My wife has been asking me for quite some time to make some potholders for our lovely remodeled kitchen.  I’m not sure why, but for some reason I’ve been putting it off.  Last week, I started working on an adult sized version of the candy striped afghan I recently completed (pics and instructions found here) for our living room.  I’m almost done with it, but I began to find myself a little bored by the redundancy,  so I decided to give the pot holders a go. I was extremely pleased with how they turned out so I decided to make some more and add some extra little touches.  Here are two of the finished products:

I love them and I can’t get enough of making them!  It’s a great way to use up some of the scrap yarn I have laying around the house and they make great gifts too.  Everyone uses pot holders.  They only take about an hour each and the color combinations are endless.  Here’s how you can make your own:

Materials: Any type of yarn will do.. in any color

                      Size F Hook

Instructions:

r1:  Start with a magic loop, ch 3.  15 dc in loop. (15 sts)

r2:  Ch3, 2dc in each dc around.  Join with sl st (30 sts)

r3:  Ch3, *dc in next dc, 2dc in next dc*.  Repeat from * to * around.  Join with sl st (45 sts)

r4:  Ch3, dc in same st, ch1, 2dc in same st.  *skip next 2 sts, (2dc, ch1, 2dc) in next st*.  Repeat from *to * around.  Join with sl st.  Sl st 2 more sts to end at ch1 space. (15 shells)

r5:  Ch3, dc in same st. ch1, 2dc in same st.  *2dc, ch1, 2dc in next ch1 space*.  Repeat from * to * around.  Join with sl t.  Sl st 2 more sts to end at ch1 space.

r6:  Ch3, 2dc in same st, ch1, 3dc in same st.  *3dc, ch1, 3dc in next ch1 space*.  Repeat from *to* around.  Join with sl st.  Sl st 3 more times to end at ch1 space.

r7:  Ch3, 6dc in same st.  *7dc in next ch1 space*.  Repeat from *to* around.  Join with sl st.  Weave ends in.

Edging:

With right side facing you, sl st in between any of the shells

ch1.  Sc in next 7 sts.  Sc in between the 2 shells

ch1.  Sc around the row below (you’ll have to turn the potholder a bit to reach the row below – row 6)

ch1. Sc around row 5

In row 4, you have skipped 2 sts, sc into the one on the right, ch1, then sc into the the one on the left

ch1.  Sc around row 5 (you are headed back up now – right next to the previous ones)

ch1.  Sc around row 6

ch1.  Sc around row 7

Repeat this pattern until you are right back to where you started.  At this point you can add a loop by: 12 sc, sl st to same sc.  Fasten off.

If you would like to add a ring around the center(pictured in the blue/green potholder above):  Sl st into any sc around r4, sc around, fasten off.

Experiment with different hooks to give you different sizes.   Add embellishments, try different color patterns, etc..

TIP: You will have to block this when you are done as the pot holder is a bit on the curly side.  Here’s a great post from “For the Knit of It” showing you how.  I used the steam technique.  It was quick and worked like a charm.

Happy Hooking!