Toothbrush Rugs - Complete Video Instructions (Part 1 - Beginners)
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On this page you will find explicit step-by-step instructions that show you how to make a toothbrush rag rug! Yes, everything a beginner needs to know!
Toothbrush rugs are one of the easiest and quickest rag rugs to make. They are easy to learn, inexpensive to make, and the result is gorgeous!
Most other instructions that I've come across on the internet assume some previous knowledge of crochet or knitting. But, believe me, you don't need any experience to learn how to make these rugs! In fact, I just learned how to make these two weeks ago, and I am not very crafty at all.
I taught myself how to make these rugs in one day, and was SHOCKED at how easy it was. I figured it out in one evening, piecing together a number of different directions I found online.
I made two very small experimental pieces that looked awful, but soon enough my rug started to look good and I started a rug for real that very first night. The next day I worked on it ALL DAY LONG (8 or 10 hours?), and my first rug was complete! I was so satisfied and proud of myself!!
As a result, I vowed to share my knowledge. I don't like learning from diagrams, so I wanted to actually SHOW how to make the stitch. I just had to share my easy rendition.
Here is an example of what my instructions can help you to make. This is the first rug that I created (after a few false starts, of course).
START BY EXPERIMENTING
Material
To start experimenting, you will need two long strips (each approx. 2 feet long) of fabric, yarn, ribbon, or whatever you have on hand.
Tool
You will also need some kind of tool to help you pull the strip through--basically, you will need a "big needle". Many people use altered toothbrushes. The bristles/head are cut off and the severed end is filed to a point, like the pointy tip of a needle. The untouched end gets a hole drilled in it, like the eye of a needle.
Other people have used crochet hooks, or have purchased a tool from the "Aunt Philly" website.
When I was learning, I wanted to experiment right away, so my partner helped me bend part of a coat-hanger into a tool. Not perfect, but it works! Even if you don't have any kind of tool, I suggest experimenting anyway. How about a short, pointy pencil with your fabric taped to the end? The only reason you need a tool is to help you push your material through a tight hole.
Introduction
Let's watch the following movie. In it, we jump right into seeing the very basic knot that you need to know. Don't worry if you don't quite get it; this is just to give you an idea of what is to come.
Okay, now you've seen that the idea is pretty simple!
LET'S MAKE A RUG!
Making Lots of Fabric Strips
To make a whole rug, you will need lots of one-inch strips of material. Any material will do (try cotton or wool), but dry to avoid very stretchy material (like spandex, for example) because it's harder to work with. Basically, just use whatever you have on hand to begin with. To start a rug, I usually get around twenty strips "ready to go", which means that they are cut into one-inch strips (anywhere from 3 to 6 feet long), I've removed any annoying strands that are hanging off the strips, and I've cut small holes in the ends (discussed in the movie below).
Starting Your Rug
In this movie we start a circular rag rug properly, and we watch how to attach the strips together when your strip gets too short. (By the way, we start with circular rugs because they're the easiest. Ovals are pretty easy too, once you get the hang of the circle.)
3. So, here we go! Let's make a rug!!
My best advice is to just keep plugging away on whatever you've started. At first, it will probably look like a horrible jumble, but after you've gone around a couple times (for example, you've made like fifty to seventy knots [but don't count them or anything!]), you'll suddenly realize that you're starting to figure it out!
Once you feel like you've got the basic idea, it's time to start over with new material and actually start again with a perfect start.
PS: If you really want to make your rug look good, see the next tutorial (for intermediate ruggers)!
Comments
Lovely clear instructions on
Lovely clear instructions on how to get started. Thank you!
WOW!!!!!, I must thank you so
WOW!!!!!, I must thank you so much I just started learning how to make a toothbrush rug I bought a little booklet which gave me some instruction but I was totally confused. I tried looking up anything on toothbrush rugs and could not find anthing that would be of any help to me until I found your web site I thank you so much for really going into detail on this. I am now going to start my own rug with a lot more confidence.
Will you be doing a tutorial
Will you be doing a tutorial on how to finish the rug? I think your instructions are wonderful! Easy to see and understand what you are doing. Can you do an instruction on working around an end?
Thanks!
I saw the rag rugs for the
I saw the rag rugs for the first time at a craft show and fell in love with them - I’m a bit of a crafty person and your instructions are very easy to follow - I need to be shown something to learn it and you’ve done a great job. Now my friends and I are doing rag rugs for all our Bunko pals for Christmas 2008. We are giving ourselves alot of time.
Thanks again for taking the time to show us how to do these beautiful rugs.
