Mitten Potholder

Designed by Julie A. Bolduc

This potholder is made so that you can use it in 3 different ways. As an oven mitt, as a pair of mittens if made with acrylic yarn, or as a mitten shaped potholder. I have included instructions for larger sizes and an alternate foundation row. The model in the picture is the Mitten shaped potholder.

Materials Needed:
Worsted weight Yarn in Cotton for Oven mitt and potholder 2-3oz
Worsted weight yarn in Acrylic for Mittens 4 oz
Size H or 5mm aluminum crochet hook
yarn Needle

Gauge: 4dc=1"
Yarn Thickness: 3mm
Finished Size: =8" x8"
Skill Level: Intermediate

Special Stitch (fbb)
This stitch is the featured stitch for February.
I am not sure if this stitch existed before. It seems to me I have seen it some place but I cannot recall where so I cannot claim it to be my own.

The Long name I give it is the Front & Back Bobble because it is worked in the front lp then the back lp of each st.

*Yo, insert hook in back lp of next st, draw up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook, yo, insert hook in front lp of same st from the inside to the front, not from the front of the stitch. Yo draw up a lp, yo draw through 2 lps on hook,* yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook. This completes the stitch.

(inc)
How to increase using this stitch.
Work the above instructions twice in the same two lps of the same stitch.

(dec)
How to decrease using this stitch.
Rep the above directions bet **. Then Insert hook in next st through both lps and draw up a lp. Then yo and draw through 2 lps on hook, yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook.

Instructions
Instructions for potholder
RND 1: Ch 28, being careful not to twist chain, join w/slst to first ch to form ring. Slst in each ch around.

RND 2-6: Ch3. Work 1 fbb in each st around. Join w/slst to first fbb. Not in top of ch3.

Thumb
RND 1 of thumb: Ch3. Inc in each of the first 8 fbb. Join w/slst to first fbb. You should now have 16 sts in the thumb.

RND 2: Ch3. Work 1 fbb in each st around. Join w/slst to first fbb.

RND 3: Ch3. Dec in each st around. You should now be down to 10 sts around. Join w/slst to first fbb.

RND 4: Ch3. Dec in each st around. You should now be down to 6 sts around. Join w/slst to first fbb. Fasten off and weave end into the 6 sts that are left and draw up tight to close. Then weave end into work to secure.

Palm
In this first round of the palm, you will be working on the sides of stitches on the thumb to close up a hole that would be formed if they were not worked in. Read on and see what I mean. You may need to read this round a couple of times to really understand.

RND 1 of palm: Join Yarn in first unworked stitch on RND 6. Ch3. Work a fbb in this same st. Work 1 fbb in each st around to last unworked stitch. Yo insert hook in same st as slst of rnd 6 where the thumb is started, draw up a lp, yo pull through 2 lps on hook, yo insert hook in ch 3 of thumb, draw up a lp, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook, yo draw through all 3 lps on hook.
Yo, insert hook in next st right next to the ch3 of rnd 2 of thumb, draw up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook, yo insert hook in top of next st on thumb, draw up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook, yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook.
Yo, insert hook in post of last st on front of thumb, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook, yo, insert hook in same st as slst of where you began this round. Join w/slst to first fbb.

RND 2-6: Ch3. Work 1 fbb in each st around. Join w/slst to first fbb.

RND 7&8: Ch3. Dec in each st around. Join w/slst to first fbb. At the end of rnd 8, you should have a total of 6 sts left. Fasten off the same as for thumb. Sew the cuff closed.

Instructions for Oven Mitt
RND 1: Ch 28, being careful not to twist chain, join w/slst to first ch to form ring. Ch1, sc in each ch around. Join w/slst to ch1.

RND 2 through finishing: Repeat from round 2 of Potholder. Do not sew the cuff closed. You may want to add one more round to the cuff part. Just repeat rnd 2 one more time or as many times as desired. To add a hanger, just tie on yarn to side of mitt oppisit of the thumb and chain 10, then secure back to same st. Weave ends in. Or you can sew a bone ring to this corner for the hanger.

Instructions for Mittens
Make 2 the same.
Repeat as for Oven mitt but use Acrylic yarn and do not attach a hanger.

You can adjust for size as follows.
This size will fit a large woman's hand. Just decrease the starting chain by 2 stitches at a time for each size. Or increase by two stitches for each size larger. You may also add rows as needed for the correct length. The rest of the instructions are the same. If you need to make a the thumb skinnier, just work in 6 stitches inseat of 8.

If you want to make these for children, use a sport or baby weight yarn and a size D, E or F hook. Follow the guage for proper fit. There is also a page on working with guages. .

Design written on Wednesday, December 30, 1998 Copyright © 1998 by Just Plain Fun p102009