All the yarn things…right to your inbox. Sign up here.

Faux Fur Sheepskin Rug

by | All Designs, Crochet, Free Patterns, Home

After 2 years of having this faux fur sheepskin rug idea in my head, I’m thrilled to now have 2 of them in my house. See how you can take a chunky yarn and some faux fur to make yourself a beautiful, animal-friendly piece of home decor!

faux fur alpine sheepskin draped over corner of bed

This project is made in collaboration with Lion Brand Yarn. I received product for this project and share affiliate links to the products I use. Each purchase earns me a small commission and does not affect your purchase price. 

UPDATE: You can now find the Alpine Sheepskin available as a kit from Lion Brand Yarn! In the kit, you’ll find all the yarn you need to complete this project, as well as a printed copy of the pattern. Head over to the Lion Brand website to SHOP THE KIT.

faux fur sheepskin on floor

The Yarn

I’ve made this rug twice, once with Lion Brand Fast Track Yarn as the sheepskin-shaped base, and the second time with Lion Brand Rewind Yarn. The Rewind yarn is available through the Lion Brand website, but the Fast Track yarn has been discontinued, although you can occasionally find leftover skeins at dollar stores. The pattern below has been adjusted to work with the Rewind yarn, which actually works up to be slightly larger and uses a bit more of the top Go For Faux yarn.

Lion Brand’s Go For Faux yarn is a gorgeous 100% polyester faux fur yarn that is perfect for this project. The yarn consists of a solid strand or base, with about a half an inch of fluff attached to it. I have not had any issues with the Baked Alaska colorway shedding at all, even after lots of use, although I have heard of some colors shedding a bit.

Go For Faux yarn

Because the fluff of the fur does not go all the way around the strand, and only sticks up on one side, I do find it useful to fluff the yarn after crocheting with it so that none of the base strands show through in your work. That’s totally optional though, and it’s probably just my perfectionism showing!

faux fur yarn closeup

The Construction

This DIY sheepskin rug is made from two distinct pieces, using two distinct types of yarn. First, you need a strong, sturdy, bulky yarn for the sheepskin base. This is where you’ll create the shape of the sheepskin and is what’s going to provide weight and drape. The picture below shows Lion Brand Fast Track, as mentioned before, but I’ve also made the base with 3 strands of Lion Brand Rewind yarn held together.

base of sheepskin

The base shape is created using simple crochet stitches, mainly single crochet, with some half double and double crochet stitches mixed in along the edges to keep the rows straight. Although, the overall shaping of the sheepskin is important, slight variations in the rows themselves can be overlooked because the faux fur yarn on top will cover a lot of mistakes.

Once you’re done with the base, you can create the “wool” of the sheepskin by surface crocheting the faux fur yarn on top. There’s a very even base of single crochet stitches underneath, so it’s very straightforward to find holes through which to pull the surface crochet stitches.

You’ll start with a slip knot on the hook, but remove the hook from the slip knot. Keep the slip knot on the back side of the base, and the hook on the front side. Insert the hook through the first hole, in a corner of the base, pick up that slip knot and pull it through. From here, insert your hook into each consecutive hole along that particular row, yarn over with the faux fur yarn, pull up a loop (LOOP 2) and pull that loop through the loop you already have on your hook (LOOP 1).

surface crochet tutorial

When you get to the end of a row, you’ll want to rotate the entire project and work surface crochet stitches in the other direction. Also, because the ends of rows may not be as neat, you may want to surface crochet through a couple of different holes, just to make sure you cover the curves with the faux fur yarn. Keep the surface crochet stitches slightly loose, like slip stitches, so they don’t pucker the base, but not so loose that little fingers can get caught in them.

As you work through a row, you’ll notice that several of your stitches may be ‘upside-down’, where the base strand of the yarn shows, instead of the furry part. After each row is complete, go through the whole row to fluff each stitch pick, hide the yarn strand, and enable the hair of the yarn to stand upright. This was the most tedious part of the project, but it gives you a much more even and beautiful look to your sheepskin.

how to fluff the yarn

When you finish the last row of the sheepskin, work slip stitches evenly around the entire outline to really hide the edges of the sheepskin base and fluff out the edges. Tuck/weave in your ends, and your DIY faux fur sheepskin is complete! Since there is some faux fur yarn on the back of the sheepskin, it’s not complete slip proof. This project works best on carpet, or draped over a couch. Despite its name, it’s probably not suited for high foot traffic areas! If you’re looking for a more sturdy rug, you may like this recycled t-shirt rug, made from several large thrifted t-shirts!

