How to crochet a Waves Bathmat by Chloe Bailey

To make the bath mat you will need:

Paintbox Yarns Recycled Tshirt (90% cotton, 10% synthetic; 800g/120m)

1 x Mid Blue

1 x Light Blue

12mm crochet hook

Large tapestry needle for sewing in ends, or a smaller crochet hook

Scissors

Abbreviations

ch – chain 

dc – UK double crochet / US single crochet

Tension

7 sts / 7 rows = 10cm/4” square worked in UK double crochet / US single crochet

Size

The finished bath mat measures 32 x 18.5 inches

How to read a color chart

Charted patterns are usually presented as a cross stitch style chart. I love working from charts as you can clearly see the image which will gradually take shape as you work each row. 

A color chart is read from bottom to top, starting at the bottom right corner, working back and forth along each line (as shown in the diagram below); so for odd numbered lines you’ll be working from the right side of the work, and for even numbered lines you'll be working from the wrong side. 

A pattern will always specify what stitch is represented by a square on the chart; for this bath mat, each square on the chart equals one single crochet stitch.

It is important to note when working from a color chart that you should always work a turning chain at the end of each row. When you reach the end of a row, chain 1 before turning to work back along the next row, otherwise you’ll end up decreasing a stitch at the beginning of each row. When you start the next row, skip the chain stitch and work your first single crochet into the last single crochet of the previous row. 

Changing color

When you reach a color change, you’re actually going to join the new color in the last loop of the previous single crochet stitch.

Start the previous stitch by inserting your hook and pulling the yarn through, so you have two loops on your hook. Now drop the current yarn (do not cut it, just leave the yarn where it is) and pull your new color through both loops on your hook. Continue working single crochet stitches in the new color until the next change. Repeat along the row, following the chart.

Carrying the non-working yarn inside worked stitches

In tapestry crochet the non-working yarn is carried inside the worked stitches, so that you don’t have any stranded loops across the back of your work. It also means that your bath mat is reversible!

Having worked a color change, insert your hook into the next stitch and make sure that the previous color is also on top of your hook. Then yarn over and pull through with the worked color, enclosing the non-worked yarn within the stitch.

By carrying the yarn through, it is right there when you are ready to make the next color change!

Top tips for working with recycled t-shirt yarn

T-shirt yarn is very stretchy, but don’t be tempted to stretch it as you crochet! Keep your tension nice and relaxed so that the yarn isn’t pulled tight.

Pull the yarn from the center of the ball! If you work with the yarn from the outside these 800g balls can become quite unwieldy, but they have been designed to pull easily from the center!

When you change colors, don’t be tempted to tighten the first stitch in a new color. Let it relax, or you may end up with uneven tension on your color changes, particularly with stretchy yarn like this.

T-shirt yarn varies in thickness, from ball to ball, color to color, and even just within one ball! Don’t worry about the difference in yarn thickness, this is a wonderful feature of recycled yarn, and once your bath mat is finished any sections where the yarn was thinner won’t be noticeable!