Heidi, you should not cut the strips away from the fabric at the edge. I'm not sure why you are doing that. Yes, it may look a bit strange and bent when you look at it, but once you crochet it you will not notice anything different about those sections. If you cut the material on the bias, never cutting through an edge (stopping about1/2-3/4" from each edge), you will have one (and only one) long piece.

It does look strange. Like a bunch of hanging thingy's. lol I guess it's one of those situations that won't be clear until it's done. Well off I go to give it a try. Thanks for the quick response.

Heidi, I just re-read this post and I hope I catch you before it's too late! When I read your instructions again and I saw that you said to turn and go back the other way, I didn't like the picture I got in my head. Let's say that you want strips 1 and 1/2" wide. You would make one diagonal cut all the way to the other edge. Then on the same side you started your first diagonal cut you would make as many cuts as the length of your fabric allows to the other edge - stopping about an inch from the edge. Make these cuts 3" apart. Do not turn and go back. When you have finished making all of those cuts, THEN turn your material (or walk to the other side of the table-I think this would be easier) and make diagonal cuts between the cuts you made on the opposite side, stopping an inch from the other edge. I hope I have not made this more difficult sounding than it really is. I just don't want you to ruin a large piece of material. Maybe you should do this on paper as you did before, just to make sure you are doing it right.

Yes Donna you caught me in time. I had company and got held up. Decided to read email before starting and got your retraction letter. Think I'll just put it off til Monday. Gave myself a headache trying to figure this out. Senior moments, you know. lol!!
Thanks for the help and enjoy your evening.

Heidi, I'm not retracting anything I said in the beginning, just hoping to clarify.

I got it Donna. When my husband came home I had him read it out loud to me and between the 2 of us we did it.It's cut all in one strip and rolled up ready to crochet. Thank you so much. I don't think I could've done it without your instructions. Just couldn't see it and now that I've done it; it's very clear. Thanks again for your help.

I am always glad to help. And I get lots of help on this forum myself. One of my grandmothers lived many miles away when I was a child and I only got to see her once a year, when she would travel from her home in South Dakota to visit us in California (always in winter - I'm sure to get away from the cold weather). She would stay for several months and always crocheted a couple of rugs while she was here. Of course, we never purchased material for these. They were made from cast-off clothing as were many of the quilts she made.

I have been looking to make a rag rug that is square. I did a few tooth brush rugs, they are round or oval. (found how to make on the web/youtube) It looks like I will need to learn to crochet to attempt a square rug. Does anyone know where I can find instructions. My sister sister in-law made her some places mats "using her fingers" it looks exactly how I want to make a rug. Sister in-law lives very far away...Can I just have someone teach me basic crochet? What size hook would I need? I have never crocheted before. Is there another method?...FYI, I just tear the strips with the grain to get my strips, lots of strings but thats ok, I just trim then off, I knot strips together using a slip knot method. I don't see the advantage of using bias strips, is there any?

Bump...Anyone have any input on my 8-7 post? Won't be able to try this for a month or so, broke some bones in hand and doing therapy now, hard to even use keyboard now.

You can find quite a few free rug patterns at crochetpatterncentral.com. I am adding a link below with a video to teach you how to make a beginning chain and then single crochet. If you want to make a square or rectangle rug using what you learn in that video, you would just make a chain the length you want your rug to be and then make as many rows as it takes to make your rug square. You will need to make 1 chain at the end of each row and turn your work and single crochet across the row.

If you want to make a square or rectangle rug in rounds, that is a different technique and you will need to know how to make a ring and join with a slip stitch. Google it and you should find lots of places with videos or photo tutorials that will help you. It is still really basic crochet, but you will need to know how to increase stitches at the corners.

I believe I used a K hook when I made rugs many years ago.

Also, if you have a nice piece of material that you want to cut into one long strip, this site has a tutorial on how to do that so that you don't have to do the knot thing: http://vintagechica.typepad.com/the_life_and_times_of_thi/2006/10/rag_rug_tutoria.html

There is only a slight advantage to cutting or tearing the strips on the bias and that is that the fabric has a little more give. Won't really make a difference in the finished product, but it will be slightly easier to crochet. I say slightly because working with fabric and huge hooks does tend to be hard on your hands.

I would be happy to help you if you run into any trouble.

Here is a link that might be useful: learn to crochet

I forgot to give you the following link, with lots of rug patterns

Here is a link that might be useful: Rugs in Crochet

Thanks Donna I'm getting tired of crocheting so many gigantic granny squares for lapgans and other small afhgans I have so many and am thinking of taking them to the VA. I have crocheted some rugs using two strands of regular Red Heart but maybe I'll give the fabric a try. It is the only "craft" I seem to enjoy doing right now

Thank you Donna, I can't wait to try making a square rag rug. I finished one small oval and had started on a second using the tooth brush rug method when I injured my hand. This will probably be good therapy for my hand. Can't wait to try a square rug using crochet method!