Is there such a thing as rug yarn? :?? What would be the sturdiest yarn to use? The pattern I am thinking of doing calls for kitchen cotton, but I found that it wasn’t very good for scrubbing sinks so it’s probably not good for being underfoot.
Yes, there is such a thing as rug yarn. The people who use it the most are people who make rugs. I’ve found it in the craft store near the dolls or the latch hook projects. It’s horribly scratchy stuff - acrylic. I got some in a box of used yarn before.
You could always buy some fabric tulle, cut it into strips and knit with it. I think that may work well for scrubbing.
Rug yarn is sold in skeins, and is stiffer than regular yarn. Before the days of “latch hook rug kits” which have those short odd pieces of yarn in various colors, people made rugs with punch hooks. I made this kind of rug as a teen, but when my punch hook got broken by my brother it was a craft I had to abandon for I couldn’t find any where to replace the punch hook, all I could find was latch hooks which aren’t even close to the same.
I have not knit a rug yet, but have crocheted one a long time ago. My pattern also called for cotton, but it was like ice skating each time one would step on it in the kitchen, so I put a grippy back onto it. The shelf liner stuff that you can buy in rolls, I am sure you know what I mean. Works great and the rug still looks good after about 5 years of use and dogs. (I have a 200 lb Old English Mastiff that drools a lot) it absorbs any excess water (or drool) washes up great and thanks to the rubber, does not slide 
Thanks for the info! I don’t want it scratchy so rug yarn sounds like it’s out. Have to think on this…
Would the heavier cotton work? I think I saw some double worsted at the p&c website. That would make it sturdier and cushier. Wouldn’t it??
Yeah, it might. I’ll check it out, thanks!
This really won’t help you now, but decades ago (in the 60’s) my mother crocheted rugs and runners for the house out of the coarsest wool I ever saw. There was a mill in town (we lived in New Hampsire for a year or so) and she got left-over spools from the neighbor.
Those rugs and runners are still in perfectly good condition. We had to get rid of a few because my father neglected to ever clean them, but my sister kept one for old-time’s sake. You wouldn’t know for one second that it’s 40 years old.
I was wondering about wool, Ingrid. Do you think it’s sturdier than cotton? I would think so, but… :shrug: I was also thinking I could use wool and felt it, but I don’t know. I’d like for it to be washable, but washable wool might not be as good? :??
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Jan,
Take a loot at this! It says it’s soft!!!
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Neat, Susan! I’ll have to keep my eye out for other colors. Thanks!
There’s this, I think you can hand knit with it too, but it doesn’t say how soft it is:
http://yarn.com/webs/0/0/0/0-1001-1008-1326/0/0/1355/
My mom has also made a bunch, if you want more answers soon I will ask her and let you know.
I think she did some with rag strips… ?
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Ja,
Your mpre then welcome. They have a lot of rug yarn on E-Bay. Just type in Rug Yar. and hit enter and you’ll see the listings.[/COLOR][/B]
That looks pretty neat, Rebecca! The only thing is it’s kind of expensive and you have buy a LOT. 
I do like the colors though so I’m going to bookmark it for sometime when I want to make a solid color rug. 
This is the rug I want to make so you can see I need lots of little bits. 
I think I’ve seen something similar to the ebay cord before. It’s like heavy macrame cord and it would knit up fine on large needles.
What a neat rug, Jan!
I made a bathroom rug for my kids a few months ago. I used three strands of the double worsted Peaches and Creme. It was a hard project, but the rug is so soft and durable. We all just love it!!!
Thanks Nathalie, good to know!
I was looking at that rug too, it’s so pretty!
My mother said she has one made from Baabajoes, which I can’t find with google, and she’s used Cascade, knitpicks worsted, & I think she said brown sheep for wool and also rags, and peaches and cream. (In different rugs.) She said you can also use any two worsteds held together, and that looks nice if you want more colors.
I didn’t even look at the price on that webs one before (:noway:), but I know it’s been on sale before too…
Thanks, Rebecca! That helps a lot. At least I know now what other people have made rugs from and haven’t heard any horror stories. 
I’ve used 3 strands of regular dish cloth cotton for bath mats and it is fine.
The Mason-Dixon Knitting book has a few rug patterns. A Bathroom rug calls for Weekend Cotton by classic elite. Another rug calls for P&C cotton with strips of fabric intersperserd for a rag rug look sort of. For a wild looking rug they have a pattern where you string wool pot holder loops together then knit on big needles. They have a circular rug that calls for wool: Wool Pak Yarns NZ 14 ply by Baabajoes Wool Company.
For high traffic I think wool would hold up best. My mom went through a latch hook craze many years ago and she made a rug in wool that is still in good shape. It has out lived her changes in color scheme. I suggested she at least get it dry cleaned before deciding what to do with it because it is good wool. Alpaca is even sronger than wool- but more expensive.
As far as slippage I know some people have put puffy paint on the bottoms of wool slippers and I bet you could do the same with a rug. Or stitch on one of those no skid rug thingys.