Back in August 2015 I was wanting to make a simple Soap Gripper to keep the soap from slipping out of my hand while bathing. For my first attempt I used a 6mm hook and some white Lily Sugar & Cream cotton yarn and came up with this:
This little sack is so well fitted to the bar of soap it contains, however, that it's actually difficult to generate suds with it while bathing. From this I have learned that some positive ease is a good thing in a soap holder.
The close fit does make it very easy to get a secure grip on the bar of soap, though. And if you're giving away a bar of soap (perhaps homemade?) as a gift, then this little holder is one way you can choose to present it.
I posted about this project on Ravelry and closed by saying that if anyone reading about it was interested in replicating the project, I would post my construction notes "below." BUT time went by, and, wouldn't you know it, before long I forgot all about posting my construction notes. And then I lost the little white Soap Gripper itself, so my ability to count its stitches and describe how it was made was also lost.
So today I tried to remedy that oversight by posting the following:
Well, I obviously forgot to add my notes here for how I made the white Soap Gripper shown in the photos. Sorry about that! I can tell from the photos that it was mostly worked in SC, and it looks like I started with a few chains at the closed end (to give it a more oval shape rather than working all the starting row of stitches into the center of a circle), then I ended with what appears to be a row or two of DCs alternating front-post and back-post for a ribbing effect at the open end. I can't tell for sure how many stitches around this was ... maybe 24. So if you want make one that closely approximates the white one in the top photos, I'd suggest you try these steps.
However, as I said before, it didn't take long for my husband and me to conclude that we prefer a tiny bit more positive ease in our Soap Grippers (to make lathering easier), and my husband also prefers a more open mesh (rather than the tight, closed fabric that the SC stitch gives).
So I've subsequently been making Soap Grippers for us as follows:
Well, I obviously forgot to add my notes here for how I made the white Soap Gripper shown in the photos. Sorry about that! I can tell from the photos that it was mostly worked in SC, and it looks like I started with a few chains at the closed end (to give it a more oval shape rather than working all the starting row of stitches into the center of a circle), then I ended with what appears to be a row or two of DCs alternating front-post and back-post for a ribbing effect at the open end. I can't tell for sure how many stitches around this was ... maybe 24. So if you want make one that closely approximates the white one in the top photos, I'd suggest you try these steps.
However, as I said before, it didn't take long for my husband and me to conclude that we prefer a tiny bit more positive ease in our Soap Grippers (to make lathering easier), and my husband also prefers a more open mesh (rather than the tight, closed fabric that the SC stitch gives).
So I've subsequently been making Soap Grippers for us as follows:
Using 100% cotton yarn, worsted weight (4) and a 5mm or 5.5mm hook. (The variegated blue yarn shown in my sample photos is Lily Sugar n'Cream Ombres in the Faded Denim colorway.)
Setup/round 1: In a magic circle, ch 1 then work the following stitches into the center of the circle (or chain 2 then work the following stitches into the second chain from the hook): 1 SC, 1 HDC, 6 DC. (8 stitches)
We will work subsequent rounds in a continuous spiral, without joining at the end of rounds, for a seamless appearance until the ribbing at the cuff. Use a stitch marker to keep track of the beginning of the round.
Round 2: 2 DC in each st. (16 DC)
Round 3: 2 DC in first st, 1 DC in next st. (2 DC in next st, 1 DC in the st after that.) Repeat from ( to ) around. (24 DC)
Rounds 4-9: DC in each st around. (24 DC)
To smooth out the edge: HDC in next stitch; SC in next st after that; SL in next st after that.
Now we will work some "ribbing" at the open end of the Soap Gripper. (These rounds are joined at the end.)
Round 10: Ch 2. FPDC in 1st st; BPDC in next st. (FPDC in next st; BPDC in next st after that.) Repeat from ( to ) around. Join with a sl to top of 1st st.
Round 11: Ch 2. FPDC in FPDC from previous row; BPDC in BPDC from previous row. Repeat around. Join with a sl to top of 1st st.
Finish off; weave in ends. Add a bar of soap and enjoy your new Soap Gripper.
For a slightly different looking mesh effect, instead of working stitches into the tops of stitches from the previous round, as directed above, you can opt to work stitches in between the stitches from the previous round.
These Soap Grippers are super quick and easy to make and are very useful to keep the soap from slipping out of your hand while bathing. After using, place Soap Gripper (with the soap still inside) on a soap drying rack and allow to dry. When your bar of soap is nearly depleted, add a new bar of soap and continue using. The Soap Gripper helps you to get every last bit of use out of your bars/slivers of soap, which is frugal and saves you money!
