My Favorite Easy Potholder crochet pattern

This is another one from my old blog. It's taking me a while to get all the crochet and knit patterns transferred. Mostly because I'm kind of forgetful. Please excuse the quality of the photos. They are from a few years ago. (2007 to be exact) These potholders are the kind that are in daily use in my home. They are completely functional and work even with things like TG's new cast iron waffle iron that gets very, very hot handles.

This is a great scrappy project. When I'm giving them as gifts, I plan them out by the recipients favorite colors and work with striped patterns that are interesting. But when I make them for my own home? It's bits and scraps from other projects. Although I haven't made any for myself in a long time (since about 2007!) because we have several and they last really well.  

You will need:
Cotton worsted weight yarn- the cheap stuff is fine as long as it's all cotton and worsted weight.
Size G hook
Scissors

Pattern is in American terminology. But really, you don't need a pattern. Just crochet a big square.
sc=single crochet
sl st=slip stitch
st= stitch

Magic ring start, 8 sc in ring, pull ring closed, sl st to join.
Ch 1, sc in same st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next st, 3 sc in next st, sl st to join.

Keep working in rounds, working plain until you hit the center of the 3 sc corners in the previous rounds, and do 3 sc in that st. Yep. Like I said, it's just a square.

At the end of mine, I had 37 sc on a side plus the 3 sc corners.

Fold the corners into the center on the lines marked in black, and pin them, then join the edges in the middle with single crochet, add a loop at one corner if you want one. You'll have to do it in 2 passes, one corner to the other, break off, weave in ends, then the other set of corners.
Thread a yarn needle with whichever color you want, and stitch down on both sides of the sc row through both layers. I used a running stitch, then went back down the stitch to fill it in a make it a solid line of stitching.
See? Easy peasy, and functional. Michael has big hands, and most potholders are too small for him, plus you know how sometimes if your hands are even the tiniest bit moist, you'll burn yourself through regular potholders? Doesn't happen with these. 

Math note for sizing if you like such things:
You can figure the diagonal of a square by multiplying the sides by the square root of 2. Because crochet is inexact, it's okay to round the number to 1.4 - but how do you figure the size of the base square for one of these kinds of potholders? Figure out how big you finished potholder to be- that will be A, then divide that by the square root of 2, or by our rounded number, 1.4, then multiply that number by 2. 
A /1.4 x 2= finished length of one side
So if you want a finished 8x8 inch potholder it would be 8/1.4= 5.7 (still rounding) x 2= 11.4, so anything just about 11.5 inches on one side will give you a potholder that's approximately 8 inches. 

You can check out the project gallery for this on Ravelry here. 

Star Gift Book 150- Potholders Pattern

This is a repost from my old blog. I have a small collection of vintage Star and Clark's books found at a thrift store, and transcribed some of the patterns.

I colorized the picture so you could get an idea how they look colorized. The reversed colors for the matched set, I didn't do. But I'm sure you'll be able to imagine. And shudder. Be afraid. Be very very afraid.

Pot Holders
Materials Required:
AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY "STAR" BLEND YARN, Article 75
1 skein each White and Red will make 2 Clown Potholders reversing colors
1 skein each Cerise and Lt. Yellow will make 2 Girl Potholders reversing colors
1 Bone Ring for each Potholder for hanging
2 Bone Rings for Earrings
Scrap of Black Felt for Clown
Scrap of Red Felt for Girl
Aluminum crochet hook size F

CLOWN
FACE:With White chain (ch) 4, 11 double crochet (dc) in 1st stitch (st) of ch, join in 4th st of ch.
2nd ROUND: Ch 3, counts as 1st dc, 1 dc in same space, 2 dc in each remaining dc, join in 3rd st of ch.
3rd ROUND: Ch 3, dc in same space, * 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, repeat from * all around ending with 1 dc in last dc, join in 3rd st of ch.
4th and 5th ROUNDS: Repeat 3rd round
6th ROUND: Ch 3, 1 dc in each dc, join in 3rd st of ch.
EARS: Ch 3, *yarn over hook, insert in next dc, pull through, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, repeat from * twice, yarn over and pull through all loops on needle, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc, * yarn over, insert in next dc, pull through, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, repeat from * twice, yarn over and pull through all loops on needle, ch 3, sc in same space with last st, ch 3, turn. 1 sc in each st ending with a slip stitch (sl st) cut yarn. With right side facing, skip 36 dc, attach yarn in same space, and complete Ear in same manner. Work a 2nd section to correspond and crochet both sections together with sc.
EYES AND EYEBROWS: Cut strips of Black Felt as illustrated for Eyes and Eyebrows and applique in place.
NOSE: With Red work 1st round same as Face, cut yarn leaving an end. Thread yarn into needle and applique Nose in place.
MOUTH: Ch 35, join, cut yarn and applique in place as illustrated.
HAIR: With wrong side of Face toward you, join Red in next sc after Right Ear, work 3 loops in same space and in each of next 4 sc (loop st: wind yarn around index finger to form a 1 1/4 inch loop, insert hook in st, and complete sc) ch 1, turn.
2nd ROW: Work 1 sc in each loop st, ch 1, turn.
3rd ROW: Work 1 loop st in each sc, cut yarn.
Join Red in 5th st from Left Ear and complete Hair section to correspond.
NECK RUFF: With Red and right side facing, skip 10 sts after Right Ear, and join in next st, * work 1 sc in each of next 18 sc, ch 1, turn, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1, turn, work 3 loop sts in each sc, ch 1, turn.
NEXT ROW:: Work 1 loop in each loop st, cut yarn. 
With White cover a bone ring with sc and attach to wrong side of Potholder. Reverse colors for 2nd Potholder

GIRL
Work 2 crocheted sections same as Clown.
HAIR: With wrong side facing join reversed color in 6th st from Right Ear and work 3-1 1/2 in loop sts in each of the 16 center sts, cut yarn.
EYES: Wind yarn 15 times over a 1 inch cardboard, sew strands in position one after the other, slip strands from cardboard and sew loops in place shaping as illustrated.
MOUTH AND NOSE: Cut sections from Red felt as illustrated and applique in place.
EARRINGS: Cover bone rings with sc, join, ch 20, cut yarn. Draw sc in center of bone ring. Form ch into bow and sew in place. Finish with bone ring same as Clown. Reverse colors for 2nd Potholder.