Wow! Can you believe October is finally here? Bring on the cool temps, fallen leaves, pumpkin spice and continued desire to knit and crochet ALL THE THINGS!
In complete contrast to the season we’re currently in, I was struck to design this ocean inspired bath rug back when the weather was warm and sunny, and I swear I could hear the beach calling my name. It only took me a few months to finally concentrate on finishing it and now that I have, it almost seems I’ve missed my window of opportunity to match the season. Even so, I still want to share it with you all and perhaps you can add it to your project list to make for next spring/summer.
Let me tell you about the yarn! If you’ve not had a chance to feel the new Red Heart Scrubby Cotton yarn, it is everything you’d imagine a fluffy bath towel or spa dream treatment would feel like. It’s also another reason I was led to design a bath rug because the way this yarn feels against your skin is calming and comforting. Just picture stepping out onto this rug with your eyes closed and you might just be transported to the beach while dipping your toes in the sand, the texture is delightfully similar!
This project is a breeze to make and exciting at the same time. It’ll keep you on your toes with all the different color changes and keep you motivated with the promised beauty of the finished project. I’ve got leftover yarn that I plan to use for another fun and complimentary project to this, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
Calming Tides Bath Rug
Crochet Pattern written by Amanda White of Yarnanigans, Copyright 2017
All my patterns are available for free. Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or publish this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern on your site or social media, please link back to my site. You may sell items produced using this pattern provided you give credit and do not use my copyrighted photos for your product listing.
Materials
- US size H/5 mm crochet hook (I recommend this ergonomic crochet hook set from Clover*
)
- 3 skeins each Red Heart Scrubby Cotton
- Color A (CA): Lemony
- Color B (CB): Fiji
- Color C (CC): Cotton
- Color D (CD): Calm Print
- yarn winder* (optional)
- digital food scale (optional)
- scissors
- tapestry needle
Finished Measurements
- 22″ tall x 29″ wide
Gauge
- 12 dc x 8 rows per 4″ square
Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- fdc – foundation double crochet
Stitch Definition
Foundation double crochet is a chainless foundation row where the stitch and the chain are worked at the same time. Here’s a reference from Interweave Crochet:
To work Foundation double crochet:
- Ch 3. Yarn over, insert hook in 3rd chain from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop.
- Yarn over and draw through 1 loop.
- Yarn over and draw through 2 loops twice. This completes 1 foundation double crochet with chain at the bottom.
- *Yarn over, insert hook under the 2 loops of the chain at the bottom of the stitch just made, yarn over and pull up a loop.
- Yarn over and draw through 1 loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops twice.
- Repeat from * for the instructed amount of stitches in pattern.
Pattern Notes
The rug is made using double strands of Red Heart Scrubby Cotton. I wanted the rug to be thick with no gaping holes so I used a US size H/5 mm crochet hook (I recommend this ergonomic crochet hook set from Clover*
I used my Stanwood yarn winder* and digital food scale to divide each skein into 2 equally weighted bobbins. These tools are optional to help divide your yarn. I found them especially helpful and it gave my older son some satisfaction helping his Mama wind all the yarn. If you don’t have a yarn winder or digital scale, don’t worry! You can wind it by hand using this tutorial from Lion Brand and eyeball the bobbins to be the same size. You’re going to need to wind all three skeins of each color for a total of 6 bobbins.
While working the pattern, you’ll always be working with at least 4 bobbins of every color and at least 1 color will need an additional 2 bobbins. That color is usually the one you’re using on the outer edges and middle.
Using two strands of yarn and working with multiple color changes per row required a lot of bobbins and juggling of said bobbins to keep everything from getting tangled. Try to stay organized and work in a back and forth motion when turning (as opposed to turning 360 degrees) to keep everything manageable. Once you get going you’ll find a rhythm that works for you!
**Color changes are worked in the last yarn over, draw through 2 loops on the hook of the last double crochet for that color. For example, if you are working 8 dc in Color A and switching to Color B, work the last dc in Color A until you have 2 loops left on the hook. Pick up Color B, yarn over and draw through the last 2 loops on the hook to complete the stitch. Then you will continue with the color block sequence for Color B until you switch again. You’ll find that when you switch colors you can work over the jog to keep everything tidy.
