DIY Rug

Rental Carpet it Ew! No matter how well it is taken care of, my imagination will run wild with what might be living in it and I blame every ailment we encounter on the many possible populations living in rental carpet.  So you can imagine how I've been feeling about my little one crawling, rolling, and scavenging through the living room.  Naturally, our first thought was to buy a large rug...unfortunately, the small fortune you have to spend on a presentable rug that would be big enough to make an impact, doesn't fit into the spending fast very well so I decided to get creative.  Not only did I have a huge style selection, by using fabric, but the bonus of my DIY "Rug" is that we can also throw it in the washing machine when it needs it!

Materials:
Fabric
Painters Drop Cloth
Spray Adhesive
Thread
Sewing Machine
Scissors 

Good savings tips on buying fabric:
a.  Get the app for your smart phone (I shop at Joann's and always have coupons on the app.)
b.  Get on the e-mail list
c.  Shop on a holiday (Joann's always has specials running on holidays that you can combined with your coupons.)

Since I was shooting for a 9'X9' "rug" I purchased 6 yards of 54" fabric.  After washing my fabric, I lined up the edge and sewed two three foot strips together.  I got lucky with my fabric and was able to use the flower stems to line it up, because I wanted it to look as much like one piece as possible.

When that was complete I took advantage of the awesome weather we were having and laid the drop cloth out on the drive way, as flat as possible.  I rolled the fabric to make it easier to work with and started with a two foot area.  Using Elmer's Spray Adhesive I attached the fabric to the drop cloth.  It doesn't dry quickly so you have some time to smooth out bubbles as you go.  When you are finished, make sure you leave it for at least an hour to fully dry.

After the drying time I finished it by running a stitch down each side so it had a finished edge and voila!-A washable "rug"!