Why I crochet with two strands at a time

What is crocheting with two strands held together? How to crochet a rag rug with double strands aka 2 ply technique

     I frequently crochet with two strands of fabric yarn at a time. The technique is like crocheting with one strand, you do your stitches the exact way you normally would. The only difference is that you are holding two strands together. you work those two strands as if they were one.

   You are knotting twice the amount of material into each stitch, which causes your fabric to work up to be twice as thick. The project works up even faster than it would otherwise. Thicker and denser is often exactly what I want in a rug. 

---

---

     My handmade crochet rugs are easily two inches thick which is luxurious and cushiony for walking or sitting on. Much thicker than any store-bought rug I've ever owned. Thick rag rugs are comfortable in a way that I had never experienced before.
   
​      Faster crocheting is great, especially if I'm making a very large piece. The denim rug below ended up being about 8 feet by 12 feet. It took forever, but would have been even slower had I worked it up with only one strand. It is not uncommon to crochet a bathmat or kitchen area rug, from start to finish, over the course of one weekend. Cutting your fabric strips will take much longer than the assembly of them will.
​
 

double strand technique is used to blend the colors of the cheese

 
      There are a couple things that you need to remember when you do crochet with two strands of yarn held together. Keep in mind that your project will use a lot of yarn.  Rag rugs are yarn hogs already, this technique doubles that factor.  .  Have on hand a lot more than you think you will ever need and you still won't have enough. 
​    
     Remember that you will need an even larger hook when you double up and crochet two strips of fabric together at once.  I bought a couple sets with a large variety of hooks in different sizes.  When I begin each project, I test a few hooks until I find one that feels right for that project.  I am also not afraid to switch hooks partway through a project if something is not working the way I want it to..

​   I don't always use the double stranded technique, but oftentimes it is helpful. It brings cohesion to rugs that otherwise would be too scrappy or homemade looking for my taste. It creates uniformity of stretch and fabric durability.  Let me know if you are able to solve one of your rugmaking issues with this technique.

you may also be interested in reading: