How to Crochet a Rag Rug: A Complete Beginner-Friendly Guide

There is something deeply satisfying about turning a pile of old fabric scraps into something beautiful and functional. A crocheted rag rug is exactly that kind of project — it gives worn-out t-shirts, old bed sheets, and fabric remnants a second life as a colorful, durable floor covering that you made entirely with your own hands. Whether you want to add texture and warmth to a bathroom floor, brighten up a kitchen, or create a cozy spot next to your bed, a crocheted rag rug is one of the most rewarding craft projects you can take on.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from gathering your materials and preparing your fabric strips to finishing off your rug with a polished edge. Even if you have never crocheted before, you will find that rag rugs are surprisingly approachable. The large stitches work up quickly, the materials cost very little (or nothing at all), and the result is a unique piece that could not be purchased in any store.

What Is a Rag Rug and Why Should You Crochet One?

Rag rugs have a long history rooted in resourcefulness. For centuries, families repurposed worn clothing and household textiles into floor coverings rather than letting usable fabric go to waste. The tradition survived because the results are genuinely beautiful — and today, making a rag rug is both an act of creativity and a small but meaningful step toward sustainable living.

Crocheting a rag rug, in particular, offers a few advantages over other methods like braiding or weaving. Crochet gives you a lot of control over the shape, size, and thickness of your finished piece. You can make a small round accent rug, a long rectangular runner, or an oval bathroom mat. The technique is easy to learn, the stitches are forgiving, and you can pause and pick it up again without losing your place. The materials you need are minimal: fabric strips, a large crochet hook, and a pair of scissors.

If you are new to crochet, this is a fantastic first big project. If you are experienced, it is a meditative and fast-moving project that feels rewarding from the very first row.

Materials You Will Need

Before you start, gather everything together so you have a smooth, interruption-free experience.

Fabric. This is the heart of the project. Old cotton t-shirts are one of the most popular choices because they stretch slightly, which makes them easy to work with and gives the finished rug a soft, cushioned feel. Other great options include cotton bed sheets (particularly the thinner, well-worn ones), denim from old jeans, flannel shirts, or any woven cotton fabric. Avoid anything stretchy like spandex blends or slippery synthetics like polyester satin, which can be difficult to keep in place on the floor. Aim to gather roughly two to three pounds of fabric for a small rug (about 20 inches in diameter) and four to six pounds or more for a medium-sized bathroom or kitchen rug.

A large crochet hook. Because you will be working with thick fabric strips rather than yarn, you need a much larger hook than the standard sizes used for most crochet projects. A size N (9mm), P (10mm), or Q (16mm) hook works well. Many crafters use a size P or Q hook for rag rugs. You can find these at any craft store, or online. Look for one with an ergonomic handle if you plan to crochet for long stretches, since working with thick material can tire your hand more quickly than standard yarn.

Scissors. A good sharp pair of fabric scissors will make cutting your strips much easier and cleaner. Dull scissors will fray your fabric and make the process frustrating.

A ruler or rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional). These are not strictly necessary, but if you are cutting a lot of fabric from flat sheets or clothing, they speed up the process and help you cut more consistent strips.

A tapestry or yarn needle. You will use this at the end to weave in any loose ends.

How to Prepare Your Fabric

Preparing your fabric strips is arguably the most time-consuming part of making a rag rug, but it is also a good opportunity to sit in front of a movie or podcast and enjoy a mindless, tactile task. How you cut your strips depends on what kind of fabric you are using.

Cutting strips from t-shirts. Lay your t-shirt flat on a table. Cut off the hem at the bottom and the sleeves at the seams. Then cut the body of the shirt into horizontal strips, moving from the bottom hem upward toward the armholes. Each strip should be about one to one-and-a-half inches wide. Because t-shirt fabric is a knit, these strips will naturally curl inward on themselves when you tug them, forming a soft tube-like strand that is very pleasant to crochet with. You do not need to do anything special — just pull each strip gently and it will curl on its own.

