hot pads! and potholders - the swap

Thank you!

2009-07-16T17:25:00.011-04:00

Thank you to Jenny, Bertha, Javalulu, [no name tag] and Cathy for the potholders! They arrived while I was on vacation. Now they are well installed in my kitchen.

As for my own potholders, I know who has received three of them. I'm curious to know who received the last two?

Also blogged here. (And if you want to read my blog, try the Google Oversetter (= Translator) to the right. It makes funny english, but it might give you an idea...). It has been so much fun to participate in this swap, thank you and good bye!

Finally they're here!

2009-07-12T04:33:00.004-04:00

Thank you to Annepålandet, colorandtexture, carrie, Julia Vesper and PoMo Golightly for making such beauties! I love them all.

Special thanks to our awesome hosts of this swap!

Beautiful

2009-07-04T15:45:00.001-04:00

received potholders
Originally uploaded by bridget_pics

Thanks to (clockwise, from top) Nova, Wendy G., Bertha, deadkat, and Meg. I love them all!
And thanks to Adrian and Maritza for organizing and the others who helped them ship everything out - it was a lot of fun.
Bridget

I feel bad for you...

2009-06-22T12:53:00.004-04:00

...because I am certain that the potholders I received are way better than yours.

No, seriously. I love them a lot. But all kidding aside, thank you to the hostesses and all the lovely potholder makers. This was so, so much fun!

Hot Pad Heaven!

2009-06-21T19:53:00.001-04:00

This has been one of the best swaps ever. It was fun, creative and a treat to have 5 wonderful creations from five different people. The pads are from Nova, Bridget, Aimee, Jenny and Nann (I think). Thank you each one and to Adrian, Maritza, and Maryse!

Margene

my beautiful potholders

2009-06-20T17:08:00.003-04:00

These were waiting for me when I got home last night. I love them all! Thanks so much everybody, and especially thanks to the organizers, what a great swap this has been!

Center: Debbie L
Top left: Elizabeth
Top right: Priscilla
Lower left: Lacey
Lower right: no tag :(

Thanks, ladies, for all your hard work.

the mail's here!

2009-06-20T05:09:00.003-04:00

Here are the hot pads + potholders I received in the mail! I think they're all beautiful and have been gazing at them since they arrived. Thank you to fellow swappers Tiffany, Abbey, Scott, Tatiana, and Jenna! I had so much fun participating in this exchange - it was absolutely worth my efforts!

I forgot to put my name on the tags I sent out, so if you get a piece which has a linen backing with a rose embroidered on it, that's from me, Annri - enjoy!

Thank you Adrian + Maritza for the great hot pads! and potholders swap!

what a treat!

2009-06-19T14:18:00.002-04:00

Look at these georgeous potholders I got in the mail from the swap. I feel completely spoiled! What amazing little jewels!

From left to right: Ardian, Reve, Maritza, Dawn, and Erin

Thanks ladies! And a special shout out to Adrian and Maritza for putting this wonderful swap together.

Loveliness Abounds

2009-06-19T13:29:00.003-04:00

I got mine!!

They're so sweet! I love all of them; the large cotton one on the bottom right will go beautifully with my new kitchen and the rest are going to see lots of use, too!

Thanks to Sherie, Lacey, Celiae, Tiffany, and Karen--you all did such lovely work.

Also, thanks to Adrian and Maritza for putting this all together! You guys rock!!

PS: Who got mine? I'm dying to know. :)

Love them!

2009-06-18T21:07:00.005-04:00

Wow! This swap has been so much fun; I loved seeing all the beautiful potholders everyone made. More info and better photos are available in my blog post.

I was lucky to receive these wonderful hotpads (from left to right, top to bottom) made by: Beth (buhnuh on Ravelry), Lynda (littleloops on Ravelry), maryse, Dawn, and Reve (on Ravelry). Thank you!!

Many thanks to everyone for making this enjoyable, and especially to our coordinators and helpers, Adrian, Maritza, and Maryse! : )

Thanks Everyone!

2009-06-18T15:13:00.004-04:00

I got my hotpads and love them all! Thank you for such a fun swap, these really brighten my kitchen.

Talented ladies clockwise from top left: wendy g., emilee, deadkat,emily & bridget

Truly touched,

jennifer (jennyknits on rav)

Hot Pad Love!

2009-06-18T14:45:00.003-04:00

I got my hot pads last night - how wonderful and beautiful they all are. I love, love, love them.

Clockwise, from top left, these wonderful beauties were crocheted by: Leila R, Emilee, Denise R, Angi, and the center one by Debbie C. Thank you all for your delightful work - these will bring much joy to my home.

This was my first swap, of any kind, and I learned a lot, and really enjoyed doing it. I hope all of the other swappers enjoy what they made and received.

And, again thank you so much to Adrian and Maritza for organizing this, and to Adrian, Maritza and Maryse for the swapping and packing of all these delights to over 100 of us participating in this swap!

So, what's next? :-)

I got my potholders!

2009-06-18T12:09:00.004-04:00

Woohoo-they're awesome! Thank you Adrian and Maritza-what a lot of work but what a lot of fun!

Angharad

Got 'em

2009-06-18T08:04:00.002-04:00

I got my potholders yesterday, and they're great! This was such a fun swap, and I'm so happy to have been a part of it. :)

My potholders came from Stacie, Susan, Amy, and two others that didn't have names on them. :(
I'd love to know if I have one of yours, though!

My Computer is Acting Up

2009-06-17T22:08:00.001-04:00

I have ended the previous post 3 or 4 times, and I keep getting an "HTML error" message, refusing to print it with that post, and so I am posting again separately to wrap up what I had to say:

Oooops! So, if you get a mystery PH (variegated yellow with green stripes and a daffodil), that would be me (smiling sheepishly). So sorry.
And to my mystery PH swapper (who made the pretty tan, brown, and olive green one in the pic above), leave a comment so I can properly thank you.
And a proper thank you to Birdsong, Donna, Melissa W., and Sue! They are soooo lovely, and I know I will smile every time one of them catches my eye in the kitchen, and again when they protect my hands and counters and tabletop.
I hope everyone gets their pkg. soon. Mine only had to travel from Mass. to Maine, so that's why so quick. I can't wait now for the posts sharing all the lovely PHs.
WendyBee

Lucky Me! PotHolder Delivery has Arrived!

