Scrubby Yarn Tips & Tricks for Pin Loom Weaving

July 28, 2025 By

Tips and tricks are definitely needed if you plan to weave with scrubby yarn. It makes the BEST dishcloths for handwashing dishes but the yarn is definitely aggravating to work with. We’ve made lots of variations of an 8″ dishcloth and learned a thing or two…and maybe said a colorful word or two, as well.

How to weave scrubby yarn without pulling all your hair out!!

Scrubby yarn makes wonderful woven dishcloths that are pliable and durable. Made from polyester, this yarn has lots of little tendrils sticking out which give it an abrasive quality, without actually being abrasive. The rough texture makes it great for washing dishes, but a challenge for weaving on a pin loom using multiple warp layers, like the looms with a 3-pin configuration. Not only do all the little tendrils make it difficult to see each warp strand around which to weave, the needle invariably snags a tendril making it nearly impossible to pull the needle through each layer.

After weaving quite a few Scrubby squares, we found a few tricks to make weaving with this yarn a little less frustrating (though not completely fool-proof)!

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 1:

Push nearby warp strands out of the way as you weave to isolate the strand around which you are weaving. This helps you find the warp strands you want, as the tendrils often make it difficult to see the different strands. By pushing neighboring warp strands out of the way, you are also less likely to snag a stray tendril.

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 2:

Exaggerate the up and down of the needle. Make the needle go very high when weaving over, and very low when weaving under to try to go over the tendrils.

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 3:

Pull out a weft row. Unfortunately, you won’t know that you have snagged a tendril or split a warp strand until you start to pull the needle through. And you won’t know where the problem is until the eye of the needle gets to the problem. With extreme care, you can attempt to pull the weft from the needle and pull the row out from the side, but this will be a tiresome task.

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 4:

Hulk out! More than one square was made with me losing my cool. After much careful but (quite) forceful tugging, I’ve managed to force the needle to pass through the row. More often than not, this has ended up in some tendril pulling and breaking. Surprisingly, the square holds up. It doesn’t unravel and can still be used.

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 5:

Use the continuous strand weaving method. This method uses a hook, and creates the warp and weft as you go. No more piercing or splitting a strand or tendril with a needle, unless the pin loom shape you are weaving also has a plain weave section, like a hexagon.

Pin Loom Weaving with Scrubby Yarn Tip 6:

Weave with cotton and scrubby yarn in different layers. This is probably the best way to weave scrubby, or at least the least frustrating way!

Hip to Be Square Pin Loom Pattern

We love gifting dishcloths woven in cotton and scrubby yarn and created a super fun design using a 4″ square pin loom. We call it, “Hip to be Square” because there are 3 embossed square weaving designs along with a scrubby square. This 4″ pin loom square pattern includes all the tips listed here and more!

Hip to be Square pattern includes:

  • Hip to Be Square Dishcloth Pattern
  • 3 Embossed Squares Weaving Patterns
  • 6 Variations on cotton / scrubby dishcloths
  • 6 Weaving Tips
  • 3 Finishing Tips
  • Comparison of crochet vs weaving with scrubby

Hip to Be Square on Etsy

The Hip to Be Square Dishcloth Pin Loom Pattern is available in our Etsy shop. It includes all the tips, tricks and weaving variations.

Available now on Etsy.

More about Hip to Be Square Pin Loom Dischloth

One of the great features of pin loom weaving dishcloths is that the supplies needed are minimal and with only 2 balls of you yarn, you can made several dishcloths! And even better than that…you only need one pin loom, a 4″ square. Here’s what you’ll need to make this giftable dishie:

  • Yarn:         Lily: Sugar’n Cream – 100% cotton, Medium (4) – 1 skein
  • Red Heart: Scrubby – 100% polyester, Medium (4) – 1 skein
  • Pin Loom: 4” square
  • Needle:     6” weaving needle, yarn needle for sewing
  • Crochet Hook: G/6/4.00mm (optional)

This dishcloth first appeared in Little Looms magazine. We have the rights back to this project and have created a pattern packed full of more tips and tricks. Get your Hip to Be Square Pin Loom Pattern on Etsy.

