How to Start a New Row When Crocheting a Rag Rug
There is something deeply satisfying about making a rag rug. You take strips of fabric that might otherwise end up in a landfill — old t-shirts, worn bed sheets, outgrown jeans — and you transform them into something beautiful and functional that can anchor a room for years. Rag rug crocheting is one of those crafts that feels both ancient and wonderfully practical, and it has seen a genuine revival among makers who want to slow down, reduce waste, and create something handmade for their homes.
But if you have recently picked up this craft, or you are coming to it from a background in yarn-based crochet, one of the first technical hurdles that trips people up is figuring out how to start a new row. It sounds simple, but with bulky fabric strips, tight stitches, and the physical weight of a growing rug, the turning process can feel awkward and confusing. Where exactly do you start? Which direction do you turn? How do you keep your edges straight? Why does the rug keep curling?
This guide is going to answer all of those questions in detail. By the end, you will know not just how to start a new row, but why you are doing each step, which will make you a more confident and adaptable crocheter overall.
Understanding the Basic Structure Before You Begin
Before we talk about turning and starting a new row, it helps to understand what you are actually working with when you crochet a rag rug. Unlike a skein of yarn, fabric strips are flat, have varying thickness depending on seams and hemmed edges, and can be stretchy or stiff depending on the material. A cotton bedsheet strip behaves very differently from a knit jersey strip, and both of those behave differently from denim.
Most rag rugs are worked in rows (back and forth) or in rounds (from a center point outward). This guide focuses on the row method, which produces a rectangular rug and is the most common format for beginners. In the row method, you complete one row of stitches from right to left (or left to right, depending on your handedness), and then you must turn your work and begin the next row going in the opposite direction.
The most common crochet stitches used in rag rug making are the single crochet, the slip stitch, and occasionally the half double crochet. Single crochet is by far the most popular because it creates a dense, flat, durable fabric that holds up under foot traffic. All of the instructions in this guide will reference single crochet, but the principles apply to other stitches with minor adjustments.
What You Need Before You Start a New Row
You do not need much, but having the right setup makes the process easier. Use a large plastic or wooden crochet hook, typically somewhere between a size N (9mm) and size S (19mm) depending on the thickness of your fabric strips. A hook that is too small will make it nearly impossible to pull the fabric through your stitches, and a hook that is too large will leave gaps that make the rug feel loose and floppy underfoot.
Your fabric strips should be cut to a consistent width — generally between three quarters of an inch and one and a half inches wide, depending on the weight of the fabric. Thicker fabrics like fleece or denim should be cut narrower. Lighter fabrics like cotton voile or jersey can be cut a little wider. Inconsistent strip widths are actually fine in rag rug making because variation adds to the charm, but wildly uneven strips will cause tension problems as you work.
Make sure you have enough strip length joined and ready to go before you begin a row. Running out of fabric strip mid-row and having to join in the middle is not the end of the world, but joining at the beginning or end of a row is much tidier. More on joining later.
Finishing the Previous Row: Setting Up for Success
Starting a new row actually begins with how you finish the row you just completed. This is worth emphasizing because many beginners rush through the last few stitches of a row and then wonder why their edges are uneven.
As you approach the end of a row, slow down. Count your stitches. The number of stitches in each row should stay consistent throughout the entire rug, unless you are intentionally shaping it. If you started with 20 stitches, every row should have 20 stitches. Losing or gaining stitches at the ends of rows is one of the most common reasons a rug develops a wavy, uneven edge or starts to grow wider or narrower over time.
When you reach the last stitch of the row, complete your single crochet all the way through. Pull your loop up, yarn over (or fabric-over, technically), and pull through both loops on the hook just as you would with any other stitch. Do not rush this. The last stitch of every row should be worked into the very last chain or stitch at the end of the foundation, not into the turning chain from the previous row.
