Pot Scrubber Crocheted from Plastic Bags
Here is my parade of pot scrubbers crocheted from recycled plastic bags!
I used several different types of plastic to create these pot scrubbies. The yellow and white/red ones were crocheted using the pattern below with a “N” hook. The white/gold one was made from a recycled plastic wedding bag. You can read about that project here. This scrubber was made using a “H” hook rather than the bigger hook as the plastic yarn was single strand. It is a much tighter stitched scrubber than the ones with the bigger hook. Here is the free pattern link for that scrubber.
So depending on your project either use the pattern below for pot scrubbers made from recycled plastic grocery bags or the link above for the single strand plastic strips.
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Free Crocheted Pot Scrubber Pattern using Plastic Grocery Bags
Scrubber measures 3-1/2 inches wide across. (Make 2 round disks)
Material: Plastic bags cut into 1” strips
Hook: Metal “N” hook
Round Disk
Round 1
Ch 4, Sl St to join in first st of chain to form ring.
Round 2
Ch 2 (counts as first Hdc), work 11 Hdc in ring (12 Hdc), join with Sl St at top of Ch 2.
Round 3
Ch 2, work Hdc in same stitch, then work 2 Hdc in each st, join with Sl St at top of Ch 2.
Fasten off and weave ends under. (Tip: leave yarn attached when you complete 2nd disk that way you don’t need to attach yarn to join two disks together.)
With wrong sides together, join your two round disks together by working sc through both layers in between last rnd sts. Work *1 Sc in next st, then 2 Sc in next st* — repeat between * -* to last st. End with Sl St in last st. Fasten off and weave ends under.
Variations: Use all one color of plastic bags or vary colors as desired.
If you have any questions or find discrepancies in this pattern, please email me using contact tab above.
Abbreviations:
Ch – Chain
Sc - Single Crochet
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Sl St – Slip Stitch
Rnd – Round
This pattern is copyrighted by Cindy of My Recycled Bags {dot com} and may only be used for private individual use. No commercial sales or use is permitted. Links to this pattern are acceptable. ©2007
****Please do not copy my patterns on your blog site or post my patterns on Internet sites. I do not allow my patterns to be republished without expressed written permission. Posting of my patterns, without written permission is in violation of my copyrights and is content theft.
Tags: free-pattern, scrubber, scrubbies
June 11, 2007
Thanks for sharing these- I’ll have to learn how to crochet so I can use these on my non-stick pots!
June 11, 2007
I have wanted to do this for a while, but I was afraid water (particularly dirty dish water) would get caught inside the plastic and grow bacteria. have you had any problems with that?
June 11, 2007
It is just like any sponge or other scrubbies, they do get dirty. I wash mine in hot soapy water to clean and throw them away when they get too dirty. You can also soak them in a bit of bleach water to kill any bacteria.
September 9, 2007
Hi I have made these scrubbers with the orange and red plastic mesh onion bags!. I open them carefully at the top, and cut them in a spiral around making astrip about 3/4 to 1 inch wide and took them altogether, it takes maybe 4 bags to make one scrubber and I crochet them like you crocheted this particular scrubber pattern…. I never thought of using plastic bags…. Oh and another thing I have used to make scrubbers with is old vcr tapes, you open the tape up and just crochet with the vcr tape, its good and scratchy too
September 11, 2007
I purchased a pot scrubber last year made from the net used in making corsages. This worked great and I wish I could crochet so I could make my own. Mine is long since gone from over use.
February 14, 2008
My Gran makes these out of strips of that plastic fabric mesh/veil stuff (maybe it’s crinolen?) Anyway, everyone in my family uses them now as they word SO well, last a long time and never scratch your pans.
February 19, 2008
What a great idea! Do you know if these plarn scrubbies or your yarn/plarn scrubbies will scratch teflon type pans? I’d love to make them but would like to know before I find out the hard way, kwim?
February 19, 2008
@Michelle,
I used mine on Teflon and non-stick pans with no problems. Nothing lasts forever but my pans haven’t been scratched other than with forks etc. hehe.
Thanks for stopping by.
February 19, 2008
Sounds great to me! Thanks!!
August 21, 2008
I made one of these and I absolutely LOVE it. It works great for dishes, but I really like it for scrubbing my granite countertops. I can really scrub hard and not have to worry about it scratching! I am going to make a bunch and give them away to my friends for christmas. Thanks for the great pattern!
I may venture into making other things as well!
October 1, 2008
I really love your website! We live out in the middle of nowhere (interior Alaska) and I always seem to run out of green scratchies between trips to town (over 50 miles away!) I am most definitely a beginning crocheter but hope to make up a few of these. My MIL used to get them at a craft fair in NY but has been unable to find them the past couple of years. I am so excited about making them for gifts. We have plenty of friends who are willing to pass on their plastic bags and mesh bags so I should be able to make them to coordinate with each persons kitchen.
February 1, 2009
Hi Cindy,
I have been making totes from plarn, and wanted to do something different. I saw your site, and it’s great! I can’t wait to get started on the scrubbers. I plan on making them for my friends since they take the totes as fast as I can make them.
Thanks for sharing
Deb
Deb’s last blog post..Hanging Kitchen Towel Rooster
March 4, 2009
My Granny used to make porch rugs from plastic bread bags when they were just beginning to use plastic instead of cellophane. Being from the depression era she was always looking for ways to reuse things. She went through a phase where everything was a recycled bread bag! She had rugs, scrubbies, shoes, totes, even pillows!
April 2, 2009
Would these work on my new smooth surface stove?
April 2, 2009
Yes the plastic bags are pretty gentle and I use them on my non-stick pans without any scratching.
May 5, 2009
Thank you for the links. I will try to make something my husband said not to use the vcr tapes to make scrubbers because they have alloys which means that there are mixed metals. In the majority of the tapes. Which can get into your blood stream if it gets on your hands period you have to touch it to use it so there for don’t take the chance. My husband knows trust me he worked in a photo shop. Worked on vcrs.
May 5, 2009
I would agree not to use vcr tape for washing dishes. It may not be healthy to wash our dishes in this material.
August 16, 2009
I can remember so many items being made of recycled breadsacks as well. The Wonder bread bags were the best since they were a soft plastic with a white background and all those colorful spots… I can even remember getting houseshoes made from them.
I’ve tried my hand at crocheting, but I’m not very good, however these seem like an easy gift project to stuff into Christmas cards for those you want to just remember with something small. Thanks all!
And, Cindy, I hope your battle is going well, I’ll say a prayer for you and keep my fingers crossed as well. Thank you for sharing your time and energy.
December 18, 2009
[...] Crochet Plarn Patterns: Tote Bag Plarn Snowman Plarn accessories Plarn Dishcloth Scrubbies Plarn Curtain Plarn Scrubbies [...]
December 30, 2009
Love your site! Just made a pot scrubber with plarn plus (plarn and another yarn.) To prevent the dangerous build up of bacteria, I simply microwave the scrubber for 30 seconds.
March 2, 2010
[...] only made the scrubbers but I might make a bag since I’ve got some blue and yellow plarn that might make a cute bag. [...]
March 8, 2010
[...] towel and dish rag each day so they don’ t get gross or sooner if need be. I make these crocheted scrubbers out of plastic grocery bags and pop them in the dishwasher to clean. I also have another drawer [...]
May 22, 2010
My Grama made crochet rugs with bread bags-mine has LONG since worn out. Thanks for the renewed interest in this recycle program. I am motivated to make a replacement, along with scrubbies, bags, coasters…!