Thank you. I just received my
Thank you. I just received my toothbrush braiding needles in the mail, (Outlandish shipping chages no matter where i looked), and was anxious to get started. I have seen some limited written directions on various websites and was truly longing to find someone that knew how to work the technique so that they might demonstrate it for me. (I’m such a multi-modal learner) Surprise to me. I found your videos tonight. Your videos are wonderful. You spoke clearly and explained everything in detail. I don’t believe that I’ll even have to watch them a second time. God bless you.
Thanks again,
Jodie
OHMYGOSH! I ABSOLUTELY love
OHMYGOSH! I ABSOLUTELY love this! My great-grandmother used to do these rugs as gifts and they were PRIZED possessions in my family. I’ve had carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel surgery on both arms and although it takes me about four times as long to do any craft now, as long as I don’t rush or push it, and STOP when I should, this is excellent therapy (and keeps me from going out of my mind since I’m no longer able to do the work I was before my surgeries)! I’ve tried TONS of sites to try and learn this and this is the BEST one I’ve found at giving directions for this beautiful craft!! THANK YOU for taking the time to “show” me!
HI again! I started working a
HI again! I started working a round rug - just to see if it was as easy as you made it look and (ta da - trumpets please) IT IS! I just wanted to share something with you since you’ve shared your rug making skills. When I have done macrame in the past, I used a cork board - a message board, push-pin board that you can get for a couple of dollars at Wal-Mart - to keep my work still/steady, pinning the macrame to the board. The smaller the board the easier to move your work around if you need to, or to cart it if you wanted to work in front of the t.v. I started my rug by pinning it to a small cork board and that seemed to work well for me, instead of using my bed. One I got to the point where I removed the pin, I just took it off the board. Thanks for your web-site (again)! I can’t wait to get good enough to do a “real” rug (I’m still practicing - LOL!)
Hi there ! thanks to your
Hi there !
thanks to your great “film” I am getting the hang of this. I found starting the rug was easier when pinned to my ironing board…it is a great height and is a stable surface. And…bestof all, I set it up beside my computer so I can work along with the videos.
Thanks for all the help!
B.J.
Hi Brenda, Thanks for letting
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for letting me know that this was helpful; I love picturing you at your ironing board! Great idea for a rugging spot.
Hi there ! Me again. Just
Hi there !
Me again. Just wondered…and I may have missed this somewhere along the way…what length should the strips of fabric be ? I am using bed sheets and have found I get tons of tangles if I use the strips at their original length.
This new endeavour is keeping me very busyand happy as I see progress so quickly.
Thanks again for taking time to give me a hand.
Brenda Jane
Thank you so much for the
Thank you so much for the GREAT tutorials!! I sew and sell bamboo fleece cloth diapers on Etsy and I’ve been hoarding my remnants because I can’t bring myself to destine all those scraps to sit in a dump somewhere polluting the planet!! Now I FINALLY have a good use for them. What a fabulously fun way to reduce waste :) Thanks SOOOO much for taking the tie to share your wisdom!
Warmest,
Ash
**Please forgive the typos!!
**Please forgive the typos!! I’m disoriented with excitement!**
Thank You, Thank You, Thank
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. No matter how many times I read instructions could not visualize them. Now I can make my rug. Your videos are perfect. Understand now and will be starting one soon. I was wondering about increases so rugs would not “hump.” If you learn I sure hope you teach the rest of us. Thank You Again.
Thanks so much for the
Thanks so much for the videos! Like you, I had looked for instructions, but none were clear enough for me. I had bookmarked some sites to re-read. You have saved me much time and frustration because I found your site before going back to the others.
My new rug is now about 6 inches in diameter! :) It works up so fast, I know I will have it done before long. We have wood and / or tile floors in our new home. I will be making rugs for some time, but that is just what I wanted to do.
Thanks again.
Wonderful videos, and great
Wonderful videos, and great verbal to go along. You are a natural teacher. I have been doing these rugs for years, and they are so durable. I must have missed your instructions on the increasing stitch? At the beginning of my rugs almost every other stitch is an increasing stitch - then they become less frequent - just enough to keep the rug lying flat. Thanks so much for sharing. People are always asking me how to make them (often in airports, etc.), and I don’t have time to really show them. Now I will refer them to your great videos. Pat
Thank you soo much I can’t
Thank you soo much I can’t sew to save my life
You make it look so easy I will start my rug soon.
Also wondered if you knew how to make a square rag rug that I saw on HGTV. She started out with 3 pieces of fabric with a knot tied at the top then braided to the end and ended up with about 8 braids and some kind of way connected the braids together by weaving fabic across the braids and that’s where I got lost
Thank You for this video!!!!