2009-06-17T17:27:00.005-04:00

Oh My! I have been trying to control my impatience waiting for this package to arrive. So I told myself to put it out of my mind 'til at least Friday, and lo and behold, they came today. And to think they sat in my mailbox for a few hours only about 30 yards away! What a delight of patterns and colors. They are all cotton (as I sent cotton). All are double-layered. All had labels or tags of some kind, with fiber content, care instructions. 4 of the 5 identified the crocheter by name, website, or e-mail. I haven't been able to identify #5. (yet)

This was my first-ever swap of any kind. I guess I've learned a little bit by this experience. What I learned was that I shouldn't have agonized so much over choosing a pattern and materials. I lost a lot of time and ended up rushing at the last minute. Wasn't able to take pictures, (was putting the last stitches in as my husband drove me to the first of two post offices). I think it was probably spelled out for me somewhere, but I didn't get the message that I should label my entries.

Five loves at first sight!

2009-06-16T20:49:00.003-04:00

I received my five exchange potholders, and I absolutely love them!

Beautiful creations from Maritza, Pam, Reve, Beverly, and Maryse!

More details and pictures on my blog!

P.S. If you received one of my potholders, I'd love to know! I know the orange/red/teal one ended up with Beverly, but what about the other four?!?

They're Here!

2009-06-16T15:04:00.003-04:00

What a fun mail day! I was thrilled to open my package and find such a pretty array of potholders!

Thank you to (from top left to right) Erin, Kathy, Lynda, Javalulu, and Susann...and of course to our fabulous hostesses!

Beverly

Potholders, potholders and more potholders!

2009-06-14T20:59:00.003-04:00

want to know what close to 500 potholders look like?

imagine 3 times more than what you see here.

anyway, i hope you all had a great time making your potholders and that you'll be happy with the ones you receive in return.

Thank you!

2009-06-14T19:47:00.002-04:00

Wow! You guys rock! I couldn't believe my eyes when we were done opening all the packages at Adrian's yesterday. There were potholders everywhere!

It was great seeing all of your handiwork in person. Thank you all again for participating in this swap! You've all made it a lot of fun.

The Swap

2009-06-14T11:24:00.002-04:00

Maritza, Maryse, and I got together to swap all the potholders yesterday and wow, 500-ish potholders is a lot! After opening all the packages and admiring all the potholders for a good while, we got down to the business of sorting them by fiber (cottons got cottons and wools got wools) and started swapping and packing.

There were so many amazing potholders of all varieties. Many thanks to all who participated in the swap. Special thanks for following our instructions about envelopes and postage so well. You really made it all quite painless!

I'm going to be taking down the names on all the packages so that if something got lost in the mail either getting here or getting back to you, we'll at least know. The US potholders will ship back to you tomorrow. Non-US swappers, I'll be figuring postage and emailing you tomorrow. Thanks, everyone!

Maryse and Maritza, post photos!

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

2009-06-12T16:50:00.000-04:00

I'll be heading out to Adrian's to help her and Maritza distribute potholders. I hear they're gorgeous!

Good work people!

2009-06-06T10:22:00.002-04:00

Here are the potholders I made for the Swap! I am happy with the way they turned out and that they are done in time! I'm the type who will take full advantage of a deadline extention, a procrastinator of epic history. "Good under pressure" is what some folks call it. wink, wink! They'll start their journey to Swap headquarters later this morning. Thank you to Adrian + Maritza + all my fellow swappers for this challenging and fun opportunity!

2009-06-04T16:06:00.003-04:00

(Don't worry, there are 5!) I finished last week, but the extra few days were very welcome due to moving and traveling at the end of the month.

I learned SO MUCH with this swap -- the only things I've crochet before are amigurumi. So I learned: double crochet, triple crochet, folded triple crochet, standing stitches, puff stitches, bobble stitches, turning chains, working in rounds instead of spirals, and working around the posts of stitches. Whew!

It was fun to pick a pattern. I had a hard time settling on one at first. Hexagons have a lot of corners to keep track of, and most of the squares I found were either hole-y in the corners or ruffled once I got to 5 rounds. I ended up using a scalloped pattern from Ravelry. I was worried that it would be too unoriginal, but my husband pointed out that anything with lots of projects probably turns out pretty well! So I gave it my own little twist by using bobbles and triple-crochets around the post of the stitch two rows below in the fourth round becuase I LOVE BOBBLES AND PUFF STITCHES!!! Ahem.

Then I made two more potholders for us. And I might make two more as part of a wedding present. But I might take a little break first.

Everybody's crocheting is so beautiful -- I can't wait to see what I get in the mail!

Finished!

2009-06-03T13:59:00.004-04:00

My potholders are packaged and on their way to Shelburne Falls! I really enjoyed this return to crochet. I spent a lot of time swatching, trying out color combinations and new stitches. I'm a little concerned that the outer round may be too open, but I'm hoping the double thickness will ensure that these will be functional.

Enjoy! I cannot wait to see what arrives in my mailbox!

Beverly

My Contributions!

2009-06-02T12:51:00.005-04:00

I fear they aren't nearly as nice as some of the gorgeous ones I've seen on here, but I am proud of them. The swirly ones allowed me to learn a technique I'd been curious about; now I am about to make some for myself! (I want to felt some, too--I bet the pattern would look super cool!)

This was a great stash-buster. All of my yarns came from my stash, and it feels nice to have used up so many half-balls and stuff. The potholders are double-sided, except for the marled pink one, which has two strands held together.

Now all I have to do is tag 'em, pack 'em up, and send 'em out! SO GLAD the deadline was extended. I was killing myself on the last one. :)

2009-06-02T11:52:00.003-04:00

Hi, all! This is Adrian, but I'm posting for Robyn (check sidebar for link).

This is the first swap I have taken part in. It has been great fun watching as the group tested out different patterns, chose their colours, etc if not a little scary – who knew there could be performance anxiety for crochet! As I started to test out some problems I realised that I had a problem. My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was younger, but I lived in Australia then. All the patterns I tried didn’t look right and it took me a while to realise that the same terms mean two different stitches in Australian and American patterns! I finally settled on my Pattern (Felted Colourful Coasters from the Coats and Clark website). I added a few rounds and skipped the felting. I was going to crochet a plain back but liked the concentric circles on the back so they may be better suited as hot pads for your table than to take hot pots out of the oven. I had a lot of fun and can’t wait to see what pot holders come my way!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

2009-05-31T15:21:00.002-04:00

I sent out my 5 potholders on Friday.

