Subject: KNIT: Chinese Waves Potholder Pattern Date: Thu, 9 May 1996 12:06:29 -0500 From: mebull@sisna.com (Mary E. Bull) To: Multiple recipients of list OK, I've finally got a good prototype for this. I figure that since many of us are doing dishcloths as gifts, it might be nice to have a potholder to match. A couple of words, though: the basics of this pattern are from an old crochet pattern (I'm sure it has gray whiskers) that's been seen in many places. The Chinese Waves pattern comes from a lister (editor's note: Margaret Radcliffe). The stitch pattern has been re-worked to work in the round. You may or may not want to add a layer of teflon-coated or regular batting to this. If you add the batting, it may be too thick to use as a regular potholder, but fine on a table for a trivet. And a safety note, we all know how cotton absorbs water...water is also a great conductor of heat. If you use this potholder when it's a little wet to remove a pan from the oven, IT WILL BE WARM. You could make it out of acrylic or wool (wool won't melt). I've had all kinds of different fibers, and they seem to be OK after many years. Also, use this pattern as a guide...don't be afraid to change the size or the needles or number of stitches. CHINESE WAVES POTHOLDER Size: 6 1/2" square Materials: 1 skein Sugar-n-Cream (or part of a cone); size 7 (US) 16" needle (or double-points); marker for beginning of rnd; yarn needle to sew seams and ends. Chinese Waves Pattern in the Round (multiple of 2 sts) Rnd 1: K all sts Rnd 2: (P1, sl1 with yarn fwd), repeat around Rnd 3: K all sts Rnd 4: (sl1 with yarn fwd, P1), repeat around CO 80 sts. Join, being careful not to twist sts. Beginning with Rnd 1 of Chinese Waves Pattern, work the pattern in the round for about 2". Now measure the circumference of the tube. Divide that number by 4. This number is the length of the tube you should make. (Example: tube circumference 18", tube length should be 4.5".) When the tube is the correct length, ending with an even row, bind off in garter sts. You should have a wide, short tube. Finishing Trust me. You'll start this, get frustrated, and throw it across the room. Once you do one, you'll see how the geometry works. Fold the tube in half and sew the bottom together. I used a whipstitch on the right side with variegated yarn. Now, turn the work over so that the open side is facing you and the seam in the back is running north-south. Fold the fabric so that you have a seam on the top that runs EAST-WEST. It should just fold flat. The seams run corner to corner. Sew that seam up. You can add a hanging loop at one corner. Ideas Use the same size needle for this as you did for your dishcloths. They will really match, then. I'm also working on a variation of this pattern where the bottom seam is replaced by a double cast on (like at the toe of Turkish socks). Don't be afraid to change the stitch pattern, either. Just remember that it should be fairly thick: no lace. You can also change the size: this one just seems to work best in my kitchen. Any questions? Don't hesitate to ask. Enjoy! ---------------------------------------------- Mary Bull | "When Alexander the Great mebull@sisna.com | was my age, he'd been Sandy, Utah USA | dead three years." ---------------------------------------------- --- This pattern downloaded from Wool Works: the online knitting compendium http://www.woolworks.org/