Hotpad/Potholder Pattern

I love making potholders and hotpads. Honestly, I love crochet for decoration... And since cooking is a little hobby of mine, filling the kitchen with my own creations is a must!

After I created the Círculo in a Square pattern, I knew I wanted to make something different with it. Not a blanket... Or to use it for a garment. Then it clicked - Decoration! For my kitchen! :)

Not only it looks cute, it's also useful. I do enjoy that!

Pattern 

I used the same yarn and hook I used to make the squares - Anne yarn and a 3.00m hook. 

Abbreviations:
sc- Single crochet stitch
Sl st - Slip stitch
st -Stitch
Ch - Chain
dc -Double crochet stitch

First, make 4 squares of the Círculo in a Square pattern. You can find the pattern here. Use the colors you wish!

After that, join them together - For this hotpad, I used a sc join. It's very simple - Just crochet the borders of the squares together with single crochet stitches. Use the color you wish - In my case, I used this bright blue color. It makes for a beautiful contrast with the white!

Border 

Round 1- With the desired color (Again, I used the same color I used for the join, but you can use your imagination!), Ch1. Then, sc around. In the corners of the squares, make 1 sc on the dc st before the 2ch - then ch3. Inside the 2ch space, make 1 sc. Continue the pattern like this - Sc in each st, make corner, sc in each st - Repeat around.

Round 2 - Sc around, but for the border, make: 1sc inside 3ch of previous round, ch3, sc inside ch3 of previous round. Repeat around.

Round 3 - Same as round 2. Then, weave ends.

After you are done with the border, join new yarn in the ch3 space of round 3. It can be whatever color you chose - I used white. Ch 25, then make a sl st inside the ch3 space. Weave ends, and it's ready to be used!



You can sell items made with this pattern, but do not sell the pattern itself. Do not claim as your own - if you want to feature in your site, please, link back to my blog. Copyright by Betina Juchem Clemens 2015. 

The row that almost never was

Phew! That was what I thought when I finished the row and saw I has enough yarn for it. Oh, the terror….

Just imagine (or have you been through it as well?) this: You have only one skein of that wonderful color left. You used quite a lot of that skein already. To be exact, over 2 thousand double crochet stitches were made with that same skein (I did my math!!).  And yet, you want to use it again, to make at least another thousand double crochet stitches.

What do you do? You go on with it, of course. Because you’re crazy, and because you really want that row. You need that row.

You make no plans – you just hope the yarn will be enough. You wish from the bottom of your heart that you will NOT have to continue the row with another color. You even pray.

Then, you notice you are almost there – the end. The joy! Even better – there will be yarn left.

For me, that’s what success really means! :D 

My day was great. Not only because of the row incident that ended very well - my little sister stayed home with me. She had no school today - They were having math tests for a competition, and she takes after her big sister - terrible at math. So she had the whole day for herself.

We took pictures, she read while I crocheted. I made her some homemade chantilly and we talked about many things. 

The sun was shining, there was laughter and yarn. I look forward to many other days just like this one. :)

Love, Tina

Finally!

After knitting socks, hats, making pompoms and finishing small crochet projects, I started my sister's blanket. And you know what? I decided to make a HUGE granny. And I'm really liking it so far! 

The reason why I chose this design is because I have a lot of scrap yarn in different weights. Making square by square would draw attention to their different sizes - Here, you notice the colors more than anything else. 

This are some of the colors I will be using next. After those, who knows? As long as they match, I love this. 

And, to finish this post, a flower. The day is wonderful, blue skies, sunny, warm. :) 

Yey for sunny days!

Love, Tina

Squares

There's one thing I simply love making. Knitted, crocheted, it does not matter: Squares are so fun to make! 

I adore lace squares, as well as solid ones. Until very recently, I had never knitted a square. But the memory blanket pattern changed that, oh so quickly. And now I can't stop making them! 

When I crochet squares, I love playing with colors and shapes. My summer inspiration square pattern is a very good example of how I enjoy doing that. 

Also, I have a really soft spot in my heart for solid crochet squares. It's wonderful to make each round a different color - So many fun combinations can come from that! 

This week I started a new blanket for my sister. I will use lots of different square patterns to make it, in very fun colors. Can wait to see the result... When I start a pattern, there's no stopping me! 

Have a lovely weekend!

Tina