I decided to use wool, and to make each of them into a little piece of art. Each one is unique in size and color. I only used the same yarn on 2 of them. The pattern, of course, is Pretty Petals Potholder.

You can see closeups of all 5 potholders here in my Flickr set.

Thank you so much to Adrian and Maritza for organizing this swap. I usually knit, and crochet is very new to me. This swap reminded me of when I was a new knitter and every little knitted bit was very exciting. I was so happy to feel that way about crochet, because I was never really "into" it before. I can't wait to see the potholder collection that will come to me.

Colorful Willow

2009-05-30T19:13:00.003-04:00

Following Hillary and Color & Texture, I decided to use the Willow pattern from 200 Crochet Blocks for my potholders. I crocheted them using Tahki Cotton Classic. I absolutely love the way they came out!

Many more photos and details on my blog. Thanks to Adrian and Maritza for hosting this swap!

Finished!

2009-05-26T00:08:00.002-04:00

Five hot pads done! (Actually more, counting the test patterns and the test of the final selection, but who's counting?) All in the same pattern, but two different yarns. The jewel tones are done in Mirasol T'ika (Peruvian cotton yarn); the pastel ones are done in Tahki's Cotton Classic. I liked working with both - smooth, silky and soft.

The fronts are done in the American Beauty pattern (from "200 Crochet Blocks" by Jan Eaton), but I also crocheted a back to provide more padding and protection for use as a hot pad (I do not recommend using this as a pot holder). The backs are done in the knot stitch pattern (one is off-set, the other four are aligned) from “Textured Crochet” by Helen Jordan. The fronts and backs were then single crocheted together, and a shell stitch edging added (from "Encyclopedia of Crochet" by Donna Kooler).

I really had fun doing these! Thank you Adrian and Maritza. Tomorrow I take them to the post office for mailing. I look forward to receiving our swap - from the pictures I have seen here, they all look amazing!

deadline now June 8th

2009-05-25T13:57:00.001-04:00

Hey swappers!

As we approach our deadline of the 31st, we hear that some folks might need just a little more time. Being as we are getting together on the 13th of June to sort through the potholders and put together all the packages, we thought it would be a good idea to extend the deadline to the 8th. Please have your potholders & hot pads sent to us by June 8th. Can't wait to see all of your wonderful work in person!

all done!

2009-05-25T08:48:00.002-04:00

I'm happy to say that I managed to finish up my potholders for the swap and get them in the mail last Friday. Phew!

I had to borrow Adrian's idea of displaying her potholders on the clothesline - her photos looked so great!

These were crocheted with DK weight mercerized cotton yarn and a D hook. The back sides are completely different color combinations than the front sides.

This is the snail shell motif from the book Crochet Stitch Motifs - It's an interweave knits harmony guide book. The pattern is on pg 158.

I had so much fun with this swap and I can't wait to see what treats I get in the mail - thanks so much Adrian and Maritza!

Hot Pads!

2009-05-24T17:56:00.003-04:00

I have a stack of these booklets that I found at a thrift store. They feature lots of projects using various needlecrafts, and almost always have a crochet feature. I thought there would surely be a potholder pattern, and I wasn't disappointed! This is the pattern:

Here are mine!

I used Elann Sonata yarn. Original size was 9.5 inches across, but then I washed them and they shrunk to about 8 inches. They are pretty squishy!

Fuzzy...

2009-05-22T14:55:00.003-04:00

Whew, done! Thanks to my crafty sister, Rebekah, for teaching me how to crochet. And a certain lovely ferret for the use of her fancy camera :-)

I used the Scalloped Potholder pattern (here on Ravelry). I spun the top layer out of rainbow dyed wool locks - looked like a clown massacre in my living room post-carding / pre-spinning - and used some odds and ends from the stash for the bottom layer (including Noro wool/angora, and another handspun... merino I think).

Fun!

Bottle Cap Hot Pads by Dawn

2009-05-22T10:06:00.005-04:00

Thank God we had two months to finish these potholders! I had a small collection of bottle caps that I started with,but soon ran out of. I enlisted my husband and friends to save theirs for me. Now, that I've finished using them, my husband doesn't know what to do with his. To him, it now seems a waste to throw them away.

I used every minute of it working on these darlings. I would crochet in the car, at the kids Doctor appointments, during knit nights, watching movies, and everywhere in between. Even once I finally got all 95 caps covered, I still had to sew them all together! : )

All the work aside, I absolutely love the way they turned out. They are very sturdy and they stay put when you set them down. (I find very important when you trying to put a pot on it.) Being crochet thread, I know they will last a lifetime with proper care.

So, to those of you who receive my lovelies, take care, enjoy, and know that a lot of love and hard work went into these.

Done!

2009-05-22T07:01:00.002-04:00

These were done a while ago, but I got distracted by life and forgot to post themThe pattern is an adaptation of the Wool Eater Blanket which I was introduced to by my good friend and fellow Home-skills and Domestic Arts Diva Sara, aka Chicken Betty.
The yarn is Blue Sky Dyed Cotton. I really enjoyed doing this project. I have not had a hook in my hands in ages, and this was really a joy for me. Crochet is my first love. They could not get me to knit, but I was all over the hook and the shuttle (tatting!).
Adrian, you are awesome, and thanks for letting me play along!
(also I swear the orange is not that neon in person. Honest.)

Willow Potholders

2009-05-20T10:11:00.001-04:00

Cross-posted to my blog.

I've finished my potholders. These have actually been finished since April 28th and I'm finally getting around to blogging them now. Sheesh! Busy isn't the word.

Anyway, I've already discussed the many things I love about this project. I enjoyed picking the pattern and working out the kinks. I enjoyed enhancing my crochet skilz. I really enjoyed seeing the finished product turn out exactly the way I hoped it would.