Thank You for this video!!!! I can show my mom how to do these rugs know. She’s been trying to find instruction on how to do rag rugs like… forever. I can’t wait to show her something for a change. She knows how to quilt very well…but I on the other hand can knit & crochet (only blankets..lol). I’m just glad we can add something else to do. Thanks again!!!
Thanks so much for your
Thanks so much for your videos! I have had a tool made for a month now, while I was trying to figure out how to make the rug….. saw your video during the day, wrote down 3 notes, and was starting that evening! I was asked if I was making a circle or oval, and at that point, the first one looked more like a comma! LOL
Guess I need to keep practicing……
Thanks again! Your instructions made it so clear!
susan
A reader of my blog told me
A reader of my blog told me about your entry here. Glad to see someone else trying to keep this fine old craft alive!
Like you, I’m a terrible crafter- I can’t cut or draw a straight line. My mother and grandmother taught me as a child, when I was too young to know better, *grin*
I’ve not watched all the videos (I’ll come back and do that another time… I’m adding a link to this page to my blog and mentioning it in a post today) but what you say in general is apt.
Cotton and cotton poly blends are the easiest for beginners. Plastic grocery bags are pretty easy too, provided you carefully do just enough “double” stitches. They’re a great way to recycle shopping bags, and work great as mats in the kitchen and bathroom, or as a doormat.
By far the best thing for a beginner to use is an old sheet. You will probably need wider strips than 1″, but the cutting and sewing is very easy. My wife just took up the craft, and after some false starts where she tried to be as ambitious as I am, she is now working on a rug made of various sheets I’ve “liberated” from their ignominious and eternal entombment in landfills. (I live in a big city, people are always moving in and out, so I’m never at a loss for free mat’l.)
Believe it or not, jeans are also very easy to work with- they just take a lot of effort to cut and sew. But the fabric itself is VERY forgiving… I’ve never had a jean rug pucker [from too many doubles] or cup up [from too few] on me. And the finished product is astonishingly beautiful.
One other comment- while one inch is a good general rule, it depends much on the nature of the fabric. Lighter weight mat’ls such as a sheer blouse you might need to go up to 2″ or more… thicker things such as a pair of men’s dockers, half an inch should do. For jeans, you don’t want to go MORE than 1/2″ unless you intend to use this as a form of resistance exercise.
Square rectangular rugs are also possible, but they’re quite advanced. I’ve tried to explain a little about it on my blog, but I’ve yet to figure out how to explain it to a novice. No one in my family knew how to do them until a crocheter friend of mine in high school saw me working on a rug and gave me the idea of reversing back on the row. Best advice there- make 4 or 5 rugs, such that your fingers “know” the craft, then try tackling a square or rectangular rug.
Anyway, good for you, look forward to seeing your videos. I have an entire blog dedicated to the subject, so if you want to read more of my tips, see the videos I’ve done, they’re all there.
OK, the link on my site
OK, the link on my site (toothbrushrugs.blogspot.com) is up.
A question- who is “Aunt Philly” and what is the url of her website?
A comment on tools: Yes, sadly, most toothbrushes are too high tech today to work as needles, but two excellent substitutes are readily available:
- A small paintbrush handle (just chose the size which you want.) The shape is PERFECT, putting the point on is easy. You’ll probably have to widen the hole a bit.
- Small spatulas (the sort with a rubber head you’d use to clean out a bowl, not the kind you’d use with a grill.) Go with quality, the cheap ones break too easily. The process of making a needle from a spatula is the same as from a flat toothbrush. My sister prefers the VERY high end ones which are flexible and essentially unbreakable. With one of those, she can do 3 to 5 stitches in the time it takes me to do one. (She also does a looser stitch than I do… its been said my rugs could double as bullet proof vests.)
I had seen the toothbrush rug
I had seen the toothbrush rug on a hgtv show once and was going to order the video but never did. Figured I would pay the $25 and never get around to it. I made my own tool from a denture brush from drug store and it sat it a drawer for two years. I happened to run across your video a week ago and have started one using old bed sheets. Its ok but a little bowl shaped. I saw in another post about using increase stiches (would that be 2 knots per hole, I dont crochet or knit so not familiar with terms) I was trying just putting doubles (doing oval) at the turns, just a few. Do you think I should do more to prevent the bowl shape?
I did see on that show a easier way to get strips than cutting. Measure the width of your strips across the fabric and cut about 3″deep then tear the strips the rest of the way. Be sure that you are tearing the length of the fabric. You can’t tear it the other direction. (tear the same direction as the salvage edge of fabric)
Thank you for your video.
