This versatile set of three potholders feature circle motifs. Make one, two, or all three as a last-minute gift. These are perfect gifts for your party’s host(ess), your next housewarming party, or for your favorite foodies. If you don’t have 100% cotton yarn, I’ve also included instructions for converting each of these into a granny square without a hanging loop instead.
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I was inspired to make these three motifs, all featuring a slightly different circle pattern, because I couldn’t choose which ombre to use with the solid color. Since I convinced myself I needed to buy all three skeins, I felt compelled to make three potholders. For kitchen safety, use 100% cotton yarn (which doesn’t melt) and use a smaller hook (or tighter gauge) than you usually would use for medium weight yarn. That will keep the fabric dense so you can avoid getting burned with large gaps between stitches.
If you make your own Trio of Circles Potholders, I’d love to see them! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
If you want an easy print format, you can buy an ad-free PDF version on Craftsy.
Trio of Circle Potholders
Crochet Patterns by Underground Crafter
These 3 potholders feature circle motifs. Instructions are also included for granny square versions without the hanging loop.
Finished Size
- Potholder: 7.5” (19 cm) square.
Materials (to make one of each potholder)
- Lily Sugar’n Cream (Solids) yarn (100% cotton, 2.5 oz/71 g/120 yd/110 m) – 1 skein in Indigo (CA), or approximately 90 yd (83 m) in any medium weight, 100% cotton yarn.
- Lily Sugar’n Cream (Ombres) yarn (100% cotton, 2.5 oz/71 g/120 yd/110 m) – 1 skein ea in Faded Denim (CB) and Earth Ombre (CC), or approximately 69 yd (63m) in ea of 2 colors in any medium weight, 100% cotton yarn.
- US Size H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Yarn needle.
- Locking stitch marker.
Gauge
- Finished Potholder = 7.5” (19 cm) square in pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this project, but stitches should be tight so potholders can protect hands and surfaces from heat.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- CC – Color C
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- ea – each
- hdc – half double crochet
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over
- * Repeat the instructions following the asterisk as indicated.
- () Instructions within parenthesis are worked into indicated stitch or space.
Giant Circle Potholder
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Pattern Note
- For granny square version: ch 2 (instead of ch 1) in ea corner sp starting in Rnd 6. At end of Rnd 8, do not ch 6; instead, sl st to join. Skip Hanging Loop Row.
Pattern Instructions
- With CB, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, starting in first st, 2 dcBL in ea st around, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, starting in first st, *2 dcBL in next st, dcBL in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (36 sts)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, starting in first st, *2 dcBL in next st, dcBL in next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (48 sts)
- Rnd 5: Ch 1, starting in first st, *dcBL in next 3 sts, 2 dcBL in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (60 sts)
- Rnd 6: Ch 1, 2 dcBL in same st, *dcBL in next st, hdcBL in next 2 sts, scBL in next 8 sts, hdcBL in next 2 sts, dcBL in next st,** (2 dc, ch 1, 2dc) in next st; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first st, sc to top of first dc (counts as ch-1 sp) to join. (72 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
- Rnd 7: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sp, *dcBL in next 18 sts,** (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in ch-1 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, sl st to top of first ch 3 to join, fasten off CB. (88 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
- Rnd 8: Join CA with sl st to any ch-1 sp, ch 1, starting in same sp, *3 sc in ch-1 sp, sc in next 22 sts; rep from * around, ch 6, join with sl st to first sc. (100 sts + ch-6 sp)
- Hanging Loop Row: Turn to face wrong side, ch 1, 10 sc in ch-6 sp, join with sl st to next sc on wrong side, fasten off CA.
Circle in the Corner Potholder
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Pattern Note
- For granny square version: ch 2 (instead of ch 1) in ea corner sp in Rnd 4. At end of Border Rnd , do not ch 6; instead, sl st to join. Skip Hanging Loop Row.