Filed Under: Kitchen, Patterns for Sale, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , , , ,

Timberland Townies

July 21, 2025 By

Introducing, the Timberland Townies, 6 classy pin loom woven woodland friends. These cute critters are featured in the Fall 2025 issue of Little Looms magazine.

The call for submissions asked for forest themed items. The fox quickly came to mind. After making a fox stuffed pillow and fox purse using 4″ squares for the Zoo Crew ebook, I focused on the triangular shape of the face first. Unlike the pillow and purse, the little plush fox used a variety of looms, not just the 4″ square.

While assembling the fox, the form of the face reminded me of an otter, a beaver, and a bear. It wasn’t long before the bunny and mouse joined the party! What makes each animal seem different is just the minor placement differences in the ears, eyes, and nose. To make them more authentic, I paid close attention to the tails as well.

Each stuffed animal is about 10″ tall and a few inches wide, making them great toys for elementary aged children. Safety eyes are not recommended for children that put toys in their mouths.

Each animal took about 2 hours to weave, and couple more hours to assemble, making these great weekend projects!

Timberland Townies Made with Lion Brand Yarn

The heathered tones of Heartland yarn from Lion Brand really make the clothes and accessories pop. This yarn also weaves up very nicely on the pin loom. It’s one of our favorite go-to yarns when weaving.

For those solid colored elements like fur, we used Basic Stitch from Lion Brand Yarn. We also love that this line has various shades of brown and beige under the label “Skein Tones”.

We love how the colors of these two yarn lines look together, like they were made for each other.

Filed Under: Animals, Child, Publications, Yarnovator Tagged With: ,

Make a Shark!

July 21, 2025 By

Great for Shark Week or any week! We have 3 fun and creative stuffed animals you can weave and sew. These include step-by-step instructions, so anyone can make them.

1. Get Hammered: Hammerhead Shark Sewing Pattern

Hammerhead shark sewing pattern with step by step instructions

This Hammerhead Shark sewing pattern is a great pattern for new sewists. It includes step-by-step written instructions, lots of photos and tracing templates. The coral reef pictured is not included. It was woven on pin looms.

The sewn hammerhead shark measures approximately 18″ long. If you love upcycling, this is a great project for that. What makes this hammerhead shark sewing pattern so realistic is the inclusion of all 8 fins and the notch on the caudal (tail) fin.

Hammerhead Shark sewing pattern is now available on Etsy.

2. Nailed It: Hammerhead Shark Pin Loom Weaving Pattern

You’ll be saying, “Nailed It” after weaving your own hammerhead shark. This shark stuffed animal is created with pin loom shapes that are folded or tucked and sewn together. The hammerhead shark pin loom pattern includes step-by-step written instructions and lots of photos, so even the beginner weaver can make one.

The pin loom hammerhead shark measures approximately 10″ long. Each pin loom shape is woven in plain weave making it a very approachable project.

The Hammerhead Shark Pin Loom Pattern is now available on Etsy.

3. Shark Attack: Gnome Pin Loom Weaving Pattern

Ready for a day at the beach, this gnome’s hat looks like a Shark Attack! The gnome, shark and even the starfish are made from pin loom woven shapes. This pin loom pattern also includes step-by-step written instructions and lots of photos.

Shark Attack Gnome measures approximately 18″ tall from bottom of gnome to the end of the shark tail. The gnome, shark and starfish are all woven on pin looms in plain weave. The teeth are crocheted.

Shark Attack Pin Loom Pattern is now available on Etsy.

All three of these Hammerhead Shark patterns are a lot of fun to make and to play with.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Animals, Boy, Child, Girl, Patterns for Sale, Pin Loom, Sewing, Yarnovator Tagged With: , , , ,

August 2025 Classes

July 17, 2025 By

Beat the heat this summer by taking a couple craft classes with me. It’s open to all members of Sew’n Sew’s sewing group that meets in Sun Lakes, Az. Ping me for more information.

