Mesh Pot Scrubber

Last updated on September 24th, 2015 at 05:46 pm

How to Make a Recycled Mesh Bag Pot Scrubber with Crocheted Edging

By Jane Lake

Like many people, I’ve often wondered how to recycle mesh onion bags, or other mesh produce bags.

This year, I bought a mesh bag of multiplier onions to plant in my garden and, after planting, I folded it up to stash in my pocket. That’s when it struck me – why not crochet an edge around the folded bag to make a pot scrubber?

The instructions that follow can be amended to suit the kind of bag that you have: because these produce bags come in all different sizes and are often roughly sewn together, you may want to cut the bag down into a rectangle that is suitable for folding before proceeding to the crocheted edging.

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Craft Supplies:Pin

• fine mesh plastic produce bag
• cotton crochet thread (I used Handicrafter Cotton Yarn Solids-French Blue)
• crochet hook
• darning needle or any needle with a large enough eye to thread the yarn
• scissors

Pattern Instructions:
Folding the Mesh

PinSmooth the mesh bag so that it lies flat on your working surface. If the bag has a thick or lumpy bottom seam, cut it off. Experiment with folding the bag so that you end up with a folded rectangle of a suitable size for a pot scrubber.

I folded mine horizontally, then in thirds, but on the next one I will try to make sure that all cut ends are on the inside. This isn’t essential, but it can be easier to work with and tidier.

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Blanket Stitch

Thread your needle with yarn long enough to sew a blanket stitch all around the mesh rectangle. This will fasten the rectangle into a permanent shape and provide a base for the crocheted edging.Pin

Begin the Crocheted Edging

On the sample shown here, I have done the blanket stitch all the way around with a needle, then attached a ball of yarn to continue the edging in single crochet. You can see on the sample that three sides have the single crochet, and I’m just about to finish the fourth side in single crochet which still shows the initial row of blanket stitch.

Variations: From this point on, if you have any crochet experience, you can develop almost any kind of edging that takes your fancy.

To reproduce what I did, do another row of single crochet all around, followed by a row of double crochet. Remember to increase as you go around the corners, doing two stitches in one, repeating this once or twice if you have to, so that the pot scrubber will lie flat. Pin

Scalloped Shell Stitch Edge

This is entirely decorative, but I thought it looked pretty. If you’re making these for a fundraiser, or bazaar craft, it’s an easy way to finish off.

Simply do five single crochet in one stitch of the previous row; one single crochet in the next stitch, then five more single crochet. Repeat all the way around. Tie off, cut thread, and weave the cut end through a few stitches to hide it away.