Tutorial on How to Crochet a Rag Rug

Rag rugs are a quick project that repurposes old fabric pieces, like bed sheets, towels or clothes, that have developed holes or thread bare spots or stains or are otherwise no longer fit for their original use. A rag rug is a good beginner project, requiring only that the maker know how to chain and make single crochet stitches. A rectangular rug is the easiest to make. An oval rug uses the technique of crocheting into the top and bottom, or opposite side, of each of your base chains and single crochet increases, both of which techniques are easy to master.

Things You'll Need

• Size "P" hook
• Scrap fabric

Instructions

1. Cut or tear your scrap fabric into 1-inch strips.

2. Tie two strips together. As you approach the end of each strip, tie in another. Alternately, you can tie all of your strips together before you begin and roll the whole thing into a ball, like you would with yarn.

3. Make a slip knot near the end of one of your strips. Put that slip knot around your hook and pull it to tighten it so that the loop fits close, but isn't really tight, around the shaft of the hook. Chain 21.

4. Make a single crochet stitch in the second chain from the hook.

5. Make a single crochet stitch into each stitch in the chain.

6. Make an additional single crochet stitch into the last stitch in the chain.

7. Turn the project upside down so that the base chain is facing up.

8. Single crochet into the bottom of each base chain, including the chain you've just made two single crochet stitches into.

9. Make an additional single crochet stitch into the bottom of the last base chain. There should be three single crochet stitches in this chain. This is the end of row one. There should be a total of 42 stitches in this row.

10. Make two single crochet stitches into the first stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next 18 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next stitch. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into each of the next 18 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches in the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch in the last stitch of the row. This is row two. There should be 46 stitches in this row.

11. Make two single crochet stitches into the first stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next 19 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next two stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into each of the next 19 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next two stitches. This is row three. There should be 50 stitches in this row.

12. Make two single crochet stitches into the first stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into each of the next 20 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next three stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next 20 stitches. Make two single crochet stitches into the next stitch. Make one single crochet stitch into the next three stitches. This is row four.

13. Continue to make rows in this manner, adding one to each set of solo single crochet stitches, until your rug reaches the desired size or you run out of strips. For example, row five would have two single crochet stitches in the first stitch, one in each of the next 21 stitches, two in the next stitch, one in each of the next four stitches, two in the next, one in each of the next 21, two in the next and one in each of the next four stitches. Row six would have two single crochets in the first stitch, one in each of the next 22 stitches, two single crochet stitches in the next stitch, one in each of the next five stitches, etc.

14. Tuck all of the knots to the same side of the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Old bed sheets are great for this project.

• If you find that the rug is curling, add an additional single crochet stitch into the increase sections -- the two single crochet stitches in one stitch. If the rug is rippling, skip the increase one round.

Resources

• Crochet Pattern Central: Rugs