Cotton shaggy rugs are great to use around the bathroom or in the bedroom. They are usually made with one solid color and help to provide something new and small to a room that needs more color or décor. You can purchase one at most stores or you can save money and make on yourself.
The base for the rug is made with a coarse weave and heavy fabric. This is what will make the rug durable. The yarn that will become the shaggy layer is made with heavy cotton yarn or rug yarn. If this is too expensive you can use recycled cotton fabric that is knit or woven in narrow strips of ¼” wide and 3” long.
You can purchase the rug yarn and the burlap rug backing at any fabric store. If you are making just a small rug than you should only need one yard. If you are making a larger piece than you will need to sew the large strips of yards in order to create the rug.
Wash and dry the backing thoroughly and than iron it on a smooth surface. After the piece is flattened you will measure and cut it to the size you want. The hem should be one inch longer in width and hem. Fold under ½” twice and stitch the hem around all of the edges.
Begin at one edge and hold the burlap with one hand underneath along with the yarn strips. The other hand should be at the top holding onto the hook. Put in the rug hook from the top down into the burlap. Use the squares of the weave for each stitch.
Securely hold the yarn strips in your hand that is beneath the burlap and grab one strip in the middle with the hook and pull the loop all the way through. Now place the hook through the loop and insert the hook once more over the burlap thread. Grab the ends of that strip and pull it through the loop. Pull tight until a knot is formed. The knot at the end is the shag.