Use this free potholder pattern for making crocheted potholders in Christmas colors. These potholders are worked in afghan stitch, and are embellished with cross stitched accents. Guaranteed to put you in a festive mood - bake your Christmas cookies, cakes and pies in style using these cheerful potholders, or crochet several sets to give as gifts to all the cooks on your Christmas shopping list.
Potholders make excellent Christmas gifts! They work up relatively quickly, and they don't use much yarn, making them quite economical.
Materials:
Yarn:
For each potholder, you’ll need approximately 3 oz. of worsted weight cotton yarn total. You'll need yarn in 2 different colors: color A and color B, approximately 2.5 oz color A and about .5 oz color B. In the sample shown above, red is color A and white is color B.
The sample was worked in Peaches & Creme 4 ply cotton yarn in red and white. Feel free to substitute any similar cotton yarn if you prefer.
Crochet Hooks:
For the Body of the Potholder: You’ll need a size J / 10 /6.0 mm afghan crochet hook measuring 10+ inches long, or your preferred size.
For the Edging: Try an ordinary size H crochet hook to start with; you may need to adjust up or down if you notice a significant difference in tension between the body of your potholder and your edging.
Embroidery Floss: 3 skeins of dark green. The sample was made using DMC color 890.Other: Tapestry needle and safety pins
Abbreviations:
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- sl st = slip stitch
Finished Size:
The potholders each measure approximately 8 ¾ inches square before washing. This measurement includes the edging. The potholders can be expected to shrink slightly when you launder them.
Gauge:
11 stitches = 3 inches. The row gauge isn’t critical for this project.
Crochet Instructions:
Front of Potholder:
Using color A, ch 27.
Work in afghan stitch (also known as Tunisian simple stitch) until directed otherwise.
Rows 1-3: Work in color A.
Rows 4-6: Work in color B.
Rows 7-9: Work in color A.
Rows 10-12: Work in color B.
Rows 13-15: Work in color A.
Rows 16-18: Work in color B.
Rows 19-21: Work in color A.
Rows 22-24: Work in color B.
Rows 25-27: Work in color A.
Row 28: Work one slip stitch in each vertical bar all the way across the row. Work one last slip stitch into the end of the row, in the same spot you’d ordinarily work the last afghan stitch in the row. (26 slip stitches worked.)
Edging Round 1: Switch to your ordinary crochet hook. Work in rounds. Ch 2, then work one single crochet stitch in each stitch, all the way around. When you get to the corners: (sc, ch 2, sc in the same stitch) and then continue working sc. Join with a sl st.
Weave in all ends.
Potholder Pattern Continues:
- Next page: Embellishing the Christmas potholders - plus see a close-up detail photo of the cross stitch
- Page 3: How to work the back and finish the potholders
- Page 4: Helpful tips for this pattern
More Options:
- See these potholders in other colorways: I crocheted a red, white and blue version and a blue white and red version. (I also made a few others that turned out dreadfully ugly. Eek!)
- If you want to learn how to cross stitch on top of crochet, check out Sandi Marshall's tutorial for cross stitching on a crocheted background.
- Be sure to visit Connie Barwick's cross stitch site for free cross stitch patterns and tutorials.
