I designed and made this rug first time in Spring 2014 shortly after discovering how to crochet the diamond motif with clear lines. I was really happy with the way the rug turned out and I hope here is happiness for others too to be found and crocheted in this project.
General Instructions
Size: 75 cm x 120 cm (4 rows of diamonds, without a fringe at both ends)
Suggested yarn: Hoooked Zpagetti, or other thin t-shirt yarn, 3 bobbins of background colour and ½ bobbin for each diamond row
Hook size: 8
Gauge: size of one diamond: 9 stitches wide x 17 rows = 12 cm x 28 cm
I recommend you to choose light and thin t-shirt yarn (or other yarn/ribbon) for this project because the rug will get quite thick anyway. I have also noticed that lighter yarn is better for my shoulders and wrists and I try to choose my t-shirt yarn so that I can crochet it with hook size 8. Since the material in t-shirt yarn varies, I also look for the yarns which have more elasticity in them and in which the fabric is thin. That way too the project becomes more pleasant to work with. If you can find a light and soft weaved ribbon yarn, I warmly recommend to use it too, but if you want your motifs to be as clear as possible, soft t-shirt yarn may be better since the motifs sink in the background better then. For the pictures in this pattern I used a Finnish ribbon yarn called Novita Tuubi. Unfortunately the quality of that yarn has changed so much since 2014 that I can't recommend it for this project anymore.
You can easily adjust the width and length of the pattern and your rug. Just crochet one more row of diamonds to make the rug longer (17+1 rows more = 29-30 cm) or add one more diamond to each row (9 stitches = 12 cm). You can also choose to crochet the diamonds wider and longer (maybe 11 stitches wide) or smaller (7 stitches wide).
Abbreviations (US crochet terms)
sl st slip stitch
ch chain
hdc half double crochet (half treble in UK)
I also use terms background colour/bg colour (beige) and motif colour (lilac/blue), RS =right side of the work, WS=wrong side of the work in this pattern.
Basics in a nutshell and some tricks I’ve noticed to be useful:
• In this tapestry crochet technique you work back and forth normally on both sides and all the stitches are crocheted into both loops.
• This rug is crocheted with half double crochets and widening the motif and decreasing the width are made one stitch at a time each row with changing the colour. Stitches are never added or decreased in this technique, because it uses the natural stitch pattern of half double crochet. The only thing changing is the colour. You see a chart for the rug below (for right-handed). I hope that also helps you on the way. The chart shows the right side of the work and the half square at the beginning of each row means ch 2.
• When crocheting tapestry crochet you carry along the resting yarn inside the stitches. When switching colour, make the final yarn over with the new colour during the previous stitch. When working with this technique carry along the resting yarn during each stitch when crocheting the right side of the work. When crocheting the wrong side, don’t carry the resting yarn inside during the first stitch after a colour change.
• Remember to also keep both yarns on the wrong side of the work all the time.
• When changing colour, pull gently the yarn that you leave resting when taking a new colour on the hook. It tends to be a bit loose otherwise and it also affects the clear lines of the motifs.
• Stretch the rug sideways every now and then to make sure that the yarn inside the stitches is not too tight.
• If something looks unclear, you can first have a look at the basic pattern for crocheting diamonds which you can find for free here on the blog as well as through Ravelry.
• I also have the habit of crocheting one hdc into the same stitch as ch 2 at the beginning of each row (see the first picture below). At the end of the row I jump over the last hdc of the row and crochet the last hdc into ch 2 of the previous row (see the second picture below). I think this way the long sides of the rug are quite even and without any big holes.
Pattern
Chain 58 + 2 (to turn around).
1. (RS) Crochet 1 hdc into third chain from the hook. Crochet 1 hdc into each chain = 58 stitches. So ch 2 in the beginning of the row is not counted as one hdc. The rug should always have 58 stitches. Chain 2 and turn the work.
2.-3. Crochet 1 hdc into each stitch and end the row with ch 2 and turn the work = 3 rows with the background colour. Here you can of course choose to crochet less or more rows with the bg colour. I tend to crochet 2-5 rows with the bg colour before beginning the pattern. During these rows you can also carry another yarn inside the stitches so that the whole rug has same thickness.