Granny Square – Crochet Class August 25

Learn how to crochet the granny square. This is a fun class for first time crocheters and those needing a refresher on the granny square. Bring 2 to 5 skeins of medium worsted weight yarn and I/9/5.5 m crochet hook (I recommend Susan Bates).

Playing Card Holder – Sewing Class August 11

If you love playing cards but want to play hands free, this is the perfect card holder for you! It has 5 rows of pockets (no center seam), it’s slanted, weighted and folds flat when not in use. You will cut fabric before class and learn how to sew it all together and go home with a completed card holder.

Can’t make the class? No worries, you can purchase the sewing pattern for the card holder in our Etsy shop: Playing Card Holder.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Dana

Filed Under: Classes & Workshops, Yarnitect Tagged With: , ,

Published in I Like Crochet August 2025

July 15, 2025 By

We have 3 fun designs featured in I Like Crochet August 2025. This issue features 3 exciting themes including: Boho, Modern Mariner, Bold Prints for Late Summer. You’ll find items such as bags, pillows, tops and more.

1. Peach Grove Backpack

Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet magazine.

Peach Grove Backpack is a fun and stylish backpack that features a wide variety of crochet stitches and techniques. The handle and drawstring are made with a super easy faux icord. The shoulder straps are stitched in Tunisian crochet using a standard crochet hook. The main body of the bag is made with mini bobbles. It’s an exciting project to crochet and fun to assemble. I particularly love how the metal grommets and buckles create a tailored look.

Universal Yarns Clean Cotton yarn provides great stitch definition allowing each element to really pop. This line has 21 bold and beautiful colors to choose from.

There are a few more photos on our Peach Grove Backpack Instagram post.

2. Leather & Stripe Pillow

Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet magazine.

This mariner style pillow is fast and easy project to crochet. The faux leather band creates a gorgeous transition between the 2 panels. It is so enjoyable to make, I’m tempted to make this in other color schemes for different rooms in my home. I’m thinking black and white stripe section…or maybe a pink and white stripe.

Pacific yarn from Cascade Yarn is really lovely to crochet with. And with 82 colors to choose from, you’re bound to find just the right combination for your crochet pillow.

There are a couple more photos on our Leather & Stripe Pillow Instagram post.

3. Rosy Knots Tote

Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet magazine.

Rosy Knot Tote combines yarn and fabric, one of my new favorite things to do. In this case, I purchased a scarf from a second hand store and turned it into a shoulder strap for a bag. I love how the bright white single crochet stitches contrast with the vivid colors of the scarf. This is a great project for a brand new crocheter.

There are a few more photos on our Rosy Knots Tote Instagram post.

The yarn for this bag is made from upcycled textile waste. It’s a t-shirt yarn called Zpagetti by Hoooked. You need to check their website for colors and prints. There are so many to choose from and the inventory changes.

It’s pretty rare for us to have 3 projects in a single issue of a magazine. We are thankful for the opportunity and encourage you to check out this fantastic issue of I Like Crochet August 2025.

Filed Under: Bags, Crochet, Home Decor, Publications, Yarnitect Tagged With: , , , , ,

Serene Shores Wrap – June 2025 ILC

June 5, 2025 By
Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet magazine.

The June 2025 issue of I Like Crochet magazine features our Serene Shores Wrap. This shawl crochet pattern is a lacy, playful design with a unique edging and flirty tassels. It’s stitched in a scrumptious Cantata yarn which is medium worsted weight.

For those of us living in warmer climates, this shawl is a must have in summer months for battling fridge temperatures of indoor air conditioning. For those living in cooler climates, the Serene Shores Wrap is a must have for the cooler evening temperatures.

About the Serene Shores Wrap

  • Measurements: 96” long x 21” wide
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Cascade Yarns: Cantata (6 skeins)

Serene Shores Wrap in Cascade Yarns Cantata

I highly recommend this yarn for shawls such as the Serene Shores Wrap. It feels luxurious to stitch with and has great stitch definition. Last time I looked, there were 45 colors to choose from. Wow! The Serene Shores is worked in #16 Sand, 3 hanks and #12 Green Teal, 3 hanks.

