how to crochet a rag rug with fabric yarn

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you probably already know that I LOVE to make rugs for my home. I have KNIT several of them over the past several years and they are some of my favorite things that I make! I always get questions about crocheting rag rugs and I am happy to say I have worked out the kinks and figured out a way to do so. Here's a tutorial on how to make one of your own!

MAKE THE YARN:

First, you need to make fabric yarn. This is a good way to use up a lot of scraps fairly fast. I'm always a proponent of that! It's also a good way to use up fabric that you don't care for anymore. Not that that would happen to any of us.....ahem!

Gather or cut strings of any length that are about 3/4" to 1" wide. Use quilting cotton, selvages, vintage sheets, or any other random fabric of the same weight. I would stay away from anything thicker than quilting cotton such as linen blends, canvas, etc. They are difficult to crochet with because they are just too bulky. Try to keep the yarn approximately the same width/thickness throughout. If your yarn is significantly skinnier in places you will have thin spots in your rug.

Overlap two pieces of fabric and stitch together. Back stitch if you like. (I'd recommend it, based on working experience, but it's your choice.)

Loop the fabric to the side, overlap another string to the end and sew in place.

No need to cut your threads, just keep joining the strings in this manner until you have a bunch.

Remove the whole thing from your sewing machine and cut the threads between the strips. I enlist my kids to do this task if they are around. They love it. (Sometimes.)

Roll it up into a big ball. Now you have fabric yarn! A lot of times my kids will swipe it because they like to play with it before I crochet it. Thankfully it rolls back up pretty easily. :)

CROCHET THE RUG:
The most important thing to remember when making this is to crochet LOOSELY.

Use a P hook (11.5 mm) to chain 40 stitches plus one for turning. Single crochet into each stitch (I stitch into the front loop) all the way across.

When you get to the end of the row, chain one.

Turn the work. Continue to single crochet in to the front loop of each stitch all the way across the row. Again, chain one, turn the work, repeat. If you run out of fabric yarn, simply make another ball and attach it with a quick pass through the sewing machine.

Keep crocheting in the same manner until the piece is the desired length. Knot and weave in the end. I wish you could reach through the screen and touch it because the texture is wonderful!

This rug measures about 23" x 31". It is scrap project #61/101!

I really enjoyed crocheting this rag rug. It seemed to go quicker than knitting did, it was easier to manage the bulk and I liked working with one stitch on a hook rather than 50 stitches on a set of needles. There was a lot less wrestling! I'm already crocheting a second rug and I'm dreaming about making a gigantic one for my front entryway. That would be a little bit crazy, but I just might do it anyway.

If you make a rug using this tutorial, I'd love to see it!

And, as always....Happy Monday to you!

knit, crochet, knit

Over Christmas break I did a lot of sitting around while our extended family was visiting. That means that I had a lot of time to knit and crochet. I found that starting new yarn projects curbed the need to start new quilting projects, which is a good thing!

My first project was a knit hat. The pattern is called Tweedy Cap and I have knit it about 5 times or so. It's a favorite! This was supposed to be for a friend, but it ended up too small, so my daughter inherited it. (She wore it to school and has since lost it, which is a total bummer, but what are you going to do?)

I knit the hat again and this time it actually fit my friend. Hurray! She wasn't willing to model it (and I don't blame her) so you just get a flat shot. :)

I also crocheted my girl a new blankey. Her original blankey has seen better days and I thought I would be proactive and make her a new one before her old one was reduced to shreds.

I was skeptical that it would serve as a replacement, but I think it has. Hurrah! She really loves it! I'm thrilled because I had the yarn sitting around for years. It felt great to make it into something useful. And, it's in her favorite colors!

Now that all those projects are done, I need a new one. I've been wanting to knit myself a sweater for years and years. Since winter seems to be here to stay (insert long rant here) I think this is the year. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good yarn/pattern combo? I'd love a little direction if you can offer any. Thanks!

cold

Last Friday the temperature here was -22 degrees F. Can you say FRI-GID?

It is no coincidence that I found time to finish up a pair of hand knit socks over the weekend. This is my 5th pair! I love hand knit socks! These are made from Alpaca yarn, which is incredibly soft. They feel wonderful on my always cold feet.

It is also no coincidence that I started knitting a pair of mittens. Easy peasy. These are so soft and smushy. I'm going to love wearing them!

I also found time last week to crochet this scarf. It went QUICK! I was done in about a day and a half. I love it! Hurray for crochet!

There was plenty of quilting going on between these projects. I had to laugh, because it occurred to me that all my hobbies involve making things to keep me warm. At least they are practical. I can't complain about that. :)

top 5 projects

I have SO much going on right now. I know, I know, don't we all? In order to help myself focus, rather than freak out, I've started making a list of my top 5 projects for the week.

This week they are:

1. Finish my what a bunch of squares quilt. There is just binding left to do.

2. Sew another star wars robe. For Halloween. Oy.

3. This project-vintage crochet blanket-got resurrected recently. I'd like to finish it before Thanksgiving, which would put me at 2 years. I'm obsessive about finishing things, otherwise this would sit.

4. Quilt Heather's star quilt along quilt.

5. Put together a Frequently Asked Questions post for my blog.

I think it's about time.

finished is better than perfect

I believe I read that statement concerning the making of a dear jane quilt, but I will also adapt that statement to making rag rugs. Originally, I was going to make the rug with vertical stripes, but then, through a series of not so exciting events, I settled for this. Completion. I think I like it.