4. (WS) Time to join in a new colour and start crocheting the pattern according the chart. Crochet 5 hdc with the bg colour, and when crocheting the 6th hdc, make the last yarn over with the motif colour. Lift the yarn of the bg colour to the wrong side of the work before taking the motif colour on the hook. Do this always on the wrong side. I also have the habit of pulling the background colour tight at this point because it tends to be a bit loose. Crochet 1 hdc with motif colour, but make the last yarn over with the bg colour (picture 1 below). Crochet 1 hdc with the bg colour without carrying the motif colour inside the stitch, but pick it up after that (picture 2 below). Crochet altogether 8 hdc with the bg colour, and the 9th is crocheted with the motif colour again (picture 3 below). Pull the yarn of the motif colour gently before crocheting the 9th stitch with it, so that the yarn travelling inside the bg colour is tight enough. Repeat 6 times (as there are 6 diamonds in a row). Leave the motif colour here, to the last diamond, pull the yarn tight, and crochet rest of the row with only bg colour (picture 4 below).
5. (RS) Crochet 5 hdc with the bg colour and then 2 hdc with the motif colour (picture 5 and 6 below), and then 7 hdc with the bg colour according the chart. Remember to carry the bg color inside the motif colour during both stitches as always when crocheting the right side (picture 6 shows how your rug should look like at this point on the wrong side and you see the beige background yarn travelling inside both stitches made with lilac motif color).
6. (WS) Crochet 5 hdc with bg colour, 3 hdc with the motif colour and 6 hdc with the bg colour. When crocheting the first stitch with the motif colour, remember to lift the yarn of the bg colour to the wrong side (picture 7 below), then crochet the first stitch without carrying the yarn inside the motif colour (picture 8 below). Continue according the chart during rest of the row (6 stitches with the bg colour, 3 with the motif colour and 5 with the bg colour at the end of the row).
As you probably notice by now, you always widen the diamond pattern on the right side of the motif/diamond with one stitch during each row.
7.-11. Continue widening the diamond with one stitch each row.
12. (WS) Now the diamonds have reached their widest point, 9 stitches. Almost the whole row is crocheted with motif colour, except the two hdc in the beginning of the row and at the end of the row. I tend to call this row “the easy row” because I don’t have to constantly be changing colour :-).
13. (RS). During this row you start to decrease the width of the diamond motif to 8 stitches. It is made in the same way as widening the motif, one stitch each row. Crochet the first hdc with the motif colour into the same stitch which was made with the motif colour during the row 15. The actual decreasing is made on the left side of the motif.
14.-20. Crochet as before, decrease the width of the diamonds 1 hdc each row.
21. (RS) The first row of diamonds is now finished. Crochet the whole row with the bg colour. After this row you can either continue with the same motif colour or change it. Whenever continuing the next row of diamonds with the same motif colour, I tend to let the yarn of the motif colour to travel inside the stitches during the row to the point where I start the next row of diamonds. If I do change the motif colour, I still tend to carry the yarn of the motif colour inside the stitches to the same point then just cut the yarn and start with the new colour during the following row. This way the thickness and probably width of the rug too remains the same and at the same time the tails get weaved in.
22. (WS) Start the same way as with the first row of diamonds (row 4).
And continue crocheting as many diamond rows to your rug as you wish. I've made 4-5 rows to my rugs so far. Enjoy your work every now and then and rest and stretch. When I keep a pause, I also have the habit of putting the unfinished rug on the floor, admire it from different angles (because it looks different) and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea (and maybe some chocolate) - and just be happy about what I am making and achieving.
When you have finished your last row of diamonds, crochet the same amount of rows with bg colour as in the beginning and cut the yarn. Weave in the ends and maybe add a fringe to both ends if you like.
Hopefully this instruction has been clear for you to follow. I would love to hear your comments and feedback about the pattern and don’t hesitate to contact me: pirjonpuuhastelut@gmail.com if you have problems with crocheting the pattern.
You may reproduce this pattern and design your own patterns with the tapestry crochet technique for private use. Regarding possible commercial use, please contact me first.
Hope you have enjoyed crocheting this pattern!
Pirjo