to show you how it’s done, but let me warn you- while this rug was super inexpensive to make with the resource of money- it was very costly in the resource of time. I have easily 60 hours invested into this rug, and many many more hours donated by family and friends. I love that I started it while I was pregnant and worked on it while Jack was a teeny tiny newborn. I love that my Mom and I sat with it on our lap, each hooking from one side to the other, meeting each other in the middle, while my overdue belly hindered my progress.
And now, this is how to make your very own latch hook rug.
Supplies:
Latch hook canvas
latch hook tool
old t-shirts
scissors or rotary cutting tool/mat
seam binding
masking tape
dye (optional)
All of these things should be available at your local craft store, with the exception of the old t-shirts. I found thrift stores that were doing bag sales and loaded my bags up with white t-shirts. I also asked my local freecyclers if they had any white t-shirts to spare. I was able to purchase all of the supplies, including shirts, for under $25.
On to the making! The first thing that you want to do is plan. Decide how large you would like your rug to be and what colors/designs you would like. I chose to just make it one all one color, battleship gray (much to the chagrin of my submariner husband!). Estimate how many shirts you’ll need because if you’re dyeing them, as I did, you’ll want to dye them all in one batch to get consistant color. I found that I needed 70 strips to fill one square (latch hook canvas is pre-printed with a grid), and that I could get approximately 250 strips for the average men’s t-shirt. Thus, I would need 2 shirts for every 7 squares. These numbers are a good starting point, but may need to be adjusted according to your design needs.
note: I chose to make this rug very thick. The 2 shirts for every 7 squares number is based on a very tight and very high piled rug. Super results can be achieved with less. I reccomend using half of this number if you’re making a larger rug, to save on time, and to reduce the bullk of the finished rug.
Once you’ve gathered all of your shirts, use a rotary cutting tool and mat (you can certainly use scissors but the results are less precise) to cut the shirts into 1 inch strips. It was easiest for me to fold the shirt in half, shoulder to shoulder and cut strips from the trunk of the shirt, up to the collar. It is important to make sure that the shirt is smooth and flat when cutting, or you’ll end up with uneven or jagged strips. All of these strips should then be cut into 4 inch segments. This cutting phase easily took me 20 hours (I was cutting up 51 shirts!).
Once you have all of the strips cut, it’s time to dye them if you’d like. I used Rit dye and just dumped them all into the washing machine.
Once your strips are all ready to go, tape the edges of the latch hook canvas with the masking tape so that they won’t pull apart while your latching.
Now you’re ready to hook! From the front of your rug, isolate a strand of the canvas with the latch hook tool. Make a loop with the t-shirt strip and place it on the end of the tool. Pull the latch hook tool down, through the canvas, pulling the t-shirt strip with it, leaving the strip halfway through the canvas. Slide the tool up to the remaining ends of the t-shirt strip and catch them. Pull them through the loop made by the t-shirt strip below the canvas.
I chose to do this with every other available space on my latch hook canvas, and it made a very lush, very high pile rug. You may want to space it out differently for a larger rug, or for a rug with less bulk.
Continue until you run out of strips, or complete the size that you’d like!
When you’re done, bind the edges by hand using seam binding.
Here’s my completed rug, you can see that it gets Jack’s approval!
good luck and happy hooking!
29 july 2010 edit: Thanks for all of your enthusiasm about this project! Please read the comments below as well as they contain some extra tips from people who have conquered this project! Carry on.
xo
elle
Tags: craft · making · tutorial52 Comments
52 responses so far ↓
Glad you finished it! It looks GREAT! Thanks for letting us help a little. I’m still trying to decide if I want to do something like this for Camden’s room. Seeing how long it really takes I’m having a hard time pushing myself into the “do it” mode.
Really cool that you made this by hand. I love these rugs but damn that’s a lot of time. I’m not a knitting or shuttle-r or whatever else some of my friends who give me stuff that they invested this much time into, but I respect it. RESPECT!
That is so awesome! Thanks for the tutorial, I think this will make a really fun project for my girls and I. Yours turned out so cute, and baby Jack makes it looks so cozy.
I really liked this post. Can I copy it to my site? Thank you in advance.
This turned out lovely! I just got a hold of some rug canvas and am thinking I want to do something like this with it!
wow, that’s cool! I bet it’s soft too. I can envision it in other colors and patterns too. You should write a book on it, I bet it would get published!
Hello, I came across your blog and found your impressive rug. Love the colour and texture of it.
