Easy Crochet Mug Rug Pattern for Beginners

A mug rug is a coaster that has been given some elbow room. It is a small rectangle with space for a mug at one end and a cookie, a spoon or a tea bag at the other, so the whole coffee break sits on one piece of fabric. This one is worked back and forth in half double crochet, a stitch a little taller than single crochet that builds up quickly. The pattern uses US crochet terms and is written for beginners.

What Makes a Mug Rug Different From a Coaster

A typical coaster is about 4 to 4.5 in (10 to 11.5 cm) across, just enough to sit under one cup. A mug rug is usually somewhere between 5 x 7 in and 6 x 9 in (13 x 18 cm to 15 x 23 cm). There is no official size. The idea is simply a mat larger than a coaster and smaller than a placemat.

If you are not sure what size suits your own mugs, measure the base of the largest one and add room for whatever usually sits beside it. The coaster size guide explains how to work out the margin.

Materials and Finished Size

• Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn, one color, plus a second color for the optional stripes
• US H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook
• Yarn needle and scissors

The finished mug rug measures about 5 x 7 in (13 x 18 cm) including the border. Treat that as approximate, since your gauge decides the real figure. As a rough estimate it takes 40 to 60 yards. For your own number, weigh the finished piece and compare it with the weight and length on the yarn label.

Abbreviations and Pattern Notes

Abbreviations: ch = chain, hdc = half double crochet, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch.

Half double crochet: yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on the hook), yarn over and pull through all three loops.

• The ch 1 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch. Work the first hdc into the very first stitch, at the base of the chain.
• Every row has 23 stitches. If your count changes, the edges will slant.

The Pattern

1. Foundation: Ch 24.
2. Row 1: Hdc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (23 hdc)
3. Row 2: Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), turn. Hdc in the first stitch and in each stitch across. (23 hdc)
4. Rows 3 to 12: Repeat Row 2. (23 hdc in each row)

Before the border, the rectangle should measure roughly 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide and 4.5 in (11.5 cm) tall. If yours is shorter, add a row or two. Do not cut the yarn.

Keeping the Rectangle Straight

Half double crochet has one feature that catches beginners. The yarn over at the start of the stitch leaves an extra horizontal strand just below the top V. It is tempting to put the hook under that strand. Insert it under the two strands of the V at the top of the stitch instead, exactly as you would for single crochet.

The other trouble spots are the ends of the rows. The last stitch leans over and is easy to miss, and a chain-1 turning chain is short for this stitch, so the first stitch can look tucked in. Count to 23 at the end of every row for the first few rows. If you have already made the beginner square coaster, the method is the same with a taller stitch.

Optional Stripes

Two narrow stripes in a second color turn the plain rectangle into something that looks planned. Work the twelve rows in this order:

• Rows 1 to 3: color A
• Rows 4 and 5: color B
• Rows 6 and 7: color A
• Rows 8 and 9: color B
• Rows 10 to 12: color A

To change color, work the last hdc of the row until three loops are left on the hook, then yarn over with the new color and pull through all three. Because each stripe is two rows tall, both yarns end up at the same edge, so you can carry the resting color loosely up the side instead of cutting it. The border covers the carried strands. The guide to changing colors in coasters shows the change step by step.

Adding the Border

A round of single crochet covers the row ends, which are the least tidy part of any piece worked in rows.

1. Top edge: Ch 1, turn. 3 sc in the first stitch, sc in each of the next 21 stitches, 3 sc in the last stitch. (27 sc)
2. First side: Turn the work a quarter turn. Work 16 sc evenly along the row ends, about 4 sc for every 3 rows. (16 sc)
3. Bottom edge: Working into the unused loops of the foundation chain, 3 sc in the first ch, sc in each of the next 21 ch, 3 sc in the last ch. (27 sc)
4. Second side: Work 16 sc evenly along the row ends. (16 sc)
5. Join: Sl st in the first sc. (86 sc in total)

Lay the piece flat before you fasten off. If the sides ripple, pull the border back and work one or two fewer stitches along each side. If they pull in, add one or two. Then cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm), and weave in every end on the back.

Changing the Size

The pattern scales in both directions without any extra math in the rows.

• Wider: add chains. Each extra chain adds one stitch to every row and one more stitch to the top and bottom of the border.
• Taller: add rows, and add about 4 border stitches to each side for every 3 extra rows.
• Thicker and firmer: use a US G-6 (4 mm) hook. The piece will come out smaller, so add a few chains and a row or two to make up the difference.

Whichever size you make, test it with a cold glass before you trust it on a delicate surface. How much moisture the fabric holds depends on the yarn, the stitch density and the thickness. For washing, follow the instructions on the yarn label.

For a longer shape without corners, the oval crochet coaster is worked around a foundation chain instead of back and forth in rows.