Crochet Tomato Hot Pad

If you're looking to add a touch of charm and functionality to your kitchen, the Crochet Tomato Hot Pad is a fun and practical choice! This whimsical hot pad not only protects your countertops from heat but also adds a pop of color and personality to your cooking space. Its handmade crochet design gives it a unique and crafty feel, making it a lovely addition to any kitchen decor. Whether you're using it to set hot pots and pans on or simply displaying it as a cute accent piece, the Crochet Tomato Hot Pad is sure to bring a smile to your face every time you see it. So, add a splash of fun and functionality to your kitchen with this delightful and handmade hot pad!

Possible Variations: You can crochet this hot pad with acrylic yarn (but pay attention because acrylic tends to melting with very hot items); you can add other rounds at the end if you prefer a bigger pad; you can crochet it with thread or a thinner cotton yarn, like Lustersheen, to have a matching potholder (just add a chain hole yo hang it) and/or matching coasters.

Size : 20 cm (8 inches) diameter

Material : Worsted Weight Cotton yarn, in colors : red(A),green (B); hook 5 mm.

Stitches : ch, sc, hdc, crab stitch (= like sc, but worked right to left).

Difficulty: easy

Start with 4 ch with color A, join

1. 1 ch, 10 sc in lp; join with sl st in first st.

2. 2 sc on first sc, (sc on next sc) 4 times; 1 ch,turn. (6 sc) ;

3. 2 sc on first sc, (sc on next sc, 2 sc on next sc)2 times; 2 sc on last sc ;1 ch, turn. (10 sc) ;

4. 14 sc, incrementing at sides and making other 2 inc evenly ; ch 1, turn;

5. 22 sc, incrementing at sides and making other 6 inc evenly ; ch 1, turn;

6. 2 sc on first sc, (sc on next sc) 20 times, 2 sc on last sc, do not turn, but continue on 5 unworked scs in 1st rnd, making (2 sc on next sc, (sc on next sc) 3 times, 2 sc on last sc), join with sl st in first sc: 31 sc;

7-16. continue working complete rounds in sc st, making evenly incs ( 3 or 4 incs per round should suffice) for maintaining the piece flat.

17. work crab stitch all around. Cut yarn.

Leaves (work 2):

With green, start with 3 ch.

1. sc in each ch; ch 1, turn.(3 sc)

2. 2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in last sc; ch 1, turn. (5 sc)

3. 2 sc in first sc, (sc in next sc)3 times, 2 sc in last sc; ch 1, turn; (7 sc)

4. sc in ea sc; ch 1, turn;

5. sc in ea sc; ch 1, turn;

6 .sc dec in first two sc, (sc in next sc) 3 times, sc dec in last two sc; ch 1, turn. (5 sc);

7.sc dec in first two sc, (sc in next sc), sc dec in last two sc; ch 1, turn. (3 sc);

8. sc dec in first two sc, sc in next sc, ch 1, turn. (2 sc);

9. sc dec.

Stem: Work 16 ch, then hdc in 3rd ch and in ea following ch:

Sew stem and leaves to hot pad, like in the photo.

N.B.

• Always substitute (also if not explicitly said) first st in a row as follows:

  • first sc with 1 ch, sc;
  • first hdc with 2 ch;
  • first dc with 3 ch;
  • first tr with 4 ch...and so on;
• When you read "sl st to <location>", where the location is not immediately contiguous to last st, this means of course "an appropriate number of sl sts for reaching <location>".
• Also if I do not specify it, if you lasted prev row on a st (say st1), while you must start next row in another st (say st2), make an appropriate number of sl sts to reach st2.