Watermelon Rag Rug

Watermelon Rag Rug

Sorry for the terrible picture. My husband got a new camera to take on a mission trip to guatemala, so I thought I would use it. I now know that my phone takes better pictures than that crappy little thing.

While my husband was in Guatemala, setting up and working in a free medical clinic for a week, I took our little girls and went to visit my sister in southern Indiana.  My sister and her husband have 9 beautiful, healthy, happy children (and one on the way).  That is pretty unheard of these days, but it works for them, and we love spending time there.
I have been working on a lot of rag rugs lately, mainly because my mother keeps giving me bags of fabric that she has already cut into strips for me.  She made A TON of little pillow case dresses to send with the group going to Guatemala, and so all of the scraps of fabric she had left over she would send my way.
While in Indiana, I found inspiration everywhere. I came home with so many ideas. The following pattern is the first one I finished.

NOTE: when working with rag strips, sometimes you will need to add or decrease a stitch or two here and there to get your rug to lay flat properly. It all depends on how wide you cut your fabric and what type of fabric you are using. also it may depend on how tight or loose you crochet.

Watermelon Rag Rug

Hook size N/10mm

dc = double crochet
rnd = round
ch = chain
st = stitch
I wrote this pattern in rounds, but since it is only a half circle rug, you will be turning, each (round) as I have referred to them is actually just a half round or row.

with bright pink fabric
chain 4, join with a slip stitch to form a ring
round 1: chain 3, 7 double crochets in the ring
rnd 2: chain 3, turn, (working in front loops only) 2 double crochets in each space (your chain 3 will count as your first double crochet)
rnd 3: chain 3, turn, (working in back loops only) , dc in first st, 2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in next st,
with black fabric 2 dc in next st
with pink 1 dc in st, 2 dc in st, 1 dc in st
with black fabric 2 dc in next st
with pink 1 dc in st, 2 dc in st, 1 dc in st
with black 2 dc in next st
with pink, 1 dc in st, 2 dc in st, 1 dc in st, 1 dc in st
rnd 4: with pink, ch 3, turn, (working in front loops only) *dc in each of first 3 stitches, 2 dc in next st*, repeat from * around
rnd 5: with pink, ch 3, turn (working in back loops only) 1 dc in each of next 3 st
with black 2 dc in next st
with pink 1 dc in each of next 4 st, 2 dc in next st,
with black 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 1 dc in each of next 2 st, 2 dc in next st
with black 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 1 dc in each of next 2 st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with black 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 2 dc in each of last 2 spaces
rnd 6: with pink, chain 3, turn (working in front loops only) dc in each st around
rnd 7: with pink, chain 3, turn (working in back loops only) 1 dc in each of next 6 st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st
with black 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 1 dc in each of next 2 st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 st,
with black 1 dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 4 st,
with black 1dc in each of next 2 st
with pink 1dc in same st as last black dc, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of last 2 st
rnd 8: with pink chain 3, turn (working in front loops only)
dc in first 7 st, 2 dc in next st, *dc in each of next 6 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from the * around
rnd 9: with pink chain 3, turn (working in back loops only)
*1 dc in each of 7 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from * around
rnd 10:with pink chain 3, turn, (working in front loops only)
*1 dc in each of 8 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from * around
rnd 11: with a lighter shade of pink, ch 3, turn, (working in back loops only)
*1 dc in each of 5 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from * around
rnd 12: with ligher pink, ch 3, turn (working in front loops only)
* 1dc in each of 6 st, 2 dc in next st * repeat from the * around
rnd 13: with a light green, chain 3, turn (working in back loops only)
*1 dc in each of 7 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from the * around
rnd 14: with a darker green, ch 3, turn (working in front loops only)
*1 dc in each of 8 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from the * around
rnd 15: with dark green, ch 3, turn, (working in back loops only)
*1 dc in each of 9 st, 2 dc in next st* repeat from the * around

weave in any loose fabric strips and you are finished!