Next month marks 7 years of blogging as retro mummy and I have a lot of blog posts. Here is one I found from 2009 that I thought I would share with you again. I love making these before I have a baby as they are great to use in the bath. My kids call them princess washers because they are a bit more fancy than the regular facewashers we use in the bath. These are the super easy and addictive little face washers to crochet up and keep in your bathroom. Great to give away with a bar of soap or a bundle of them to a new mum to use with her baby. They just go in the washing machine and dryer and come out fresh and ready to use again and they are also a great beginner project.
What you’ll need
1 ball of cotton like Sugar N Cream (worsted weight) or Debbie Bliss cotton (8 ply)
A crochet hook (5mm for worsted weight cotton or 4mm for 8 ply) You can also use a 3.75mm for a tighter washcloth
Instructions
Make a slip knot with the yarn on your crochet hook then chain 40 or whatever number you like to get the size washer you want.
Chain 3 to give you the height for the first row, skip the next chain and then double crochet (dc) along your chain. Please note that I use US terminology and if you use Australian terminology then you will be calling a double a treble.
Turn and chain 3, skip next chain and dc along row.
Keep going always doing your dc into the back loop of your stitch which gives you a nice ridge in your work.
Then I did single crochet all around the square to finish it off and weaved in my edges. You could do a picot edge or something pretty if you prefer.
All up this took me 2 hours and I was ready to make another
And a little note on where to buy cotton. Yes you can buy 8 ply cotton from my favourite wool brand, Bendigo Woollen Mills, but I just love Sugar n Cream which is available in Australia from Yarn Over. The Debbie Bliss dk cotton is also fabulous which you can buy from Suzy Hausfrau.
I wish I could crochet just so I could make piles of these face washers. I think they would make the perfect gift for a new mum or for a teacher with some pretty soap. I need to have another go at crocheting! xo
you do! you need to get your hook, your yarn and youtube! check out the videos by the crochet crowd as I find they go at the right pace! https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeyssmail
I think I need to learn to crochet, all these beatuful little things you are making. What hook do you recommend for a beginner? xx
I think you need to learn too:) starting with 8 ply and say a 4.5mm hook is a great start as it will be a bit bigger to get used to using. Don’t worry about how you hold your yarn either when you start. That can come later and check out this youtube channel which I love https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeyssmail
O this is such a pretty colour pink. I don’t crochet but knit & have done many cotton dish cloths & face washes. For my face washers & gifts for new mums I love to use cotton yarn from Ecoyarn its is amazing soft. In the past I used BWM cotton yarn but now any of the cottons from Ecoyarn are just perfect. Even made some scrubbies in hemp yarn
aren’t they the best! I just find them so quick and easy! will have to check out that cotton too!
I’ve got a lovely little stash I have been meaning to make facewashers and dishcloths out of. Need to get moving!
your girls will thank you:)
If your kids are anything like mine they always go for the mummy-made face washers over the store bought ones.
Hope Keira is in good spirits. Kids are much more resilient than we are. Just remember to be kind to yourself and that precious baby bump over the next 7 weeks of hard yards.
oh thank you! they are resilient aren’t they! I think it knocks us around more than it does them. and yes they love my handmade washers just like they love my handmade blankets when watching a movie on the couch:)
Dear Corrie,
seeing those pretty face washers I am just wondering how you manage to wash and/or bath all of your 5 children at night!! It must take ages to get them all washed, dressed, teeth brushed etc… so how is your evening Routine?
However, I must really say I am still looking forward every day to reading your blog or Facebook account, just because you seem to love motherhood with all its good and bad sides just as much as I do.
Best wishes from Germany for you and your Baby, your big girl, and all of your Family.
Constanze
oh thank you! yes bath time can be pretty fun around here but basically as soon as dinner is over everyone goes upstairs and I yell out bath a few times. I run a bath for the littlest 2 and then the big 3 hop in the shower in the same room and it all happens at once. Everyone gets into jammies then back downstairs to read a book or play or do some homework. I think we’ve definitely got our night time routine down pat but it wasn’t always that way
thank you so much for your kind wordsxxxxxxxx
What a pretty and very practical gift, lovely idea – thank you for the pattern!