Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Crocheted Rag Rug Tutorial: Part Three

Okay, grab your giant crochet hook and let's work on down the side of your rug where we left off last time. Got that done? Now let's go around a curve.

Here we come to what I'll call the first curve today. I see no center stitch right at the top of the curve so I'm choosing to make 2 single crochets in each of the two center most stitches.

Looks okay to me.

Around we go and down the other side of the rug.

Here's our second curve to work around. I see a stitch at the very top of the curve so I'm going to try to put 2 single crochets in the three stitches at the top of the curve. First increase in the stitch on the right, then in the topmost stitch, then in the one on the left.

That gives a nice round, even curve.

You can see the rug still wants to curl up, but this is not unusual until the rug gets a little bigger. If the curling bothers you, you can lay the rug on an ironing board and using steam, give it a good pressing and it should surrender, relax and lie flat. Just don't panic and put too many increased stitches in your curves at this point.

The third curve increases are going to be done slightly differently because the curve itself is bigger and wider.

I have a pencil stuck through what I'm calling the topmost stitch of this curve. I'm going to do 2 single crochets in the second stitch BEFORE that top stitch, then I'll do one regular single crochet in the stitch right before the topmost stitch, 2 single crochets in the top stitch, one regular single crochet in the stitch immediately following, and then 2 single crochets in the next. So for this curve we have an increase in a stitch, skip making an increase on the next stitch, an increase in the topmost stitch, skip making an increase on the next stitch and then an increase in the next stitch.

That puts you around the curve and on to another long side.

I went on to do the fourth curve the same as the third.

All right, this rug is getting through to me now. I can't coax it to lie flat, it's still curling, so to the steam iron we go.

Voila! Flat as a pancake!

As the rug (and the curves) grows in size, I look at the curve before starting my increases.

Just eyeball it and mark with pins (evenly spaced around the curve is best) where you want to do your increases. (Above is our fifth curve to be worked, if anyone is still counting.)

Every time I finish a curve with the increases, I stop and pull and pat the curve to see if it will lie relatively flat without cupping or waving. If I like the way it looks, I go on. If not, I simply pull out the stitches around the curve and place the increases in different spots or make more or less of them. (Remember that you never make increases along the long sides of the rug . . . only around the curves.)

The next curve, the sixth today, looks a little pointy to me so I'm going to make an increase 2 in the stitch to the right of the point, do a single crochet in the next two stitches and increase 2 in the next stitch. (I'm trying to "fill in" a little on each side of the very end stitches.

That gave me a nice, round curve with no more point.

The bigger your rug gets, the larger your curve will be and (usually) the more spaced apart your increases will be. I've never made more than four increases evenly spaced around a curve, but if you think you need more, try it.

I'd always rather have a rug that cupped slightly ("slightly" perhaps being the operative word) than one with a wavy edge because when laid on the floor, the cupped one will flatten out from being walked on. The wavy one will probably never flatten out.

My rug at this point measures approximately 7-1/4" x 18-1/4".

It feels like I'm getting a little too much cupping so I just did four increases on the right hand side . . .

. . . and will do the same on the left hand one coming up.

Bottom line, don't be afraid of your increasing on the curves. It's a small matter to pull out a curve and try again if you don't like the looks of it. The bigger your rug gets, the more easily it will lie flat. If you take the time to look at a curve and mark your increases with pins or some other markers evenly spaced before doing them, I think it's easier to get a nicely rounded curve.

So how about some pictures from those of you who have had time to start your rug? I'd love to see them.

Next time I'll show you how to end the rug and how to weave in that 6" tail that is still flapping around where you first started the rug.

17 comments:

dr momi said...

You are a good teacher and a talented women!!

Anonymous said...

Excellent directions Mama Pea! You crochet much like I do....adjust as you go:) That is what I am doing with the rope rug too

country life said...

I got kinda busy and didnt start when I wanted to. I am cutting the rest of them out tomorrow and starting! I think I can, I think I can! :D

Carolyn said...

Ok, even though I may have been the one to originally plead for you to do the tutorial, I have yet to even get the strips cut yet!!! But I AM totally using this as my Go-To guide when I do get around to make my rug! Thanks again MP!

Tombstone Livestock said...

I started crocheting hay rope rug today ........ he he he, think I am going to need a fence tool as well as a crochet hook, lol.

Wendy said...

Your tutorial for the crochet rug is wonderful! I wish I had these directions the first time I made one of these. I just went for it and had so much frustration with the curve, but finally did get it. Your instructions are precise and clear which will make it easy for anyone to follow.

Sparkless said...

These are great tutorials! I have copied them and am saving them for when I make my rug. I can actually understand the whole thing and that's saying something about me and not your teaching ability because if I can understand it anyone can.

Katidids said...

Great tut! I plan on making one for the laundry room once everything is caught up here (that ever really happen?)

Leigh said...

Excellent tutorial. I'm not participating, but I am linking to it on my fiber links website. :)

Have you considered linking your parts together? So someone could either click to start at the beginning, and click for the next part?

Mama Pea said...

dr momi - Thank you so much! But do you know what? Writing a tutorial is H-A-R-D! :-/

Stephanie - When all else fails, wing it!

Country Life - I KNOW you can, I KNOW you can!

Carolyn Renee - Hey, we all have busy lives to lead and can't do what we want when we want it. Don't put pressure on yourself. ("Life" does that without any of our help!) And, you're welcome!

Tombstone Livestock - Haha! I laughed out loud at your reference to needing a fence tool. I know exactly what you mean! Wanna see my callouses?

Wendy - You are being too kind and making me blush. Thank you!

Sparkless - And, you m'dear, put yourself down waaaay too much!

Katidids - I once said something in front of my daughter that I was going to do such-and-so when the time was "right." She (wisely) replied, "Mom, if you want to do it, do it now. There will never be the "right" time."

Leigh - Well, thanks, Leigh. "Link my parts together?" I am so woefully computer illiterate that I have no idea how to do that. But my daughter will know so I'll bounce it off her. :o}

Rea said...

Beautiful rug! Thanks for showing us how.

Mama Pea said...

Rea - Thanks for commenting! And thank you also for the nice words. I think there's room in the world for lots more homemade rugs, don't you? ;o}

judy said...

YOU MUST NOT HAVE A STITCH OF ARTHRITIS TO KEEP GOING ON AS YOU DO ON THAT RUG.I HAVE CARPEL TUNNEL SO BAD IF I TRY SOMETHING FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF MINI. ,I HAVE TO PRY MY FINGERS APART--LOL BEAUTIFUL RUG IN PROGRESS THO

Susan said...

You make it sound (and look) so simple. Ha! I am collecting baling twine to give it a whirl. Having never crocheted, I am more than a little bit hesitant to jump in there. Your tutorial was very well done - patience of Job?

Mama Pea said...

judy - You're right, I'm very fortunate not to have any problem with arthritis or carpel tunnel syndrome. Otherwise, this rug crocheting would be impossible because it is hard on the hands.

Susan - Patience of Job? Ha! Would you please send my husband a note saying same? He thinks I'm terribly impatient!

Anonymous said...

Love it Love it Love it.... thank you so much but how do I finish ?

Mama Pea said...

Anonymous - Just go over to my right hand side bar, scroll way down to the Search box and type in: Crocheted Rag Rug Tutorial - Part Four. That should lead you right to the last finishing post of the rug making. Hope it all works out for you!