Coil + Crochet Scrap Fabric Rug DIY
There’s something deeply satisfying about turning a pile of old fabric scraps into something beautiful and functional. If you’ve got a growing stash of old t-shirts, worn-out bed sheets, or leftover fabric from past projects, this coil and crochet scrap fabric rug tutorial is exactly what you need. This technique combines two of the most beloved fiber arts — coiling and crochet — to create a rug with gorgeous texture, impressive durability, and a zero-waste heart. Let’s get into everything you need to know to make your own from start to finish.
What Is a Coil and Crochet Rug?
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s talk about what makes this style of rug so special. A coil and crochet rug is made by wrapping strips of fabric around a core (the coil) and then crocheting those coils together as you work outward in a spiral. The result is a thick, dense, beautifully textured rug that holds its shape extremely well and gets softer and more pliable with every wash.
This technique has been used for centuries in various forms across cultures, from Native American coiled baskets to Scandinavian rag rugs. Modern makers have embraced it as a brilliant way to use up scrap fabric, reduce textile waste, and create something genuinely heirloom-worthy. The best part? No two rugs will ever look quite the same because every fabric stash is different.
Why Make a Rug From Scrap Fabric?
If you’re on the fence about whether this project is worth your time, here are a few reasons it absolutely is.
First, it’s one of the most satisfying zero-waste projects you can do. Textiles are one of the largest contributors to landfill waste globally, and repurposing old fabric into a functional home item is a genuinely meaningful way to reduce your footprint. That old bedsheet you’ve been hanging onto “just in case”? It has a destiny now.
Second, it’s incredibly cost-effective. Beyond a crochet hook and some basic supplies you probably already own, the raw materials are essentially free. Even if you don’t have enough scrap fabric of your own, thrift stores almost always have flat sheets, t-shirts, and lightweight curtains in abundance — often for less than a dollar each.
Third, the rugs themselves are genuinely beautiful. There’s a handmade warmth and texture to these rugs that no mass-produced product can replicate. Whether you go for a rainbow of colours or stick to a curated palette of neutrals, the finished piece will look intentional, stylish, and completely unique.
Finally, this is a wonderful beginner-friendly project for crochet. If you know how to do a basic slip stitch, you can make this rug. You don’t need advanced techniques, complicated patterns, or a big hook collection.
What You’ll Need
Gathering your supplies before you begin will make the whole process much smoother. Here’s a complete list of everything you need.
Fabric strips: The star of the show. You’ll want a mix of fabric types, though the best results come from knit fabrics like jersey cotton (old t-shirts are perfect) and woven fabrics like cotton sheeting, quilting cotton, or lightweight linen. Avoid very thick or stiff fabrics like denim for your first rug, as they can be hard to work with. You’ll need quite a lot — a rug that’s roughly 60cm in diameter will use approximately 500–700 grams of fabric strips, so start collecting early and don’t hold back.
A core material: The coil needs something to wrap around. You can use thick cotton rope or cord (about 5–8mm in diameter works well), a bundle of thinner fabric strips twisted together, or even old washing line cord. The core gives the rug its structure and body, so don’t skip it.
A large crochet hook: You’ll want a hook in the 8mm–12mm range. Bigger hooks make the work go faster and create a more open, flexible fabric. If your fabric strips are very thick, go for the larger end.
Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors will make cutting your strips far less tedious.
A rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional): If you have these, they’ll speed up the strip-cutting process enormously.
A blunt yarn needle: For weaving in ends and finishing off.
Pins or clips (optional): Helpful for holding things in place as you begin.
Preparing Your Fabric Strips
This is the step that takes the most time, but it’s also meditative and oddly enjoyable once you get into a rhythm.
For knit fabrics (t-shirts, jersey): Cut across the width of the fabric in strips approximately 2–3cm wide. Knit fabric has a natural tendency to curl when cut, which is actually ideal — it creates a rounded, rope-like strip without any raw edges to worry about. You can simply tug each strip gently and it will roll in on itself into a tidy little tube.
For woven fabrics (cotton sheets, quilting fabric): Cut strips about 2–3cm wide as well. With woven fabric, you have a few finishing options. You can fold each long edge toward the centre and then fold again to enclose the raw edges, like folding bias tape. Or, if you don’t mind a slightly more rustic look, you can use them as-is — the raw edges will fray very slightly over time, which actually adds to the handmade character of the rug.
