Braided Rug

So school has been in session for a couple of months and most likely you bought new clothes for the school year. What do you do with the old clothes that you/they have grown out of and/or don’t wear anymore? If it’s in good enough condition you can give it to the Salvation Army or something like that but what if the clothes are in bad shape? These clothes probably have some sort of memory attached to them which sometimes makes getting rid of them very hard. Something to consider is taking a hint from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection and turning those old clothes into something useful and beautiful: a braided rug.

Braided rugs are not only practical but can be very beautiful as well. Braided rugs can be made into different shapes and sizes depending on the time you want to put into it. These rugs, with some forethought, can really be pieces of art and can be something to display proudly in your house. Once again imagine that you traveled to this area in the late 1800’s and that you brought everything with you in a wagon or two. You probably didn’t have room to bring much artwork as most of what you brought was probably pretty utilitarian. One way to create color and life in your house would have been to make braided rugs using old clothing and linens. It’s amazing what a little color can do to a room. Besides adding color to an otherwise dull room, the rug, just like today, acted as an insulator and a cushion. Thelma Linam created braided rugs out of discarded family clothing, 4 of which were in her Ranch Museum and are now a part of our Museum Collection. According to braidedrugsreview.com there are 3 main types of braiding for a rug: cloth braiding creating a round tube shape, yarn braiding creating a twisted yarn-like shape, and flat braiding creating a flat or box-like shape. Again, when handmade, the shape and style of braiding is all up to you and how much time and skill you want to put into it.

There are many companies out there nowadays who are selling pre-made braided rugs but there is something to be said for using your own scraps, braiding them together, and making your own handmade rug; taking your old memories and making new ones. If you are interested in making your own rug check out craftown.com and for inspiration stop by the Museum and check out one of Thelma’s braided rugs in the South Gallery.