Tunisian Crochet Tresca Potholder

This double-thick potholder features a highly textured center framed by clean, structured borders. Worked in Tunisian crochet using durable DK cotton, it uses a beautiful blend of crossed and reverse stitches.

You will crochet two matching panels and slip-stitch them together to create a heat-resistant, functional kitchen essential.

Project Overview & Materials

Hook Sizes: 5.5 mm (US I/9) Tunisian hook (minimum 5.5 inches / 14 cm long); 5.0 mm (US H/8) standard crochet hook for assembly.
Yarn: 24 grams of Light/DK weight cotton yarn (Category 3). Cotton is essential for heat resistance.
Tools: Tapestry needle and scissors.
Finished Dimensions: A square measuring roughly 5.5″ x 5.5″ (14 cm x 14 cm).
Gauge: 21 stitches by 19 rows in the Tunisian Cross Stitch pattern using the 5.5 mm hook = 4″ (10 cm).

Stitch Glossary & Mechanics (US Terms)

Chain (ch): Standard yarn over and pull through.
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
Standard Return Pass (Return): Yarn over and pull through the first loop on the hook. Yarn over, pull through two loops. Repeat from * until only one loop remains.
Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss): Insert hook from right to left under the front vertical bar of the next stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop.
Tunisian Reverse Stitch (Trs): Working on the back of the fabric, insert hook from right to left under the back vertical bar, yarn over, and pull up a loop.
Tunisian Cross Stitch (Tcs): Skip the next vertical bar. Work a Tss into the following bar. Then, go back to the skipped bar and work a Tss into it. This crosses the two stitches.
Last Stitch (Edge St): Always insert your hook under both loops of the very outer edge stitch of the previous row to create a clean border.

Pattern Instructions

(Make 2 matching panels. The stitch count is exactly 28 stitches for every row. Always skip the first vertical bar on the edge, as the loop already on your hook counts as stitch #1).

Foundation: Using the 5.5 mm Tunisian hook, chain 28. Pull up a loop in the back bump of each chain across. Complete a standard Return Pass. (28 loops on hook)

Rows 1 & 2: Trs in the next 27 stitches, work the edge stitch. Complete a standard Return Pass.
Row 3: Trs in the next 3 stitches, Tss in the next 22 stitches, Trs in the next 2 stitches, work the edge stitch. Complete a standard Return Pass.
Row 4: Trs in the next 3 stitches, Tss 1. Work 1 Tcs over the next 2 stitches. Repeat from * 9 more times (10 crossed pairs total). Tss 1, Trs 2, work the edge stitch. Complete a standard Return Pass.
Row 5: Repeat Row 3.
Row 6: Trs in the next 3 stitches. Work 1 Tcs over the next 2 stitches. Repeat from * 10 more times (11 crossed pairs total). Trs 2, work the edge stitch. Complete a standard Return Pass.
Rows 7 to 22: Repeat the sequence of Rows 3 through 6 four more times.
Row 23: Repeat Row 3 once more.
Row 24: Trs in the next 27 stitches, work the edge stitch. Complete a standard Return Pass.
Row 25 (Bind Off): Insert hook into the next stitch as if to Trs, yarn over, pull through the stitch AND the loop on your hook (slip stitch bind off). Repeat this slip stitch action across the entire row to close the work. Cut yarn and fasten off.

Two-Tone Color Work (Optional)

To create a contrasting center panel on one side:

Use your main color for the first 3 Trs stitches of the forward pass.
Join a secondary color for stitches 4 through 25, then cut the secondary color.
Rejoin the main color for the final 3 stitches and the entire Return Pass.
Secure the color changes by tying the yarn tails together on the inside (wrong side) of the panel. They will be hidden permanently when assembled.

Assembly & Finishing

Border Joining: Place the two finished panels together with their wrong sides touching (clean, right sides facing outwards). Align them so the foundation rows match. Switch to the 5.0 mm standard crochet hook. Insert the hook through both layers at any corner. Pull up a loop and loosely slip stitch through both panels all the way around the perimeter. Join with a slip stitch to the first border stitch.
Hanging Loop: Gather three 20-inch (50 cm) strands of yarn and hold them together as one. Using the 5.0 mm hook, anchor this thick strand into any corner of the potholder. Chain 12 (or your desired loop size), then slip stitch back into the same corner.
Final Polish: Fasten off all yarn and weave the remaining ends securely into the hollow center between the two panels.