(I pinned mine to the my pants to start while watching your video)
Your rag rug instructions are
Your rag rug instructions are great! That’s so nice of you to post this. Thank you!!!
Hello dear
Hello dear Rag-Ruggers!
Firstly, thank you for all sharing your ideas and thoughts and tricks here! I am pleased as pie to have this page exist as a place to bounce tips, so by all means share.
Secondly, Aunt Philly is here!
Thirdly, how to make a square rug… I have no idea! New shapes are not my forte, but I’d love to hear some more tricks about mastering this skill.
Finally, if your rug is turning into a cup and you are not trying to build a bowl out of fabric, then yes, definitely try adding extra stitches (in other words: at the ends or at the four corners [even if they don't really seem like corners, but if you had to pretend that a circle had four corners]: stick your tool into the same hole twice–you make a new stitch per usual, and then you go back into that very same hole that you were just in and do another one in the exact same spot) as discussed above. Additionally, yes–don’t pull the knots too tight; in general, it seems that snug is good, and TIGHT is bad! I have discovered some photos of the Rug Goth’s fabulously tight rugs which look divine, but for a beginner such as myself, tight seems to mean bowl, unfortunately.
I have also read somewhere (oh! here!) that, as you’re making your rug, you should frequently throw it on the floor, hop on it numerous times, and shout “BE A RUG, BE A RUG”! This technique is great–it trains your rug to lie flat and makes for great entertainment for the passers-by. :)
Happy rugging!
Still working on my
Still working on my rug..getting there. I thought I would let you know…I showed my “new project” to my mom. She said a few of her sisters made these kind of rugs. They also used this technique to make chair pads with ties for wood chairs (kitchen chairs mostly) so the wouldn’t slip off chair.
Thank you Lara-Jane for sharing this! I just love a new project!
Any one know how to figure out how long to make starting run to end up with certain sizes on ovals?
OH, I have another question. Does anything significant happen the first time rug is washed in washer? Shrink, flaws stand out more, gets bumpy, or alot on strings come off…etc..
Hello!! I am so excited to
Hello!! I am so excited to have found your videos!! I want new rugs for my home and after seeing the prices for simple cotton rugs ( 9 x 12 = $399.00 or more) and what they made my husbands face do..not pretty…I had almost given up!! I am not a great sewer and these look like I just might be able to do it!! I would like to try a square one and could use any help on finding videos to do so..thanks again and love the website will be sure to visit often…Jodi from Vermont
Finally! Video that actually
Finally! Video that actually shows close-up exactly how to do this! Thank you, Rag Rug Cafe!
izzie, here’s the math according to Aunt Philly: After deciding how big an oval you want, subtract the width from the length. For a rug that is 18″ x 36″ you will need an 18″ staring row.
Okay, I got the videos
Okay, I got the videos working now…. I am a long-time crafter but have a friend who is not. We are going to try to make one of these rugs together; I like the idea that neither of us is an ‘expert’ trying to ‘teach’ the other.
We will dutifully jump up and down on our rugs and yell….
How is everybody doing??!
How is everybody doing??!
thats cool that u put this on
thats cool that u put this on here, i searched every where trying to figuer out how to start since an instructor lady wouldn’t say unless we bought a class, thnks!
Wow, saw someone make these
Wow, saw someone make these 15 yrs ago and I never forgot how easy it was to make, and how pretty. Today, now that I finally decided to make one, I have spent 4 hours Googling to try find a pattern, only to find braided rugs and crocheted rugs. Disappointing. Then, finally, on page 11 of my search, there it was. I cannot tell you how excited I am. Thank you, thank you for your wonderful, informative videos. I can’t wait to start.
i was woundering the tool
i was woundering the tool that you made with a wire hanger how did you make that? i love your videos and i want to get started i have a hanger here and wanted to know how you make it.so that i can get started on my rug
I just got a tool and used
I just got a tool and used your video to help me learn this craft. I am working on an oval and am getting some holes. should I make the stitches tighter? Once I get the hang of this, I will start a rug….. thanks for the great videos.
Hi Sherry. Yes! Go tighter
Hi Sherry.
Yes! Go tighter and I think your holes should disappear.
The trick is to find the right balance–tight, but not too tight.
You’ll find that happy medium in no time.
I got my Quiltmaker today and
I got my Quiltmaker today and read about the toothbrush rugs got to my computer and found your site. Wonderful and new to me as living in Finland all our rugs are made by weaving. This is a wonderful way of getting rid of scraps left over from all my patchwork projects. The tutorial was very easy to follow so now I have to fix me a tool for doing it.
You saved my day.
