Abstract: Embodiments include a floor covering comprising one or more patches, wherein each patch comprises one or more braids of jute-like fibers. In one aspect, at least one of the braids is wrapped around itself to form a first patch. In another aspect, the first patch is operatively connected to a second patch. In one embodiment, the floor covering resembles a quilt. Further embodiments include a method for forming the floor covering.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically stitching a material portion by moving the material portion over a sewing table relative to a sewing head. In particular, the present invention includes a structure, device, or other mechanism for reducing friction between the material portion and the sewing table, whereby the material portion is more easily movable over the sewing table. The present invention especially relates to the manufacture of mats having a non-skid backing which would otherwise be very difficult to move relative to a sewing head for sewing the mats.

Abstract: An apparatus for sewing a tubular braid with an internal seam and simultaneously filling it with the required filler. A strip of covering fabric is fed to a sewing area from a first direction and folded over so that its lateral edges meet in the sewing area of a sewing machine. Immediately after sewing, the tube is inwardly inverted and pulled toward the direction from which the fabric came, thus being pulled through the folded but unsewn portion of the strip. A core filler material is fed from the opposite direction into the interior of the inverted tube as it is inverted to form the finished braid. The finished braid may then be coiled into a rug shape. Adjacent sections of the braid are then sewn together using dual stitches on the upper and lower surfaces of the rug, to ensure that the surfaces remain flat.