Magic Square Potholder by Maria Ekblad

Magic Square Potholder

Knitting
April 2011
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
36 stitches and 45 rows = 4 inches
in Stranded
US 0 - 2.0 mm
437 yards (400 m)
English
This pattern is available for $3.00 USD buy it now

Tired of burning your fingers while cooking?
Want something beautiful for the kitchen?
Knit this potholder and kill two birds with one stone!
Furthermore it is fun to knit.

The construction is unusual, I almost dare to say unique.
The potholder is knitted in the round as a rectangle. It’s then folded and grafted and almost like magic becomes a square. Finished size is a 7 inches/18 cm square.
The pattern contains charts for four different stranded versions. The main instructions are the same for them all.

  • Crosswise
  • Squares and Rays
  • Reversed Flowers
  • All Flowery

Material:
Two contrasting colors; about 110 yards/100 meters of each color, for one potholder. Different shades of one color can be used for either main color or contrasting color, as in the picture of Crosswise.
This type of yarn (8/4 cotton) is often used for crochet. It’s fingering weight.
Mercerized cotton gives a smooth and resistant surface and stands up to hot washing.
Gauge:
The gauge isn’t crucial but the stitch/row RATIO is important. (There are instructions in the pattern about adapting the charts to different gauge ratio.)
Needles:
1 long circular (48”, 120 cm) for Magic Loop or 2 circulars (32”, 80 cm)
2 dpn’s or a short circular for the I-cord (or a hook if you choose to crochet instead)
Techniques used:

  • Judy’s Magic Cast on
  • Magic Loop (or 2 circular) for knitting in the round
  • Kitchener Stitch (very essential to the pattern)
  • I-cord (for the loop)
  • Stranded knitting with 2 colors

Instead of making an I-cord the loop can be crochet. You’ll then need an appropriate hook (instructions for crochet is not given in the pattern).

Pattern type:
The instructions are written and the stranded patterns are charted.