Faux fur sheepskin rug

The instructions below gives you the pattern for the sheepskin base. Since the fur is surface crocheted onto the base along each row and along the edges, there is not specific pattern for it. You have to use the holes that you see in your work and freehand the surface crochet.

Supplies

Abbreviations

  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • sl st  – slip stitch
  • ch – chain stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • inc – increase: work 2 sts in same st
  • dec – decrease: work 2 sts together

Pattern Notes

  • Skill level: Easy
  • Gauge:8.5 sts and 9 rows in 4 inches of single crochet
  • Finished size: 23 inches wide x 36 inches long
  • Instructions are for sheepskin base only. Top layer (wool) of sheepskin is surface crocheted onto the base layer.
  • The base of the sheepskin is worked using 3 strands of Rewind yarn simultaneously. Start by pulling the yarn from 3 balls of Rewind. This should last about ¾ of the base. To get 3 strands of yarn from 2 balls, pull from both the outside and the center of one ball to get 2 strands, and pull one strand from the other ball.
  • You can choose to join new yarn with a small knot, or just working it in and weaving in the extra ends. Each strand of yarn may join to a new ball at different times depending on length variations in each ball.
  • The ch 1 at the beginning of a row does not count as a st.
  • The ch 2 at the beginning of the row DOES count as a stitch. On the following row, the last stitch is worked into the last chain of the ch 2.
  • The faux fur top is worked with a single strand of Go For Faux.
  • As you pull each loop up, you may need to untwist the Go For Faux so that the fur sticks up and the tape backing is hidden.
  • It helps to fluff each stitch after each row to get the fullest look. As it’s fairly tedious, it’s recommended but not necessary.

use 2 types of yarn to make a faux fur sheepskin rug

 

Faux Fur Sheepskin Rug Pattern Instructions

BASE (Use 8.00 mm crochet hook and worked with Rewind Yarn)

Row 1: Ch 6. Starting from 2nd ch from hook, work 5 sc. Turn. (5)

Row 2: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 3 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (7)

Row 3: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 5 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (9)

Row 4: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 7 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (11)

Row 5: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 9 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (13)

Row 6: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 11 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (15)

Row 7: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 13 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (17)

Row 8: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 15 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (19)

Row 9: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 17 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (21)

Row 10: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 19 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (23)

Row 11: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 21 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (25)

Row 12: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 23 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (27)

Row 13: Ch 2. Work 1 dc in first st, 25 sc, then 2 dc in last st. Turn. (29)

Row 14: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (29)

Row 15: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 27 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (31)

Row 16: Ch 2. Work [1 dc, 1 hdc] in first st, 29 sc, then [1 hdc, 2 dc] in last st. Turn. (35)

Row 17: Ch 2. Work [1 dc, 1 hdc] in first st, 33 sc, then [1 hdc, 2 dc] in last st. Turn. (39)

Row 18: Ch 2. Work [1 dc, 1 hdc] in first st, 37 sc, then [1 hdc, 2 dc] in last st. Turn. (43)

Row 19: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (43)

Row 20: Ch 2. Work 1 sc in first st, 41 sc, then [1 sc, 1 hdc] in last st. Turn. (45)

Row 21-23: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (45)

Row 24: Ch 1. Work 1 dc, 43 sc, 1 dc. Turn. (45)

Row 25: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 37 sc, 2 dec. Turn. (41)

Row 26: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 33 sc, 2 dec. Turn. (37)

Row 27: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (37)

Row 28: Ch 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 31 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (35)

Row 29-31: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (35)

Row 32: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 33 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (37)

Row 33: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (37)

Row 34: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 35 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (39)

Row 35: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (39)

Row 36: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 37 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (41)

Row 37: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (41)

Row 38: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 39 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (43)

Row 39: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (43)

Row 40: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 41 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (45)

Row 41-48: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (45)

Row 49: Ch 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 39 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc Turn. (43)

Row 50: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (43)

Row 51: Ch 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 37 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (41)

Row 52: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (41)

Row 53: Ch 1.Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 35 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (39)

Row 54: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (39)

Row 55: Ch 1.Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 33 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (37)

Row 56: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (37)

Row 57: Ch 1.Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 31 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (35)

Row 58: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across.Turn. (35)

Row 59: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (35)

Row 60: Ch 1. Work 1 inc, 33 sc, 1 inc. Turn. (37)

Row 61: Ch 1 Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (37)

Row 62: Ch 2. Work [1 dc, 1 hdc] in first st, 35 sc, then [1 hdc, 2 dc] in last st. Turn. (41)

Row 63: Ch 2. Work [1 dc, 1 hdc] in first st, 39 sc, then [1 hdc, 2 dc] in last st. Turn. (45)

Row 64-67: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (45)

Row 68: Ch 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 39 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (43)

Row 69: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st across. Turn. (43)

Row 70: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 35 sc, 2 dec. Turn. (39)

Row 71: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 31 sc, 2 dec. Turn. (35)

Row 72: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 27 sc, 2 dec. Turn. (31)

Row 73: Ch 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 25 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc. Turn. (29)

Row 74: Ch 1. Work 2 dec, 21 sc, 2 dec. (25)

Cut yarn, fasten off, and weave in ends.

