Simple Gifts

For many years, my Granny supplied our family with "the best" scrubbers you'll ever have.  She took time to buy the tulle net - the scratchy kind, not the kind for making tu-tus - then spread it out on the floor, carefully folded it, pinned it to the carpet so it wouldn't move, and cut it into 3 inch strips that were about 6-8 yards long.  Not an easy feat even at my age, but you must know that Granny is 91!  

When my mother told her I was learning to crochet, the first thing she said was "she can make the scrubbers!"  So, the last time my parents visited, my mom brought "the pattern" and we bought the netting, did the cutting, and had many laughs imagining Granny doing this herself while the net slipped around.  It's not an easy material to work with!

I worked the pattern, and don't you know that it looked nothing like Granny's!!   We called her to discuss.  She assured me that the pattern was correct, then at the end of the conversation, she said, "It's just 14 double crochets, or until you run out of net, then slip stitch and work in the ends...."

Light bulb moment - even though she had the pattern, she made up her own!  Now, it all made sense to me, although it always made sense to her.  

The above photo is my "pile" of scrubbers that I will be handing out to family this Christmas, and I'm sure every Christmas until I can no longer cut the net.

Here's how to do it - again, use your best judgement and play is by ear, like Granny!:

Buy 8 yards of scratchy tulle net, cut into 3 inch strips lengthwise (folding the material really helps here)

I use a size N plastic hook - plastic just seems to work better with the tulle

Ch 3 or 4, join into ring w/ slip stitch

Work as many Double Crochets as you can into this space (it's usually between 14-18 for me)

Slip stitch to finish and weave in end.

There.  It's that easy, and I'm sure variations have been passed down for generations.  

Happy scrubbing!

The Real Housewife of Sheboygan County