The only thing I'd change is the colors I selected. I like the colors and in most cases they worked out well. I'm not embarrassed by the results at all. I just think that with a bit more planning (as opposed to dropping a bunch of random "pretty" yarns in my virtual cart) may have made the results even more satisfying. It's not even a matter of color as much as it's about the shades. More contrast would be good.

I suspect that I'll make more of these because I'd like a few for our house. That's probably just my new excuse to make more of these. Initially I thought I'd make a few extra to send off but life got in the way.

Meanwhile I need to get these labeled and shipped out. I hope their new owners like them.

And I'm Done!

2009-05-20T07:49:00.002-04:00

Finally. I feel as if i've spent the past year crocheting potholder. I know that's not the case but between the potholders for the swap and the practice ones i made before, i think i've got at least 15 potholders under my belt. But i'm finally done.

i really like these and kind of don't want to send them off. (and yes there are 7. i was kind of on a color binge and couldn't stop). anyway, this pattern is my own. i used an old vintage potholder that i had picked up at flea market as inspiration. i hope to write up the pattern and post it on ravelry in the next week or so. sorry, not in time for the swap. but you should be almost done by now anyway.

Potholders for the Swap

2009-05-18T13:35:00.003-04:00

Woot! I'm done! Between practicing my crochet and trying to settle on a pattern for the swap, I must have made 10 potholders, so when it came time to do my 5, I was kind of sick of them. Great behavior for one of the hosts, right?

It turns out this pattern is super fun and I started a 6th last night, just because there was one more color combination that I needed to do.

Pattern: Old-Fashioned Potholders by Cathy Irish (rav link)
Yarn: a mix of Tahki Cotton Classic and Elann Sonata, 66 grams per potholder
Size: 8" across
Hook: 2.5mm
Extras: plastic drapery rings

Verdict: AWESOME! This is a totally simple pattern that lends itself to stripes and fun color combinations.

These potholders have 2 identical sides and are crocheted together on the last round.

White plastic drapery rings are used for the loops. When I got to the end of the joining/ last round, I did single crochet around the plastic rings and slip stitched through the first stitch.

These are heavy duty potholders. There's no chance a finger could poke through and be burned.

The Swap:
I hope you're all enjoying yourselves. The potholders have been arriving in waves. Mr. HelloYarn just came home from the post office and yelled up that he'd just picked up a ton more. I can't wait to go down and see them!

Ta da!

2009-05-17T19:26:00.004-04:00

Potholders are finished and ready to mail. I used a pattern called "Classic Kitchen Potholders" that was in a little Leisure Arts pamphlet I've had for ages. It's basically a round granny square with a solid back. The yarn is Coats Creme de la Creme, which I really liked working with. I chose six colors - a light/medium and a dark in blue/green/pink.
Whew - this was fun and I can't wait to see what I get! Thanks Adrian and Maritza!
Bridget
Yarmouth, Maine

My potholders

2009-05-17T11:44:00.002-04:00

Finished mine up last week. Will be mailing them on Monday. I used a square pattern that looks like stained glass for the potholder front and just added a basic back to it.

Took me a long time to decide what pattern I wanted to use. Did a lot of test patterns, etc.

Are We There Yet?

2009-05-16T14:07:00.002-04:00

i have to admit that now i'm kind of sick of potholders and would like to move on. but i'm almost done. i probably shouldn't have made extras.

Ready for Mail!

2009-05-15T18:12:00.004-04:00

Hey Everyone!

I finished the potholders last month, but am just now getting around to mailing them.
I made all of mine out of N.Y. Cotton (100% Mercerized Cotton), and I hope whoever gets them loves them as I do! :)
This was my first swap, and it was great to see all the variations on hot pads and potholders that everyone came up with.

The pattern I used came from the Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs by Edie Eckman, and it was motif #32.

hint + query

2009-05-15T09:06:00.006-04:00

These are the snippets left from weaving in ends of my hotpads. I hope you like them! They are quite a happy, bright combination, no?

So, the fronts are done, and I'm contemplating the backs.... I could crochet a simple square, but tell me what you all think about a fabric backing with a bit of hand-embroidery. I'm envisioning natural colored linen with vibrant floss to coordinate with the fronts. I really like the idea but don't want to get too far away from the original path we all started on. Please, share your thoughts.

best - annri

I can't believe I'm done!

2009-05-07T11:51:00.002-04:00

First I could not make up my mind which pattern to use, there are just too many. Then I thought maybe using one I made in elementary school, but that was boring. So after a lot of trying and unraveling and trying again I combined elements from a French and a Japanese stitch pattern book. I'm pleased with the result and know that these 5 were not the only potholders I made from those patterns.

I can't wait to see all other results and so want a picture of Adrian and Maritza sitting in a heap of all the potholders!

just a peek

2009-05-04T16:18:00.004-04:00

although i did a lot of practicing with dk weight cotton yarns, i decided early on that i would embrace the whole vintage feel of the cotton crocheted potholder and work with a thinner cotton thread.

the potholder design i'm going with is one inspired by a potholder i found at a flea market last year and that i've had hanging on my kitchen wall since.

since this photo was taken, i've made 2 more. just one more to go!

once the swap is over i'll write out the pattern for these.

wool-cotton blend?

2009-04-29T18:40:00.003-04:00

Hi all! I have some fun colors of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece picked out, but I thought I'd check to see if a cotton-wool blend meets the "rules." (It's 80% cotton and 20% wool.) What do you think?

FO: Not-So-Blue Snowflakes

2009-04-23T22:31:00.001-04:00

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and hot pads! and potholders - the swap.

My potholders are finished, and tomorrow they're going for a ride to Hello Yarn via the US Post Office.

Once again, this is the "Blue Snowflakes" pattern from Woman's Day Prizewinning Granny Squares. I used a G Crochet Hook.

The pattern is for an afghan, but I just used the large square pattern and added a Biscuit Edging. I gave them all a light blocking so they would lie flat.

The yarn is Patons Classic Merino Wool Yarn in the following color combinations:

"That's Pink" and "Too Teal"
"Too Teal" and Red (exact name unknown)
"Leaf" and "Harvest"
"Old Gold" and "Rich Red"
"Leaf" and "That's Pink"
"Harvest" and Purple (exact name unknown)

I'm keeping the purple and Harvest one for myself.

Tomorrow the rest begin their journey.

