Crochet Pot Holder Tutorial-Left handed

Several years ago... actually... decades ago... I was given a pair of crochet pot holders by my cousin.

They are made of acrylic yarn so I was a little tentative about using them for very hot oven items, thinking they might melt.  They have worked well as micro-wave helpers! I inspected their construction and made up a pattern and use cotton yarn for these pot holders.
I am left-handed and taught myself to crochet from a right-handed book so I am showing you my work. It will look backwards to a right handed crocheter...Lefties deal with this all the time!

My daughter, Faith, also crochets right handed... see her chevron afghan here.

This is not a How to Crochet for beginners tutorial, I assume you know how to chain and single crochet.
You can find beginner lessons at Lion brand yarn or Red Heart yarn or look for a book at your library!

Cotton yarn, hook size I; chain 37

In 2nd chain from hook work sc; repeat to end of chain.

sc to end of chain...note green tail yarn.

3 sc in end of chain (actually the beginning)

sc in each chain (down the other side of the chain)

At end of row do not turn work, add 1 sc in end sc and continue around.

continue around the end of the chain

Do not add sc when at the ends from here on.

Viewed from the wrong side you can see how it curves in.

Right side of the work...continue sc around.

As you add rounds it grows like this.

At this point you could re-fold and decide to make a bag instead of a pot holder!

When the edges of your pot holder touch like this it is time to finish off.

Align the outer edge folds so that it is square, slip st in 1 sc at corner.

Chain 12 pulling each loop closed.

Cut yarn leaving a tail about 3 times as long as the seam (this is plenty!)

Using a yarn needle take 1 stitch at the base of the tight chain.

Secure the tight chain for a hanging loop.

Sew the pot holder's seam closed. I prefer to use a ladder stitch, sewing through the loops of each sc.

Seam finished, all but the knot.

Knot in the last stitch (sorry it is blurry!)

Bury the tail,
needle into the work at knot staying between layers, out again over there.

Tail yarn ready to be snipped off

Once cut the tail disappears

Clean corner, no tail

Finished pot holder

Text only version available here.

Faith's Jacket

My daughter, Faith, pins some beautiful things on Pinterest..... so when she pined the photo of this jacket and commented on it..... I got a birthday gift idea!
It was a learning opportunity also.....I figured out how to:
1. pay for and
2. download a pattern off a web site.
3. translate British crochet terms into American.

Here is my version, Faith's gift.

Detail photo of the lace pattern and the button closure.

I also practice my photographic skills by taking the dress form outside in my back yard. Some of those photos did not turn out well, but I learned some things along the way.