Joining your strips: When one strip runs out, you need to join a new one. The easiest method for knit fabric is to cut a small slit (about 1cm long) near the end of each strip, thread one through the other, then pull the tail of the second strip through its own slit to create a flat, secure knot. This is often called a lark’s head join or a slit join, and it lies flat without any bulky knots. For woven fabrics, a simple diagonal seam sewn with a needle and thread (or a quick line on your sewing machine) works beautifully.
How much to prepare in advance: You don’t need to cut every single strip before you begin. Cutting as you go is completely fine. That said, having a good pile ready — maybe an hour’s worth of strips — helps you fall into a flow with the crocheting instead of constantly stopping.
How to Make the Coil and Crochet Scrap Fabric Rug
Now for the fun part. This tutorial works up a round rug, which is the most classic shape for this technique. Once you understand the method, you can adapt it to make oval rugs, square rugs, or even small coasters and trivets using the same approach.
Step 1: Begin the Centre
Take your core material and fold about 10cm of it back on itself to create a small loop. This loop is the very centre of your rug.
Take your fabric strip and begin wrapping it tightly around both layers of the core (the loop and the tail), covering the raw end completely. Wrap for about 5–6cm until you have a solid, tightly wrapped section.
Now, holding your crochet hook and with your wrapped core in your non-dominant hand, insert the hook through the centre of that very first section you wrapped, catch your working fabric strip, and pull up a loop. This is your first stitch and the anchor for everything that follows.
Step 2: Starting the Spiral
Continue wrapping the fabric strip around the core as before, but now you’re also going to crochet the new coil to the previous one. Every few centimetres (roughly every 2–3 wraps), insert your hook through one of the previous round’s loops — or directly through the top of the previous coil — pull up a loop of your working strip, and complete a slip stitch to join the coils together.
This is really the core of the technique: wrap and coil, then slip stitch to connect. Wrap and coil, then slip stitch to connect. Find your rhythm with this and the rug will practically make itself.
In the beginning rounds, you’ll need to add stitches fairly frequently to keep the rug lying flat. If you don’t stitch frequently enough in the early rounds, the rug will start to curve upward into a bowl shape. If that happens, simply add an extra stitch or two in the next round to ease it back flat.
Step 3: Growing the Rug
As the rug gets larger, the outer circumference of each new round is bigger than the one before, which means you need to space your joining stitches a little further apart. A good rule of thumb: in the first two to three rounds, join every 2–3cm. As the rug grows, you can join every 3–5cm.
The most important thing to watch is whether the rug lies flat. Set it down on a flat surface every few rounds and check. If it’s dishing upward, add more stitches. If it’s starting to ruffle and wave, you’ve added too many — space your stitches out a little.
Changing colours: Switching to a new fabric colour or type is completely seamless with this method. When your current strip runs out (or when you want to introduce a new colour), simply join the new strip using whichever joining method suits your fabric type, and carry on wrapping. The join will be hidden inside the coil.
For a more intentional look, you can plan your colour changes to happen at roughly the same point in each round, creating bold concentric rings of colour. Or let the changes happen organically for a scrappy, eclectic look. Both are beautiful.
Step 4: Changing the Core
Eventually your core material will run out too. If you’re using rope or cord, simply butt the end of the new piece up against the old one and continue wrapping your fabric strip over the join. The wrap will hold everything in place securely.
Step 5: Finishing Off
When your rug has reached your desired size, it’s time to end it cleanly. Gradually taper the core by snipping away strands from it over the last 10–15cm so it reduces in thickness. Keep wrapping your fabric strip over this tapered section until it comes to a neat, gradual point rather than a blunt edge.
Cut your fabric strip, leaving a tail of about 20cm. Thread this tail onto your blunt yarn needle and use it to sew the end of the coil firmly to the last round, then weave the tail back through several layers of wrapping to secure it. Give it a firm tug to make sure nothing shifts, and trim any excess.
Colour and Design Ideas
One of the most enjoyable parts of this project is planning (or happily not planning) your colour scheme. Here are a few approaches that work particularly well.
A rainbow spiral is endlessly appealing and a great way to use every scrap you have. Simply arrange your fabrics by colour and work through the spectrum — red to orange to yellow to green to blue to violet — as you build outward from the centre.
A tonal palette — all creams, linens, and natural whites from old bedding — creates something that looks expensive and elegant. Add a single accent colour in one or two rounds for a subtle pop.
A scrappy random approach is the most zero-waste option. Just use whatever comes to hand without worrying about colour placement at all. These rugs often end up being the most characterful and charming.
If you want more graphic, geometric-feeling results, try alternating two or three colours every few rounds for a striped effect, or use a dark colour for the coil wrapping and a light colour for one or two rounds before switching back.
Tips for Success
A few things that will make a real difference in how your rug turns out.
Keep your wrapping tight and consistent. Loose, uneven wrapping leads to a floppy rug that won’t hold its shape. Take your time in the early rounds especially, as those set the tone for everything else.
Don’t be afraid to rip back. If the rug starts to dish or ruffle significantly, it’s much better to undo a few rounds and fix the tension than to try to correct it further along.
Work on a firm, flat surface when possible, especially in the early rounds. This helps you feel any curving or dishing as soon as it starts.
Use a hook that feels comfortable in your hand. With a project this size, you’ll be working for hours, and strain in your wrist or hand will slow you down fast.
Embrace imperfection. The slight irregularities in a handmade rug are what give it life and personality. A perfectly uniform rug isn’t the goal here — a beautiful, lasting, one-of-a-kind piece is.
Caring for Your Rug
The good news is that scrap fabric rugs are incredibly practical and easy to care for, especially if you’ve used mostly cotton fabrics.
Most rugs made with this technique can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cold water. Place the rug in a large mesh laundry bag to protect both the rug and your machine. Use a gentle detergent and avoid fabric softener, as it can break down the fibres over time.
To dry, lay the rug flat on a clean surface (outside on a dry day is ideal) rather than tumble drying. Reshape it gently while it’s damp and it will dry perfectly flat. Avoid hanging it to dry, as the weight of a wet rug can distort its shape.
With proper care, one of these rugs will last for many years. In fact, they tend to improve with age, becoming softer and more supple the more they’re washed and used.
Making It Your Own
Once you’ve got the basic technique down, the variations are nearly endless. You can make a long oval rug for a hallway by starting with a straight length of wrapped core rather than a loop, then coiling around it as you would for a round rug. You can make a small coaster set using leftover strips from your rug. You can even make a matching set of pot holders or a trivet for the kitchen.
Scale the hook and core size up or down for different effects — a very chunky version using fabric torn into wide strips and a 15mm hook makes a thick, sculptural bath mat. A finer version using narrow strips and a 6mm hook makes something more delicate, closer to a placemat in weight.
You might also experiment with adding texture by using different wrapping techniques — some makers alternate direction of wrap, others incorporate braided sections, and others add small tassels or fringe to the outer edge for a boho touch.
A Note on Sustainability
It bears repeating how meaningful this kind of making is from a sustainability perspective. The fashion and textile industry is responsible for an enormous amount of global waste and pollution. Every time we choose to repair, reuse, or repurpose fabric instead of sending it to landfill, it matters.
This rug project is a particularly good example of meaningful making because the finished product is genuinely useful and durable — it’s not a craft project that will sit in a drawer or end up discarded itself. A well-made coil and crochet rug can last for decades. It can be passed down. It can be a story you tell about the shirt that became a floor covering, the bedsheet that became something beautiful.
If you make this project, consider sharing it with someone who might love the technique too. Teaching skills that reduce waste and build self-sufficiency is one of the loveliest things you can do.
Final Thoughts
The coil and crochet scrap fabric rug is one of those projects that delivers on every level. It’s thrifty, sustainable, beginner-accessible, and produces something genuinely gorgeous. The process itself is rhythmic and calming — the kind of making you can do while listening to a podcast or watching a film, letting your hands find their own pace.
Start small if you like — a coaster, a trivet, a small decorative mat — and see how quickly the technique clicks. Most people find that once they’ve done the first two rounds, the rest flows naturally. And once you’ve finished your first rug, you’ll immediately start eyeing every worn-out piece of clothing and bedding in your home with entirely new eyes.
Happy making.
