How To Crochet A Round T-Shirt Rug: A Complete Step-By-Step Guide

If you’ve been looking for a way to give new life to old T-shirts piling up in your closet, crocheting a round T-shirt rug is one of the most satisfying projects you can take on. It’s eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and the result is a thick, cushy rug that can anchor any room in your home. Whether you’re a beginner who has only just learned to chain or an experienced crocheter looking for a chunky new project, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know — from cutting your fabric strips all the way to finishing off your last stitch.

Why Make A T-Shirt Rug?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s talk about why this project is worth your time. T-shirt yarn, often called “tarn” in the crafting community, is one of the most forgiving materials you can work with. It’s stretchy, it doesn’t fray when you cut it, and it produces a rug that has real weight and bounce underfoot. Unlike wool or cotton yarn, T-shirt strips have a natural give to them, which means small tension inconsistencies in your crocheting won’t be as visible in the finished product.

A round rug is also a particularly wonderful shape for a beginner project because you build it from the center outward. Every round you complete is a small victory, and you can stop at any size you like — a tiny 12-inch accent rug for beside the sink or a sprawling 4-foot statement piece for the living room.

From a sustainability standpoint, this project is genuinely impactful. A single large rug can use anywhere from 10 to 20 T-shirts depending on their size and how thick you cut your strips. That’s a significant amount of textile waste being redirected away from landfills and into something functional and beautiful in your home.

What You’ll Need

Getting your supplies together is straightforward. Here’s what to gather before you sit down to start crocheting.

T-shirts: You’ll want at least 10 to 15 adult-sized T-shirts for a rug that’s roughly 24 inches in diameter. Opt for knit fabric shirts, not woven ones. Jersey cotton T-shirts work best because they curl naturally when cut into strips, which gives your tarn a nice rounded look. Avoid shirts with large screen prints in the center, as those areas can be stiff and difficult to work with. Thrift stores are an excellent source if you don’t have enough shirts at home — look for them in bulk bins or on sale days.

A large crochet hook: You’ll need a hook in the range of 15mm to 20mm. T-shirt yarn is bulky, and a hook this size will let you work comfortably without straining your hands. Many crafters use a 16mm hook as their go-to for this type of project. If you have a wooden or ergonomic hook handle, even better — your hand will thank you after a long crocheting session.

Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors make a real difference when you’re cutting dozens of strips. Dull scissors will drag and give you uneven edges.

A ruler or rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional): If you want to speed up the cutting process and get very even strips, a rotary cutter and mat are worth pulling out. That said, scissors and a ruler work perfectly well.

A tapestry needle or large blunt-tip needle: You’ll need this to weave in your ends when the rug is finished.

Non-slip rug backing (optional): A piece of non-slip mesh cut to size and sewn or glued to the back of your finished rug will keep it safely in place on hardwood or tile floors.

How To Prepare Your T-Shirt Yarn

Preparing your tarn is a project unto itself, and it’s genuinely enjoyable once you get into a rhythm. Set up a comfortable space with a table or hard floor to work on, put on a podcast or your favorite show, and let yourself settle in.

Step one: Lay the shirt flat. Smooth out your first T-shirt on a flat surface. Cut straight across the shirt just below the armpits, removing the top portion with the sleeves and neckline. You’ll be left with a tube of fabric — the body of the shirt. Set the top portion aside for now; you can use it for smaller projects or a different color accent in your rug.

Step two: Cut your strips. Keeping the tube folded so both layers are stacked together, cut horizontal strips from the bottom of the tube upward. Each strip should be about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. The wider your strips, the chunkier and more textured your finished rug will be. Cut all the way across but stop about an inch from the folded edge — do not cut all the way through. This means your strips will still be connected along one side when you unfold the tube.

Step three: Create a continuous strip. Open the tube so it lays flat but is no longer folded. You’ll see a series of loops along the connected edge. To turn this into one long continuous strip, you’ll cut on a diagonal. Starting at one end, cut diagonally from the bottom of the first cut to the top of the second cut. Continue this diagonal cutting pattern all the way around the connected edge. When you’re done, you’ll have one long, continuous spiral of fabric.

Step four: Stretch your strips. Take your long strip and gently pull it lengthwise. The edges will naturally curl inward, turning the flat strip into something that looks almost like yarn. This is your tarn, and it’s ready to use. Wind it into a loose ball so it doesn’t tangle while you work.

Repeat this process with each shirt, joining them together as needed. To join two pieces of tarn, cut a small horizontal slit near the end of each strip, overlap them, and pull one end through the other slit to create a secure, flat knot. This join is nearly invisible once crocheted into your rug.

Understanding The Basic Stitch Pattern

This round rug uses the single crochet stitch worked in a magic ring (also called a magic circle or magic loop). If you’ve never made a magic ring before, don’t worry — it sounds more intimidating than it is, and it’s the best way to start a project from the center without leaving a hole in the middle.

A single crochet stitch is the most fundamental crochet stitch there is. You insert your hook, pull up a loop, and pull that loop through the one on your hook. That’s it. In T-shirt yarn, every stitch is satisfyingly chunky and visible, which makes it easy to count and keep track of where you are.

To keep a crocheted circle flat rather than curling up into a bowl shape, you need to increase regularly. Increasing means adding extra stitches in a round so the total stitch count grows and the fabric spreads outward. The standard formula for a flat single crochet circle is to add 6 stitches every round. You start with 6 stitches in your first round and add 6 more in every subsequent round. By round 5, you’ll have 30 stitches. By round 10, you’ll have 66. This consistent increase is what keeps your rug lying flat.

