pot holder help
 

Does anyone know how to take the old-fashioned pot holders using FOUR squares of terry wash cloth fabric that folded flat? They were finished with crochet around all the edges. Been searching the internet and can't find info.
Thanks.

no help from me, but they sound interesting. i'd love to see them. have you googled it?

This might help. Couldn't see the terry one but there are some cute pot holders.

http://tipnut.com/potholder-patterns/

sorry don't know how to get the link so it's just a click.

pot holders
 

I used to buy "wild color" wash clothes for my mom to make these..."kept her off the streets!".


Fold wash cloth in half, open edge at the top
Blanket stitch around the right, left and bottom edges.
refold, bring right and left edges to the center, so that the "open top" now has folded edges on each side (top should look like an X with all the edges)
Blanket stitch across the top, and then across the center of the bottom...should also look like an X with blanket stitches.
I think my mom did a single crochet, a half double, a double, half double and single in each blanket stitch. She would then single crochet around a plastic ring to attach to the top...


Okay, apologies for the picture... (first time I've been able to upload pictures..obviously I've got to refine my process!)......used a black marker to show where the blanket stitches would be added..
My son has taken the last I've made (he uses them to sop up what he spills when cooking)...just throw in the wash with the towels!!!)
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.Tried to post pictures of the "steps"...but this was the only one that I was able to upload...shows the "open edges" together...you would have blanket stitches across the "X"...and the bottom would look the same.

I've made a bunch of these!
Fold a square washcloth in half so you have a rectangle. Start at one corner away from the folded side, single crocheting along the open side toward the fold. A pin now comes in handy to hold the fold while you turn the corner (do 3 stitches all in the same spot to turn the corner) and crochet toward the pin. Another corner there. Now comes the "tricky" part! Bring the next "side" up to meet the place of beginning. You now have 3 corners of the washcloth together. This will give you a fold created by your crochet work. Again a pin will help to hold that fold until you get that side done. Work to the corner where you piled those 3 corners together. When you get to that intersection, you'll see how the last corner needs to come up to the beginning so now all 4 corners are together. If you want these plain, pull in the ends of the thread and you are done. If you want them fancy, double crochet now around and make a loop to hang them.

I have sometimes reserved the 3rd stitch in the corner to put into the next fold. Experiment a bit with that to see what helps you the most. Hope this is clearer then mud and helps you!

While I was typing, another method was posted. Glad she was able to post pictures. Her method is a bit different; result is pretty much the same! The hardest part of doing these is poking the crochet hook through the cloth.

Oh, yes! Do these with crochet thread, not yarn.

Maybe this will help but does not reference crochet. https://www.flickr.com/photos/barbian7/1083209777/

Serita

Would that really stop the heat from going to your hands????

I was thinking that also.......and would they be big enough for my man size hands?????

I saw one on Daisy Dews post that is neat........by Vicki Welsh, it doesn't have binding and has enough layers to be protective, has 2 pockets, and is large enough. I can't use those little finger grips ones though they are cute.

Probably not as much as those with batting inside but not bad. The ones I make with instructions as I posted end up with 4 layers. The picture with pmonaghen's only shows 2. Can you envision hers picked up at the intersection of the 4 corners and then folded flat? It gives 4 "leaves" that then will give the 4 layers. Nice thing about this method is that when one side gets dirty, just flip to a clean side! The post from flicker shows how it looks when folded into 4 layers but is not crocheted around as what I make.