It almost makes washing dishes fun! Oh, I'll be honest, I love washing dishes----one of the few cleaning chores I actually enjoy. And the little scrubbie fits right within one of my philosophies: if I can make a household chore fun by adding a colorful and charming tool to the task, I'm all for it!
I must also preface this by thanking Cassi for writing up a tutorial on how to write a tutorial! Very helpful!
Knitted Dish Scrubbie
Materials: Cotton worsted weight yarn, such as Peaches & Cream; 3 Yards of medium tulle; a scrap of cardboard or an empty paper towel roll (optional)
Tools: US Size 9 Knitting Needles; Scissors or Rotary Cutter & ruler with cutting mat
Pattern makes one scrubbie that measures approximately 3 1/2-inches x 5-inches
First, Prepare the Tulle:
Step 1: I'll warn you, tulle is very unwieldy to work with. I found this method reduces the frustration that can result from handling a big chunk of tulle. Fold the tulle in half lengthwise and then again lengthwise. Carefully lay the "tulle sandwich" on a flat surface and weight it down. Make an initial cut to one short side of the sandwich to even it out and then with either scissors or a rotary cutter and ruler, cut strips of the tulle approximately 1 1/4" wide. You only need approximately 4 strips for one scrubbie, but while you have the tulle tamed, you might want to go ahead and cut the whole thing at once.
Step 2: Knot each end of the tulle to another to form one long "tulle yarn." An overhand knot works the best. Pull the knot tight but not so tight that it breaks. Cut off the excess. Continue knotting the lengths together.
Step 3: I like to wind the tulle onto a length of cardboard or a paper towel roll so it does not become tangled, thus creating my own ball of tulle yarn.
Make your Scrubbie!
Loosely cast on 15 sts holding both the cotton yarn and the tulle together.
Continue knitting the scrubbie in garter stitch (knit every row). Don't worry about the tulle being straight in the stitches, it'll work itself out...
When your scrubbie reaches 5-inches or desired length, bind off loosely, knot excess thread, and cut the extra (or, make a little loop to hang your scrubbie right at your sink).
Now go wash those dishes with a smile! Happy Weekend!
