{Tutorial} Scrappy Rag Rug

In an effort to continue scrapbusting in my craft room...I decided to make something for baby boy.

I've been making some more memory quilts for a friend, which left a small pile of scrap fabric. I also had some more "boy" looking scraps from other quilts and projects. Most of the scraps were little stringy pieces, so I decided that perhaps sewing them wasn't in order. It was time to bust out the crochet hook.

There are lots of rag rug tutorials around, but most of them require sheets or other loooong pieces of fabric. To make this one the scrappiest....we need shorter pieces. If you are obsessive about little threads and knots sticking out of your work....step away from this project. It's not for you! But if you LOVE scrappy and unfinished beauty, come on in.

Here's how to make your own "scrappiest rag rug" for yourself.

You'll need a LOT of scraps. Woven fabrics work best, but use what you have. I ripped mine about 1" wide and about 18" long. Ripping the strips adds some extra ruggedness to the finished product, and saves your hands from cutting hundreds of strips.

You will need a lot of strips to make a small rug. Rip way more than you think you'll need, then you may have enough. I did a few extra just in case.

The time-consuming part is the knotting. I wanted knotted ends, because I wanted both the knots and the ends of the fabric to poke out of the rug. I just double knotted the strips end-to-end. Some other methods sew the ends, or glue them together...but that takes away from the ruggedness of this rug.

Then ball it up!!

I cannot convey in a picture the size of this ball. It was about the size of a basketball and HEAVY! I tried to take this picture to show you the size, but it just doesn't do it justice. This ball towers above my phone.

Now, break out your crochet hook. I used a size "N" which is pretty huge, and it worked great for this super thick "yarn" I was using.

Use your favorite crochet stitch.  Double crochet would work quicker, but I did a single crochet to have a slightly more dense rug.

Pulling the knots through can be tricky, but crochet kind of loosely and take your time, and it will come together.

I wish you could feel this picture.

 The texture of this rug is incredible. The knots, ripped pieces, twists, different fabrics make it feel amazing.

This was such a neat and FREE way of adding some color and texture to a room. A couple of evenings on the couch with my crochet hook and it was done!

Now, baby girl needs a rug for her room, but I have something else in mind for that one. Of course...it will have to be pink. Ugh.