I think handmade household items are going to make a comeback, and that’s good. Making things not only saves money, but in most cases you can make something of higher quality than what you’d find in the store.
Case in point: we have a very sturdy round braided rug made for us in the early 1980s by my grandmother. It’s still in great shape. Gram used to go to thrift stores and buy wool or polyester coats, pants and skirts that she could cut up into strips. Then she’d braid the strips and sew them in a circle. Most of the household items we bought in the 1980s have long since fallen apart, but not Gram’s rug.
Here’s an interesting article that explains how to make braided rugs. This would be a great creative project for older kids and teens, or for adults who’d rather not buy a Chinese-made rug that’s going to come apart in a few years.
That’s just what my grandma does now, and she has promised me that as soon as I can tear myself away from these little ones she will teach me now to make braided rugs too.
And, you are so right, they do last forever! (That is a big appeal to me, mother of four wild ones who seem to break everything!)
[...] Recycling Thrift-Store Finds Into Braided Rugs [...]
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[...] This chap created an interesting post today on Recycling Thrift-Store Finds Into Braided RugsHere’s a short outlineCase in point: we have a very sturdy round braided rug made for us in the early 1980s by my grandmother. It’s still in great shape. Gram used to go to thrift stores and buy wool or polyester coats, pants and skirts that she could cut up … [...]
Pam, I hope you do learn to braid rugs with your grandma. Aside from the skill, you’ll make wonderful memories
we should always think about recycling our waste products to help the environment.’.;