NEON & NATURAL POTHOLDERS

I've had such amazing feedback for the Neon & Natural Baskets I thought I'd try my hand at another Neon & Natural combination for the home: Pot Holders! 

 Now, I don't know about you, but my kitchen is incredibly tiny (a common affliction for New York City residences) and the things I keep in my home have to be really special, otherwise they are basically clutter, and ain't nobody got room for that. When moving in with my lovely boyfriend about a year ago, we scrambled to outfit our kitchen (and apartment in general) grabbing the first utensils that functioned and didn't completely offend our aesthetic sensibilities.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the things we picked, but there are a handful of items that I'm slowly replacing with prettier versions.

A couple of new potholders are a big ol' check off that list. The one we had originally bought functioned just fine, in that they prevented us from scorching our hands or coutertops, but it was a weird fuchsia color (not my taste) and collected dirt with it's grippy underbelly. It just always looked grimy, even after a fresh wash. So a remedy! What looks cooler and more clean that a splash of neon?

The pattern was inspired by some potholders I noticed while at my friend's house. She said that her grandma had made them years ago and that because of their pattern, they were flexible but excellent insulators because of their double layer. After some fiddling, I came up with a pattern that worked out quite excellently.

1: WHAT YOU'LL NEED

20lb., 400 ft Ball of Hemp

US Size F Crochet Hook

Nylon String (found at the hardware store next to the rope)

2: THE PATTERN

Chain 40 stitches. Chain 2, turn work, single crochet into the back loop of third stitch. Single crochet on one side of the chain to the end. In the last stitch, single crochet three times in one stitch. Single crochet in the other side of the chain to the end. Single crochet three times in the last stitch.

Single crochet in the round, changing colors as you desire. You'll start to notice the that the work will turn in on itself at the ends. That's good! 

3: FINISHING

The work will continue to turn in on its own. You'll know that it's done when edges that you are crocheting nearly touch. At this point, crochet seam closed by picking up a loop from either side of the seam and using them to create a chain stitch. When you reach the end of the seam, chain 10 stitches. Single crochet into the first chained stitch forming a loop. Continue to single crochet into each chain in the loop until the end. Bind off.

4: DUNZO

Enjoy your pretty new kitchen accessory! 

Let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to hear how yours turn out!