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How to Make Shag Carpet for a Dollhouse

Shag carpeting looks different than other carpets because the fibers extend up from the surface. This gives the carpet a thick and more luxurious look and feel than regular pile carpeting. To create a shag-like carpet to use in a dollhouse, modify the composition of jean material. No special tools are needed other than those that most homes have on hand.

Things You'll Need

Carpet matting
Ruler
Straightedge
Utility knife
Washing machine
Detergent
Blue jeans
Measuring cup
Vinegar
Dryer
Scissors
Grease pencil
Glue gun, glue stick
Metal hair comb

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a 4-by-5-inch rectangle out of the carpet matting with a straightedge and utility knife.
- 2
  Set the washing machine to the cold cycle. Add 1/2 cup of detergent. Put the blue jeans in the washing machine. Start the washing machine. Add 2 cups of vinegar to the bleach input on the washing machine when the final rinse cycle begins. Place the washed blue jeans in the dryer. Set the dryer to high. Turn the dryer on.
- 3
  Cut off a leg from the dried blue jeans with scissors. Draw a rectangle on the leg that is 3/8 inch wide and 6 inches long with a straightedge and grease pencil. Cut the strip from the leg with the scissors. Repeat this procedure an additional four times to make a total of five strips from the leg.
- 4
  Place the matting horizontally on the table. Apply a line of hot glue from the hot glue gun along the length of the matting from the top left edge to the top right edge.
- 5
  Place one of the strips of blue jean material facing up, horizontally against the top of the matting so the side of the strip farthest from you lines up with the side of the matting farthest from you. Press the strip against the matting and hold it there for 20 seconds.
- 6
  Apply a line of hot glue along the length of the strip at the side closest to you. Apply a line of hot glue along the length of the matting just beneath the line of hot glue just placed down.
- 7
  Place a strip against the matting so the side of the strip farthest from you is on the hot glue that is on the strip laid down a few moments earlier. Hold the strip against the matting and the other strip for 20 seconds. Repeat this procedure to place all of the strips on the matting. Let the glue cool for 10 minutes before continuing.
- 8
  Cut slits along the sides and top and bottom of the matting with the scissors. Pull the threads of the strips that have been cut apart to expose the threads.
- 9
  Run a metal hair comb from the left top corner of the matting over to the right corner and back again. Continue to run the comb along the length of the matting until you reach the bottom right corner. Scrape the teeth of the comb against the strips to fray them. Place the shag rug you have made inside the dollhouse in the location that you feel is best.

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