Felted soap cozy

This cute cozy can be re-used, thanks to its button closure.

I really love bar soap. Like, really. I have a whole box full of bars of soap that I've gotten from my various adventures and awesome new ethical companies I've discovered. You might even say I have something of a soap-buying problem. To be honest, I've vowed not to buy a single bar of soap again until I've gone through at least half of the box that I already have.

The only thing is that bar soap is really easy to waste. I mean, every time you finish showering, you're washing all those excess suds off of the bar and down the drain. So what I've done is made a little cozy for my soap that will hold onto all those suds and make my soap last longer.

You can get about three cozies out of one 50g ball!

I used a bamboo-wool blend for a couple of reasons. First, it actually felts, unlike acrylics. Second, bamboo is extremely absorbent. Good luck washing all those soap suds out before they've been used up!

Maybe even more awesomely, bamboo is really, really soft. So now I've got a really soft, lovely scrubby to use in the shower that comes pre-soaped. Now, that's what I call convenient.

As you can see, it's also super cute. It will felt with time, though right now the stitches are really defined still. It's also really, really easy to make. In fact, I wager you'll spend more time finding yarn that will felt than you will actually knitting the cozy!

This cozy already has a standard-sized bar inside. It's ready to be used (and felted in the process!).

These are awesome for gifts, too. Why not keep it in mind for your next eco-loving friend's birthday?

And here's the pattern!

This cozy will felt as you use it, and can be re-used easily.

The pattern

Materials
Approximately a third of a 50g ball of medium-weight (#4) yarn. Choose something that felts well, like 100% wool or alpaca (mine was a 25% bamboo, 75% wool blend). Avoid acrylics.
Set of four US Size 3 (3-1/4mm) double-pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge
1 matching button
Tapestry needle
Needle & matching thread for button

Gauge
5 sts = 1" / 6 rows = 1"

Abbreviations
CO: cast on
sts: stitches
K: Knit
P: Purl
psso: pass slipped stitch over
K2tog: knit 2 together
P2tog: purl 2 together
sl: slip stitch (that is, instead of working it, just take it onto the needle)

Method
CO 30 sts, leaving about a 6-inch tail, and divide among needles as follows: 9sts on needles 1 and 2, 12 sts on needle 3. Join in round, being careful not to twist sts.
Work rounds in stocking stitch until work measures 4-1/2 inches from beginning. Then continue as follows:
Needles 1 and 2 (18 sts): Bind off all stitches snugly (this will create an elasticized opening to help hold the soap in).
Needle 3: Continue in stocking stitch on remaining needle (one row K, one row P) for 11 rows, ending on a K row.
Row 12: P2tog, P4, yarn over, P4, sl1, P1, psso. (11 sts)
Row 13: K2tog, K7, sl1, K1, psso. (9 sts)
Row 14: P2tog, P5, sl1, P1, psso. (7 sts)
Row 15: K2tog, K3, sl1, K1, psso. (5 sts)
Row 16: P2tog, P1, sl1, P1, psso. (3 sts)
Bind off and weave in end.

Turn cozy inside-out and, using the tail left from CO, sew shut the bottom of the cozy with the tapestry needle. Turn right-side out.

With smaller needle, sew button on the front of the cozy in the appropriate spot. (I recommend putting a bar of soap in the cozy and marking where the buttonhole reaches.)

To use, simply put a bar of soap into the cozy, button closed, and use in the shower as if it's a soapy shower puff. The cozy will felt (get fuzzy and less defined-looking) as you use it.