Crochet Granny Rectangle Snack Mat (Free Pattern)

 

Nothing in this sample really matches, but that's a great part of doing what you want with your stuff.

What you need:
H8/5.00 mm crochet hook (I used my usual aluminum hook, but anything should be fine)
About 36 yards of worsted weight [4] yarn
Scissors

Stitch key (US terminology):
Ch = chain
Dc = double crochet
Hdc = half-double crochet
Sl st = slip stitch

 

Snack Mat

Make a slipknot and ch 6.
Work in the top loops only for the first side along the foundation chain.

Round 1, completed.

Round 1
Ch an additional 3 stitches, and in the 4th ch from the hook do 2 dc. The extra ch-3 at the beginning counts as 1 dc. Ch 3 again, then into the next ch do 3 dc. Ch 1, skip 2 ch, and do 3 dc into the next ch in the foundation. Ch 3, into the next foundation ch do 3 dc. Working along the "bottom" of the chains, do 3 ch. Into the next foundation ch space, the same space as the previous side-bloc of the granny stitch, do 3 dc. Ch 1,skip 2 ch, do 3 dc into the next ch of the foundation. Ch 3 and sl st into the top of the starting ch-3 from the beginning of the round.

 

 

Round 2, completed.

Round 2
Ch 4. Into next ch 3 ch space from the previous round, do 3 dc, 3 ch, 3 dc to form a corner. Ch 1. Into the ch 1 space below, do 3 dc. Ch 1, work another corner, and continue down the side as for the first one.In the last corner, do 3 dc, ch 3, 2 dc and sl st into the 3rd ch of the ch-4 from the beginning of the round.

Round 3, completed.

Round 3
Sl st into the ch 1 space, do 3 ch and 2 dc into that space. Ch 1.Work the corner as before. Ch 1, and into the next ch 1 space do 3 dc. Repeat once, ch 1 and make a corner as before. Ch 1, 3 dc into the next ch space. Repeat once, and make a corner as before. Ch 1 and into the next ch space do 2 dc, then sl st into the 3rd ch of the ch-4 from the beginning of the round.

 

 

Round 4, completed.

Round 4
Ch 4. Into the next ch 1 space, do 3 dc. Ch 1 and work a corner. Ch 1 and into the next ch 1 space do 3 dc. Repeat until the corner, and work as before. Continue along each side, working corners and 1 ch-3 dc into the ch 1 spaces until the ch 1 space with the 4 ch from the beginning. Ch 1, do 2 dc into the space, sl st into the top 3rd ch of the ch-4 from the beginning of the round. 

 

 

Round 5, completed.

Round 5
Ch 1. Into the same stitch and the next 9, do 1 hdc. Into the second ch of the previous round's corner, do 2 hdc. Do 1 hdc in each of the next 21 stitches. Repeat corner, and do 1 hdc down the each stitch on the next side. Repeat corner and long side, corner again. Do 1 hdc into each of the next stitches, up to the ch 1 at the start of the round. Sl st into the top of the first hdc of the round. Cut off. 

 

    Embellish as you please, alternating the last round or eliminating it entirely, adding fringe or tassels, etc etc. Fringe in the corners so far remains my favorite, in this case about 4 inches long per strand and 3 strands per cluster. Just like in in the smaller versions of this pattern, you can make the corners pointier with or without fringe by inserting 1 chain stitch between the half-double crochets in the last round's corners.

Snack mat, snack mat!