How to Make the Turning Chain
Once you have completed the final stitch of a row, you need to make a turning chain before you start the next row. The turning chain is a short chain of one or more stitches that brings your hook and working strip up to the correct height for the next row of stitches.
For single crochet, the turning chain is one chain stitch. This is because single crochet is a short stitch, and you only need to raise your hook slightly to position it at the right height for the next row. Simply yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook. You now have one chain stitch — this is your turning chain.
For half double crochet, you would typically chain two. For double crochet, you would chain three. Since we are focused on single crochet rag rugs here, remember: one chain, and then you turn.
There is a long-running debate in the crochet world about whether the turning chain counts as the first stitch of the next row or not. For single crochet, most patterns treat the turning chain as not being a stitch — meaning you do not work into it at the end of the following row, and you do not skip a stitch at the beginning of the current row to compensate for it. This is the approach we will follow here.
How to Actually Turn Your Work
After you have made your one turning chain, it is time to physically turn your work. This sounds obvious, but the direction and technique matter more than you might think, especially as your rug grows heavy.
Rotate your work so that the row you just completed is now pointing away from you and the side you have been working along is now the side you are about to work along. In practical terms, you flip the piece over (or rotate it horizontally) so that the hook and your working strip end up on the right side if you are right-handed, ready to begin working across again.
Many beginners turn their work toward themselves (rotating the bottom of the piece upward and toward them). Others turn away. Neither is strictly wrong, but you should choose one direction and stick with it consistently throughout the entire rug. Turning inconsistently will cause your edge stitches to twist in alternating directions, which can create a subtle but visible distortion along the sides of the rug.
When crocheting with heavy fabric strips, the physical act of turning can be cumbersome. Rest the rug on your lap or a table as needed. Do not try to hold the entire weight of a large rug in the air while turning — you will strain your wrists and you are more likely to drop stitches or lose your place.
Starting the First Stitch of the New Row
Here is where a lot of beginners make a critical mistake. After turning, they look at the first stitch available and wonder: do I work into the very first stitch right next to my hook, or do I skip one?
For single crochet, you insert your hook into the first stitch of the new row — the stitch that sits directly at the base of your turning chain. Do not skip it. Remember, the turning chain for single crochet does not count as a stitch, so you do not need to skip the first stitch to account for it. You work into that first stitch immediately.
To do this, look for the top of the last stitch you completed in the previous row. It will appear as a V-shape or a small loop sitting at the top of the stitch. Insert your hook under both strands of that V (this is called working under both loops), yarn over with your fabric strip, and pull through. You now have two loops on your hook. Yarn over again and pull through both loops to complete the single crochet.
You have officially started your new row. Continue working single crochets across to the end.
Identifying the Last Stitch of Every Row
One consistent challenge in rag rug crocheting is identifying the last stitch of each row correctly. Because the turning chain can sometimes look like a stitch, and because fabric strips are bulkier than yarn, the last stitch can be easy to miss or mistake for something else.
A good habit is to place a stitch marker in the last stitch of every row as you complete it. A simple piece of contrasting fabric tied in a loop works perfectly if you do not have commercial stitch markers. When you reach the end of the following row, you will immediately be able to see exactly where to place your final stitch. After working into it, remove the marker and place it in the new last stitch before turning.
If you find at the end of a row that you have one stitch too many or one stitch too few, do not just continue. Go back and find where the error happened. Continuing with an incorrect count will compound the problem with every row, and the rug’s shape will suffer.
Joining New Fabric Strips at Row Transitions
Row transitions are the ideal place to join in a new fabric strip, and this is one of the advantages of working in rows rather than rounds. When you are near the end of a row and you can see that your current strip is running short, try to time your join so it falls at the very beginning of the next row.
The simplest joining method for rag rugs is the slip knot join or the loop-to-loop method. To use the loop-to-loop method, cut a small slit about half an inch from the end of your current strip and also near the beginning of the new strip. Fold the new strip into a loop and pass it through the slit in the old strip, then pass the tail of the new strip back through its own loop and pull snug. This creates a flat, secure join that lies flush against the rug and does not create a large knot that would be visible or uncomfortable underfoot.