Cascade Yarns Cantata is the perfect choice for Spring and Summer stitching because it has gorgeous sun-kissed colors. The yarn is a luxurious cotton tube with soft Merino wool blown in. It has fantastic loft and beautiful drape allowing the lacework to really shine.   

  • Fiber: 70% Cotton / 30% Merino Wool
  • Approx. Yardage: 218 yds (200 m)
  • Weight: 100 g (3.5 oz)
  • (4) Medium Worsted Weight
  • Hand Wash Cold
  • Lay Flat to Dry

I Like Crochet – June 2025

I Like Crochet June 2025 issue has a fun beachy vibe with a “Sand + Sea” story and a “Hot Tropics” theme. You’ll find tops, wraps, and a fun flamingo pillow. And, if you like Pineapple crochet, there are 7 designs to stitch.

Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet magazine.
Filed Under: Publications, Yarnitect Tagged With: , , , ,

Rag Quilt – Creating Squares

April 25, 2025 By

Part 2: After making a plan and creating colorful scrap triangles and rectangles, I sewed the triangles and rectangles together to make squares. The pieces were sewn together with the wrong side facing so the seam would be on the front to be ragged. I cut the seam with little slits about 1/8″ apart. I cut very close to the seam stitches. Once in awhile, I accidentally cut the stitches. I put a sewing clip on the cut section to remind myself to sew that area together as I sewed the large “X’s”.

Next, I began working on the second major part of the scrap rag quilt, deciding on the bottom fabric and layout, and cutting the center layer. I chose three colors of cotton for the bottom layer, and a random pattern. I sketched it out so I could place the colors in the correct place.

I decided on fleece for the center as an inlay. I cut the fleece squares to 12″. This meant there wouldn’t be fleece in the ragged seam.

Once all the top squares, middle inlays, and bottom squares were cut, I decided to stack all the square layers together square by square. I laid the bottom layer down, centered a fleece on that, then the top piece on top.

I made a nice tall pile of these layers to get them ready to sew “X’s” on them.

Before sewing the “X’s”, I made sure each layer was centered neatly. 2 Clips per side is a nice amount to keep the layers steady.

I kept the sewn layers in order so it would be easy to sew them into strips. Does this look like a CA king quilt?

The plan is to sew them into strips, rag them, then sew 2 strips together at a time so it isn’t hard to sew the whole blanket together. This step took about 2 weeks, bringing the total working time up to 8 weeks.

**Some people sew two straight stitches per square or strip for extra durability.

Filed Under: Bedroom, Home, Quilt, Sewing, Uncategorized, Yarnovator Tagged With: ,

Beginning a Scrap Rag Quilt – CA King

April 13, 2025 By

I am embarking on a large task, sewing a California king sized rag quilt! Do I have lots of time for this? Not really. I anticipate this quilt will take several months working in 10-30 minute snippets at a time. First, I made a plan.

I decided on a star image with border sections. I sketched out several stars to try out different color placements. Next, I measured the bed (top and overhang desired) to determine what sized squares and triangles I would need. The top measured 72″ wide x 84″ long. The length of the sides could be 18-22″ long. I already know that I do not want the sides to touch the floor. With these dimension in mind, I decided on 12″ squares after being sewn together. I decided on 1/2″ seams on each side, so the squares need to be 13″.

Next, I sketched out a design. Many quilts used as bedspreads have a bunch of extra fabric in the corners. I don’t want all that fabric, so I decided to leave out the corner sections on the bottom of the blanket. If the quilt doesn’t close in the corners after being placed on the bed, I will come up with a creative solution for keeping the corners closed.

With this design in mind, I began tackling the shapes for the top. As drawn, I would need triangles, squares, and rectangles. Rag quilts often have 1/2″ (5/8″, 3/4″, or 1″) seams on the front/right side of the quilt that are clipped 1/8″ apart to create the rag look. Therefore, I cut the squares at 13″ to allow for a 1/2″ seam on each side. I cut the triangles to 13 1/2″ lengths (on the two sides that make the right angle, not the hypotenuse), but that ended up being just a tad short when I sewed the squares together. I recommend 14″ right triangles. The border is rectangles, and those were cut to 7″ x 13″ I don’t have special cutting equipment, so I decided to make cardboard templates from cereal boxes.