Hi, love what you did. Do you know where I could find a large lot of shirts? I am sitting most of the time due to an injury, and I want to do something beautiful like you did. Thanks, Patricia
I am so excited to have found your great tutorial! I’ve been wanting to make one of these rugs ever since I saw one in a baby store, but figured I’d have to just guess. There was no way I was going to pay for one at the store! Now to start my t-shirt collecting! I’d never have thought you would need so many! Did you use new t-shirts? Your cut strips look awfully white! Do you think it would work with old shirts? I love the pics of your baby on the rug, by the way. So cute!
This rug looks great! So glad I found this tutorial because I’ve been planning to make a rug like this for a while now. I had a hard time finding a rug canvas large enough. The biggest I could find is 36″ x 60″ so that’s as big as my rug will be. A great way to save a whole step is to use jersey knit sheets! I purchased a set of full sized sheets in the color I want my rug to be at my local Ross (Marshalls, TJMaxx, etc) for only $11. I’m hoping the flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillow cases will provide me with enough fabric for my rug, and it saves having to find all the tshirts then dying them. Otherwise a great place to find tshirts is a goodwill. I make scarves out of old tshirts and always get them there.
[...] Read the wonderful tutorial here. [...]
My question is- do you remove the taped edges at some point to finish it off?
Thanks for the help. I spent a ton of money on a pink rug similar to this for my first baby’s room!
Great instructions and pictures. Very inspirational
hi, I just inherited a bunch of old sheets and I’ve been considering making a rug like this out of them. My question is how do you wash it? Will the backing hold up in a washer? Thanks for posting this tutorial, now I finally know how to make one!
wow! Sheets sound great! I’ve never tried to wash mine- but I have washed a latch hook rug that my Grandma made me and the canvas held up just fine- it’s very sturdy. I’d love to see how your rug turns out- good luck!
Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me how big you made your rug. I want to do this in our baby nursery, but the largest piece of latch canvas I can find is 36″ X 60″. Is that how big your rug is? Thanks!
Hi Tracy!
My finished rug is 36″ x 36″. I found the same size latch canvas that you did- I had wanted it bigger and just assumed that I would join a few peices of canvas together since that would be cheaper than buying it larger online (I found the 36″ x 60″ at my local JoAnn). I left it at it’s current size because it fit into the room perfectly. Several peices of canvas can be joined together simply by laying them together a few rows from the edge and latching through both layers at the same time. I hope your rug turns out great!
brilliant, just the pattern I have been looking for, trust I can use the pattern
I work at a charity store, and we have to throw away hundreds of t shirts a week, the t shirts can be re used for a very useful household item
thank you
from Qld Australia
reading some of the other ladies comments
are these washable, do we just put them in the wash machine?
ladies could go to the local charity stores, and see if they could purchase very very cheaply a bag of t shirts that would other wise go to refuse land fill
yes you could make a book out of your items,
Hi there!
Since you’re dealing with cotton and/or cotton/poly blends- they should be able to be thrown into the wash- that being said, my rug is 4 ft square and it’s so heavy and bulky that there’s no way my washing machine can handle it- so we wash it as if it was a shag rug- we air it out and shake it/ beat it outside- I’d love to hear if someone had a successful machine washing!
And yes! Recycle and reuse! This project is awesome for using shirts that would otherwise be thrown away!
And yes! use the pattern! I posted it here without restriction so anyone can use it for any purpose. =)
Me ha parecido una idea genial y muy práctica especialmente para reutilizar todas las camisetas que siempre hay por la casa..
Enhorabuena le quedo preciosa
oh my gosh. I just found this through a Spanish blog and WOW. Totally cool. Totally rad. You just inspired me to try this (uh, in my spare 70 hours of time….).
thank you for sharing! it’s is amazing.
Just wondering….have you ever machine washed it since? Or is it too big for a machine. Maybe I missed in your post what size the rug is.
Thank you!
- dana
um, just read your response in the comments. sorry, should have looked there first
es una pasada!!! me encanta,y parece facil y todo….
It’s fantastic.I’d love it!!!
Nice rug! What canvas mesh size did you use? I can’t quite figure it out based on your note about 70 strips/square.
Thanks!
Thanks kevin!
Sorry it’s taken me awhile to respond. This is the canvas that I used: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=prd34290
The printed grid has squares that are 2.5 inches square, and the holes are about 4 to an inch, or 1/4 inch each.
Are you going to make one? Best of luck!
elle
Hi there!