Willow

2009-04-23T09:23:00.001-04:00

I recently posted pictures of my potholder prototypes and thanks to the input I got from those posts I decided to go with my first instinct and chose to use the Willow pattern. I am so happy I did because I am really enjoying the results. My family is also happy with them, so happy that they've tried to claim them for our home. No luck though. These are for the swap. After the 5 that I'm committed to make are finished then I can consider some for us.

Since I used DK weight yarn and a pattern with holes I needed to make these double-sided. I considered textured patterns but in the end I went with a very imaginatively named, Solid Square (also from 200 Crochet Blocks) for the reverse side. I kind of like the opportunity it offers for me to choose a contrast color to show through the holes in the Willow side. Supa-cool!

Speaking of colors, I decided to go with totally different color palettes for each of these. Ok, ok, ok. I didn't eaxactly decide to. I was a little less focused than I ought to have been when I bought the yarn and I I employed a strategy of "Oooo pretty" rather than a well thought out plan. It's all working out though because I am having a blast choosing different combos for each potholder.

It's a funny thing about this crochet stuff. The more I do the more I want to do. I went online to get myself a copy of 200 Crochet Blocks and somehow this landed in my shopping cart too. It was pretty and I couldn't resist. Now that it's here I'm sooooo happy I got it because there is so much good info in this book.

Cross posted to the hot pads! and potholders swap blog and my blog.

And I'm Off

2009-04-22T10:54:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone!

So after several weeks of practicing and trying out new techniques with DK weight mercerized cotton, I've decided on a pattern, etc. But I'm not telling you what I'm doing. Ha! Not yet anyway.

Block Party

2009-04-20T22:57:00.001-04:00

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and hot pads! and potholders - the swap.

With my bathroom sink recently cleaned, and some spare room on my bedroom floor, this evening was a good time to do some blocking. I blocked my swatches for Decimal (I tried several different KnitPicks yarns) along with the potholders.

The Decimal swatches took a nice long soak in Grapefruit Eucalan. I have all the info on the yarn and the needle sizes here.

I was concerned about the small amount of lanolin in the Eucalan, however. I don't know if it will make a difference as far as flammability. But everyone in the swap is being extra careful about the materials they use, so I just dipped the potholders in plain, lukewarm water. After a few seconds I gently squeezed out the excess and pinned them to the towel.

I imagine most people won't need to block their potholders. But after I added the edging, these got a little curly. Hopefully this will flatten them a bit.

finished!

2009-04-20T00:04:00.002-04:00

I tried out a number of patterns and realized I could have kept going forever, so I settled on this one.

Pattern: Scalloped Potholder (ravelry link); (archived link)

Yarn: Coats Creme de la Creme (worsted-weight kitchen-type cotton)

They're double thickness; on most of them the backs are the opposite colors as the fronts.

Hook: 4.0 mm (US G)

2009-04-16T19:00:00.002-04:00

I have finished four of my potholders. I wasn't sure if this was the pattern I wanted to use. It seemed sort of plain to me. After looking at the pictures though I really like them. They are Southwestern Duo potholders. I only used the full circle pattern and not the crescent. I wanted to do a SW theme in honor of my very recent move to SW Texas. I used Sugar 'n Cream for the primary colors and I Love This Cotton in Taupe Ombre for the variegated colorway. I like the thicknesses of these yarns for potholders. They are crocheted in two seperate peices then crocheted together. Not including the loop they measure 9" in diameter. So, what do you think, should I try something a bit more difficult? Btw, I really loooove everyones prototypes so far they are all extremely beautiful! Than you so much for this swap...I very much enjoy making potholders. They are super fast to whip up...talk about instant gratification! :))

2009-04-11T15:11:00.007-04:00

This is my test sample for the swap. Like some others in this swap, I am using one of the blocks from 200 Crochet Blocks. It is "American Beauty." It is not thick enough, and has too many holes, on its own, so I will add a square to the back in one of the solid colors. The hot pads for the swap will be made of 3 colors: the center "flower" will be one color, two rows around it in a 2nd color and the outer rows in a 3rd color. The back will probably be the third color, and I will use the middle color to join the back to the front and crochet an edging.

This has been great fun finding yarn (still looking), and deciding upon a pattern. Thank you so much Adrian and Maritza.

Ready to go…

2009-04-10T15:21:00.004-04:00

My potholders are finished and ready to go across the ocean.

It’s been interesting to read what you write here, on Flickr and on your blogs about potholders. To me, it looks like traditions here in Norway, where I live, are a little different than in the US. (And also, I hope you can understand what I write – it is quite a while since I’ve been speaking, reading and writing in English).

When I grew up, you could see homemade potholders in every kitchen. The last 10-15 years, however, it has been considered more old fashioned and out. Now that recycling and second hand is getting more and more popular again, especially among younger people, crocheted potholders are coming back. But they are still easy to find and still cheap in the flea markets and second hand shops, and I have collected some. They are always in cotton, often double, and mostly in thick (DK?) yarn. Very often, they are red and white or other strong colors – maybe so they will be easy to find in a hurry when you need them? I have never ever seen a potholder made of wool, that is of hygienic reasons of course. Cotton can be machine washed in hot water, while wool will be feltet if treated the same way.

For that reason, my potholders are all in cotton, double, without any holes in them. It’s almost impossible to burn your hands when you use them. I found a similar pattern in an old magazine from the 1980’s, but I have changed it several times during the years.

More about these, and other, potholders on my blog. It’s all in Norwegian, and impossible to understand if you don’t know the language, but you can always look at the pictures…

Thank you, Adrian and Maritza, for starting this swap. It’s been such an inspiration!

The Rest of the Potholder Prototypes

2009-04-09T16:51:00.001-04:00

Back to the parade of potholders.

There were quite a few potholder patterns on the web that looked interesting to me. The first was the Tumbledown Trivet by Julie Bolduc. What appealed to me about this pattern and also the next one I worked, her the Cool Flames Potholder, was the crochet acrobatics required. In each of these patterns there is a certain amount of crocheting into stitches from previous rows behind chained stitches. I found this to be a lot of fun. I also love the dimensionality that the layers of stitches creates.

The Spiked Hot Pad pattern (also by Julie Bolduc) was similarly fun. In this one the nifty trick is going back a row or two and creating a super-long spike. I like this effect a lot.