I found it EXTREMELY helpful to work in loose ends early on in the project. Having loose ends while maintaining several bobbins led to unforeseen tangles.
Pattern Chart
If you follow the chart for the pattern, you’ll start in the upper left hand corner at the star. The pattern is worked vertically….down, then up, and so on. Each block on the chart is a Dc worked with 2 strands of yarn and you’ll chain 2 at the beginning of each row to start.
Pattern Written Instructions
- Color A (CA): Lemony
- Color B (CB): Fiji
- Color C (CC): Cotton
- Color D (CD): Calm Print
Row 1: With two strands CA, create a slip knot and ch 3. Fdc 8, finishing the last stitch by switching to CB (2 strands). Fdc 8, finishing the last stitch by switching to CC (2 strands). Fdc 8, finishing last stitch by switching to CD (2 strands). Fdc 17, finishing the last stitch by switching to CC. Fdc 8, finishing last stitch by switching to CB . Fdc 8, finishing the last stitch by switching to CA. Fdc 8, finishing the last stitch by switching back to CD. Turn work.
**See notes above about color changes/turning work and use this method throughout
Row 2: Ch 2, 1dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 15dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 1dc CD.
Row 3: Ch2, 2dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 13dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 2dc CD.
Row 4: Ch2, 3dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 11dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 3dc CD.
Row 5: Ch2, 4dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 9dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 4dc CD.
Row 6: Ch2, 5dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 7dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 5dc CD.
Row 7: Ch2, 6dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 5dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 6dc CD.
Row 8: Ch2, 7dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 3dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 7dc CD.
Row 9: Ch2, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 1dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD.
Row 10: Ch 2, 1dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 15dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 1dc CC.
Row 11: Ch 2, 2dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 13dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 2dc CC.
Row 12: Ch 2, 3dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 11dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 3dc CC.
Row 13: Ch 2, 4dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 9dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 4dc CC.
Row 14: Ch 2, 5dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 7dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 5dc CC.
Row 15: Ch 2, 6dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 5dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 6dc CC.
Row 16: Ch 2, 7dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 3dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 7dc CC.
Row 17: Ch 2, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 1dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC.
Row 18: Ch 2, 1dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 15dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 1dc CB.
Row 19: Ch 2, 2dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 13dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 2dc CB.
Row 20: Ch 2, 3dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 11dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 3dc CB.
Row 21: Ch 2, 4dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 9dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 4dc CB.
Row 22: Ch 2, 5dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 7dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 5dc CB.
Row 23: Ch 2, 6dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 5dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 6dc CB.
Row 24: Ch 2, 7dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 3dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 7dc CB.
Row 25: Ch 2, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 8dc CA, 1dc CB, 8dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB.
Row 26: Ch 2, 1dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 15dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 1dc CA.
Row 27: Ch 2, 2dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 13dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 2dc CA.
Row 28: Ch 2, 3dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 11dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 3dc CA.
Row 29: Ch 2, 4dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 9dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 4dc CA.
Row 30: Ch 2, 5dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 7dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 5dc CA.
Row 31: Ch 2, 6dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 5dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 6dc CA.
Row 32: Ch 2, 7dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 3dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 7dc CA.
Row 33: Ch 2, 8dc CA, 8dc CB, 8dc CC, 8dc CD, 1dc CA, 8dc CD, 8dc CC, 8dc CB, 8dc CA.
Rows 34-41: Repeat Rows 2-9.
Rows 42-49: Repeat Rows 10-17.
Rows 50-53: Repeat Rows 18-21.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
This bath rug is so nice, thick and luxurious. Cut to size a no-slip rug mat and place underneath it and the rug will stay put on both wood and tile floors.
I hope you enjoy making your own Calming Tides Bath Rug. If so, I’d love to see it on the Yarnanigans Facebook page or tag me on Instagram or Twitter with the handle @yarnanigans