TOP LAYER (uses 9.00mm crochet hook and worked with Go For Faux Yarn)

Take your faux fur yarn and create a slip knot on your hook. Remove the hook from the slip knot, but hold on to the slip knot. Insert your hook into the first stitch at the top corner of the sheepskin base and pull up the slip knot.

Loop the slip knot back onto the hook and pull the slip knot through the hole so that the slip knot is on the top side of the base, while the working yarn is on the bottom side of the base.

Work surface crochet slip stitches along each row of the base as follows:

*Insert your hook into the next stitch in the base, yarn over with the faux fur yarn, pull up a loop and through the loop on your hook.*

Repeat from * across the row.

At the end of a row, work the slip stitch into the first stitch of the next row. Turn the entire base to work slip stitches across the next row, making sure to work into any extra stitches at the curves along the edge. Fluff each row to highlight and even out the fur.

Continue working surface crochet across each row of the sheepskin base.

Once you complete the last row, work slip stitches (or surface crochet stitches) evenly around the entire edge of the sheepskin.

Cut yarn, fasten off, and weave in ends.

 

faux sheepskin draped over chair

 

I really enjoyed making this project (it took me long enough to finally complete it!) and sharing it with you after so much time. I hope you love it and make it and share it with others too! You can find me @1dogwoof on Instagram to share your creations!

11 Comments

  1. CHARLANE DARK

    Hi! Would the faux fur yarn work for snowball ornaments? Could it be worked over the pattern used for the Fair Isle balls (without tree/snowflake pattern)? I am a beginner.

  2. Jennifer Armstrong

    I LOVE this – I am making it now! I’m on Row 69 and have myself all confused 🙂 If I do as it says (Row 69: Ch 1. Work 1 dec, 35 sc, 1 dec. Turn. (39)) that is only 37 stitches, right? Should it be like the decreases before it where there is a sc before the decrease on each side? (Ch. 1. Work 1 sc, 1 dec, 35 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc)? I think that would get me to the right number, I just want to make sure that’s right! Thank you so much for this pattern!

  3. Meg

    Is there a video demonstrating the stitch with the fur? I can’t figure it out! Thanks!

  4. Esther

    Would that rug be appropriate for dogs to lay on? I do blankets for a rescue organization (and our own 2 rescues) and want to make sure this rug is suitable for the dogs (durable, etc). Looks wonderful and would be fun to make. Thx!

  5. ChiWei

    I don’t believe this would be durable for large rugs. It’s still yarn, and dog nails can probably rip it up.

  6. ChiWei

    It’s something I’m working on and hope to have available soon!

  7. ChiWei

    Hi, the pattern has been updated, so you’re probably correct that there may have been a few typos. Thank you!

  8. ChiWei

    Hi! I think the faux fur would be great for snowball ornaments, but it might be too chunky to work with my Fair Isle balls. The design on the ornaments are pretty detailed, and I think the fur would cover them up.

  9. Harris Neff

    Looking for effective advertising that has no per click costs and will get you new customers fast? I apologize for sending you this message on your contact form but actually that was kinda the point. We can send your ad text to websites through their contact forms just like you’re receiving this message right now. You can specify targets by keyword or just go with mass blasts to sites in any country you choose. So let’s assume you want to send an ad to all the web developers in the USA, we’ll scrape websites for only those and post your ad text to them. As long as you’re advertising something that’s relevant to that business category then you’ll receive an awesome result!

    Write a quick note to [email protected] to get details about how we do this

  10. Alice Bell

    Hey, thanks for sharing this! It looks great. Was just wondering what the finished approx measurements are?

  11. Corinne D.

    I really like the look of this rug, and would love to make it. Do you have a suggestion for another color of Lion Brand Rewind for the base? It seems the “Greige” color is sold out everywhere I look. Thanks.

Shop New

[products class=”et-zoom-in” limit=”2″ columns=”1″]