One thing I noticed as I worked these potholders is that I'm a very tight crocheter. Because of that, all of these are a little smaller than they ought to be. They also hurt my hands after a while. I'm working hard on loosening up a bit. Crocheting is too much fun to have to give it up due to tight stitches.

The Wild Granny Square is by Julie Bolduc again. I liled it fr the same reasons as the others but I think that the end result is not as neat and tidy as I'd like it to be. Perhaps wild isn't what I go for in a granny square. It's a perfectly nice pattern but just not for me. Tis one is efinitely out of the running.

The last prototype is the Crochet Flower Hot Pad. I love this one! It was weird while I was making it because it looked like a big, floppy, octopus but at the end when you flip the flaps and pin them down it's just magic. I could be very happy crocheting a lot of these but it seems like a bunch of other folks are using this pattern so I won't.

After the post on Tuesday I got a bunch of comments here and there saying that Willow is theway to go. I'm definitely leaning towards Willow or the Tumbledown Trivet. I'll work each again to see if being looser will make a difference. I also want to see how they look in the Sonata. Thanks for all of the input!

Crossposted to the my blog.

Still Experimenting

2009-04-09T16:23:00.002-04:00

Here's my color palette in cotton. I put together a similar one of Cascade 220 from my stash, so right now I'm experimenting with fiber/hook combos, color combos, and the pattern.

I've reached a tricksy bit on the pattern that I want to use ("Contrasting Colors" from Nola Theiss's Crocheted Gifts in a Weekend). Luckily Ravelry exists, so I've posted my questions there and hope to get going on these over the weekend.

Beverly

little..

2009-04-09T15:06:00.003-04:00

I really love this pattern and after crocheting 3 sides (1 1/2 potholders) I'm thinking I have no choice but to use it. The one I finished is a bit on the small side 5 3/4". I'm thinking of adding another round of increases before the top petal shaping.

I just love the small crochet thread and the vintage patterns too!! but they just seem to take so much longer than something done in dk or worsted weight.

I was afraid such fine thread wouldn't provide much in the way of heat proofing, but it did the job when I took some carrot cake out of the oven this morning.

The other pattern I like is just a big 6 sided granny square type potholder (kind of like this one), with a few color changes to make it interesting. What would you want to get? Little frilly or big granny?

Parade of Prototypes

2009-04-07T09:31:00.003-04:00

Hi, I'm Hillary and knitting is really my love but these hot pads and potholders are so much fun. It's really nice to step outside my comfort zone and try to create using didderent skills.

I was so excited when I signed up. I went online and ordered up a bunch of Elann Sonata right away. It's such a lovely yarn. Great colors and a nice smooth finish. I also bought a few new crochet hooks that are more comfortable to use. Then I borrowed 200 Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton from my library. This is a book I'd definitely love to add to my collection. It's got great blocks and I find the other information in it very helpful as well.

Finally I started testing potential patterns using random scraps of Sugar 'n Cream yarn and I just couldn't stop. I started with the block that really caught my eye. This is from the book and it's #35 Tricolor Square. Both DQ and Stinkerbelle have tried to claim this one for themselves. No matter which other pattern I try, this is the family favorite. Sadly it doesn't meet one of the criteria that I am looking for. I need a pattern that I feel I can really execute well and I think that this one is beyond my skill set.

Briar Rose (#78) was the second one I tried. I try not to let the color choice influence my impression of it but I just can't help being distracted by the crazy. I also think that the hook I used was not the right size. The stitches are a little loose which is odd because I've found that I'm a tight crocheter in general. It's something I'm working on.

The Gothic Square (#94) looked terriffic to me when I saw it in the book. It also worked well for me. The stitches and combinations were ones that I felt totally comfortable with. I just don't love this square even though I really want to. I'm not sure why but it's just not "The One".

I really enjoyed crocheting Willow (#189) and I thought it was a winner but the family disagrees. They're just not feeling the love for it. I like the shapes and I think it could be a good potholder if I added a solid or textured back. I just think that it could get tedious repeating this pattern again and again.

Since none of the patterns in the book were jumping out and screaming at me, I kept trying more. I'll post about the rest of them including a bunch I found on the internet. I tried a total of nine patterns last week.

Cross posted to my blog.

Too Fru-Fru?

2009-04-06T21:21:00.001-04:00

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and hot pads! and potholders - the swap.

Earlier I was debating whether or not to put a border on my potholders. I decided I should, so I tried adding the biscuit edging.

The potholder is a little ruffled now. I'm planning to block it lightly, so I think it will work out. But I'm still worried that it's a little too "fru-fru." What do you think?

still working on a pattern

2009-04-03T15:42:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! It is so great to hear about everyone's progress.

I am still working on finding the right pattern- which makes me a little nervous!! All the ones posted so far are beautiful. It seems like every time I settle on a pattern, I start crocheting a prototype and find that the pattern is too hole-y... I mean, it's a hot pad, I don't want huge lacy holes that fingers and surfaces could get burned through- and then it is back to square one!! Smaller holes, like the ones pictured here seem fine, but I keep finding patterns with real WHOPPER holes.

I found a possibility among the free lion brand patterns and will share the outcome later tonight after I crochet a prototype.

Good luck everyone!

2 down, 3-ish to go

2009-04-02T02:46:00.004-04:00

I started out thinking I would test a couple different patterns, but I really like the first one I tried. They are (thankfully) a bit over 6 inches across. This has turned into quite the stash buster. So far I've used Plymouth Fantasy Naturale that was leftover from a pinwheel blanket and a baby shrug. I'm hoping I have enough without having to buy more.

The pattern is here. (ravelry) The construction is very interesting on these! Without the video, I would have been totally lost. I can see many more of these in my future.

Finished: 5 Scalloped Hot Pads

2009-04-02T00:20:00.001-04:00

Wow, I had way too much fun making these. They became addicting and I am became obsessed. I definitely will be making more of these in the future. I want to thank Adrian and Maritza for starting this Swap because I never thought about making hot pads and potholders. Thank you for opening up a whole new world to me. :-)

The pattern has you make 2 sides and then they are single crocheted together. The wool ones are 6.5 inches and the cotton ones are slightly wider. For yarn info on each of these hot pads, please visit my blog to see the blog post on them. The pattern link is here.

