DIY Network

Drop Cloth Rug Create a custom rug from a canvas drop cloth. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-145

This cool rug covers a lot of floor for just a little money.

Sure, drop cloths can protect your floor from paint and other messes—but they also can beautify your floor when you make Michele Beschen's drop cloth rug. The B. Original host uses appliqué, trim and even paint to turn drop cloths into swanky custom rugs.

You can find canvas drop cloths in a variety of sizes and weights at your home improvement store; choose the one that best fits your room and design ideas. Michele Beschen recommends using upholstery fabric for the appliqué designs, because it's heavier and more durable than other fabrics.

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Materials:

canvas drop cloth
border webbing, fringe or other decorative trim
decorative upholstery fabric
medium-weight fusible web
iron
sewing machine
scissors
paint (optional)

Note: Wash, dry and press your drop cloth before beginning work.

Trim Out Your Drop Cloth

Give your drop cloth a finished look with a decorative trim such as ball fringe or webbing. If you trim with webbing, but don’t have the patience or sewing experience to miter the corners, follow these steps to give the illusion of a mitered corner:

Figure A

• Cut the webbing slightly larger than your canvas for all sides and pin it in place.

• Sew all four sides of the trim to the drop cloth.

• At each corner, stitch from the corner of the drop cloth to the corner of the webbing (figure A).

• Cut away the excess webbing along the stitch line in each corner (figure B), then turn the canvas over and snip away the excess from the other side.

• Repeat in all four corners for a classic mitered look (figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

	Figure D
	Figure E

Applique Your Design

• With the iron set on low to medium, adhere medium-weight fusible webbing to the back side of your upholstery fabric. First, iron the top side of the fabric, then flip it over to iron the fusible webbing side (figure D).

• Cut the fabric into whatever design you choose (figure E).

• Peel away the webbing's paper backing and add a decorative stitch to the cut-out design.

• Position the cutouts on the canvas drop cloth and adhere them with an iron (figure F).

• You can take the process a step further and add more color by painting around the designs.

• Michele Beschen recommends you use a non-skid mat under the rug to prevent slipping.

Figure F

Now your floor is dressed in style!