Crochet Christmas Holly Potholder

This festive tapestry crochet potholder features a clean, graphic holly motif perfect for the holiday season. Worked flat using sturdy Aran weight cotton and a 3.5-mm hook, the dense single-crochet texture protects hands from heat. It is finished with a neat single crochet border and a practical integrated hanging loop.

Project Essentials

Hook Size: 3.5-mm (US E/4) crochet hook
Yarn: Medium weight cotton yarn (Aran / Size 4) in two colors:
- Color A (Main/Background): Forest Green (~48 yards)
- Color B (Design): Cream or Natural (~21 yards)
Tools: Tapestry needle for weaving in loose ends
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 6.2 inches by 6.3 inches
Stitch Count: Each body row has exactly 34 stitches.

Master Notes & Stitch Abbreviations

Ch: Chain
Sc: Single crochet
Sl St: Slip stitch
St(s): Stitch(es)
RS / WS: Right Side / Wrong Side
Color Changes: To change color smoothly, work the last single crochet of the old color until you have two loops on your hook. Yarn over with the new color and pull through both loops to complete the stitch.
Reading the Rows: The instructions tell you exactly how many stitches to make in each color. For example, (A) 5, (B) 2 means work 5 single crochets using Color A, then work 2 single crochets using Color B.
Turn your work and chain 1 at the end of every row. This turning chain does not count as a stitch.

Step-by-Step Body Pattern

Using Color A, chain 35.

Row 1 [RS]: Starting in the second chain from your hook, sc 5 with A, switch to B for 1 sc, then switch back to A for the remaining 28 sc. Row 2 [WS]: (A) 4, (B) 2, (A) 5, (B) 1, (A) 6, (B) 3, (A) 13. Row 3 [RS]: (A) 8, (B) 1, (A) 5, (B) 4, (A) 9, (B) 4, (A) 3. Row 4 [WS]: (A) 3, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 5, (A) 5, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 1, (A) 3.

Row 5 [RS]: (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 3, (A) 2, (B) 7, (A) 2, (B) 4, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 4. Row 6 [WS]: (A) 7, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 18, (A) 4. Row 7 [RS]: (A) 1, (B) 1, (A) 3, (B) 18, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 2, (B) 1, (A) 2. Row 8 [WS]: (A) 4, (B) 4, (A) 2, (B) 2, (A) 8, (B) 10, (A) 4.

Row 9 [RS]: (A) 3, (B) 4, (A) 7, (B) 9, (A) 1, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 1, (A) 4. Row 10 [WS]: (A) 5, (B) 2, (A) 2, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 15, (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 2. Row 11 [RS]: (A) 2, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 17, (A) 1, (B) 4, (A) 6, (B) 1, (A) 1. Row 12 [WS]: (A) 7, (B) 5, (A) 1, (B) 5, (A) 1, (B) 14, (A) 1.

Row 13 [RS]: (A) 1, (B) 3, (A) 2, (B) 3, (A) 2, (B) 4, (A) 2, (B) 3, (A) 2, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 4, (A) 5. Row 14 [WS]: (A) 2, (B) 7, (A) 1, (B) 3, (A) 2, (B) 2, (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 1, (A) 1. Row 15 [RS]: (A) 6, (B) 2, (A) 4, (B) 1, (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 2, (B) 4, (A) 1, (B) 5, (A) 4. Row 16 [WS]: (A) 5, (B) 4, (A) 1, (B) 5, (A) 6, (B) 1, (A) 5, (B) 1, (A) 6.

Row 17 [RS]: (A) 2, (B) 1, (A) 18, (B) 3, (A) 1, (B) 4, (A) 5. Row 18 [WS]: (A) 1, (B) 7, (A) 1, (B) 3, (A) 22. Row 19 [RS]: (A) 8, (B) 1, (A) 7, (B) 1, (A) 6, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 6, (A) 2. Row 20 [WS]: (A) 4, (B) 3, (A) 1, (B) 3, (A) 18, (B) 2, (A) 3.

Row 21 [RS]: (A) 2, (B) 4, (A) 5, (B) 1, (A) 10, (B) 4, (A) 1, (B) 3, (A) 4. Row 22 [WS]: (A) 4, (B) 2, (A) 1, (B) 6, (A) 15, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 2. Row 23 [RS]: (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 5, (B) 1, (A) 14, (B) 3, (A) 1, (B) 1, (A) 4. Row 24 [WS]: (A) 3, (B) 4, (A) 27.

Row 25 [RS]: (A) 17, (B) 1, (A) 11, (B) 2, (A) 3. Row 26 [WS]: (A) 2, (B) 2, (A) 23, (B) 2, (A) 5. Row 27 [RS]: (A) 4, (B) 4, (A) 4, (B) 1, (A) 9, (B) 1, (A) 11. Row 28 [WS]: (A) 5, (B) 2, (A) 19, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 4.

Row 29 [RS]: (A) 1, (B) 1, (A) 3, (B) 2, (A) 19, (B) 4, (A) 4. Row 30 [WS]: (A) 4, (B) 1, (A) 1, (B) 2, (A) 26. Row 31 [RS]: (A) 2, (B) 1, (A) 12, (B) 1, (A) 11, (B) 2, (A) 3, (B) 1, (A) 1. Row 32 [WS]: Work all 34 stitches using Color A.

Border & Hanging Loop

Cut Color B and secure it, as you will only need Color A for the trim. Chain 1 and turn your panel so the Right Side is facing you.

Round 1 (Edging):

Work 34 single crochets across the top raw edge.
Chain 1 to turn the corner, then work 32 single crochets evenly down the left side.
Chain 1 to turn the corner, then work 34 single crochets along the bottom foundation chain.
Chain 1 to turn the corner, then work 32 single crochets up the right side.
Chain 1, then finish the round by making a slip stitch into your very first border stitch.

Adding the Loop: Chain 1 and turn your work to the Wrong Side. Chain 14 more (giving you 15 chains total for your loop). Secure the end of this chain strand to the next available stitch on the border using a slip stitch. Chain 1 and turn back to the Right Side. Work 18 single crochets directly into the center of the chain loop to cover and reinforce it.

Cut your yarn, fasten off, and use your tapestry needle to cleanly weave in all remaining yarn tails.