Starburst Eye Striped Rug Free Crochet Pattern: A Beginner-Friendly Mid-Century Hexagon in Cherry Red and Pink

Starburst Eye Striped Rug: A Beginner-Friendly Mid-Century Hexagon in Cherry Red and Pink

Introduction

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first big project for you. The Starburst Eye Striped Rug is a flat six-sided hexagon worked in simple half double crochet rows, with a small pink "evil eye" at the center and bold cherry-red and pink stripes rippling outward. Because it is worked in super bulky yarn on a big 15 mm hook, it grows fast, the stitches are easy to see, and you only ever need to know three or four basic moves. The finished rug is dense, squishy, and slightly ridged from the back-loop-only texture, with a clean single crochet border around all six sides. It looks like a piece of mid-century modern art for your floor, and it feels like a warm, thick mat underfoot.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Super bulky / jumbo weight (category 6) yarn, approximately 420 yd (384 m) total: 300 yd (274 m) cherry red and 120 yd (110 m) soft pink. The sample uses a smooth, low-sheen acrylic-wool blend super bulky.
• Hook: Size P/Q (15 mm) crochet hook, or the size needed to match gauge.
• Stitch markers: At least 6, to mark corners and the first stitch of each row.
• Tapestry needle: A large-eye blunt needle for weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Sharp craft scissors for trimming yarn.
• Finished size: Approximately 40 in (102 cm) across flat-to-flat and 44 in (112 cm) point-to-point.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, wrap yarn over the hook, and pull it through the loop. That is one chain.
• hdc – half double crochet. Wrap yarn over your hook, insert the hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over again, and pull through all 3 loops at once.
• blo – back loop only. Every stitch has two top loops (a front loop near you and a back loop away from you). "Blo" means you insert your hook only under the back loop, leaving the front loop free. This creates the ridged texture.
• sc – single crochet. Insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through both loops.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert hook into stitch, wrap yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. Used to join rounds.
• hdc2tog – half double crochet two stitches together (a decrease). Wrap yarn over, insert hook into first stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through all 5 loops. Two stitches become one.
• st(s) – stitch(es).
• RS – right side. The "good" side of the fabric that faces out.
• WS – wrong side. The back of the fabric.
• Turn – flip your work over so you can work back across the row you just finished.

Gauge

Gauge: 6 hdc blo x 5 rows = 4 in (10 cm) square.

Gauge matters because it controls the final size of your rug. If your stitches are bigger than the gauge, the rug will be larger than 40 inches; if smaller, it will shrink. To make a swatch, chain 14, work 12 hdc blo rows, then measure a 4-inch square in the middle with a ruler. If you have more than 6 stitches in 4 inches, go up a hook size; if fewer, go down. Because this is a rug, being within half an inch is perfectly fine.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count every row. The stitch count in parentheses at the end of each row is your safety net. If it does not match, undo that row and try again.
• Use stitch markers. Place one in the first stitch of each row and one at each of the two side corners so you never lose your place.
• Do not pull the yarn too tight. Super bulky yarn needs a relaxed hand. Tight stitches make the rug stiff and hard to work.
• Carry the unused color loosely. When you change colors, let the resting yarn run up the side edge without pulling. If it puckers, you carried it too tight.
• The turning ch 1 does not count as a stitch. Always work your first hdc into the very first stitch of the row, not into the chain.
• Work in good light. Back-loop-only stitches are easy once you can see the two loops clearly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up and Center Eye

Row 1 (RS): With pink, ch 2. Work 3 hdc in the 2nd ch from hook. Turn. (3 hdc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, 2 hdc blo in each st across. Turn. Change to cherry red. (6 hdc)

Body — Increase Section

Increase Row (IR): Ch 1, 2 hdc blo in first st, 1 hdc blo in each st to last st, 2 hdc blo in last st. Turn. Each IR adds 3 stitches.

Row 3: Work IR. (9 hdc)

Row 4: Work IR. Change to pink. (12 hdc)

Rows 5–6: Work IR twice. Change to cherry red. (18 hdc)

Rows 7–10: Work IR four times. Change to pink. (30 hdc)

Rows 11–12: Work IR twice. Change to cherry red. (36 hdc)

Rows 13–18: Work IR six times. Change to pink. (54 hdc)

Rows 19–20: Work IR twice. Change to cherry red. (60 hdc)

Rows 21–28: Work IR eight times. Change to pink. (84 hdc)

Rows 29–30: Work IR twice. Change to cherry red. (90 hdc)

Rows 31–40: Work IR ten times. Change to pink. (120 hdc)

Rows 41–42: Work IR twice. Change to cherry red. (126 hdc)

Rows 43–54: Work IR twelve times. (162 hdc)

Body — Even Section (Widest Point)

Even Row (ER): Ch 1, 1 hdc blo in each st across. Turn. No stitches added or removed.

Rows 55–62: Work ER eight times. Change to pink. (162 hdc)

Rows 63–64: Work ER twice. Change to cherry red. (162 hdc)

Body — Decrease Section

Decrease Row (DR): Ch 1, hdc2tog blo over first 2 sts, 1 hdc blo in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog blo over last 2 sts. Turn. Each DR removes 2 stitches.

Row 65: Work DR. (160 hdc)

Rows 66–76: Work DR eleven times. Change to pink. (138 hdc)

Rows 77–78: Work DR twice. Change to cherry red. (134 hdc)

Rows 79–88: Work DR ten times. Change to pink. (114 hdc)

Rows 89–90: Work DR twice. Change to cherry red. (110 hdc)

Rows 91–98: Work DR eight times. Change to pink. (94 hdc)

Rows 99–100: Work DR twice. Change to cherry red. (90 hdc)

Rows 101–106: Work DR six times. Change to pink. (78 hdc)

Rows 107–108: Work DR twice. Change to cherry red. (74 hdc)

Rows 109–112: Work DR four times. Change to pink. (66 hdc)

Rows 113–114: Work DR twice. Change to cherry red. (62 hdc)

Rows 115–116: Work DR twice. Change to pink. (58 hdc)

Row 117: Work DR once. Change to cherry red. (56 hdc)

Row 118: Work DR once. (54 hdc)

Final Row

Row 119: Ch 1, hdc2tog blo over first 2 sts, 1 hdc blo in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog blo over last 2 sts. Do not turn. (52 hdc)

Border

Round 1: With cherry red, ch 1, work 1 sc evenly along the side edge to the next corner, 3 sc in corner, then 1 sc in each st along the next edge, 3 sc in corner; continue evenly around all six sides, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

Weave in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the back of several stitches (about 2 inches), then trim close. Never knot the ends, because knots can work loose in a rug.

Trim carried strands: Snip any loose carried yarn at the side edges so the border looks clean.

Blocking: Lay the rug flat on a clean floor or blocking mats. Mist it lightly with water and pat it into shape, pinning the six corners to the measurements (40 inches flat-to-flat, 44 inches point-to-point). Let it dry completely. Do not steam-press the back-loop ridges, because that flattens the texture.

Final check: Walk around all six sides to make sure the border lies flat and the corners are even.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap cherry red and pink for any two colors you love. Keep the same stripe sequence so the eye stays centered.
• Make it bigger or smaller: Add or remove increase rows before the even section, and mirror the change in the decrease section. Each extra increase row adds about 3 stitches and roughly 2 inches of width.
• Substitute yarn: Any super bulky (category 6) yarn works. Check your gauge first, because a thicker yarn will make a larger rug.
• Add a non-slip backing: Cut a piece of rug grip mat slightly smaller than the rug and stitch it to the wrong side with the tapestry needle for safety on smooth floors.