Cutting strips from sheets or woven fabric. Flat woven fabrics like cotton sheets do not curl the way knit fabrics do, so you have two options. You can cut them into strips of about one inch wide and use them as they are, or you can fold the strip in half lengthwise as you crochet to hide the raw edges. Another popular approach is to tear the fabric instead of cutting it. Woven cotton tears beautifully along the grain, producing a straight edge with minimal fraying. Simply snip a small notch at the edge of your fabric and then tear firmly across the width. The result is a clean strip with slightly frayed edges that look charming in a finished rug.

Joining your strips. As you cut your fabric, you will need to connect the strips end to end to form one long continuous strand. There are several ways to do this. The simplest method is the slip knot join: lay the end of one strip on top of the end of the next strip, cut a small slit in both ends, feed one through the other, and pull the tail of the first strip back through itself. This creates a flat, secure join with no bulk. You can also simply tie strips together with a double knot, though this creates small bumps in your work. Either method is fine — choose whichever you prefer.

You do not need to join all your strips before you begin crocheting. Many crafters prefer to join as they go, attaching a new strip when the current one runs low. Wind your prepared strips into loose balls as you go so they do not tangle.

Basic Crochet Stitches You Will Use

If you have never crocheted before, take a few minutes to practice these two foundational stitches using a scrap strip before diving into your rug. They are the only two stitches you need.

The chain stitch. Make a slip knot on your hook. Wrap the fabric strip over the hook (this is called a yarn over) and pull it through the loop on your hook. That’s one chain stitch. Repeat this process to create a row of chain stitches, which forms the foundation of your rug.

The single crochet stitch. Insert your hook into a stitch, yarn over, and pull through so you have two loops on your hook. Yarn over again and pull through both loops. That is one single crochet. It is the tightest and sturdiest of the basic crochet stitches, which is exactly what you want in a rug.

Some crafters also use the slip stitch when working rag rugs, particularly for oval or round shapes where you need to join rounds without adding height. You will pick up the slip stitch naturally as you follow the pattern instructions below.

How to Crochet an Oval Rag Rug (Step-by-Step)

The oval rug is one of the most classic rag rug shapes, and it is the perfect shape for a bathroom, entryway, or kitchen runner. Here is how to make one from start to finish.

Step 1: Make your foundation chain. Decide how long you want your finished rug to be, then subtract the width. For example, if you want a rug that is roughly 24 inches long and 16 inches wide, you need a length difference of about 8 inches. Since your stitches will be about one inch wide with a large hook, you will chain approximately 8 stitches for your foundation. Chain 8, then add one more chain (this is your turning chain). So you will have a foundation chain of 9.

Step 2: Work the first row. Starting in the second chain from your hook, single crochet in each chain across. You will have 8 single crochets. At the end of your chain, do not turn your work. Instead, work 3 single crochets into the very last chain (this rounds the end). Now rotate your work and single crochet back down the other side of the foundation chain, working into the back loops of each chain. At the far end, work 2 more single crochets into the same stitch as your first single crochet. You now have an oval shape. Join with a slip stitch to the first stitch of your round.

Step 3: Continue working in rounds. Each subsequent round is worked continuously around the oval. The key to keeping your rug flat is adding extra stitches at the two rounded ends. As a general rule, add 2 stitches to each end per round — so if you started with 3 stitches in the first rounded end, the next round has 4, then 5, and so on. For the long straight sides, single crochet into each stitch without increases. The exact number of increases you need depends on your hook size and fabric, but if your rug starts to ripple or ruffle, you are adding too many; if it starts to curl upward at the edges, you need to add more.

Step 4: Keep going until your rug reaches the desired size. Work round after round, keeping your increases consistent and your tension even. Check periodically that the rug lies flat on the floor. If it starts to cup or ripple, adjust your increases in the next round to compensate. Continue until your rug is the size you want.

Step 5: Fasten off and weave in ends. When you are happy with the size, cut your fabric strip, leaving a tail of about 6 inches. Pull the tail through the last loop on your hook to fasten off. Thread the tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it into the stitches on the back of the rug to hide it. Do the same for any other tails from where you joined new fabric strips. Trim any excess.

How to Crochet a Round Rag Rug

A round rug works well as an accent piece in a living room or bedroom. The technique is similar to the oval but starts from a tight center.

Make a magic ring (or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a small ring). Work 6 single crochets into the ring. Join with a slip stitch. In the next round, work 2 single crochets into each stitch — you will have 12 stitches. In the following round, alternate between a regular single crochet and 2 single crochets in the next stitch, giving you 18 stitches. Continue adding 6 stitches per round, distributing the increases evenly around. The increase pattern keeps the rug lying flat. As with the oval version, if it ruffles, decrease your increases slightly in the next round; if it curls, add a few more.

Tips for Success

Working with fabric strips rather than yarn takes a little adjustment, even for experienced crocheters. Here are some things that make a real difference.

Keep your tension consistent. Fabric strips behave differently from yarn — they stretch slightly and can compress or loosen depending on how tightly you hold them. Aim for a firm but not white-knuckled grip. Your stitches should be snug enough to hold their shape but not so tight that they are difficult to insert your hook.

Work with the texture, not against it. If you are using t-shirt fabric that curls into tubes, let it curl naturally rather than trying to flatten it out as you crochet. The curled fabric creates a pleasantly thick stitch.

Mix your colors intentionally. One of the joys of a rag rug is the color story it tells. You can work in a random, scrappy style where all your fabric scraps are jumbled together, or you can sort your strips by color family and transition from one section to another deliberately. Neither approach is wrong — it just depends on the look you want.

Check your rug frequently by laying it flat. Rug work has a way of developing subtle problems — a slight curl here, a ruffle there — that are much easier to correct early. Every few rounds, put it on the floor and look at it critically.

Do not be afraid of imperfection. The beauty of a rag rug is its handmade, irregular quality. No two are exactly alike, and small variations in your stitches are part of the charm rather than a flaw.

Care and Maintenance

Once your rug is finished, you will want to know how to keep it looking good. Most cotton rag rugs are machine washable, which is one of their great practical virtues. Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle and tumble dry on low, or lay flat to air dry. Avoid washing with items that have zippers or hardware that could snag the fabric strips.

If your rug tends to slip on a hard floor, place a non-slip rug pad underneath it. These are inexpensive and widely available, and they make a huge safety difference, especially in bathrooms and kitchens.

Over time, the surface of the rug may start to look fuzzy or pilled, particularly if it was made from jersey knit fabric. A fabric shaver or lint roller can tidy it up quickly.

Where to Find More Fabric

If you have worked through your initial pile of fabric scraps and want to make more rugs, there are many ways to gather more material without spending much money. Thrift stores are an excellent source — look for cotton t-shirts, sheets, and simple woven clothing in colors that appeal to you. Estate sales and garage sales often have fabric by the bag. Ask family and friends if they have old sheets or shirts they were about to donate. Some fabric stores sell bundles of remnants at a discount.

Over time, many rag rug makers find that they start thinking about every worn-out garment differently — not as trash, but as potential. That shift in perspective is one of the quieter pleasures the craft offers.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to crochet a rag rug is one of those skills that stays with you. Once you have made your first one and felt the satisfaction of watching a heap of old fabric become something beautiful and useful, you will look at your closet and linen cupboard with new eyes. Every worn-out sheet is a future bathroom rug. Every faded t-shirt is the beginning of a kitchen mat.

The project is forgiving enough for true beginners, fast enough to keep experienced crafters engaged, and flexible enough to suit every taste and space. Start small if the idea feels overwhelming — a little round rug no bigger than a dinner plate will teach you everything you need to know and leave you eager to try something larger.

Take your time with the fabric preparation, stay patient with your tension, and trust that what you are making has value precisely because it is handmade and unique. When you lay that finished rug on your floor for the first time, you will understand exactly why people have been making them by hand for generations.