PATTERN: The BEST Crocheted Dish Scrubber (and a giveaway!)

I don't post many patterns anymore, but a couple of people asked me to share this after I posted a photo on my Friday Night Photos. This is such a super simple dish scrubber that pretty much anyone with any crochet skills can make. BUT I LOVE THESE.

They are better than any store-bought dish scrubber you can find! The tulle is a gentle abrasive while the kitchen cotton holds in the dish soap. I only use one each day, then throw it in the washer. They last forever! They are SO amazing that Jerry has even requested I make more because he refuses to use any other scrubber ;)

Materials:

1 role of tulle (see photos - you may have to remove the cardboard center) - Cut in half so that you have two strips that are 3" wide
1 skein of kitchen cotton, like Sugar 'n Cream
Size N crochet hook (going up or down a size is no big deal)
scissors
needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations:

sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet

When increasing, you'll just crochet two stitches in the same space.

When decreasing (in double crochet) work the first double crochet until only two loops are on the hook. Yarn over, then insert hook into next stitch. Yarn over, pull through stitch; yarn over, pull through two loops (there will be three loops on hook). Yarn over, then pull yarn through all three loops. One decrease complete.

Here is a printer-friendly version! The photos are all at the end, so you can skip printing those if you want. 

I've also left this post with the photos at the very end, so you can skip past them if you're familiar with crocheting.

Instructions:

First, prepare the tulle by cutting the roll into two strips:

Throughout the whole pattern, hold a strand of cotton with a 3"-wide strand of tulle.

Use the "crochet magic circle" to start. Here is a great tutorial on how to do it. You basically make a loop with your yarn and crochet around the loop--and then when you pull on the end, it squeezes all of the stitches together into a circle. Check out that tutorial because it explains it better than I ever could! (Although, I do attempt to show it with photos at the bottom of this post)

Round 1: Using the magic circle, sc 8 stitches. Pull the ends tight to form a circle, then slip stitch through the first sc.

Round 2: Chain 2 (counts as 1 dc). In same stitch, 1 dc. 2 dc in each stitch around (16 dc total, including original chain stitch). Slip stitch into chain stitch.

Round 3: Chain 2 (counts as 1 dc). In same stitch, 1 dc. 1 dc in next stitch. *2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around, ending with 1 dc. 24 stitches total. Slip stitch into chain stitch. 

(Here, you can tie off and complete the scrubber if you'd like; however, I like to make them with double thickness.)

Round 4: Chain 2 (counts as 1 dc). *Using next two stitches, decrease one (see instructions above). 1 dc in next stitch. When you have one stitch left, 1 dc. Then slip stitch into chain stitch. (You should have 16 stitches total.)

Round 5: Chain 2 (counts as 1 dc). *Using next two stitches, decrease one. Repeat around. Slip stitch into chain stitch. (You should have 8 stitches total.)

Round 6: Chain 2 (counts as 1 sc). Sc in next stitch and in each stitch around. Slip stitch into chain stitch at end of round. Cut yarn with a tail of about 8 inches or so and pull through chain stitch.

Thread tail into needle, and then weave in and out through the 8 sc. With the ends from the original magic circle coming up through the hole, pull all ends tight, which will close the hole. Tie the two ends in a knot a few times.

Then thread all ends into a yarn needle and weave them into the center.

None of this has to be perfect--it's a dish scrubber, not a sweater! ;) I you miss a stitch or your count is off, it just gives it character.

Here is the photo tutorial (pictorial):

I'd be happy to give a couple of these away if someone wants them! Just enter your info in the Google form below (it'll be for my eyes only) and I'll do a random drawing on February 10th at 9:00 AM ET. I will email you if you win :)