Seed Stitch Hot Pad (or “Trivet” for you fancy folks)

I. Love. This. Pad!

Or THESE pads, I should say. I’m making a bagillion (read: five.)

I am not a fancy table setting lady, so I use potholders as hot pads. By the time all of the dishes are on the table, I’m pulling things out of the oven with a wadded denim apron. Not good. But these little guys work up super fast, can be made to any size, and remind me of those wicker things my mom used to put our paper plates on. Utility AND nostalgia.

K-needle
#20 Jute, or as I like to call it ‘The Skinny Jute’, as opposed to ‘The Boat Rope Jute’. It’s a natural fiber found in the same hobby stores as regular yarn, but usually in a totally different section. If you can’t find it, ask someone with a name tag to point you in the right direction. I did.

Ch 25.*

1. Sc in second ch from hook. Sc in third. Ch 1, skip 1. Sc in fifth. (Ch1, skip 1. Sc in next) repeat to the end. You should end on a sc. (24 stitches)

2. Ch1, turn. Sc in first sc. Turning chain DOESN’T COUNT FOR JACK. Sc in Ch1 space. (This means you should have two singles back to back. One in the last sc from the previous row and the space created by the last ch1 of the previous row.) (Ch1, skip 1. Sc in next ch1 space) repeat across. (24 stitches)

3-21. Repeat Step 2. Feel free to add or subtract rows if your stitches are different thean mine. You’re going for a SQUARE.

You can border it if you like (Ch1 turn, sc around evenly, join with sl st), but I find that jute goes WAFFLY in an instant and I REFUSE to block a hot pad. Refuse!

Fasten off and weave ends in your customary manner.

*To alter the size, make your foundation chain ANY odd number and work for as many rows as you wish following the exact same directions, but ignoring my stitch count.

This pic makes it look pointy (it’s not), but you can see more of the mat.

Ivory