This week’s project is a rug I crocheted from a couple of old white t-shirts and the remaining pieces of a blue jersey sheet. I cut my cotton into 3/4 inch wide strips using my t-yarn making tutorial. Recycling t-shirts and old cotton sheets is a great way to repurpose those old items into new usable rugs, oven mitts, trivets, baby bibs, and more.

Once completed, this t-yarn rug had a problem. The center was not flat and the rug needed blocking badly so this week’s project turned into a two-fold post. A blocking tutorial for t-shirt yarn rugs and the free crochet pattern for the rug.

I didn’t take a photo of the rug before blocking but trust me, the center was all rumpled up and the rug wasn’t laying down flat. I used the same process I did when I blocked a round ripple afghan that was bowl-shaped in the center. My blocking method helped flatten both projects and really saved me a lot of frustration so I wanted to share how I did it. So first I will show how to block a t-shirt yarn rug.

Lay the rug down and stretch it out on a large piece of plastic on the carpet. I used a large trash bag and then just reuse it for the next blocking project. I pin it all around as I stretch the rug and shape it. Use lots of pins and push them down into the carpet to hold the rug in place. Then using a wet rag or wash cloth, press down and wet the rug. Move your cloth around and continue to wet it and as you do, shape and stretch your rug. I laid a wash cloth down as shown and with my hands flat, I move my hands around on top of the cloth. My center was the real problem area so I pressed down and wet this area more as I worked out the rumpled center.
Click on any photo to supersize

Next photo shows after I have been shaping and flattening out the center. Move your pins as needed to get the rug flat and a nice shape. Gently pull on the corners and edges to get it as straight and square as possible. Apply more water on a rag as needed.

Once you have the center flat and the rug shaped, its time to let it dry. I let my rug dry overnight with the pins in place. The next day, I removed the pins and flipped it over gently and let the back dry. The next morning the rug was completely dry and the rug held its shape rather nicely.

Closeup of the t-yarn rug once it was blocked and flatten. As you can see its pretty flat and I can live with how it looks now. I hope you find this t-yarn blocking tutorial useful should you find your rug or other projects need a little flattening.

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Because this plastic was much heavier than the normal thin plastic grocery bags, I cut the strips only about 1/2 inch wide. I cut the plastic into strips using my standard plarn making method to assemble the plastic strips.

I crocheted it all using single crochet stitches as this is a bit easier on the hands. A word of advice though, take lots of breaks from this project as it will help your hands and joints from getting too sore. Also if your rug doesn’t want to lay down flat, apply some gentle heat from a blow dryer, and flatten out your rug as you warm up the plastic. This really helped as my rug wanted to curl up a bit but with the heat from the dry blower, I was able to get my rug to lay down fairly flat.

Below you will find the general directions for crocheting this recycled plastic rug. Please be aware that this pattern is just a loose guideline for making your own unique rug using recycled plastic. You may need to add a few more stitches here and there so your ends lay down flat. I re-worked several rounds at times as the rug just didn’t want to lay down very flat. But remember the dry blower tip and try this out if needed. With that being said, enjoy the project and happy crocheting!

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Recycled Plastic Oval Rug Pattern

Materials needed:

Plastic bread bags and any other plastic packaging that you can cut into loops ½” wide
to create plastic bag yarn or plarn.

Hook:
“N” USA size crochet hook

Description:
Recycled plastic oval rug measures 16” wide and 30” long

Directions:
Ch 36 (approx. 14 inches)

Rnd 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st down to the end of chain , work 2 Sc in end st. Then working along the back side of chain, Sc in ea st down to the other end and work 2 Sc in end st.

Rnd 2
Work Sc in ea st down to the end, work 2 Sc in two end sts then Sc in ea remaining st down to other end st. Work 2 Sc in other two end sts.. Don’t join but just continue working rug in rounds.

