Free Crochet Pattern: Cat Mug Rugs
If you're like me, you love starting the day with a fresh mug rug under your coffee cup. There's something about a small, handmade touch that just makes mornings better! Today, I'm sharing my free crochet pattern for these adorable cat mug rugs, along with some yarn insights for those curious about mixing fibers.
Experimenting with Yarn Choices
I had a couple of things in mind when working on these mug rugs. First, I wanted to see how a variegated yarn would pair with a solid color. I chose Village Yarn 100% Cotton in Royalty (a variegated purple) and Herrschners My Ami Yarn in a solid purple (55% acrylic, 45% cotton). In theory, the contrast should have worked, but the colors were too similar, and they blended together more than I expected. Lesson learned: If you’re trying this technique, choose a solid color that really stands out against your variegated yarn!
In case you're curious or want to try the same combo, here are the yarns I used:
Herrschners My Ami Yarn
Village Yarn 100% Cotton
The second experiment was mixing fiber types. I see a lot of crocheters asking if acrylic and cotton can be combined in a project, so I gave it a go. The My Ami Yarn has a cottony texture, which worked really well with the Village Cotton. Unlike typical acrylic yarns, it doesn’t have that slick or plasticky feel when wet, making it a great choice for projects like coasters. The result? A great combination in terms of feel! The acrylic component in My Ami Yarn typically makes colors pop and prevents bleeding, which I love.
What Worked Best
I also experimented with different hook sizes to see what worked best. The first mug rug was made with a 3.75mm hook, while the second one used a 3.5mm hook, which I ended up preferring. I think my preference though for cotton yarn with a mosaic pattern is a 3mm D hook. After seeing that my first attempt didn’t have enough contrast, I grabbed another 100% cotton yarn, Village Cotton in Lemon Ice, and paired it with the solid purple. This version turned out much better! The colors pop, the texture is fantastic, and it's exactly what I was hoping for in a functional, cute mug rug.
Mosaic Crochet & Video Tutorial
These mug rugs are made using mosaic crochet. If you're new to this technique, mosaic crochet creates a beautiful textured pattern that's fun to learn and experiment with! The mug rugs are so small and just perfect to practice the stitch on.
Free Pattern & PDF Download
I'll be making several of these since I love switching out my mug rugs daily, and I’ll be sharing the patterns here on my blog! You can access the free pattern right on this page, or if you’d prefer an ad-free, printable PDF, it’s available for just $1.
Stay tuned for more fun mug rug designs coming soon!
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Starting at the bottom, working towards the top
With Background, chain 22
SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across (counts as row 1)
Row 2 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x19, SC x1
Row 3 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x4, BLSC x10, FLDC x5, SC x1
Row 4 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x4, FLDC x1, BLSC x6, FLDC x3, BLSC x5, SC x1
Row 5 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x2, BLSC x3, FLDC x3, BLSC x9, FLDC x2, SC x1
Row 6 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x2, FLDC x1, BLSC x5, FLDC x9, BLSC x2, SC x1
Row 7 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x2, BLSC x1, FLDC x4, BLSC x11, FLDC x1, SC x1
Row 8 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x2, FLDC x1, BLSC x4, FLDC x11, BLSC x1, SC x1
Row 9 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x2, BLSC x2, FLDC x3, BLSC x11, FLDC x1, SC x1
Row 10 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x3, FLDC x1, BLSC x4, FLDC x9, BLSC x2, SC x1
Row 11 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x3, BLSC x1, FLDC x4, BLSC x9, FLDC x2, SC x1
Row 12 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x3, FLDC x1, BLSC x5, FLDC x7, BLSC x3, SC x1
Row 13 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x3, BLSC x3, FLDC x3, BLSC x7, FLDC x3, SC x1
Row 14 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x5, FLDC x1, BLSC x4, FLDC x5, BLSC x4, SC x1
Row 15 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x5, BLSC x1, FLDC x2, BLSC x9, FLDC x2, SC x1
Row 16 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x8, FLDC x9, BLSC x2, SC x1
Row 17 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x8, BLSC x9, FLDC x2, SC x1
Row 18 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x9, FLDC x3, BLSC x1, FLDC x3, BLSC x3, SC x1
Row 19 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x9, BLSC x3, FLDC x1, BLSC x3, FLDC x3, SC x1
Row 20 (CAT) SC x1, BLSC x9, FLDC x1, BLSC x5, FLDC x1, BLSC x3, SC x1
Row 21 (Background) SC x1, FLDC x9, BLSC x1, FLDC x5, BLSC x1, FLDC x3, SC x1
Coffee, chocolate, and a little holiday stitching — yes please! This festive ePattern includes a chart and a coffee mix recipe. PDF download from Leisure Arts.
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Let's Get Started! 〰️
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