Tutorial here.

rag rug tutorial

Since some of you expressed interest in how to make a rag rug (see this post), I thought I'd try to write up a tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions, and I will try to answer them in the comments.

First, lay your t-shirt flat. Cut off the hemmed end and discard.

Just a warning...this does make a bit of a mess on your cutting mat.

Working from the bottom of the shirt, cut in 1/2" strips, leaving the side seams in tact. This will form loops.

You can cut a few loops from each sleeve, too. Again, discard the finished ends.

Once you have loops cut, use a slip knot to join them.

Pull until the knot is snug.

Make a string long enough to start crocheting.

Using a P hook, chain stitch to desired width. I started with 50 stitches and my rug is approximately 30" wide. Chain one more. (to use for turning)

(Ok, I am going to change colors here, because this rug is already in progress.)

Single crochet in each space.

Join a loop when your "string" runs out.

At the end of the row, chain one...

Flip over the rug and begin working in the first space with a single crochet.

Continue single crocheting in each space.

Keep working back and forth until the rug reaches the desired length.

Knot and weave in the end.

This is the rug that I crocheted last summer. I have run it through the regular washing machine a few times and it has held up very well. I used about 20 knit shirts used to make it.

If you make a rug using this tutorial, I'd love to see it.

wip friday

1 knit scarf

7 quilts

1 crochet blanket

with all this in progress, it's got even me wondering why I am on the way out the door to shop the President's Day sale at JoAnn's.

here is the start of the green quilt.

I've been hesitant to show it, because I am really not happy with it. I've been pondering what to do with it for weeks. Right now I'm wavering between trying to find the problematic area (if there is just one?) and fixing it, or cutting it all apart and just starting over.

hope you have a great weekend!

work in progress

Well, folks, no completed quilt top today. Although there is a poll on the right hand sidebar so you can vote which one I make next, if you would care to help me decide. Anina, I know your vote will be pink, I just don't know about the rest of you. So please, vote away.

This is a rag rug that I am crocheting out of old t-shirts. It's going to be for my kitchen to match these curtains. I love recycling this way. It also helps me clean out my closets. I made one last year for my bathroom and I absolutely love it-it's wearing so well. And it's washable, too. Jessica made a great one here. I have been collecting old t-shirts and have plans for the next two rugs already. I can easily see this becoming an addiction. Like I need another one of those.

downs and ups

For those of you wondering, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I just moved to Wisconsin, but it kinda feels like a close second. I don't have internet connection at home yet and the withdrawal is severe. Severe, I tell ya'.

We are trying to adjust to apartment life with 3 kids. It's harsh. My husband was ready for a break from all the screaming and whining from the kids before we even ate dinner tonight. My daughter must be teething or something. The boys run (what kid doesn't???) in the apartment and the cranky old man living below us was already complaining about us before we signed our lease paperwork. Sounds like fun, no? Thankfully the property manager is really, really nice.

The upside of things:

I drove through Chicago for my first time ever last week. That is HUGE for me. I can barely ride in the passenger's seat through the city-I am a nervous wreck in all that traffic. But I actually drove through it. During the day. And I even changed lanes once! I don't think I'll make a habit of it, but it is something that I never thought I would be able to do. So yay!

I finished my crocheted rag rug.

It's a little bit wonky. But I really like how it turned out. I estimate that I recycled about 15-20 t-shirts. About half of them or more were kids shirts.

The library has wireless internet, which is great.

I finally got to sew today, for the first time in 5 days.

I am having a little alone time for the first time in weeks. Bliss.

This moving and upsetting the delicate balance we had going is not for the faint of heart.

rag rug progress

A few things about cutting up t-shirts:

They make a lot of fuzzies.

They can ruin a cutting mat. (mine is on the way out anyway.)

They will make you evalutate each of piece of laundry you fold.

Is this tank too worn? It would look great in the bathroom rug....

my twist on wardrobe refashioning

I love the whole idea of wardrobe refashioning that folks are trying. I am too chicken to give it a go, but someday I hope to.

I also LOVE rag rugs. My sister crochets gorgeous ones, and she gave this one to me for my birthday a few years back.

I love this rug! It is made from all cotton strips that she cut on the bias. I have wanted to attempt something like this as well, but I don't work with fabric cut on the bias if I can help it. I would rather make a quilt out of cotton fabrics. (the rug reminds me of some of the Gee's Bend Quilts...love those!)

So, my solution to all of this...

I am cutting up my old stained t-shirt (that was destined for the rag basket anyway) into 1/2" strips. Slip knotting the loops into a long string...

and crocheting those loops into my very own (cushy) rag rug.

I am using a huge (pink!) P hook and it is going quickly. That blue section is all from the one t-shirt (woman's L). We have a lot of clothing around my house that I can recycle in this way. I can not tell you how excited I am about this project!

And I did cut up my dictionary.
Some of the S pages are on their way to Sarah P.

Thanks to all of you who commented on my blog this week!
I appreciate it so much.

work in progress friday

Stripey crochet blanket.

I am 90 some odd stripes into it.
Probably around 150 stripes to go.

finished bathmat

My first ever completed crochet project.
It's a little wonky at one end, but still, I am pleased as pie.
And the blister on my finger has healed up nicely. :)

(new) work in progress

bathmat