WIP: Not So Blue Snowflakes

2009-03-31T23:50:00.001-04:00

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and hot pads! and potholders - the swap.

I'm "remote blogging" from my parents' house right now. I left my potholder stuff at home, but I took some pictures before I left.

So far I've finished two potholders, and I have four to go. (I plan to make an extra for myself.) I decided to go use the Patons Classic Wool that I have in my stash and the Blue Snowflakes pattern from Woman's Day Prizewinning Granny Squares.

The squares are crocheted in two layers. You start by crocheting the top part.

Then you crochet the first few of rounds on the bottom part of the pot holder. On the next to last round, you start crocheting through the top part. You can see where I've connected the first point in the top portion.

The only problem right now is the size. Six inches across is the minimum for the swap. I'm about half an inch short from side to side...

...but well over six inches from corner to corner. Does that count? (If not I'll add a spiffy border.)

What do you think?

Hotpad Heaven

2009-03-30T18:25:00.003-04:00

As many of you are already doing, I have scoured through at least 100 patterns and stitch dictionaries trying to find that perfect pattern for my potholders. I've also have made several prototypes that just didn't cut it, but I think I have finally "found the one" that will make it all better. So, as a preview, here's the beginning of a beautiful arrangement of colors.

What have you all been up to?

Ready to go!

2009-03-30T17:09:00.004-04:00

I was so excited when I heard about this swap that I signed up right away. Number 2 on my to do list? Learn to crochet. Yeep!

It's been going well and I've been practicing with scrap yarn while I wait for a yarn order to come in.
I made a traditional granny square:

And then a nosegay (Ravelry pattern link):

I'm feeling confident enough in my crochet abilities now and am ready to go! Good thing too, look what showed up on my doorstep today.

Try, try again

2009-03-29T12:26:00.005-04:00

It has taken me a while to pick my pattern. Here is what I decided on, with my rejects underneath. It's not finished, I am going to add a ring of red and a ring of purple so it will end up the size of the orange and yellow one underneath.

:) angharad

An Introduction

2009-03-28T10:06:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone, My name is Angharad and I'm really excited to participate! I've been crocheting since I was a kid, and my grannie was a master crocheter-she had a certificate from the Queen of England and everything! Do you think they still give those out? I have one of my grannie's blanket on my guest bed right now. Anyway, I need to take pictures of my attempts to decide on my pattern, but I wanted to share a crochet blog I recently found that has really inspired me.

Attic24

Happy Crocheting!

Potholder Inspiration

2009-03-27T23:28:00.001-04:00

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and hot pads! and potholders - the swap.

I wanted to contribute my own inspiration to the hot pad swap. I went and found two of my old books and took some pictures. (I did a little research, and based on what I found, and my past experience, I think I'm well within copyright laws.)

The first pictures come from Illustrated Patchwork Crochet: Contemporary Granny Squares for Clothing and Home Decorating, a book I found at a garage sale in Florida.

The book has some "newfangled techniques" in it. (I love the title of this chapter!)

I like the squares on the draped afghan here. I also like the squares in the rug. They created "diamonds" by turning them 90 degrees. (The book also had some interesting hexagons.)

The other squares are from Woman's Day Prizewinning Granny Squares. Unfortunately, Bunny Foo-Foo got to the cover of this book. But you can still see the "Sierra Pinwheels" on the front. I think this is a good example how much of a difference color choices can make.

I don't think the entire "Windmill Square" would make a good potholder, but I'm looking at just the center. The book says this pattern combines several small squares in the middle.

I also really like "Blue Snowflakes." The 3D effects are gorgeous.

I'm still debating what to do, and I'm considering some online patterns as well. But I wanted to share some of my finds from books that (I think) are now out of print.

You can see all my pictures here.

Spiral Jetties

2009-03-26T12:25:00.004-04:00

I LOVE making hotpads.

This is partial prototype in Lite Lopi, alternating singles with buillion stitch. I've been making many versions of this, because I am obsessive AND only since starting this swap has it become clear to me how hotpads are incredibly useful. Between pans, under flower pots, as coasters, cat hats - the possibilities are endless. Thanks to Sean for the picture.

Introducing Myself!

2009-03-25T21:49:00.003-04:00

Hello Everyone! I'm Candace - you can also visit me over at Squash House Quilts! It took me a while to figure out what to make for the swap, but I settled on a pattern the other day. My friend Terri, who is also in the swap suggested I run, not walk to this site Elann Products for yarn! Wow - was she ever right! So I thought I would post and tell you all that if you haven't purchased your yarn yet, or even your crochet hook, this is a fantastic site! Their prices are unreal and the products are wonderful. There are lots of 100% cottons if that's what you're looking for!

Below are the yarns I purchased for my potholders along with a great crochet hook that has a nice ridge to help me grip the needle!

The other great thing about this company is that I ordered my yarn Monday and got it today - Wednesday! Of course I am only about 75 miles from their Washington State location, but they sent it Priority Mail - so even if you're on the East Coast, you'll have it in just a few days!

I'm going to keep my pattern a secret, but I might post a little corner of the work once I get it going. This is going to be a lot of fun!

Cheers!

postage update

2009-03-24T01:28:00.004-04:00

Hey folks! Just wanted to let you know that there will be a postage increase in May and that the Priority Mail postage for packages under a lb. (which is what we'll be using) has gone from $4.80 to $4.95. I have edited our last post re: rules to reflect that increase. Sorry about that, everyone. And thanks for understanding. Many thanks to Karen for telling us!

ETA:
Bertha asked a question about the postage that I'll address here. The stamp we're talking about is an actual stamp, like from a book of stamps. It's worth $4.95. This is what it looks like and I called to make sure and we can purchase them singly at the post office. That will cover the postage on any package up to a lb.

yikes...

2009-03-23T14:15:00.004-04:00

...thank you so much for letting me join the potholder swap!...i'm kinda a beginner and kinda fretting because i see that everyone else seems to be way more talented than me (here and on flickr)?...i'm experimenting with patterns and did these two potholders last week...opinions, please?...i really don't want my stuff to suck?...lol...:

...again, thanks!...i am really loving this (outside of the fretting, you know...)...

terri, purple and paisley...☺...

