How to Crochet a Tawashi
April 1st, 2009 in patterns & designs, crochetJapanese Tawashi, or dish scrubbies, have become popular crochet (and knit) items over the past few years, perhaps because they are small, cute, and useful. They can be washed and dried, meaning there's not the same gross-out factor as with commercial sponges that end up getting tossed. I designed this tawashi out of Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend, which is made out of recycled T-shirt remnants (factory waste). You can also make these out of acrylic (the scratchier the better!) for extra scrubbing power—in Japan, they even sell yarns that have silver ions in them and are antibacterial. Supposedly they need no detergent to work—now that's eco-friendly!
After my crafting session, I put the tawashi to use straight away on the dishes and found it especially good for bowls and glasses because of its flexibility (I like to fold it over the edges and clean the outside and inside at once). A scratchy one would do a supreme job on tougher dishes, but I like the feel of the cotton. It would also make an excellent duster or counter wiper—I see more of these in my future! If you find yourself addicted to crocheting these, you might want to check out Tawashi Town on Ravelry (you must be a Ravelry member to join), or check out this roundup of knit and crochet tawashi.
Materials:
- Small amount of Red Heart Eco-Cotton (or comparable yarn, CYCA size 4) in three colors
- Size F (3.75mm) crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
Abbreviations:
ch chain
sc single crochet
hdc half double crochet
dc double crochet
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Start by making a chain of 21 stitches.
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Sc in the 2nd ch from your hook, then sc in next ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next 12 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, sc in last 2 ch. Before completing your last sc (i.e., before the last yarn over), switch colors as detailed below.
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Each row of color will taper off at both edges—this will make the ball shape of the tawashi.
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Make the last yarn over of your last stitch with a second color (I used three in all, which makes it easy to pick up the colors at the end of each row), and turn.
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Row 2: Working in the back loop ONLY, ch 1, sc in first 2 sc, hdc in next 2 hdc, dc in next 12 dc, hdc in next 2 dc, sc in last 2 dc (changing colors with last sc), and turn.
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Repeat row 2 twenty-two more times, for a total of 24 stripes of color. Row 3 will be your third color (white, for mine). You'll work every row in the back loop only, which will give the tawashi a slightly ribbed texture.
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When you get to the end of your third (white) row, grab the color from the first row (green) to complete the last single crochet, and turn.
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Using three colors makes it easy to have one to grab at each side. If you only want to use two colors, you might want to alternate colors every two rows so that you don't have to cut and weave a lot of ends.
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At the end of the 24th row, fasten off and leave a long (12-inch) end for sewing. Your work should look like this. Weave in all of the ends, except for the tail you left for sewing.
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With wrong sides facing, use a whipstitch to sew up the side seam of your tawashi, catching only the inside loop of the last row.
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Loop the needle through every other green stripe all around the top of the tawashi and pull taut. Insert the needle through to the other end of the tawashi and repeat on the bottom side.
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Carefully weave the end into the inside of the tawashi, working through the back side of only one layer of stitches. Trim the end.
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Press the tawashi flat so it looks like a circle. Head to the sink, and add some soap and water.
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Now you're ready tawashi the dishes! I can't guarantee it will be fun forever, but this little project did inspire me to do my keeping-it-real sinkful of dishes.
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See more of my projects on my personal blog, and look for my new book, Crochet Adorned, in stores August 11, 2009.
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Comments (13)
thanks for a wonderful easy pattern!
Kat7914
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