Play! Crochet Outdoor Rug

I needed something fun and colorful to beckon us outside during these warmer days – I was missing a doormat out onto the patio and decided to whip one up using Lion Brand Yarn’s new Fast Track yarn!

This yarn is To. Die. For. I’m tellin’ you. It’s a whole mess of lovely. It’s a tape style yarn that is a cotton blend – so perfectly durable and soft. It works up with amazing stitch definition and the colors are so saturated and rich. I knew it was the perfect thing for the outdoor rug of my dreams!

I chose to work with Pink Convertible, because let’s face it – we all need a little more hot pink in our lives. What’s more happy than this shade? Nothin’!

You’ll have a good bit of yarn leftover (1/4 skein of your main color, and 1/2 a skein of your accent) so experiment with it and comment below what you come up with! I have lots of plans for this stuff.

This pattern is super simple, and only requires single crochets and slip stitches. Easy, peasy.

You can even change the message to anything you want. It could say “Welcome” or “Love” or even stitch on some sort of other applique! I suppose you could leave it blank, but where’s the fun in that?

Let’s get to it!

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern from Etsy HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

Materials:

-Lion Brand Fast Track yarn in Pink Convertible and Airstream White

-Size J 6mm crochet hook

-Large eye tapestry needle

With Pink Convertible, Ch 29, Sc in 2nd st from hook and across, Ch 1, turn (28)

Rows 2-56: Sc in each across, Ch 1, turn (28)

Row 57: Sc evenly around the perimeter of the rectangle (work 2 Sc in each corner), sl st to join to first st in the round, color change to Airstream White, Ch 1

Row 58: Repeat Row 57, color change to Pink Convertible, Ch 1

Row 59:Sc evenly around the perimeter of the rectangle (work only 1 Sc in each corner), sl st to join to first st in the round, color change to Airstream White, Ch 1

Row 60: Repeat Row 57, no color change

Row 61: Repeat Row 57, color change to Pink Convertible, Ch 1

Row 62: Repeat Row 59

Row 63: Repeat Row 59, sl st to join, finish off, weave ends

“Play” Stitching

I used simple surface slip stitches to stitch on these letters. You could embroider them with running stitches if you prefer, but I like the look of surface slip stitches. There are lots of great tutorials on this technique if you’ve never done it, like THIS ONE from Tamara over at Moogly!

Just make sure your message is centered and large enough to read. You don’t want people on your patio asking what your mat says – yikes!

Don’t forget to PIN this project to your Pinterest boards!

 

What spring/summer outdoor rug will you make this year? Comment below!