Magic Ball Rug

The idea for this rug came out of the desire to use up my cotton yarn scraps. Ever-frugal me wanted to use them in something other than dishcloths and pot holders, so the idea for a rug came to mind. I decided on a hexagon pattern for this rug, which is quite simple and repetitive, so it's a good TV-watching project. Here's the pattern I came up with for a rug:

Magic Ball Rug

Size:
About 45 inches from point-to-point

Materials:
Worsted weight cotton yarn scraps that have been wound into Magic Balls. (See note below on how to wind a Magic Ball). I used two large balls that were wound on my yarn ball winder, approximately 10 oz. scrap yarn.

One Cone Peaches'n Cream worsted weight cotton yarn in Ecru

Size "N" crochet hook
Yarn needle

NOTE: INCREASE = 2 single crochets in same stitch.

Instructions:

Round 1: With one strand of Ecru and one strand of Magic Ball yarn held together, make a slip knot and slide onto the hook. Chain 2; then make 6 single crochet into the second chain from the hook; join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet.

Round 2: Chain 1, turn. Make 2 single crochets in the first stitch and in each stitch around; join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. 12 single crochet stitches.

Round 3: Chain 1, turn. Make 2 single crochet in the first stitch, single crochet in next stitch, *(INCREASE in the next stitch, one single crochet in the next stitch)around. Join with a slip stitch to first single crochet. 18 stitches.

Round 4: Chain 1, turn. INCREASE in same stitch, single crochet in next 2 stitches, (INCREASE in next stitch, single crochet in next 2 stitches)around. Join with slip stitch to first single crochet. 24 stitches.

Repeat Round 4 for the pattern, keeping track of how many single crochet stitches between increases. On my rug, the last round had 46 single crochet stitches between increases (240 stitches on the last round).

You can make this rug any size you'd like. I didn't put an edging on mine, but you can do that too - be creative.

To Wind a Magic Ball:
Take yarn scraps of any length and tie the ends together. Wind into balls. It's as simple as that! You can use up scraps or use planned colors by cutting yarn to various lengths and tying ends together.

When I crochet with Magic Balls, I sometimes leave the yarn ends out for a shaggy look, and sometimes I crochet over them. The choice is yours. Magic balls are a fun way to use up scraps. I've made dishcloths, pot holders, tote bags, and afghans using Magic Balls. The possibilities are endless - just use your imagination and come up with your own unique Magic Ball project!

Enjoy the pattern, and if you have any questions, please let me know.