Crocheted Set-of-Three Pot Holders
Like a lot of New York City kitchens, mine is a bit underutilized, shall we say. But, while the cayenne pepper may be from 2009 and the knives that were a wedding present almost fifteen years ago haven’t been sharpened since said wedding, there is an oasis in my kitchen that is well tended and totally loved, and that is my collection of kitchen textiles.
I cherish the dish towels my mother made me from the 1940’s floral tablecloths she hoards and the vintage linen towel Joelle got for each of us on a trip to Switzerland, and also the needlepoint trivet my grandmother stitched (a picture of a Sumo wrestler) and even the crocheted one I designed for the Purl Bee (a watermelon slice). And so this Set-of-Three Pot Holders joins a kitchen where they may get used only periodically, but where they will always be treasured.
To make these, I put on my best chef’s hat and thought about the improvisational spirit of making a seasonal soup. I started with a base of Merchant & Mills’ tasty Baker’s Twine, threw in a dash of Brooklyn Tweed’s peppery Shelter and added a cup of Purl Soho’s creamy Worsted Twist. The result is a well-balanced, nuanced and really interesting soup… er, I mean, set of pot holders!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Enjoy, love and hold dear! -Whitney
Materials
GRAY (left)
- Color A: Merchant & Mills’ Baker’s Twine in Cool Grey
- Color B: Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter in Snowbound
- Color C: Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist in Heirloom White
BLACK
- Color A: Merchant & Mills’ Baker’s Twine in Black
- Color B: Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter in Soot
- Color C: Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist in Heirloom White
RED
- Color A: Merchant & Mills’ Baker’s Twine in Red
- Color B: Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter in Camper
- Color C: Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist in Heirloom White
You will also need…
- A size F (4 mm) crochet hook
- A removable stitch marker (or safety pin)
Shop our wonderful collection of aran + worsted-weight yarn to find a suitable substitute for this project, and remember that it’s always a good idea to check your gauge before you cast on… Our All About Gauge Tutorial shows you how!
Gauge
34 single crochets = 4 inches using the Worsted Twist
Size
Finished Diameter: 8 inches, measuring from straight side to straight side; and 9 inches, measuring from corner to corner.
Note
When measuring the diameter throughout this pattern, measure from one straight side across to the opposite straight side. As you can see from the finished size, above, measuring from corner to corner yields a different result!
Pattern
Version A
With Color A…
Round 1: Chain (ch) 1 into an adjustable loop, make 6 single crochets (sc) into the loop. [6 stitches]
Round 2: Make 2 sc into each stitch. [12 stitches]
Round 3: *1 sc into next stitch, 2 sc into next stitch, repeat from * to end of round. [18 stitches]
Round 4: *1 sc into next 2 stitches, 2 sc into next stitch, repeat from * to end of round. [24 stitches]
Round 5: *1 sc into next 3 stitches, 2 sc into next stitch, repeat from * to end of round. [30 stitches]
Continue to work in this pattern, each round adding one stitch between the increases, until the piece measures 8 inches (see Pattern Note, above).
Final Round: Slip stitch into each single crochet to the end of the round.
Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch. (I didn’t make a hanging loop for the Version A pot holder because it feels like it would actually make a great trivet! If you do want a loop, though, just follow the instructions in the Make Hanging Loop section of the Version B pattern, below.)
Weave in all the ends and block.
Version B
With Color B, work as for Version A pot holder until piece measures 3 inches in diameter. Do not make the last single crochet of the last round.
Change Colors
Still using Color B, do the first half of the final single crochet of the round.
Now using Color C, finish the single crochet by pulling the new yarn through the two loops on the hook.
Continue
Cut Color B.
With Color C, continue in pattern until piece measures 7 1/4 inches in diameter.
With Color A, change colors as described above. Cut Color C.
With Color A, continue to crochet in the same pattern until piece measures 8 inches across.
Final Round: Slip stitch into each single crochet to the end of the round.
Make Hanging Loop
Make a 3-inch chain, and keeping the chain untwisted, slip stitch into the base of the chain.
Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch.
Weave in all the ends and block.
Version C
With Color A, work as for Version A pot holder until piece measures 5 inches in diameter; or since the Baker’s Twine’s yardage can vary slightly, until the piece is as close to 5 inches as you can get! Do not make the last single crochet of the last round.
With Color C, change colors as described in the Version B pattern, above. Cut Color A and with Color C, continue in pattern until piece measures 7 5/8 inches in diameter.
With Color B, change colors. Cut Color C and with Color B, continue to crochet in the same pattern until piece measures 8 inches across.
Final Round: Slip stitch into each single crochet to the end of the round.
Make a hanging loop as described in the Version B pattern, above.
Weave in all the ends and block.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our crochet patterns and crochet tutorials, buy one of our many kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next crochet or knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
I like these spiral potholders very much but is there not a way to avoid that jagged edge where the second colour is joined in?
Hi MaryAnne,
A quick Google search reveals that indeed there is a special technique for avoiding that color-change jog. Try searching for “jogless stripes crochet”. Lots of tutorials pop up!
Let us know how it goes, and we’ll take a look, too, so that next time we can employ some fancy new techniques. Thanks so much for asking!
Whitney
About how long does it take to make each potholder? Especially for a novice crocheter? Thanks!
Hi Carrie!
It’s very tough to say how long each potholder will take! It depends a lot on how much time you have to spend on the project, and how fast or slow you crochet. Every single crocheter, even advanced crocheters, have vastly differing speeds! These are smaller projects than something like a scarf or blanket, so I do believe it wouldn’t take you a very very long time.
Happy Crocheting!
Thomas
These look fabulous. How would you advise washing these? I imagine the wool prevents them from being tossed in the washer in dryer.
