Reversible Dish Scrubber Using Recycled Mesh Produce Bags

If you are both a crocheter and a lover of recycled crafts, this will surely be one of your favorite projects.  This free crochet pattern for a dish scrubbing pad uses a recycled mesh produce bag to create an abrasive surface.  The scrubbing pad is also reversible – one side is a little bit scrubby, and the other side is super scrubby!

The example shown was made using worsted weight yarn and a size G hook and measures about 3 inches by 5 inches.  Finished size will vary depending on yarn selection, hook size, and tension.  Be sure to use an absorbent, washable yarn for the best result; the scrubbing pad shown was made with 100% cotton Sugar ‘n’ Cream yarn.  The project also uses a single recycled plastic mesh bag, the type that often contains citrus fruits.

But first, you need to cut up the mesh produce bags to make them into workable yarn!  Start by laying the bag out in front of you on the table with the ends pointing toward the sides.  One end of the bag will be sealed shut, often with a large paper tag.  Cut this off so that both ends of the bag are open.

Starting from one end of the bag, cut it into strips about 1 inch wide.  The strips should be cut side-to-side across the bag, so that each slice results in a loop of mesh.  Slip the loops through each other to make a long chain, connecting the mesh pieces end-to-end.  To keep the strand from tangling as you work, wrap the finished mesh bag “yarn” around an empty toilet paper tube.

Reversible Dish Scrubber Free Crochet Pattern

R1:  Ch 15.

R2-12:  Turn; dc 15.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

To work the scrubby surface onto the dish pad, pair a string of mesh bag yarn with a strand of regular yarn.  Starting at one of the corners, slip stitch the double strand around the post of the first dc in the row.  (Do not stitch into the outside edge of the scrubber.)  Sl st around the post of each dc across, always feeding the yarn in a downward direction.   At the end of the row, ch 1, then turn and work across the next row, always being careful not to work the scrubby surface into the outside edge.  When the entire surface has been covered, fasten off and weave in ends.

I found that it is easiest to work the scrubbing surface onto the dish pad by laying the project flat on a table while crocheting.  Make a larger or smaller dish pad (or even a full-size dish cloth) by altering the dimensions of the crocheted base before working on the mesh bag yarn surface.