Want to bring a touch of nature indoors? Creating this beautiful moss rug is simple in technique, but requires patience! We'll use basic techniques like latch hooking and crocheting to achieve the various moss-like textures. The best part of this project is working with soft, squishy yarn and the flexibility to start and stop at any point without counting stitches. If you ordered the XL moss rug, here’s what you should have received. The smaller rug kit includes a blank rug canvas, less yarn and colors, one latch hook, and non-slip backing. To latch hook with milk cotton yarn, start by cutting the yarn to length.
Cut a piece of cardboard to your desired yarn length and wrap the yarn around the cardboard. Wrap the yarn around the cardboard about 100 times. This will give you enough yarn to work with without being too thick to cut. Use sharp scissors to cut the yarn on both ends so you have strands of the desired length. If you have more than one latch hook, use the larger one for the milk cotton yarn. Latch hooks work like this: Push the hook into one grid and out the other side.
As the head is pushed out, the latch will catch on the mesh, revealing the hook. This is where we'll hook the yarn. The latch catches on the mesh on the way out, closing and allowing us to pull the yarn through. Let's see it in action. There are two ways to secure the yarn. This is method 1. Take 2 strands of milk cotton yarn and fold them in half to create a loop. Thread the latch hook through the loop and the mesh.
Wrap the yarn across the latch while it's open. As you pull the tool out, the latch closes around the yarn. Release the ends of the yarn once the latch is closed and pull the ends through to create a knot, securing the yarn to the mesh. Let's take a closer look. Method 2: Create a loop with the yarn, but this time, push the latch hook through the mesh first, then hook the yarn loop.
Pull the loop through to the other side while holding onto the ends. Push the latch through the yarn loop and wrap the yarn ends over the latch. Pull the tool back through the loop and release the ends to create a knot, securing the yarn to the mesh. Let's take a closer look. Experiment with both methods to find which one works best for you. You can do the outline first and then fill in the rest, or latch hook row by row. Choose whatever you prefer. Brush out the yarn with your comb to fluff it up and trim any strays as needed. Next, let’s learn how to create a gradient effect using mohair yarn. The process is very similar. Decide on the length of the yarn, wrap it around the card, and cut it to length.
This line is where the green yarn will start to transition to the off-white yarn. Because mohair yarn is so fine, use the smaller latch hook. Use 4 strands of mohair yarn for each grid. Let's do a small section as an example. We'll use all green yarn for the right-hand side. And all off-white yarn on the left-hand side. Based on the distance between the two colors, we're going to do 2 columns in all off-white. For the 3rd and 4th columns from the left, we'll mix 3 strands of off-white with 1 strand of green yarn. For the next two columns (5 & 6), mix 2 strands of off-white with 2 strands of green yarn. Mix 1 strand of off-white with 3 strands of green yarn for the next 2 columns. This gradual blending creates a beautiful gradient effect.
Complete the entire section and brush it out. If you want to mix milk cotton yarn with mohair yarn, use the ratio of 1 milk cotton thread to 2 mohair threads per grid. We'll crochet the faux fur yarn to create dense, fluffy sections for a different look and texture. Use the latch hook to thread the yarn between two grids. Secure with a knot and pull the tail to the back. Thread the latch hook 1-2 grids from the starting grid. Hook the yarn and pull it through. Unhook the loop you just created and thread the loop onto the shaft of the latch hook.
Adjust the tension so it's not too loose. Thread the latch hook 1-2 grids from the current grid. Hook the yarn and pull it through the mesh and loop. Unhook the loop, thread it onto the latch hook shaft, and adjust the tension of the yarn. Let's take a closer look. Thread the latch hook 1-2 grids from the current grid. Hook the yarn and pull it through the mesh and loop. Unhook the yarn and let it loop around the latch hook shaft. Adjust the tension to keep everything taut, but not too tight to avoid crinkling the canvas/mesh. Sometimes you might pick the wrong grid to stitch and the yarn doesn't cover the mesh. In this case, pull out a few stitches. Remove the latch hook and slowly pull the stitch out until you see the previous loop/stitch.
Thread the latch hook through that loop and start stitching again. When you're completing the last stitch for the section, thread the latch hook through the mesh as usual. Cut the yarn, leaving a 15 cm tail. Hook the tail and thread it through the mesh Pull the yarn tight to secure the knot. Push the latch hook through the mesh from the back, hook the yarn tail, and pull it through to hide it. When crocheting faux fur yarn, you can outline the section first and then fill it in row by row toward the center. Alternatively, you can crochet row by row to fill the section, which might create streaks resembling a lawn mower pattern. Choose the method you prefer and think looks best. To create moss-like lumps with pom pom yarn, cut the yarn into sections with a pom pom on each end. We'll attach the pom pom yarn to the canvas in groups of three. Thread the latch hook through the mesh and pull the first pom pom yarn section through. Unhook the pom pom yarn loop and thread it onto the latch hook shaft.
Find a grid 2-3 grids away from the first and thread the latch hook through. Hook the second pom pom yarn and pull it through the mesh and the loop of the previous pom pom yarn. Thread the latch hook into a grid 2-3 grids away from the first in the opposite direction of the second pom pom yarn. Hook the third pom pom yarn and thread it through the mesh and the loop of the second pom pom yarn. Grab the last loop and remove the latch hook. Wrap the loop around one of the pom poms of the same yarn section. This secures all the pom pom yarn in place for this group. Repeat the process in groups of three until you completely fill a section.
If your kit doesn't include a pom pom maker, skip ahead. If you have one, keep watching. This pom pom maker creates the densest and nicest pom poms, so definitely try it if you have it. Open the two donut halves and line them up. Start wrapping the yarn around them. Once you have densely wrapped around half of the donut, bring the yarn across and start wrapping around the other half. When you're finished wrapping, cut the yarn. Keep your finger on the tail and close the donut. Now cut the yarn all around the outer edge of the donut. Make sure to secure the center with your other hand.
Slide a long strand of yarn between the gap of the two donut halves. Tie a tight knot to secure everything in place, then tie another knot on the opposite side to make it extra secure. Remove the pom pom maker to reveal a nice, dense pom pom. Trim any stray strands for a neat finish. Thread the two long yarn tails through two adjacent grids. Tie a double knot at the back to secure it in place. (I'm not doing this now since I might want to move it later, but I will double knot before sewing on the anti-slip backing.) Brush out the pom pom to fluff it up even more and trim as needed.
You can make a pom pom with just your hands! Wrap the yarn around your hand or fingers if you want a smaller pom pom. Wrap the yarn around your hand at least 150 times for a full pom pom. For smaller sizes, you can wrap it fewer times. Once you're done wrapping, remove the yarn from your hand and tie a long strand of yarn around the center.
Double and triple knot it tightly to keep it secure. Cut the loops. Trim any stray strands. Thread the long yarn tails through adjacent grids and secure them with a double knot. Fluff the pom pom with a brush and trim any stray strands. These are all the skills you'll need to create a beautiful moss rug. Take your time and enjoy the process. Don't forget to glue or sew on the anti-slip mat when you're done. Happy crafting!.
