Are you planning on making a crochet rug? The yarn you choose can make a big difference in how durable your rug is and how long it will last. Today we will look at the best yarn for crochet rugs!
When making a crochet rug you have to remember its intended use when choosing a yarn. There’s a lot that goes into picking out that perfect yarn for a crochet rug, so let’s dive into these items you need to consider.
WAIT, WHY CROCHET A RUG ANYWAY?
You might be asking “why would anyone want to crochet a rug?” but, then again, why would you be reading a post about the best yarn for a crochet rug if you’re asking that question.
A crochet rug can be a beautiful addition to any room, and since most are made of larger yarn it really doesn’t take that long to work up a nice crochet rug. Plus, a well-made rug can last for years!
Crochet rugs can protect the flooring in a room and are also very comfortable to the feet, especially if it’s the wintertime and those floors are cold!
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING THE BEST YARN FOR CROCHET RUGS
So now let’s dive into these things that you should consider when choosing a rug yarn for your next (or first!) crochet rug.
1. HOW EASY IS IT TO CARE FOR?
Now, you know a crochet rug is going to get dirty!! So you have to think carefully about the ease of care when it comes to your yarn choice.
If you are crocheting a smaller rug, you should look for yarn that is machine washable. I can’t imagine having to hand wash a rug. You could definitely go that way if you like, but for me I’d want a rug that is really easy to care for, and that means being able to toss it in the washer when I need to.
For larger rugs, you could go with a dry cleanable yarn or you could spot clean it as needed. (After all, you can’t throw a large woven rug into the washer, either!).
2. WHAT IS THE FIBER CONTENT?
This really piggybacks on the first question, because the fiber content of the yarn will, in large part, determine how easy it is to care for. When crocheting a rug, you want a yarn that won’t kill your hands while you are making it (not too rough), feels good to walk on and holds up to wear and tear.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular fibers for crocheted rugs.
ACRYLIC
Acrylic is wonderful for a lot of uses, including rugs. It is machine washable, which is the first important item to consider! It’s also relatively inexpensive, so if you are making a large rug you won’t break the bank with acrylic yarn.
Acrylic yarn can be found in just about any color you can imagine, too, so the sky is the limit when designing a rug out of this fiber! This yarn isn’t too rough on your hands as you work it and it is very durable.
COTTON
Another popular choice is cotton yarn, especially for rugs that are going in the kitchen or bath areas. Cotton is also machine washable and very durable. It can tend to stretch out of shape if it gets wet a lot, though, so keep that in mind when choosing your yarn.
You can find sturdy cotton yarn made for kitchen use in most any color and very inexpensively. So while cotton doesn’t often come in the super huge gauges of some wool or acrylic yarns, you can hold two or three strands together to make a nice rug.
WOOL
Wool yarn is another popular option becuase it is soft, warm and squishy, so it feels great to the feet, and it doesn’t cost a fortune. You can also get wool yarn in any color you desire.
Careful that you don’t felt a wool yarn, though! If you want your yarn to be wool AND machine washable, look for a superwash wool.
T SHIRT YARN
The thick jumbo yarn weight is really popular for handmade rugs, and t-shirt yarn is an awesome option! This yarn feels great to the feet, can easily be tossed in the washer and holds up well to wear and tear.
This yarn is really fabric strips like the kind used for a rag rug, only they are sewn together so you get one long strand of “yarn”. Sometimes you might also hear this referred to as “fabric yarn”.
3. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Those jumbo yarns can really be expensive, so you have to figure cost into the equation, too, when looking at making a crochet rug (whether you decide to hand crochet or use a giant hook). Most rugs use at least worsted weight yarn, and usually heavier, so the yarn type can make a big difference in how much it costs.
Luckily, there are plenty of great yarns out there that not only look nice, but are also affordable. We are going to look at some beautiful yarns now that won’t break the bank, even if you are planning a large rug.
4. WHERE CAN I FIND IT?
Sometimes I really just want to feel the yarn before I choose it? Can you relate? I like to squish the skeins and see how the fibers feel.
So as much as I love online shopping, there is just something about being able to handle the yarn that appeals to me. I tend to use yarn that is available nearby, although there are times that I really love ordering online, from places such as We Crochet.
So while I am providing links to the yarns below, many of these are also available at your local store (think JoAnn or Michael’s, and sometimes even WalMart!) and a lot of times you can use a coupon at the big craft stores or they run sales on yarn! (I love the 20% off total purchase coupons when they run them and sometimes they will have 25% off a certain brand, so be on the lookout for deals!)
5. WHAT COLORS ARE AVAILABLE?
Color is another choice you’ll have to make when deciding upon a yarn for your rug. The color you choose will play a big factor in how the rug looks in the room and how happy you are with the finished product.
Some yarns don’t come in a wide variety of colors, so if you choose one of those yarns you will be limited as to what color you can make. For me, I love all shades of teal and turquoise, so those would make me the happiest, although in our house there is more navy, olive green and tan (my compromise with the hubs lol!), so those are the colors I would look for in a yarn for my home.
