The Rag Rug The Rag Rug has everything you wanted in a craft but were afraid to expect. Not only is it easy (if you know how to crochet) and inexpensive to make, but can be any size you choose, it washes and wears very well, feels good on bare feet, and emits warm hospitality to visitors. How's that for a portfolio!

INGREDIENTS:

strips of scrape material (about one inch wide)
crochet needle (no smaller than I)
loose strips of material (for fringe) measuring about 1"x 8".

Tip for choosing materials:

The strips of material you choose should be alike in consistency. You can still use different types as long as you compensate by either making the strips wider or a little more narrow than the rest of them.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sew your strips together by placing them at right angles to each other and stitching from corner to corner diagonally. (See Figure 1) Trim seams to 1/4". You can alternate colors or put one color of material together all at once.
2. Roll up your one long strip until you've got a ball the size of a basketball.
3. For the rug in the picture I start at one of the fringe ends and chain 44 for row one. You can make it longer or shorter depending on your placement choices.
4. When you have the width/length you desire, single crochet in the third chain from the needle, and chain one.
5. Continue (one single crochet/one chain) all the way to the end of the row. Make sure that you have the SAME amount of stitches in each row or you'll end up with a lop-sided rug.
6. Turn, chain 2, and proceed as in row 2, until you have the length/width you want.

FRINGE:

7. Fold one of your loose strips in half.
8. Push the fold through one of the border chain stitches where you want your fringe. (Figure 2).
9. Bring the two ends through the loop and pull tightly. (Figures 3-5)
10. Continue in this fashion (through every border chain stitch) until you have both ends filled with 'fringe'.

That's a working craft for you, and even though they are beautiful, don't be afraid to use them.