How to Make Your Own Coasters With Crochet & Fabric

Cut down on waste by recycling old clothes into handmade crocheted items.

Although most crochet work is made with natural or synthetic yarns, just about any rope or string-like medium can be used for crochet. Making crocheted coasters out of recycled fabric is a two-step process. First, fabric is torn into strips and joined to make a single long piece. Second, the joined fabric strip is used like yarn to crochet the coaster. This simple craft project is inexpensive, environmentally responsible, and well-suited to the beginning crochet artist.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Woven fabric
• Scissors
• Crochet hook, 7 to 8 mm

Fabric Strips

1. Lay the fabric on a flat surface. Cut or tear the fabric into long strips, approximately 1 inch wide.

2. Fold each strip, crosswise, about 1 inch from each end. Use scissors to make a little snip, about 1/2 inch long, in the center of the fold. Unfold the cloth strip to see a small slit near each end of the cloth strip. Repeat to make holes in a second strip.

3. Hold one cloth strip in each hand. Pass the end of one strip through the slit in the end of the other fabric strip. Grasp the free end of the fabric strip that was passed through the slit. Thread the free end through the slit on the other end of the same fabric strip. Pull the strips gently in opposite directions to form a small knot. Continue lengthening the joined fabric strips to make one long piece. Leftovers may be used for other projects.

Crochet Coaster

1. Tie a slip knot in the end of the joined fabric strips. Chain (ch) 4 and slip stitch (sl st) to form a loop. Ch 1. Make eight single crochet (sc) stitches in the loop. Join the last stitch to the beginning stitch with a sl st to complete the first row.

2. Ch 1 to begin the 2nd row. Do two sc in each sc from the first row. Join the last stitch to the beginning stitch with a sl st to complete the second row. Ch 1. Do 1 sc in the first stitch from the previous row. Do 2 sc in the second stitch. Continue alternating one, then two scs, until you reach the first stitch of the third row. Join the last stitch to the beginning stitch with a sl st to complete the third row. Ch 1.

3. Begin the fourth and final row with a sc in each of the first two stitches of the previous row. Do two sc in the third stitch. Continue alternating one sc in each of two stitches, then two scs in the third, until you reach the first stitch of the fourth row. Join the last stitch to the beginning stitch with a sl st to complete the fourth row. Trim excess fabric and weave-in loose ends.

References

• Purlbee: Calla Coasters
• Clever Nesting: Recycle Fabric Into Yarn Tutorial
• Craftstylish: How to Crochet a Rug out of T-Shirts