Crochet Tomato Hot Pad: A Whimsical and Functional Kitchen Accessory

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.

Possible Variations

You can crochet this hot pad with acrylic yarn (but pay attention because acrylic tends to melt 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.

Specifications

• Size

  : 20 cm (8 inches) diameter

• Material

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

• Stitches

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

• Difficulty

  : Easy

Directions

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 each sc; ch 1, turn;

5. sc in each 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 each following ch:

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

Notes

• Always substitute (also if not explicitly said) the 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 the 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 on a prev row in a st (say st1), while you must start the next row in another st (say st2), make an appropriate number of sl sts to reach st2.