Add a cozy, festive touch to your holiday kitchen with this Nordic-inspired potholder. This design features a classic winter snowflake pattern worked in a solid, tight weave. By using mini corner-to-corner (mini-C2C) stitching instead of standard C2C, you get smaller, denser blocks.
This technique eliminates the usual gaps and holes, creating a thick, durable fabric that safely protects your hands and countertops from hot dishes.
Materials & Tools
-
Yarn: Sport weight cotton yarn (Size 2, Fine). You will need approximately 65 yards of Main Color A (Off-White/Nature) and 32 yards of Contrast Color B (Wine Red).
-
Hook: 3.0 mm (US C/2) crochet hook.
-
Notions: Tapestry needle for weaving in yarn tails, scissors.
Pattern Abbreviations (US Terms)
-
Ch: Chain
-
Hdc: Half double crochet
-
Sc: Single crochet
-
Sl St: Slip stitch
-
St(s): Stitch(es)
-
RS / WS: Right side / Wrong side
-
Color A: Main background color
-
Color B: Snowflake pattern color
Working the Mini-C2C Stitch
Each “square” or block in this pattern is made of 2 hdc stitches.
-
To Increase (Rows 1–23): At the start of a row, ch 4. Hdc in the 3rd ch from your hook and in the next ch. This creates your first block. To make subsequent blocks in the row, sl st into the ch-2 space of the block from the previous row, ch 2, and work 2 hdc into that same ch-2 space.
-
To Decrease (Rows 24–45): Do not make a starting chain. Instead, sl st across the top 2 hdc of the last block you just made to reach the corner. Sl st into the adjacent ch-2 space, ch 2, and work 2 hdc into that space to begin your row.
Step-by-Step Color Chart & Instructions
Note: Carry your yarn or use separate bobbins for color changes to keep the back neat.
Increase Section
Row 1 [RS]: With Color A, make 1 block. (1 total)
Row 2 [WS]: With Color A, make 2 blocks. (2 total)
Row 3 [RS]: With Color A, make 3 blocks. (3 total)
Row 4 [WS]: With Color A, make 4 blocks. (4 total)
Row 5 [RS]: A x 2, B x 1, A x 2. (5 total)
Row 6 [WS]: With Color A, make 6 blocks. (6 total)
Row 7 [RS]: With Color A, make 7 blocks. (7 total)
Row 8 [WS]: A x 3, B x 2, A x 3. (8 total)
Row 9 [RS]: A x 4, B x 1, A x 4. (9 total)
Row 10 [WS]: With Color A, make 10 blocks. (10 total)
Row 11 [RS]: A x 1, B x 1, A x 3, B x 1, A x 3, B x 1, A x 1. (11 total)
Row 12 [WS]: A x 1, B x 2, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 2, A x 1. (12 total)
Row 13 [RS]: A x 2, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 2. (13 total)
Row 14 [WS]: A x 1, B x 3, A x 1, B x 4, A x 1, B x 3, A x 1. (14 total)
Row 15 [RS]: A x 1, B x 3, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 3, A x 1. (15 total)
Row 16 [WS]: A x 2, B x 3, A x 1, B x 4, A x 1, B x 3, A x 2. (16 total)
Row 17 [RS]: A x 7, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 7. (17 total)
Row 18 [WS]: A x 7, B x 4, A x 7. (18 total)
Row 19 [RS]: A x 8, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 8. (19 total)
Row 20 [WS]: A x 4, B x 4, A x 1, B x 2, A x 1, B x 4, A x 4. (20 total)
Row 21 [RS]: A x 5, B x 4, A x 1, B x 1, A x 1, B x 4, A x 5. (21 total)
Row 22 [WS]: A x 3, B x 1, A x 2, B x 4, A x 2, B x 4, A x 2, B x 1, A x 3. (22 total)
Row 23 [RS]: A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 2, A x 4, B x 3, A x 4, B x 2, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2. (23 total)
Decrease Section (Shape the Corners)
Begin decreasing at the start of every row from this point forward.
Row 24 [WS]: A x 3, B x 1, A x 2, B x 4, A x 2, B x 4, A x 2, B x 1, A x 3. (22 total)
Row 25 [RS]: A x 5, B x 4, A x 1, B x 1, A x 1, B x 4, A x 5. (21 total)
Row 26 [WS]: A x 4, B x 4, A x 1, B x 2, A x 1, B x 4, A x 4. (20 total)
Row 27 [RS]: A x 8, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 8. (19 total)
Row 28 [WS]: A x 7, B x 4, A x 7. (18 total)
Row 29 [RS]: A x 7, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 7. (17 total)
Row 30 [WS]: A x 2, B x 3, A x 1, B x 4, A x 1, B x 3, A x 2. (16 total)
Row 31 [RS]: A x 1, B x 3, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 3, A x 1. (15 total)
Row 32 [WS]: A x 1, B x 3, A x 1, B x 4, A x 1, B x 3, A x 1. (14 total)
Row 33 [RS]: A x 2, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 2. (13 total)
Row 34 [WS]: A x 1, B x 2, A x 1, B x 1, A x 2, B x 1, A x 1, B x 2, A x 1. (12 total)
Row 35 [RS]: A x 1, B x 1, A x 3, B x 1, A x 3, B x 1, A x 1. (11 total)
Row 36 [WS]: With Color A, make 10 blocks. (10 total)
Row 37 [RS]: A x 4, B x 1, A x 4. (9 total)
Row 38 [WS]: A x 3, B x 2, A x 3. (8 total)
Row 39 [RS]: With Color A, make 7 blocks. (7 total)
Row 40 [WS]: With Color A, make 6 blocks. (6 total)
Row 41 [RS]: A x 2, B x 1, A x 2. (5 total)
Row 42 [WS]: With Color A, make 4 blocks. (4 total)
Row 43 [RS]: With Color A, make 3 blocks. (3 total)
Row 44 [WS]: With Color A, make 2 blocks. (2 total)
Row 45 [RS]: With Color A, make the final block. (1 total)
Finishing
Cut the yarn, pull it through the final loop to fasten off, and weave all loose ends securely into the back of your work using a tapestry needle. Block the finished piece lightly with an iron or steam to square up the edges.