Rnd 3
Work Sc in ea st down to the end, work 2 Sc in three end sts then Sc in ea remaining st down to other end st. Work 2 Sc in other three end […]

Anyway I crocheted this using about 3 different shirts and wanted a half circle rug to place in front of my shower. I had to rework my rug several times to get the shape right. Please keep in mind that you may have to add or subtract a stitch or two here and there to get your rug to lay down flat and to have the half circle shape. Remember that crafting with recycled materials is never an exact science so my patterns should be used as a guideline to help you create your own finished projects.

If you are new to crocheting or knitting with recycled t-shirts, you can learn the process by using my curled t-yarn tutorial. Enjoy this tarn rug project and happy recycled crafting to all!

Free Pattern for Crocheted T-Yarn Bathmat Rug

Materials needed:

3) t-shirts cut into ¼” wide strip and stretched to curl into T-yarn

Hook:
“N” USA size aluminum crochet hook

Description:
Bathmat rug is 27” tip to tip and 13-1/2” wide at middle

Directions:
Row 1
Make magic circle and work 7 Dc in circle.

Row 2
Ch 2, turn. Work 2 Dc in ea st to last st, work 1 Dc in last st.

Row 3
Ch 2, turn. Work Dc in sm st as ch 2 base, then 2 Dc in ea st across.

Row 4
Ch 2, turn. Work Dc in next 3 sts, * 2 Dc in next st, Dc in next 4 sts*. Repeat between * to end.

Row 5
Ch 2, turn. Dc in sm st as ch 2 base, Dc in next 2 sts, *2 Dc in next st, Dc in net 3 sts*. Repeat between * to end. (Dc in any remaining sts and don’t worry if count is off. Add sts as needed so half circle and to help rug lay flat.)

Row 6
Repeat row 5.

Row 7 – 8
Change color if desired by attaching new color and Ch 2, turn. Dc in next 2 sts * 2 Dc in next st, then Dc in next 3 sts*. Repeat between * to end. Dc in any remaining sts to complete row.

Row 9
Change colors again if desired. Ch 2, turn. Dc in next 9 sts, * 2 Dc in next st, Dc in next 10 sts *. Repeat between * to end.

Row 10
Ch 2, turn. * Dc in next 14 sts, 2 Dc in next st *. Repeat between * to end.

Row 11
Change color again if desired. Ch 2, turn. *Dc in next 12 […]

For all you rug lovers out there, I have a new recycled plarn rug pattern to share. It’s crocheted in the round and I used several different shades of creme, tan, and brown bags to create an earth tone look. These plastic rugs crocheted from recycled plastic bags make great boot or doormat rugs as you can just hose them off and hang to dry. Remember do not put these in the dryer as it will melt the plastic.

So grab those plastic bags, a big N crochet hook and lets do some recycled green plarn crafting!
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Free Crocheted Round Plarn Rug Pattern

Materials needed:
Several balls of plastic bag yarn “Plarn” in creme, tan, and browns
Hook: “N” U.S. size metal hook

Description: Earth tone round rug measures 19” wide

Directions:
Using Creme colored plastic bags (plarn) Ch 4, join to form ring.

Rnd 1
Work 12 Hdc into ring. Sl st to 1st st to join.

Rnd 2
Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, then 2 Hdc in ea st. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (24 sts)

Rnd 3
Change color to brown plarn by pulling up new color in last st of prior rnd. (I carried crème plarn on back of rug until rnd 8.)

Ch 2, work Hdc in sm st, *work Hdc in next st, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between * to end of rnd. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

Rnd 4
Change back to creme plarn. Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc once in ea of the next 2 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between *. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

Rnd 5
Using brown plarn again, Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc in ea of the next 3 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between *. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

Rnd 6
Change back to creme plarn. Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc in ea of the next 3 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between *. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

Rnd 7
Using tan plarn, Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc in ea of the next 4 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between *. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

Rnd 8
Change back to creme plarn. Repeat in pattern but work only about 4 increases in rnd as needed to allow rug to lay down flat. FO creme color now.

Rnd 9-11
Using tan plarn, Ch 2, work even with a Hdc in ea st. (Rug should be flat now. Adjust your sts as needed so it is flat.) Join with a sl st to top of ch 2.