I just wanted to say a big thank you for your post and tutorial! I literally have been looking all over the web to find a set of instructions regarding making latch hook rugs for my new eco friendly bedroom and everything that I’ve found just hasn’t cut the mustard! The pictures here made a HUGE difference!
I have bought a few pieces to start my own rug (starting of small for the first project!), just in need of lots of tshirts/material now!
Thanks again,
Jessica
Hi there Elle!
We are excited to start on our rug (Kevin, who posted recently) is my husband. Word to the wise though — if you have a front loader (though this may be relevant to a top loader as well) — you might want to wash the pieces in a lingerie bag. We think a couple of the strips “got away” and into our pump or drain hose or something and now our washer isn’t too happy.
I am sure it is fixable, but just wanted to make future makers aware of the possibility and just warn them of this hazard and suggest the lingerie bag method!
Thanks again for the awesome tutorial, though, Elle!
Do you think this would work with a simple shape in the center? Also, how did you finish the rug? Did you sew the edges back and leave the masking tape on or did you do something else? Thanks!
Hello there! I think that this could work with a simple shape, although I’ve never tried it. I did help a friend make one with a very simple airplane in the center and she said that it turned out great (I never got to see it complete). One of these days I will use the hem tape that I purchased to match to finish the rug- stitching it on by hand. For now, the masking tape is still on, but the rug is so full that it’s safely hidden. I recommend hem tape- and when I finally get around to doing mine (gosh, it’s been like two years!) I’ll add some photos here. =)
from start to finish, about how long would you say it took? I’m expecting a baby in 2 months & I would like to know if 2 months a couple hours a day is enough to have the rug completed by?
You were featured on Re-Nest.com !!!!
Oh man, this is awesome. I’m SO inspired! If I make one I’ll send you a picture. Beautiful work!
I see you staggered and hooked every other opening. The rug seems tight and thick…maybe that’s a good thing. What do you think about going every third one instead (in all directions)? Do you think it would be too sparse? I’m trying to not only cut down on the time but the density of it, which seems overly so, maybe in person it would feel differently. Would you respond to my email? vesla2 at aol dot com Thanks!
great idea, perfect instructions! thx!
If I was doing this, I think I might put the binding on by machine before I started to hook. It would make the edges softer while I work on it, and save time. I’d also use inch wide twill tape folded in half. You could dye to match if you find cotton tape.
Anyone have any cheap ideas on where to get white tees? Ive checked thrift stores without much luck. Thanks!
Just think of all the wonderful memories you created when you (and all of your helpers) were working on this porject. A great story for Jack, too.
You did a great job! Thanks so much for the tutorial. If I ever find myself with a surplus of time and t-shirts, I have just the solution! I LOVE it!
Could you dye the tshirts prior to cutting into strips?
We are connected on Twitter ~ thanks for posting this. My husband brought a flokati back from Iceland years ago & it was ruined in a move. I too love these rugs and can’t wait to try this. Happy to have connected with you!
Best,
Lana J.
[...] just saw this on Twitter and had to share. You can make your own stylish rug out of old tshirts!! Considering rugs like these cost a whole lot of cashola, this would be a great investment in time [...]
[...] have a pile of old t-shirts that would make for a technicolor dream rug: DIY flokati Rug. I think this would be pretty awesome either in the living room or maybe our bedroom. Or maybe a [...]
This is about the best thing I’ve ever seen. I’m kicking my self for clearing out old knit fabric from my stash… Let the hoarding begin again!
Very well done.
Love this!!!!!!!
I loved this so much, I’m featuring you today @ the Five Moms’ Blog. Hope you stop by.
Thanks for the direction Laura. I believe I’ll make one of these rugs for my grandson, Kanelo. Even though he’s 1 the boy is always on the floor more than standing. The rug will sure help with some bruising. Again great job and thank you.
[...] T-Shirt Latch Hook Tutorial by Laura @ xoelle.com. Post a comment August 24, 2010 | 1 Comment | kits | 06 :: Crafts [...]
I think it’s important to note that the strips should be cut on the lengthwise (vertical) grain of the fabric. Otherwise, small pieces could be pulled off the ends of the strips- definitely not something you’d want to happen with a baby!!
Thanks for the great tutorial. I found it on re-nest. The rug looks great. I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing for my son’s room.
[...] http://xoelle.com/2009/05/t-shirt-latch-hook-rug-tutorial/ [...]
[...] T-Shirt Latch Hook Rug [...]
May I ask what brand/color dye you used? I really like the color!