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Contemporary Double Loop Square Rug (vintage American Thread): vintage crochet pattern
A single-colour gray rug of fifteen squares, alternating two designs of raised double loop stitch blocks on single crochet, sewn together three by five. Originally published as "Contemporary" in Crocheted Rugs (Star Rug Book No. 106) by The American Thread Company, it is now in the public domain.
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed · Editorial policy
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed September 14, 2026 under our editorial policy · pattern testing in progress
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Yarn weight | Bulky (#5) |
| Yardage | 1827–2030 yd (1671–1856 m) |
| Hook | 4.5 mm |
| Gauge | Not printed. Each square is 33 sc wide; 15 squares make 30 × 50 in, so each square should measure about 10 × 10 in (25 × 25 cm). |
| Finished size | 30 × 50 in (76 × 127 cm) |
| Time | about 12 hours |
Materials
- Aunt Lydia's Heavy Rug Yarn (Coats & Clark) is still sold. It is a bulky (#5)-class rug yarn; substitute any bulky rug yarn that matches the gauge.
- Yardage: the original lists 29 skeins but does not print the skein size. Other American Thread books of the period list this yarn in 70 yd skeins, which would be about 2030 yd (1856 m) — check the current label before buying.
- Colour: 29 skeins gray (single colour).
- Original hook: aluminum crochet hook size G.
- Tapestry needle for sewing squares together.
- Hook: Start with 4.5 mm (US 7) and change size to match the gauge.
Abbreviations (US terms)
Notes before you start
- Source: "Contemporary", Crocheted Rugs (Star Rug Book No. 106), The American Thread Company. Public domain in the USA.
- As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY "AUNT LYDIA'S" HEAVY RUG YARN, Article 235; 29 skeins Gray or color desired.; Aluminum crochet hook size G.. Gauge: Not given.
- Modernisation note: The original is written in US terms; abbreviations were updated to modern style (s c → sc, d c → dc, s d c → hdc).
- Modernisation note: The original says 15 squares are needed and gives instructions for 8 of the 1st square ("work 7 more") and 7 of the 2nd square ("work 6 more"); the square counts in the headings follow that.
- Modernisation note: Repeats are written with row ranges (for example rows 4–7). Those numbers are our arithmetic and match the original's own row numbers (8th, 13th, 21st, 25th and 33rd rows; 9th, 13th, 20th rows).
- Modernisation note: The printed count "(33 s c)" is kept.
- Modernisation note: Check: in the 1st square, row 32 says "ch 1, turn" twice in the original ("Repeat the last 2 rows 3 times, ch 1, turn"); it is transcribed as printed.
- Modernisation note: "Cut yarn" and "break off" are written as "fasten off"; "attach" is written as "join".
- Modernisation note: "Weave in all ends" was added as a finishing step; it is not in the original.
- Modernisation note: Metric conversions and the square-size note were added; they are not in the original.
- Modernisation note: Hook letters from this period were not standardised to millimetres; the starting size given is a modern equivalent, and the gauge is what matters.
Double loop stitch
- Double loop st: Wind yarn over your index finger twice, insert hook in st, draw yarn through, pulling it from under your index finger, drop the loops from your finger so they fall to the right side of the work, and complete the sc.
Continue this pattern
The rest of the Contemporary Double Loop Square Rug (vintage American Thread) pattern is in the Retro Crochet Rugs
Still to come in the full pattern:
- 1st square (make 8)
- 2nd square (make 7)
- Assembly
- Finishing
Included with 15 patterns for $12 — $0.80 per pattern.
Errata
No corrections have been published for this pattern. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will log the fix here with a date.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Contemporary pattern from?
It was published as "Contemporary" in Crocheted Rugs (Star Rug Book No. 106) by The American Thread Company. The publication is in the public domain in the United States; this version is transcribed and modernised by crochetpatterns.io.
What yarn or thread do I need for the Contemporary?
bulky (#5) yarn. Original: 29 skeins; skein size not printed (likely 70 yd each — check the label).
What hook should I use?
Start with 4.5 mm (US 7) and change size to match the gauge. Gauge: Not printed. Each square is 33 sc wide; 15 squares make 30 × 50 in, so each square should measure about 10 × 10 in (25 × 25 cm).