Step-By-Step Crocheting Instructions

Now for the main event. Grab your hook and your first ball of tarn, and let’s get started.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Chain 1 (this does not count as a stitch). Work 6 single crochet stitches into the ring. Pull the ring closed tightly. Join to the first stitch with a slip stitch. You now have 6 stitches.

Round 2: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet stitches into each stitch around — that means every stitch gets two stitches worked into it. Join with a slip stitch. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 3: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet stitches into the first stitch, then 1 single crochet into the next stitch. Repeat this pattern (2 into one, then 1 into one) all the way around. Join with a slip stitch. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 4: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet stitches into the first stitch, then 1 single crochet into each of the next 2 stitches. Repeat this pattern all the way around. Join with a slip stitch. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 5: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet into the first stitch, then 1 single crochet into each of the next 3 stitches. Repeat all the way around. Join. You now have 30 stitches.

You’ll notice the pattern: in each new round, you place one additional single crochet between your increase points. Continue in this way, adding one more regular stitch between each increase in every round. The formula always stays the same — you’re simply spacing your 6 increases further and further apart as the circle grows.

Continue working in this manner until your rug reaches your desired size. A 24-inch rug will take approximately 10 to 12 rounds, depending on the thickness of your tarn. A 36-inch rug might take 15 to 18 rounds. Measure periodically by laying your rug flat and checking with a tape measure.

A note on tension: With T-shirt yarn, it’s tempting to crochet very tightly because the material is so stretchy. Try to keep a relaxed, even tension. If your rug is curling up at the edges, your tension is too tight — try going up a hook size or loosening your grip. If your rug is ruffling and wavy, you may be adding too many stitches or your tension is too loose. A little waviness can block out, but significant ruffling means you may want to undo a round and try again.

Adding Color And Stripes

One of the most fun parts of this project is the design element. Because you’re working with old T-shirts, you already have a built-in palette to work with. Changing colors in a round rug is simple and can create a beautiful striped effect that radiates outward from the center.

To switch colors, work your last stitch of a round up until the final yarn over. Instead of completing that yarn over with your current color, drop it and pick up your new color to finish the stitch. Then continue the next round in the new color. This gives you a clean, nearly seamless color change.

You can plan your color arrangement in advance — alternating colors every two rounds creates a classic striped look, while random color placement gives a more patchwork, boho feel. If you’re crocheting with thrifted shirts, you might let the colors you find guide your palette rather than pre-planning, which often leads to wonderfully unexpected combinations.

Finishing Your Rug

When your rug has reached the size you want, it’s time to finish off.

Cut your tarn, leaving about a 6-inch tail. Pull the tail through the last loop on your hook to secure it. Thread the tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it in and out of several nearby stitches on the back side of the rug. Pull snug and trim any excess. Repeat this with any other tails you have from color changes or joining new strips of tarn.

Lay your finished rug on a flat surface and check that it’s lying flat. If the edges are slightly wavy or uneven, you can wet-block it by misting it lightly with water, shaping it by hand, and letting it dry flat. T-shirt fabric responds well to this and most minor shaping issues will smooth out.

If you’re adding a non-slip backing, cut a piece of rug gripper mesh slightly smaller than your finished rug and attach it to the back using a tapestry needle and a length of tarn, sewing around the perimeter with simple whip stitches. This keeps the rug safely in place and also helps it keep its shape over time.

Care And Maintenance

Your T-shirt rug is machine washable, which is one of its biggest practical advantages. Wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle. Because T-shirt fabric can be slow to dry when layered this thickly, air drying is recommended. Lay it flat to dry rather than hanging it, which can distort the shape. Depending on how much traffic the rug gets, washing it once every few weeks to once a month is typically sufficient.

Over time with heavy use, your rug may start to felt slightly if it contains wool blended shirts, or it may simply become denser and more compact as the fibers settle. This is normal and generally makes the rug feel even more substantial underfoot.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your rug isn’t turning out quite as planned, here are a few common problems and how to address them.

If the center of your rug has a visible hole, your magic ring may not have been pulled tight enough. On your next rug, pull the ring tail firmly before joining your first round, and make sure your first 6 stitches are snug against one another.

If your rug looks more oval than round, you may have miscounted stitches at some point and accidentally worked more increases on one side than the other. Counting stitches at the end of each round takes only a few seconds and can prevent this issue from developing.

If your rug is too stiff, try cutting your strips slightly thinner — around 3/4 of an inch — and using a slightly larger hook. This opens up the fabric a bit and creates a softer, more pliable result.

If you’re running out of tarn mid-round, try to plan your color joins so they happen at the beginning or end of a round where possible. This makes the join less visible. If you have to join mid-round, the slit-and-pull method described earlier creates a flat, secure connection that will disappear into the rug’s texture.

Final Thoughts

Crocheting a round T-shirt rug is the kind of project that pays you back in multiple ways at once. You end up with a handmade piece that’s practical, durable, and full of the quiet satisfaction that comes from making something beautiful out of materials that would otherwise be forgotten. Every shirt in that rug has a story, and now it has a new chapter.

Whether you place your finished rug beside the bed, in front of the kitchen sink, at the entrance of your home, or anywhere else it catches your eye, you’ll find yourself looking at it with a particular kind of pride that only comes from making something entirely by hand. Once you’ve finished your first one, chances are very good you’ll find yourself eyeing every worn-out T-shirt in the house as the beginning of your next rug.

So gather your old shirts, pull out that oversized hook, and get started. Your floors are going to thank you.