Pattern Instructions
Center Circle (worked in the round)
- With CC, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, starting in first st, 2 dcBL in ea st around, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, starting in first st, *2 dcBL in next st, dcBL in next st; rep from * around, join CA with sl st to BL of first dc, fasten off CC. (36 sts)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, 2 dcBL in same st, *dcBL in next st, hdcBL in next 2 sts, scBL in next 2 sts, hdcBL in next 2 sts, dcBL in next st,** (2 dc, ch 1, 2dc) in next st; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first st, sc to BL of first dc (counts as ch-1 sp) to join. (48 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
Mitered sides (worked in rows with unworked yarn carried up side)
- Row 1: Ch 1, sc in ch-1 sp, scBL in next 12 sts, 3 sc in ch-1 sp, place marker in 2nd sc in ch-1 sp to mark center, scBL in next 12 sts, sc in ch-1 sp, changing to CC in last yo of sc, do not fasten off CA. (29 sts)
- Row 2: Ch 1, scBL in same st and in ea st across to marked corner, 3 sc in marked st, place marker in 2nd sc, scBL in ea st across. (Increases by 2 sts)
- Row 3: Rep Row 2, changing to next color in last yo of final sc, do not fasten off previous color.
- Rep Rows 2-3 until potholder measures approximately 7.25” (18.5 cm) ending after changing to CC, fasten off CA.
Border
- Rnd 1: Turn to work across edge of potholder, ch 1, 2 sc in side of last row (being sure to crochet over unworked yarn from color changes, here and throughout), sc in side of ea row across to Rnd 4, sc in next 12 sts, 3 sc in ch-1 sp, turn to work along next edge, sc in next 12 sts, sc in ch-1 sp, sc in side of ea row across to final row, 2 sc in side of final row, turn to work along last row, sc in ea st to marked corner st, 3 sc in corner st, remove marker, sc in ea st across to last st, ch 6, join with sl st to first sc.
- Hanging Loop Row: Turn to face wrong side, ch 1, 10 sc in ch-6 sp, join with sl st to next sc on wrong side, fasten off CC.
Four Circles Potholder
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Pattern Note
- For granny square version: ch 2 (instead of ch 1) in ea corner sp starting in Rnd 3. Skip Border Rnd 2 and Hanging Loop Row.
Pattern Instructions
Motif
- With CA as center color, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to BL of first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, starting in first st, 2 dcBL in ea st around, join with sl st to BL of first dc, fasten off. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Join CB with sl st to any st, ch 1, 2 dc in same st, *hdc in next st, sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next st,** (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first st, sc to top of first dc (counts as ch-1 sp) to join. (36 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in same ch-1 sp, *sc in next 9 sts,** (2 sc, ch 1, 2 sc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 sc in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off CB. (52 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
- Make second Motif starting with CB as center color and switching to CA in Rnd 3. Do not fasten off CA after Rnd 4. Join first 2 motifs with sl st join on the wrong (back) side. (If you’re new to slip stitch joins, you can find a tutorial here: How To Join Granny Squares with the Slip Stitch.)
- Make third Motif starting with CA as center color and switching to CC in Rnd 3. Fasten off CC after Rnd 4.
- Make fourth Motif starting with CC as center color and switching to CA in Rnd 3. Do not fasten off CA after Rnd 4. Join third and fourth motifs with sl st join on the wrong (back side). Join rows with sl st seam in the center so that CA centers are diagonal from each other as in picture. Do not fasten off CA.
Border
- Rnd 1: Starting at second ch-1 sp in joined center, ch 1, *sc in ch-1 sp, scBL in next 13 sts, (sc, ch 1, sc) in corner ch-1 sp, scBL in next 13 sts , sc in ch-1 sp; rep from * around, sl st to top of first sc to join. (120 sts + 4 ch-1 sp)
- Rnd 2: Sl st in ea st across to ch-1 sp, ch 6, so st to next st to join.
- Hanging Loop Row: Turn to face wrong side, ch 1, 10 sc in ch-6 sp, join with sl st to next sc on wrong side, fasten off CA.
© 2017 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This pattern is for personal use only. You may use the pattern to make unlimited items for yourself, for charity, or to give as gifts. You may sell items you personally make by hand from this pattern. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this pattern or the photos in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the pattern, point your friends to this link: http://undergroundcrafter.com/2017/12/17/crochet-patterns-trio-of-circle-potholders. Thanks for supporting indie designers!
If you make your own Trio of Circles Potholders, I’d love to see them! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
If you want an easy print format, you can buy an ad-free PDF version on Craftsy.