Crochet guide
Crochet rugs
A crochet rug is an ordinary flat shape made thick: a circle, an oval or a rectangle in a heavy material and a large hook. Two things decide how it turns out. The material sets how thick it is. The stitch count sets whether it lies flat.
On this page 6 parts
What rugs are made of
Stitch names on this page are United States terms, with the United Kingdom name in brackets.
| Material | What it gives |
|---|---|
| Bulky or super bulky yarn | A thick fabric from a single strand |
| Several strands held together | The same thickness from thinner yarn. Two strands held together shows the way of working |
| T-shirt yarn | A thick, soft strand of cotton jersey |
| Strips of fabric | A rag rug. Crocheting with fabric strips covers cutting and joining them |
| Cotton | Stands up to water, so it suits a bathroom |
| Rope | A mat, with the rope used as the yarn or hidden inside the stitches. See Crocheting over rope |
The hook is large. A 10 mm hook is common with a super bulky yarn or with several strands held together.
Why a round rug ripples or curls
A round rug is a flat circle, made large. A circle lies flat only with the right number of stitches in each round:
| What you see | Why | The cure |
|---|---|---|
| The edge ripples | Too many stitches in the round | Work fewer increases |
| The edge curls up, like a bowl | Too few stitches in the round | Work more increases |
How many increases a rug needs shifts with the material and with how tightly you crochet. Work the first few rounds, look at whether the rug lies flat, and change the number of increases if it does not. The circle stitch count chart gives the usual counts to start from, and Why a crochet hat comes out wavy, pointy or too big explains the same two faults on a smaller circle.
An oval rug follows the oval's rule: Bag and basket bases gives it. For a rug worked in rows whose edges curl, see Common crochet problems.
Blocking a rug
A finished rug can be blocked like any other piece: wet it, pin it flat to its shape and leave it until it is dry. Blocking shows how.
Finishing the edge
A last round in a dense stitch helps the edge lie flat. Single crochet (UK double crochet) is one choice. Reverse single crochet, also called crab stitch, is another: it makes a firm, corded edge.
What goes under a crochet rug
Two things are named for the underside of a crochet rug, both to keep it from sliding on a hard floor. One is a rug pad laid under the rug, of the kind sold for area rugs. The other is a coating put on the back of the rug itself: a backing spray, or liquid latex. How much a rug slides depends on its yarn and on the floor it lies on.
Where to go next
- How to crochet a flat circle, for the rule a round rug follows.
- Bag and basket bases, for ovals and rectangles.
- Crocheting over rope, for a mat with a core.