Gray Rag Rug in Progress

Here's the rag rug I'm working on currently.  I am fairly happy with the shape of it. Sometimes I struggle to keep the two ends of an oval rug similar in shape, but this one is acceptable.

I am crocheting this rug with a size N hook and 2-1/2" strips of fabric (recycled cotton and cotton-blend sheets that I've collected from thrift shops, yard sales, etc.)

I hesitate to put very light colors into a rug, because they will show dirt. At least, they certainly would at my house.  However, I have some light gray-patterned fabrics that I want to use up. So I tried putting in just a few strips of them mixed with some other grays. I hoped it would look sort of random but highlight the oval shape.

The inner band of light grays is OK, but I don't like the outer band. Specifically, I don't like one of the shades of gray I combined with the light gray, and I don't like how some of the colors lined up.

When I began typing this post, I was already planning to rip out a row of the dark gray and redo a spot that I didn't like. Now I've decided that I will also take out and redo the outer band with the light gray. I'm thinking that I will just fix everything I don't like while I'm at it.  I'll be ripping out about 3-1/2 rows.

This is not an untypical process for me. I rarely give birth to a rug without some labor pains. I'll update this post with an "after" photo when I finish the rug -- hopefully later this week.

Here are a few other rugs I've made:

• Blue rug for my sister-in-law
• One of a set of kitchen rugs for my daughter-in-law
• Beige and black rug for a friend

Update 10/14/17:  Here's the finished rug!