Ulla
Awesome, awesome, AWESOME!!
Awesome, awesome, AWESOME!! Thank you so much for your videos and excellent directions!I made a tool out of a spatula handle and grabbed some scraps. I'm not a crafter, but I have a great start on a rug already! Like others have mentioned, I have a bit of a sombrero look going on because I'm trying to find just the right amount of increasing stitches. Other than that, it's been an easy and addictive process!
Thanks again for the great tutorial and the helpful hints from other posters.
I loved the videos. Thank you
I loved the videos. Thank you for taking the time to do them. On the questions of curves and corners; in crochet 4 stitches in the corner turns it nicely. On the next round, you place 4 more stitches in the middle of the previous 4 and on and on. Keep it to an even number and you can have nice sharp corners.
graphically:
\| | | | | | |/
\| | | | | |/
\| | | | |/
each side would have extra 2 stitches, one on each end, thus allowing a turn and widening the piece incrementally.
I just wanted to say that i
I just wanted to say that i loved you how to videos i found on youtube i had neve heard of rag rugs before .. I really wanted to get started and didnt want to wait on the tool like you... I went to walmart and bought a set of yan needles (4 for !.47) and they work great ...
Thank you for the video. I
Thank you for the video. I have made crocheted tams for my daughter for years, and because of this I knew that there would be a need to increase as a circle was made. The reason a circle "buckles" is because there are not enough stitches. The same is true for the oval, however the increases would need to be at each "corner" rather than spread throughout.
thank you SO much!! I had no
thank you SO much!! I had no idea what I was doing wrong but all I knew was that I had a bowl!! :) I am glad there are these comments as well as the video :)
I have no crocheting or
I have no crocheting or knitting experience so am not quite sure about the "adding stitches" part... Do I make two passes through the same "hole" in the rug?
Thanks for taking the time to make this tutorial!
Thank you so much for
Thank you so much for teaching us this method of toothbrush rug making, it would be neat to take to appts and work on while waiting and also traveling.
Our pleasure! Thanks for
Our pleasure! Thanks for thanking us, Peggy! :)
Thank you so much! I've been
Thank you so much! I've been trying to teach myself to crochet just so that I can make rag rugs, but figured that if I was having problems with the yarn, I'd never be able to do it with fabric strips. I followed your tutorial and now have a 7 1/2" diameter start of a circular rug for my kitchen. It looks great and I can't wait to finish!
thanks for the pattern, a
thanks for the pattern, a lady showed me this 7 years ago but I didn't remember the stitch, I still have the tool with fabric on it when I started it back then.
I just viewed the dvd oval
I just viewed the dvd oval rag rugs by aunt phillie- i feel ripped off! there was no setup no intro and no paper included with written rug directions and it cost 35 bucks and shipping!!!! what a rip off...
it seemed like she couldnt be bothered to watch her video as a person who hadn't made a million rugs, and SHE WOULD THEN see THAT BY explaining a setup/intro would be a MUST!
THIS OVAL RUG video starts after she had already cut strips and put them together on a pin and pinned ot a mat and begun making rug -WHY IN THE WORLD DIDNT SHE START AT THE BEGINING?????
SHE GIVES NO EXPLANATION AS TO HOW SHE GOT RUG STRIPS ATTATCHED TO PIN & MAT AND NO DISCUSSION AS TO HOW STRIPS ARE JOINED (OR NOT) B4 PUT ON PIN, AND VERY LITTLE EXPLANATION FROM THERE ON.
she tells you one time in detail how to do each type of stitch, and then rambles on and quickly stitches so you have no idea what she is doing.
the video was less than half an hour long!!! what she does after the rip off how to (that isnt) is she sits there and shoves jesus down your throat@!!! tells how he made such a change in her life!!! HOw bout not ripping people off by saying the dvd will teach you everything and it skips half the rug making!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM ANGRY I WASTED MY MONEY!!!! RIP OFF. DO NOT BUY, TOO EXPENSIVE AND I FOUND MORE DETAILS FOR FREE ON UTUBE VIDEOS.
I've been trying out making
I've been trying out making rag rugs by crocheting fabric strips, but this process seems a lot faster. You are my toothbrush rug making hero! Great tutorials, thank you!
Do you have to add any
Do you have to add any additional stitches?
Yes, around the corners
Yes, around the corners
So I have tried making this
So I have tried making this rug I have not gone way far but I noticed it starts to make a bowl shape. Can You please tell me what I might be doing wrong? Any suggestions?
Just need to add extra
Just need to add extra stitches around the curves if it is "cupping" Do 2 stitches in the same knot every few stitches.
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