Not only will this cute little potholder jazz up your kitchen, this easy project also gives you the opportunity to try out a number of different techniques such as changing colours, cross stitch, mitered squares and joining-as-you-go.
5mm straight Tunisian hook
4mm regular crochet hook
DK (8-ply) cotton yarn in the following colours:
A Turquoise – 50g
B Light Blue – 50g
C Red – 25g
Scraps of green and pink for cross stitch accents
Wool tapestry needle
Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss): see Basic Stitches
Decrease: see Techniques
Slip stitch (sl st): see Techniques
Single crochet (sc): see Techniques
Crab stitch: see Techniques
20 x 20cm (8 x 8in)
Foundation Row: Using Colour A, ch 36. Pick up a loop from back bump in 2nd ch from hook, and in each ch to end, leaving all loops on hook. Return.
Rows 2- 3: Continuing with Colour A, Tss to last st, work end st. Return. Change to Colour B on last 2 lps of return in Row 3.
Rows 4–5: Continuing with Colour B, Tss to last st, work end st. Return. Change to Colour A on last 2 lps of return in Row 5.
Rows 6–34: Repeat Rows 2–5.
Bind off.
CROSS STITCH CHART
Working from chart, and referring to Cross Stitch instructions in the Embellishments section, embroider the design into the bottom right hand corner of the front piece.
Foundation Row: Using Colour A, ch 37. Pick up a loop from back bump in 2nd ch from hook, and in each ch to end, leaving all loops on hook. Return.
Row 2: Tss 16, Tss3tog, place marker on middle st of decrease just made, Tss 16, work end st. Return (35 lps)
Row 3: Tss 15, Tss3tog, Tss 15, work end st. Return. (33 lps)
Row 4: Tss 14, Tss3tog, Tss 14, work end st. Return. (31 lps)
Row 5: Tss 13, Tss3tog, Tss 13, work end st. Return. (29 lps)
Row 6: Tss 12, Tss3tog, Tss 12, work end st. Return. (27 lps)
Row 7: Tss 11, Tss3tog, Tss 11, work end st. Return. (25 lps)
Row 8: Tss 10, Tss3tog, Tss 10, work end st. Return. (23 lps)
Row 9: Tss 9, Tss3tog, Tss 9, work end st. Return. (21 lps)
Row 10: Tss 8, Tss3tog, Tss 8, work end st. Return. (19 lps)
Row 11: Tss 7, Tss3tog, Tss 7, work end st. Return. (17 lps)
Row 12: Tss 6, Tss3tog, Tss 6, work end st. Return. (15 lps)
Row 13: Tss 5, Tss3tog, Tss 5, work end st. Return. (13 lps)
Row 14: Tss 4, Tss3tog, Tss 4, work end st. Return. (11 lps)
Row 15: Tss 3, Tss3tog, Tss 3, work end st. Return. (9 lps)
Row 16: Tss 2, Tss3tog, Tss 2, work end st. Return. (7 lps)
Row 17: Tss 1, Tss3tog, Tss 1, work end st. Return. (5 lps)
Row 18: Tss3tog, work end st. Return with a yo and through all 3 lps on hook. Yo through last lp on hook and fasten off.
WORK SQUARES IN THIS ORDER:
Foundation Row: With a slip knot on your hook in Colour B, join to first square at marker, ch 19. Pick up a loop from back bump in 2nd ch from hook, and in each ch to end, then pick up 18 sts along the edge of Square One (37 lps on hook). Return.
Rows 2–18: Work as for Square One.
Using Colour A, work as for Square Two, joining yarn at the same point and picking up sts along the edge of Square Two.
Using Colour B, pick up 18 sts along edge of Square One, pick up 1 st at the intersection where all squares meet, pick up 18 sts along edge of Square Three (37 lps on hook). Return.
Rows 2–18: Work as for Square One.
Switch to 4mm crochet hook. Lay front and back pieces with wrong sides together, right sides facing out.
Round 1: Join Colour C with a ss through both layers of any corner, *3 sc into same st, continuing to work through both layers, sc into each st along to next corner. Repeat from * to end. Join with a ss into first sc.
Round 2: Ch 1 (not counted as st), work in Crab st to end. Join with a ss into first ch-1. Make hanging loop: Ch 15, join with a ss into first ch, sc 15 into chain loop. Fasten off.
Weave ends in.
POTHOLDER MITRED SQUARE CHART