In addition to being a rag quilt, this is a scrap quilt. I decided to sew my remnant pieces together to create the star and border sections.

Because I couldn’t wait to see the star come together, I started my scrap quilt with the colorful triangles. I organized all my scraps by color and used the cardboard templates to make the triangles, squares, and rectangles.

Want to guess how long these steps took? Between homeschooling my two boys, driving my kids to appointments and activities, creating other sewing, weaving, and crocheted designs, the above steps took 6 1/2 weeks. Did I get frustrated? Normally I would have, but I decided that this project is allowed to take as long as it takes.

Next steps: Decide on the bottom fabric and colors, cut the bottom squares, cut middle fleece, then assemble the quilt.

Filed Under: Bedroom, Quilt, Sewing, Yarnovator

Doily Mug Rug and Upcycling Doilies in We Like Sewing Magazine April 2025

April 1, 2025 By
Photo courtesy of We Like Sewing magazine.

For the April 2025 issue of We Like Sewing online magazine, we wrote a sewing pattern and an article about doilies. We’ve grown to appreciate doilies more and more over the last few years. Back in the day, when our grandmother was crocheting them, we didn’t appreciate them, but now we do. There are so many new and exciting ways that people are using doilies, that it’s hard not to get excited about them.

As you can see in the photo above, we wrote a beginner friendly pattern for mug rugs. These are fun and quick upcycle projects that can be made in an hour. The denim is from upcycled denim jeans. The doilies were given to me by my aunt. Some had “Made in China” tags on them, so I felt comfortable upcycling them on the coasters.

Additionally, I, Dana, wrote an article with 11 ideas for upcycling doilies and lace in the article: Reduce, Reuse, Relace! In that I share ideas for decorating your home, updating clothing and creating useful items as well. I also share a few photos from my home where I’ve upcycled doilies and lace.

Check out our latest article and pattern on We Like Sewing April 2025 website.

The article I wrote is just a small sample of the amazing projects I saw online. I didn’t have time or space to share them all. But if you’re looking for a visual inspiration, check out the Pinterest board I created: Upcycle Doilies and Lace.

This article ramped up my appreciation of doilies so much that I sewed a doily on a playing card holder I made for my sister. This was also a denim upcycling project. Check out the doily on the Playing Card Holder Sewing Pattern.

Filed Under: Publications, Yarnitect Tagged With: , , , ,

60 Quick Granny Squares

March 15, 2025 By

We are thrilled to have 6 granny squares published in this new book: 60 Quick Granny Squares. In addition to the squares, we’ve written a pattern for a Dickie to wear under a shirt or jacket. 2 of our squares kind of made it on the cover…at the bottom left corner…how fun.

The 6 granny squares we’ve written include:

  • Spike Stitch Mosaic Tile – project 8
  • Sunflower – project 26
  • Daisy – project 27
  • Flower Patch – project 28
  • Butterfly – project 29
  • Swirl – project 58
  • Comfort Swirl – granny square project

Above, I’m wearing the prototype of the Comfort Swirl Dickie made from 4 Swirl granny squares.

All of the projects are crocheted using 220 Superwash Sport by Cascade Yarn. I, Dana, am a big fan of this yarn. There are tons of colors and the thinner weight is great for getting lots of detail in smaller projects.

All the granny squares in the book measure 6″ x 6″ so you can mix and match designs to make larger projects like bags, clothes, blankets and more.

The first section of the book includes helpful tips on changing color, joining, etc.

The squares were designed by a handful of crochet designers, their names are listed with their square. Each square also includes charts…for those that like to stitch with those visuals.

60 Quick Granny Squares is published by Get Creative 6, an imprint of Mixed Media Resources. You can buy your copy of 60 Quick Granny Squares in your favorite yarn store or Amazon.

Filed Under: Crochet, Publications, Yarnitect, Yarnovator Tagged With: , , ,
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