You can also simply knot two strips together with a regular overhand knot, then trim the tails close to the knot after the rug is finished. This is faster and totally acceptable, though the knot will be slightly more visible.
Keeping Your Edges Straight and Your Tension Even
Straight edges are the hallmark of a well-made rag rug, and they depend almost entirely on consistent stitch count and even tension across rows. Tension in rag rug crocheting refers to how tightly or loosely you pull the fabric strip as you form each stitch.
If your tension is too tight, the rug will become stiff and may curl at the edges. If your tension is too loose, you will have gaps between stitches and the rug will feel floppy. The goal is a firm, consistent tension that allows the stitches to lie flat against each other without pulling.
Tension often varies between the middle of a row and the beginning and end. Many crocheters unconsciously tighten up as they approach the end of a row and then loosen as they begin the next one. Awareness is the first step — if you know you tend to do this, make a point of consciously relaxing your grip as you approach the final few stitches.
Blocking a rag rug — that is, wetting it and pinning it flat to dry — can do wonders for evening out minor tension inconsistencies. Cotton and linen rugs respond especially well to blocking. Knit fabric rugs will relax and even out when washed.
What to Do When the Rug Starts to Curl
Curling is one of the most common complaints among new rag rug crocheters, and it is almost always caused by one of two things: tension that is too tight, or a turning chain that is too short.
If your rug is curling at the sides, try loosening your tension slightly and see if it improves over the next few rows. If your rug is curling at the top and bottom edges, the turning chain may be pulling the edge stitches inward. Try chaining two instead of one and see if that helps.
Sometimes curling is also the result of the fabric material itself. Knit jersey fabric, for example, has a natural tendency to roll at the edges. This usually works itself out once the rug has enough weight and structure, especially after a wash.
How Row Direction Affects the Look of Your Rug
One of the charming things about rag rug making is that the direction in which you carry colors and fabric types actually affects the visual texture of the finished rug. Because single crochet stitches are slightly directional, working back and forth in rows creates a slightly different look on the right side versus the wrong side. Many crocheters use this to their advantage by using all one type of fabric for a clean, uniform look, or by deliberately mixing colors and textures to create a painterly, variegated surface.
As you start each new row, notice which side of the rug is facing you. Keeping the “right side” (the side you prefer) consistently facing outward as you work may require some intentional arrangement. Most rag rugs look good on both sides, so this is largely a personal preference.
Building a Consistent Practice
The most important thing you can do to improve your rag rug crocheting — including your ability to start new rows cleanly and confidently — is simply to practice consistently. Work a few rows every day rather than trying to power through an entire rug in one weekend session. Your hands will build muscle memory, your tension will naturally even out, and the turning process will become second nature.
Keep a small notebook or use your phone to record how many stitches you cast on, what hook size you used, and what fabric you are working with. If you ever need to make a second matching rug, or if you set the project down for a few months and come back to it, these notes will save you enormous amounts of time.
Rag rug crocheting is deeply forgiving. Small inconsistencies in tension, the occasional missed stitch that you catch later, slightly wonky edges on your first attempt — none of these will ruin the rug. The weight of the finished piece, the texture of the fabric, and the hours of care you put into it will far outweigh any minor imperfections. Once you get the rhythm of finishing a row, making your turning chain, turning your work, and sliding into that first stitch of a new row, you will find that this craft has a wonderful, meditative quality to it that keeps you coming back.
Start with a small project — a bathroom mat or a doormat — so you can practice the row transitions many times without committing to a huge piece. Once you have worked through a dozen or more row transitions, the process will feel completely intuitive, and you will be ready to tackle a large area rug, a runner, or any other shape you can dream up.
Happy crocheting.
