Don't you hate when you get to the end of a soap bar? You can't hardly use them at all! Well Chrissy emailed us in a crocheted soap saver pinstrosity she found and made.
The Original Pin
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| http://www.crazysockscrochet. |
The Pinstrosity
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What Went Wrong:
" I used the correct yarn, correct needle and followed the directions. The only thing I can figure is that I didn't do the crochet in "round" quite right. At any rate, it turned out incredibly tiny (in my opinion). I mean, it's supposed to be used with soap scraps, but still, this is really, really small."
By just looking at the photos, I couldn't tell what went wrong so I decided to do a little investigating of my own. Here's what I came up with:
Doing the actual project gave me a little insight into some possible mishaps.
- The type of yarn. We all used the same size yarn, but from what I can tell from the pictures, we all used different kinds of yarn. Mine was worsted weight cotton yarn (Peaches & Creme brand). It works a little different from some other yarns (as I have found with other projects). When I crochet with the Peaches & Creme yarn, my crochet tends to be thicker than if I use yarn like Red Heart (just the normal stuff). My bag might've turned out larger due to this yarn difference.
- I did not follow the suggestion given in the instructions to mark off a starting stitch, so I lost count many times as to how many rounds I did. I think I did 10, but I might have done 9, or 12. Missing or added rows could easily account for size differences.
- I had to pull out my stitching a few times because I messed up on the rounds. Sometimes I somehow added stitches so my bag was turning into a bowl. Other times I missed stitches so my bag was getting more and more narrow near the top. When I finally got the rounds right (I think) they stayed the same size.
- I tend to crochet rather loosely. Most of my projects tend to be slightly larger than they probably are supposed to be. Others crochet tighter, leading to smaller projects.
The palm of my hand is a little small, so the one I made fits just about perfect, but the first thing my husband said when I tossed it over to him was, "That's kinda small, isn't it?". So I think partly this just depends on the size of your palm, and your preference on the size of the bag.
But now that I've got this made, I'm sitting here thinking that this is rather thick to work up a lather through. That'll be the next test I guess.
When the cotton gets wet (ie, in the shower) it will stretch out. Also, the stitches will stretch as you add your soap scraps. MY problem with soap scrap savers has always been that the yarn takes forever to dry out, leaving a soggy, sudsy soap sack that seems to be begging mold to take up residence. So instead, I saved an old (clear) bodywash bottle. When I have a soap scrap I break it up and add it to the bottle along with a bit (a few tablespoons to about 1/4 cup, depending on the texture you want) of hot water and then shake it up really well. Instant body wash. If you keep it thick, it's especially great for shaving your legs.
ReplyDeleteThose wedding favor-sized mesh bags work better for a soap saver scrubber, especially since the fabric mimics commercial body scrubbers. However, what we do with soap slivers is put them in my husband's shaving cup.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you almost got the same size... Look how little the original pin is. The's roughly smaller than 4 inches it seems. I still like it though. Both of them! I think she did a really good job.
ReplyDeleteStockings work very well as soap savers. slip the bar into the toe and tie it. From there, you can fashion whatever handle you want from the remaining fabric. Plus they don't get all soggy.
ReplyDeleteI sew up soap savers out of a few layers of tuelle, serge together along the seams. It savers the soap and exfoliates.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ClarissaDay. How do you know how big the pin was, (there's no scale going on with what looks to be the wooden deck)? Smaller the better with cotton shower stuff because it dries quicker. Put it over a shampoo bottle like a hat to dry to avoid damp/mold problems. You did it perfect with the same yarn (ombres and variegated Peaches and Cream are the same, generally). Very good job.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it. You can't tell how big the pin is by a wooden board in the background. Small is good with cotton shower stuff because it dries quicker, put it on a shampoo bottle like a hat to avoid dampness/mold. Very Good Job. It is all "Peaches and Cream" yarn. Good project to learn rounds.
ReplyDelete