My daughters needed a nightlight for their room, but instead of just buying something for a wall or desk, I decided to make a light up rug! Using fabric yarn and an LED rope light, I crocheted my rug in just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Light Up Your Bedroom With A Fairy Light Kids Rug
4 materials
I used a large crochet hook, a ball of fabric yarn and an LED rope light. You can find the rope light at you local home improvement chain store. My rug was kid-sized, so I used a smaller rope light, but this could also work as a large light-up rug for a dark hallway or bathroom.
Step 2: Start Crocheting Your Rug
Step 2: Start Crocheting Your Rug
To start, I made a magic circle, a crocheting technique in which your fingers hold an untied circle while crocheting around it. The circle itself isn't secure until you make a few stitches. If you don't know how to make a magic circle, here's a great tutorial to explain it.
Step 3: Insert Your Rope Light
Step 3: Insert Your Rope Light
I crocheted 3 rows of my rug before adding the rope light, because I was only making a small kids rug. I could have also stitched a larger center out of just the yarn and inserted the lights around that, or I could have inserted the lights at the very beginning so that they would be right in the middle.
To insert the rope light into my rug, I alternated crocheting one stitch in front of the rope, and one stitch behind the rope. The stitches felt a little wobbly as I went, but they worked themselves out and stiffened as I added more.
Step 4: Continue Crocheting Until You Reach the End of the Light Rope
Step 4: Continue Crocheting Until You Reach the End of the Light Rope
This part goes much faster than you would think, because the rope is thick. As you get into the groove, this is also a very relaxing project! Turn on some music or watch your favorite TV show as you work.
Step 5: Lay It Down and Plug It in
Step 5: Lay It Down and Plug It in
When you're done crocheting, place your rug close to an outlet in your children's room and plug it in! Warning: bedtime might be a bit more exciting than usual...
Enjoyed the project?
Questions on this post
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3 of 11 questions
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LOVE YOUR LED ROPE RU COULOD I GET YOUR CROCHETED CIRECTIONS ON YOUR RUG ALSO HAVE YOU EVER WASHED IT THANKS
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Would it be safe to walk on this rug?
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How may stitches did you start with and did you increase every other stitch there after. Great looking rug for little ones. Would like to make for granddaughters.
Comments
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14 of 55 comments
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I love this concept and it's super cute! However, I'd be afraid to leave it in a child's room due to the electricity factor. Something spilled on it....or the wearing over time. Would be great as a night light wall hanging though.
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Having it on a timer to turn on at bedtime and off when time to get up would be handy, too.
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Love it, thanks for sharing 🌸😊🌸
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I would like one of those! My friend who crochets is always looking for new patterns and ideas, we love Home Talk. Great idea and creative!
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Love it! May have to make for my grand-daughter! Thanks.
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The electrical cord appears to be a tripping hazzard, why not run the cord along the edge of the furniture? Also to dim the light I would have used a single row of the light around the outer edge of the rug.
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what about washing it?
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That would be a problem especially if there's pets in the home that might pee or poo on it. I suppose you could wash it by hand in a big sink with the cord hanging over the edge.
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I work with rope lights a lot and if you bend them too far they crack inside and you lose a section of lights. Don' think that would take too long with kids.
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Try crocheting it into a cloud... Then hang it on a wall, next to a crocheted light rope Sun or Rainbow. If they are hung on a wall, they can still serve as a nightlight, without the worry of crushing the lights, no pet pee or poo, and you don't have to wash it to keep it clean... just vacuum it.
PROBLEMS SOLVED!!!
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There are always very ations and you came up with some wonderful ones.
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Cute idea. I think rather than placing it on a floor maybe on a dresser as a doily or as a wall hanging. Since it shouldn't really be walked on.
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I was wondering if walking on them would be an issue, even if the walkers aren't heavy. ...awesome idea for a wall art, though!
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Thanks for a great idea! ...a lighted rug on a wall.
I wouldn't just because the lights do go out and I would want this to last a long time.. my cord lights seem to go out without anything bothering them and then what are you going to do with it? I LUV this idea though
I would be more concerned of the tripping hazard the cord presents. ESPECIALLY for a kids room.