(Use tan plarn for the next 4 rnds and then I finished using another shade of tan the last […]

My Recycled Plastic Doormat Rug

If you need instructions on how to make plastic bag yarn or plarn, here is the link to my picture tutorial. If you have never made yarn from bags, it will walk you through the process. For everyone else, you’re all set now so go and have fun making yourself a recycled plastic doormat!

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Free Recycled Doormat Rug Pattern Using Plastic Bags
with Placemat Variation

Size: 21″ wide x 17” rectangle rug
Hook: “N” U.S. crochet hook

Materials:
Large ball of white plastic bags cut and tied into yarn (plarn)
Small ball of blue and grey plastic bag yarn (plarn) used for center motif

Rnd 1
With center color (white shown) Ch 15, then in 3rd ch from hook work 2 Hdc, ch 2, 3Hdc, ch 2, 3 Hdc. *Sk 2 sts in ch, 3 Hdc in next ch st, *Repeat between * to end st on ch. In end st work 3 Hdc, ch 2, 3 Hdc, ch 2, 3 Hdc.
Working down other side of chain, Sk next 2 sts in ch, *3 Hdc in next st, Sk next 2 sts*. Repeat between * to end. Sl St into top of ch 2. FO. (12 shells)

Rnd 2
With next color (blue) attach with Sl St into ch 2 space in corner.

Ch 2, 2 Hdc in same sp, ch 2, 3 Hdc in same sp, then 3 Hdc in other corner, ch 2, 3 Hdc in same corner space.
Work 3 Hdc in between ea shell to corner. Work 3 Hdc in corner, ch 2, 3 Hdc in same sp.
Work 3 Hdc in next corner sp, ch 2, 3 Hdc in same sp, then 3 Hdc in ea sp between shells down side. Join with Sl St to top of ch 2 at beginning. FO. (16 shells)

Rnd 3
With next color (grey) attach with Sl St in ch 2 in corner.

Ch 2, 2 Hdc in same sp, ch 2, 3 Hdc in same corner sp. 3 Hdc between ea of the next shells, then in corner sp work – 3 Hdc, ch 2, […]

Here is an eco rug I crocheted from recycled plastic bags. I made this Motif rug as part of an eco craftalong on Craftster. It’s been a fun and very informative craftalong for me. I learned about Borax and found it to be a wonderful eco friendly cleaning supply. I’ve learned about making reusable swiffer covers and mops. I have had the privilege of seeing lots of other people’s creations using plastic bags and other recycled materials. So if you love doing eco-friendly everythings come check out the link above for a fantastic craftalong!

Here is my pattern below for this rug. I want to forewarn everyone that I had issues getting my rug to lie flat. I applied heat from a blow dryer which helped a bit but it still isn’t completely flat. You may want to add more stitches or adjust the pattern to make it work better for you. After tackling and frogging this round rug for weeks, I think I’ll stick with bag projects for awhile now.

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Free Round Recycled Plastic Bag Rug Pattern

Size: 18″ round rug
Hook: N metal crochet hook

Materials:
Large ball of white plastic bags cut and tied into yarn (plarn)
Small ball of blue plarn used for center motif

With center color (white shown) Ch 4, Sl St to form ring.

Rnd 1
Using white plastic bag yarn, Ch 2, (counts as 1 Hdc) in ring work 2 Hdc,
Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc
Ch 1, Sl St to top of Ch 2. (4 corners & 4 shells made)
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 2
With next color (blue) attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2, 2 Hdc, Ch1, 3 Hdc, all in the same ch 1 corner space.
*Sk next 3 Hdc, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the next Ch 1 corner space.*
Repeat between * 2 more times, Sl St to top of the beginning Ch 2.

Rnd 3
Sl St across remaining Hdc’s to corner.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 4
Change back to white yarn, attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.

Rnd 5
Sl St across ea Hdc to corner, sc in corner sp and in ea st around to next side of motif.
In sp after […]