Traditional Potholder & Hot Plate Mat Pattern

Materials Required: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY "STAR" FAST HEAVY CROCHET MERCERIZED COTTON, Article 140 2 balls Forest Green. 5 balls Toltec Yellow or colors of your choice will make entire set. Steel crochet hook No. 1.

POTHOLDER FRONT SECTION: With Green ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd st from hook, join in 1st sc.

2nd Round. * Ch 4, sl st in next sc, repeat from * 7 times (8 loops).

3rd Round. Sl st into loop, ch 3, 2 dc in same space keeping last loop of each dc on hook, thread over and pull through all loops at one time, ch 2, cluster st in same space (cluster st: 3 dc in same space keeping last loop of each dc on hook, thread over and work off all loops at one time), * ch 2, 2 cluster sts with ch 2 between in next loop, repeat from * all around, ch 2, join in top of 1st cluster st (16 cluster sts), cut thread.

4th Round. Attach Yellow in loop and work 1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc in each loop, join in 1st sc.

5th Round. Sl st into loop, ch 3, dc in same space, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, * 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc (shell) in next loop, repeat from * all around, join.

6th Round. Sl st to center of shell, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, * 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in center of next shell, repeat from * all around, join.

7th Round. Same as last round but working 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in center of each shell, join.

8th Round. Same as last round.

9th Round. Sl st to center of shell, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same space, * ch 1, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in center of next shell, repeat from * all around, ch 1, join, cut thread.

UNDER SECTION: Work 1st 3 rounds same as front section.

4th Round. Attach Yellow in loop, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, * 3 dc in next loop, repeat from * all around, join.

5th Round. Ch 3 and working in dc, increase in every 3rd dc, join each round.

6th Round. Same as 5th round but increasing in every 4th dc.

7th Round. Same as 5th round but increasing in every 8th dc.

8th Round. Same as 5th round but increasing in every 15th dc (96 sts).

9th Round. Ch 3, 2 dc in same space, ch 2, 3 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip 4 dc, * 3 dc in next dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip 4 dc, repeat from * all around, join, cut thread.

With wrong sides together and top section facing you, join Green in 1st dc of any shell, ** working through both sections at the same time, work 1 sc in each of the 1st 3 dc, 2 sc, ch 3, 2 sc in center of shell, 1 sc in each of the next 3 dc, 1 sc between shells, ch 2 and working over top section only sc over the space of previous round between shells, * ch 2, sc over the space of round below, repeat from * 3 times, ch 2, work back in same manner, repeat from ** all around, join, cut thread.

RING: With Green cover a bone ring with sc and sew to potholder.

HOT PLATE MAT Work 1st 8 rounds same as front section of potholder, cut Yellow.

9th Round. Attach Green in 1st dc of shell, ** 1 sc in each of the next 3 dc, 2 sc, ch 3, 2 sc in center of shell, 1 sc in each of the next 3 dc, sc between shells, ch 1, sc over the space of previous round between shells, * ch 1, sc over the space between shells of next round below, repeat from * twice, ch 1 and work back in same manner, repeat from ** all around, join, cut thread.

10th Round. Attach Yellow in ch 3 loop in center of shell, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, * 2 trc, ch 1, 2 trc in space between shells, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 3 loop, repeat from * all around ending with 2 trc, ch 1, 2 trc in space between shells, join.

11th Round. Sl st to center of shell, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, * 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in ch 1 space between trc's, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in center of next shell, repeat from * all around ending to correspond, join.

12th Round. Same as 6th round.

13th and 14th Rounds. Sl st to center of shell, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same space, * 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in center of next shell, repeat from * all around, join, cut thread.

UNDER SECTION: Work 1st 3 rounds same as front section, cut Green.

4th Round. Attach Yellow in loop, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, * 3 dc in next loop, repeat from * all around, join each round and ch 3 to start each round.

5th Round. Working in dc increase in every 3rd dc.

6th and 7th Rounds. Increase in every 4th dc in each round.

8th Round. Increase in every 5th dc. Work 1 round even.

10th Round. Increase in every 15th dc (128 dc).

11th and 12th Rounds. Ch 3, 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, * skip 3 dc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next dc, repeat from * all around.

13th and 14th Rounds. Work as shell of 3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc in center of each shell, join, cut thread.

With Green crochet the 2 sections together having the wrong sides together and front section toward you, work same as 9th round of front section of mat working over each of the 2 rounds below and leaving 2 rounds of shells free between Green trimming, cut thread.