Western Star Rectangle Rug Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
This Western Star Rectangle Rug is a warm, rustic accent piece inspired by the wide night sky over the plains and the shape of an old sheriff's badge. It is written for beginners: the whole rug is simple single crochet, and the only shaping is a tiny five-point star you sew on at the end. The finished rug is a flat, dense rectangle in deep blue with a crisp white star sitting right in the middle, so it looks bold and handmade without any complicated colorwork. It feels sturdy and slightly textured underfoot, perfect beside a bed, in a hallway, or in front of a favorite chair.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn. Color A (deep blue): 800 yards. Color B (white): 150 yards.
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H/8) crochet hook.
- Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors, rust-proof sewing pins, and a tape measure.
- Finished size: Approximately 24 inches wide x 36 inches long.
Abbreviations
- ch — chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
- sc — single crochet: insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- sl st — slip stitch: insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
- st(s) — stitch(es).
- Rnd — round: a full circle of stitches worked around a center point.
- rep — repeat.
Gauge
14 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches in single crochet. Work a small swatch in single crochet and measure it flat; if you have more stitches than 14 in 4 inches, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Keep your turning chain tight (just ch 1) so the long side edges of the rug stay straight and even.
- Count your stitches at the end of every few rows — the base must stay at 84 stitches all the way up.
- Work the star with a slightly tighter tension than the rug so the points stay crisp and don't flop.
- Because the rug is large, rest it on a table or your lap as you work so the weight doesn't stretch your stitches.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Rug Base (Color A)
Row 1: Ch 85, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (84 sc).
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (84 sc).
Rows 3–144: Rep Row 2 until the piece measures 36 inches, ending with a row (84 sc). Fasten off.
Star Appliqué (Color B)
Rnd 1: Ch 2, work 10 sc in the 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st to first sc (10 sc).
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in next st, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next st] 5 times, join with sl st to first sc (5 points). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Assembly and Finishing
Lay the rug flat and pin the star to the center of the blue rectangle, checking that it sits evenly from all four edges. Thread the long tail on a tapestry needle and sew the star in place around its center round and the base of each point, using small stitches and matching white yarn. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, working them through several stitches so they don't work loose. Block the rug by misting it lightly and pinning it to its finished 24 x 36 inch measurements on a towel or mat; let it dry completely before removing the pins.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the deep blue for charcoal or barn red, and the white star for cream, for a different rustic palette.
- Make a larger star by working Rnd 1 with 15 sc and repeating Rnd 2 five times over 3 stitches each for bigger points.
- Add a simple sc border around the rug edge in Color B for a finished, framed look.