Let the Swap Begin!

2009-03-23T09:32:00.013-04:00

Thanks so much for joining, everyone! This swap has grown larger than we ever could have dreamed. When we were first planning it, Maritza and I thought we might have all the participants crochet a potholder for each participant. It's a really good thing we didn't do that or we'd each be crocheting over a hundred potholders! Makes crocheting five look like a walk in the park, doesn't it?

The Blog:
We've exceeded the number of authors Blogger allows for each blog, so people that signed up later on won't be able to contribute to the blog but are still absolutely welcome in the swap and to contribute to the Flickr group.

The Sidebar:
We've been working hard on adding your names to the sidebar, but we haven't gotten them all in. If you're a participant, would you check to be sure you're there and the link is correct? If not, let us know the name you'd like us to use (doesn't need to be your real one) and what you'd like linked to (doesn't need to be a blog - Ravelry and Flickr are fine). Please put "Sidebar Link" in the email subject. We'll be happy to make it right.

THE RULES:

Your Potholders:
Each participant is required to crochet 5 potholders in the same pattern. Please do vary the colors as you see fit. We don't want you bored to tears! Please be sure your hot pads and potholders measure between 6 and 12 inches across.

We'll be using wool and cotton yarns exclusively. We did some burn tests this weekend and have decided that superwash wool is out. One sample produced a bit of a hard bead when burned, which seems dangerous for a potholder. We don't want yarn that will stick to either a pot or a hand when heated or exposed to flame.

Label each pad/holder with maker, fiber content, and care instructions.

Put a note in your package if you are allergic to wool so that we don't send any to you.

The goal of this swap is to produce and receive little pieces of crocheted art. Use beautiful yarns, color combinations, and patterns. Don't feel pressured to use teensy little crochet cotton, even with all those links to it in the sidebar. Use thick cotton, or wool wool wool! Have a ton of fun.

Postage + Envelope:
US participants need to include $4.95 in postage with their swap package. You can purchase special USPS Priority Mail stamps at the post office, so this will probably be the easiest way to go about this. Since the swap is huge beyond our wildest dreams, we're also requesting that you include a self-addressed (large + tyvek is best) envelope. USPS Priority Tyvek envelopes are available for free at the post office. The post office even provides free labels for them. This will help us immensely when it comes time to ship your packages back to you.

Non-US swappers, the best way for us to collect postage fees from you is probably PayPal. If you don't want to do it that way, please contact us at potholderswap2009@gmail.com and we'll make other arrangements. We'll contact you about postage when your package is ready to send, as we want to go by its actual weight, rather than guess now and possibly overcharge you. We expect packages to weigh under 8 oz., so postage should be between $4 and $8, depending on where you live.

We'll need to receive your potholders by May 31. Please mail them to:

Hello Yarn
P.O. Box 19
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

This is going to make the postal employees in Adrian's little village either laugh or cry! Maybe if we give them potholders, they'll be appeased.

Inspiration + Patterns:
There are several links to free patterns in the sidebar. Please feel free to post with more, or email them to us so we can put them in the sidebar.

Keep us abreast of your progress, both here and in the Flickr group. Talk about yarns, show your in-progress hot pads, and tell us about patterns. This will be a blast!

ETA: Sally asked some questions in the comments that I want to address. Absolutely, do up your potholders as you see fit. Give out pattern info, yarn info, write a note to each recipient, etc. Make each potholder an extra super special treat, if you like! Keep in mind that potholders will be mailed back in envelopes, so don't include fragile items.

today is the day!

2009-03-21T19:45:00.000-04:00

Hi, folks! Thanks to all of you who have joined! We are so excited about this and happy to have you all participate in this swap. There is still some time left for those of you who are interested but have not joined yet. The deadline for signing up is midnight tonight.

We've sent out some invites to the blog that weren't used, so if you signed up but don't see your name on the sidebar, please do not hesitate to email us with a link to use for you. Drop us a line at potholderswap2009@gmail.com so we can update the swapper list with your name and link.

Regarding fiber, we are specifying wool or cotton only please. The reason being that cotton ignites at about 410º Fahrenheit, and wool ignites at an even higher temperature and has excellent insulating properties, which is a quality one would want in a functional potholder. Cotton potholders and hot pads can be thrown in the wash where as wool might require a little bit more special attention. For more particulars regarding the pros and cons of what fibers to use for potholders, please see this discussion here. For this swap, however, we need you to use wool or cotton only please.

We'll have more info regarding the swap details with you soon.

hello folks! welcome to the swap blog!

2009-03-16T01:29:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to our little swap blog here. Some of you may know us from Flickr and may have reached us from the swap group over there. Thanks for dropping in! Lately, we have become just slightly obsessed with crochet, and what better way to learn about crochet than to start with fun simple projects that are both pretty and functional? Hot pads and pot holders are a great way to learn the techniques as well as play with color and create something that can function as a practical object and as art. That's not even to mention the kitschy fun to be had with it!

We'd love to have you join our swap. To participate, please email us at potholderswap2009@gmail.com. Deadline to enter the swap is 3/21/09.

Now for the rules. They're pretty basic, so here goes....

RULES FOR THE SWAP:

- hot pads/ pot holders must be crocheted
- each member will crochet 5 hot pads/ pot holders in the same pattern. Different colors are okay. (You can choose whatever pattern you want to work with and vary the colors between them, as long as you crochet 5 hot pads/ pot holders in that same pattern.)
- each pad/holder must be tagged with maker, fiber content, and care instructions
- wool or cotton yarns only please- no synthetics, for safety reasons
- if you have a wool allergy please let us know so you will receive cotton hot pads only
- each pad/holder must be between 6 - 12 inches in diameter
- US swappers., you must include a USPS Priority stamp for return postage with your potholders. Non-US residents are welcome, we'll just need to work out how you pay for return postage with you.
- have fun with this!

We're thinking that 2 months should be enough time for everyone to finish their hot pads/ pot holders, but we'll post an official deadline and details as to where to mail them shortly, once we have all our swappers.

For now, there are a few wonderful resources for pot holder patterns, such as Crochet Pattern Central and the Crochet & Crafts Link Index, as well as an inspiration group we started on Flickr.

Take a button!