Hi Kelly-
These should be hand washed in a mild detergent like Soak, which you can find here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/company/240-Soak and then dried flat.
Thank you so much for getting in touch and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
I’m reading the tutorial and it seems like this should just make a circle. How do you get it to look like a hexagon?
Hi Sara!
There are six evenly spaced increases in this pattern. Those increases create a “point” as you move further out, and those points create the hexagon.
Happy Crocheting!
Thomas
Hello! I was hoping to make 6 of these in cotton (easy cleaning!) for my mother in Florida. Her dining room and kitchen have salmon colors, coral pink, pink, and pops of greens. Are there other colorways you could recommend and how much of those cotton skeins I’d need to achieve 6 trivets? Thanks! Can’t wait to make these, they are so cute! Future Mother’s Day gift!
Hello Lauren!
Sounds like a great idea! I would recommend that you use Blue Sky Worsted Cotton! I would mix the color Bone with other pops of color that coordinate with your color scheme. Here’s the link:
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/721-Blue-Sky-Worsted-Cotton
To make three of these potholders, it uses about 400 yards of worsted weight yarn. I would recommend doubling that to make six, which equals 800 yards or roughly 5 skeins.
Happy Crocheting!
Alyson
Hello! A quick question on the join… Are you doing a slip stitch at the end of each row or just continuing on with a stitch marker? I’m starting to pick up an ugly seam with the join technique however the points are starting to come in nicely!!
Finally finished a hat for my husband so I’m back to these potholders just in time for Mother’s Day!! 🙂
Thanks again!
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for the comment! You do not need to do any slip stitches except for when you are changing yarns and when you do the final round. I hope this answers your question and feel free to write back if you have any more questions!
Happy Crocheting!
Jake
Thanks for the tips! They came out great! 😀
Hi,
I’m Jessica, and we create crochet roundup posts for Lauren Brown, the girl behind the Daisy Cottage Designs, http://www.daisycottagedesigns.net.
Your set of 3 potholders pattern is a great fit for an upcoming roundup. We’re hoping to feature one photo with a link back to your pattern. Please let me know if that’s ok with you!
I look forward to hearing back from you!
Lauren
Hi Jessica,
Thanks so much for writing us. This is totally fine and we are happy to let you feature us as long as you credit our photos and pattern. Best of luck and we will keep our eye out for it.
Thanks,
Adam
Hi!
I currently just finished round 5 of the potholder. When it says, “continue to work in this pattern…” I’m a little confused on what to do. Should i just 2 sc on the last stitch of every row so that the stitches increase 31, 32, 33… Or Should I be following round 1-5 over again? Sorry if this is a silly question!
Thanks, Grace
Hello, Grace!
Thank you for your question (it is definitely not silly!). You are correct, you will do the 2 SC on the last stitch of every row so that you adding one stitch between the increases (as you wrote 31, 32, 33). You’ll continue to do this until your potholder measures 8-inches. Please let us know if you have further questions!
Happy crocheting,
Kumeko
Hi
I am having trouble following the pattern from round 5. I have read Grace’s question and your answer but I still can’t follow. Are you able to write out round 6 and 7 for me please so I can follow on from that. The way I read it is
Round 6 – 1sc into next 4 stitches, 1sc, chain 1, 1sc into same stich * repeat this til end of round. I hope you can help me as I have pulled it out so many times now, just not getting it!
Thank you
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I see the issue. You should not be chaining 1 stitch between the 2 sc into the same stitch. This creates extra fabric that is not intended here. Round 6 would read: *1 sc into next 4 stitches, 2 sc into next stitch, repeat from * to end of round. The 2sc into one stitch, increases your stitch count by 1 each time while keeping the tight look of these lovely potholders.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I would like to make these in a navy color scheme. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Jacqueline,
We have a few options that might look nice in a navy color scheme. We have Heirloom White in Worsted Twist that might work as your light color, or if you wanted the main color to be navy you could try Timeless Navy in Worsted Twist. The other option is to use something like Old World in the Brooklyn Tweed Shelter as the navy color but that one is a little bit darker than Timeless Navy.
I hope this helps!
Carly
I have never crocheted before (only knitting) other than a basic chain stitch. Will I be able to master this from online tutorials or will I need human intervention? Also, do you sell “bundles” for these? In the alternative, are there any knitting patterns for small potholders?
During lockdown, do you offer facetime help? Private facetime/zoom tutorials (for a price)? I can imagine that your staff might be available for such purpose and welcome an income boost.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s hard to say whether you will be able to learn everything you need from online tutorials, but as a self-taught crocheter, I can say it’s definitely possible! Our Crochet Basics and Adjustable Loop tutorials should cover just about everything you need to know for these pot holders, and we’re always here to help if you have any questions. We don’t sell bundles for these potholders, and unfortunately we no longer carry Merchant and Mills Baker’s Twine, but Lantern should be a wonderful sturdy substitute. To go along with the original colors of Worsted Twist and Shelter above, I would suggest Lantern in Nickel Gray, Black Feather, and Beet Red.
If you prefer, our Fruity Trivets + Pot Holders, the Knitted Version is a very similar shape, and the pattern would work well with Lantern, Worsted Twist, and Shelter to create nearly identical pot holders! Virtual help is always a possibility, so if you find that you are having some trouble with our tutorials, please reach out to [email protected]!
All the best,
Julianna
Hi! Since you no longer carry Merchant and Mills Twine, you suggest Lantern as a substitute. Should I still use the recommended crochet hook size F (4 mm) as stated in the instructions? All other instructions remain the same?
Thanks,
Pauline
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for writing in. Yes, you can still use a size F hook when substituting in Lantern, and all of the instructions will remain the same! Hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili