The chunkier the potholder the more practical it is to use around your kitchen. Whether protecting delicate hands when carrying warm pans or protecting your work surfaces from direct heat, this potholder with its densely packed, nubby popcorn stitches is most definitely up to the task, and it looks very pretty, too!
Front panel with edging
Any standard 4ply (fingering) weight cotton yarn can easily be substituted for the stated yarn; however, checking your tension carefully beforehand is strongly recommended.
pc = popcorn stitch
In this pattern popcorn stitches are worked using 7 treble stitches, and chain stitches worked afterwards are not counted as part of the popcorn stitch.
7 rnds in tr sts (12st increase each rnd) = 10cm (4in)
18cm (7in) diameter (excluding hanging loop)
Foundation ring: using 3mm hook and yarn A, leave a 30cm (12in) tail of yarn, ch5, ss to form ring
Round 1: ch4 (counts as first tr, ch1), [tr, ch1] 7 times into ring, ss into 3rd of starting ch4
Round 2: ss into ch-sp, ch2, [pc, ch2] into each ch-sp around, ss into top of 1st pc (8pc)
Round 3: ss into next ch-sp, ch2, [pc, ch2, pc, ch1] into each ch-sp around, ss into top of 1st pc (16pc)
Round 4: ss into next ch-sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), [tr, ch1, 2tr] into same ch-sp, *tr into next (side) ch-sp, [2tr, ch1, 2tr] into next (corner) ch-sp* rep from * to * 7 times, tr into (side) ch-sp, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 5: ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp†, tr into 2 side sps (between sts of prev rnd)* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, tr into side sp, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 6: ss into side sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp, [tr, ch1] into side sp, [pc, ch1] into next side sp†, tr into side sp* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 7: ss into next side sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp, tr into 4 side sps* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, tr into 3 side sps, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 8: work as given for rnd 7 and crochet 5 tr sts along each side
Round 9: work as given for rnd 7 and crochet 6 tr sts along each side
Round 10: ss into next side sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp, tr into 3 side sps, ch1, [pc, ch1] into next side sp†, tr into 3 side sps* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, tr into 2 side sps, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 11: ss into next side sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp, tr into 3 side sps, ch1, [pc, ch1] into 2 ch-sps†, tr into 3 side sps* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, tr into 2 side sps, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 12: work as given for rnd 11 and crochet [pc, ch1] into 3 ch-sps along each side
Round 13: work as given for rnd 11 and crochet [pc, ch1] into 4 ch-sps along each side, fasten off invisibly
Back panel
Foundation ring: using yarn A and 3mm hook, ch5, ss to form ring
Round 1: ch4 (counts as first tr, ch1), [tr, ch1] 7 times into ring, ss into 3rd of starting ch4
Round 2: ss into next ch-sp, ch3 (counts as first tr), [tr, ch1] into same ch-sp, [2tr, ch1] into each ch-sp around, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 3: ch3 (counts as first tr), [2tr, ch1, 2tr] into 7 ch-sps, [2tr, ch1, tr] into last ch-sp, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 4: ss into sp between ch3 and first tr st of prev rnd, ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp†, tr into side sp (between corner sts of prev rnd)* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Round 5: ss into next side sp (between ch3 and first tr of prev rnd), ch3 (counts as first tr), *†[2tr, ch1, 2tr] into corner ch-sp†, tr into 2 side sps* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from † to † once more, tr into side sp, ss into 3rd of starting ch3
Rounds 6–13: the pattern for the basic octagon motif is now set, continue as given for rnd 5 and increase the number of tr sts along each side by 1 for each new rnd, fasten off invisibly
Lay the front and back panels together, with WS facing, and line up the stitch pattern at the centre. Using the yarn needle and 30cm (12in) tail of yarn, sew the two panels together using a whip stitch through the centre hole and tr sts of rnd 1, fasten off between the two panels and weave in the loose end.
All of the sts in rnd 1 of the edging are worked through corresponding sts and ch-sps of both front and back panels together.
Round 1: with front panel facing, join yarn B in any corner ch-sp (of both front and back panels), ch2 (counts as first htr), *htr into 5 tr sts, htr into 4 pc sts (working through centre of each pc st), htr into 5 tr sts, [htr, ch2, htr] into corner ch-sp* rep from * to * 7 times, rep from to once more, [htr, ch2] into last corner ch-sp, ss into top of 1st htr, fasten off
Round 2: join yarn C in any corner ch-sp, ch1, miss 1st of prev rnd, dc into 14sts, ch15, miss [1st, ch-sp, 2sts] of prev rnd, dc into 14sts, *3dc into corner ch-sp, miss 1st of prev rnd, dc into 15sts* rep from * to * 6 times, 3dc into corner ch-sp, ss into first dc
Round 3: ch1, dc into base of ch1, dc into 13sts, 20dc into ch-sp, dc into 15sts, *†2dc inc into corner st†, dc into 17sts* rep from * to * 6 times, rep from † to † once more, dc into next st, fasten off invisibly and weave in loose ends
To avoid crushing the popcorn stitches, steam block only; do not press.
