Snowed In Yarn Stash Busting Part 2: Crochet Face Scrubbies

In my previous post, I wrote about using left over yarn skeins to make kitchen sponges. I decided I needed a second project to end some other partial skeins. It was a long storm.

I usually use washcloths to wash my face. Only occasionally will I use the little round cotton scrubbies you can buy at the drug store. The problems with washcloths are:

1. We don’t have a whole lot for the bathroom and are not planning on updating our bath linens for a while
2. A bunch of washcloths take up a decent amount of real estate in the washer

I found this tutorial for crocheted face scrubbies at All Parenting and it was SO easy. It’s a really good tutorial with step by step pictures and easy to understand directions. She also used yarn that was easier to see the stitches than I did. Blogger fail on my part. They came together super fast. I made 20 in no time at all.

I used a size F need and just general Red Heart yarn from my stash. However, if you’re buying yarn for this or have some super soft warn laying around I’d use that instead. They’re a bit more of an exfoliator with the yarn that I used which is great, but for eye-makeup it’s a bit too rough for me. My hope is they’ll soften up after a few washes.

1. Start by chaining 4

2. Use a slip stitch to join the ends and make a small circle.

3. Single stitch 8 times into and around the circle. Join the first and last stitch in the circle with a slip stitch and then stitch 2.

4. Double stitch twice in each single stitch (for a total of 16 double stitches)

5. Join the first and last stitches with a slip stitch and chain 1. Then single chain into each double stitch.

6. join the first and last stitches with a slip stitch and again, chain 2. Then double stitch in each single stitch twice. Join the first and last stitches with a single stitch to secure the circle together.

7. Snip the yarn and pull it through the final stitch to secure.

8. Use an upholstery needle to weave the starting and ending tail into the scrubbie. Snip any extra.

This is the front and back of the resulting round scrubbie.

I am storing mine in a glass jar (check out my post on how to get wax out of used up candles to see where I get all my glass jars from). They’ll ultimately live in my vanity mirror.

 

Snowed In Yarn Stash Busting Part 1: Crochet Dish Sponges

We got a solid blizzard last weekend. As soon as the first flakes started to fall my fingers started itching for a crochet hook. Unfortunately, I was ill prepared and so just had some random skeins I hadn’t yet used up. So, I got on Pinterest for some ideas to bust my stash. I found this awesome idea for crocheted kitchen sponges from Book People Studios.

Background: I HATE sponges. Despise sponges. I use rags for dishes because after using a sponge once I’m convinced it’s full of gross stuff in all the crevices and it squeams me out. I know they can be microwaved or put in the dishwasher. I don’t care. I hate them.

So these crochet sponges made me super excited.

1. I can put them in the washing machine with my towels
2. They take up minimal space
3. I quickly made up a set so I can use a new one EVERY DAY!

 

This tutorial was a bit more fancy than the ones I made. I wasn’t sure if we were going to lose power so once I got the gist of the basic part, I just carried that through the whole sponge. That way I didn’t keep having to pull it up on my phone. It worked swimmingly.

*Note: I used a size F hook, for reference*

1. Chain 13 and turn
2. Single chain in each of the 12 empty stitches left.
3. Chain one and turn.
4. I did steps 2-3 for all my rows.
5. Crochet 50 rows. This got to be a pain to count so i started using random things, like hair pins, to mark every 10 rows. Eventually I got smart and used safety pins to mark every 10 rows. I’d recommend safety pins.

6. After row 50 I changed colors.

7. I did another 25 rows in color 2.

8. Once I had stitched all 75 rows, I left my needle in the last stitch and I used an upholstery needle to weave all my other yarn ends in. Don’t end that last piece quite yet.

9. Next, trifold the long strip. I folded the starting edge up to where I changed colors, then folded the last 25 stitches over the top. It should now be sponge shape and size. I used some straight pins to hold things together and in place

10. Single stitch all around the sponge, making sure your needle goes through all 3 layers. Once you get all the way around, join the last edge stitch to the first with a single stitch. Once you cut the string, weave the ends in with an upholstery needle.

11. I made 6 to bust out my stash and store them on my sink. I pull a new one each day and throw any dirty ones in the washing machine for my next load of towels.