Spring cleaning and Earth Day have inspired my newest In The Hoop Scrubbie embroidery design. If you have read many of my other blog posts, you will find that I love to repurpose things and I do have a problem throwing items away. Many packaging materials are treasures waiting to be re-purposed. I am hoping this project will inspire you to look around your home to get those creative recycling juices flowing.
I love to make oatmeal with fresh ginger. If you haven't tried adding this to your morning cereal, give it a try. When you purchase ginger and many other produce items, they will often come packaged in mesh bags like the picture above. This mesh material is usually sturdy and tightly woven. I can't throw it in the garbage because I know it can be useful for scrubbing. In fact, if you will look at purchased scrubbing sponges, they might have similar if not the same materials on them.
This photo is a little embarrassing because it shows just how long I shamelessly use dish towels. Yes this was pulled from my kitchen drawer but it can become a fresh new In The Hoop Scrubbie. I also will move these into my rag bag for washing cars. So just a tip, any leftover towels that you don't turn into scrubbies are perfect for those outdoor jobs as well.
This project uses three layers of towel so you can find outer areas to cut that have smaller or no holes. The inner layer of towel can have larger holes because you won't see it. The mesh bag is trimmed open and cut into squares. See just how much usable fabric you can get when you look for it? The towel is already broken in and soft so it will be absorbent and ready for duty. The mesh will give an extra layer of cleaning power without being too abrasive.
One extra recycling step will be to cut all of the leftover bits of towel and mesh into small pieces to stuff the scrubbie before it is closed up. This gives extra bulk and thickness. I see clean tires and rims in my future or maybe a fresh barbeque grill?.
When sewing the final seam with a needle and thread I will advise you to use a strong polyester thread. The mesh is a tough material and cotton thread may cut easily when you pull the thread tightly underneath it. Altogether you can finish these quickly in assembly line fashion. This would be a good project to do with kids. They can help with cutting the squares of towel and mesh and learn about recycling along the way.
It's not colorful and bright like brand new plastic wrapped scrubbies but it will do the same if not better job. Throw these in your washing machine to sanitize after use. Are you inspired to recycle something today? Watch my instruction video below to see how quickly you can make your own scrubbie. Start gathering your FREE materials from your home and grocery shopping. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.
