Beach House Woven Jute Mat

I was thrilled with how this project turned out - you know when you have an idea in your head, and no idea if it’s actually going to work in reality. That’s how this one started: I saw a photo of a beach house mat that I loved, and started wondering if I could make it from scratch . . .

I love working with raw, natural fibers like jute, recycled denim, rug yarn - things that are rugged and rustic, and turn out beautifully even if the lines aren’t perfectly even :) I made my own weaving board from a large sheet of plywood, and needed only a few tools to complete the project.

My first samples are woven from jute twine and leftover strips of indigo dyed fabric.

Next I experimented with using cotton cording and leftover strips of Pendleton wool shirting, naturally dyed with marigolds from my garden. I can envision endless possibilities using naturally dyed fibers! While probably not durable enough to walk on every day, these mats look beautiful on a table or other surfaces.

Complete instructions are available in By Hand Serial Lookbook #15.