FO: Rabbit Patch Potholders

Psst! Rav link.

Gifts to be given shortly.

Actual content coming soon.

6/24/09 update:
The gifts were given as bridesmaids gifts on June 6, so it's safe to show a picture or two now.



I call these the Rabbit Patch Potholders. After finishing and felting the first of two, the fella nosed over. "It looks like a rabbit patch!" he said.

What a great idea. So in place of the final carrot on the second potholder, I tried to make a little bunny head, replete with pink eyes and all.

Well... Can't fault me for trying. What came out looks more like a jackelope hell-demon. Fortunately, the recipient of potholder #2 is the sort who can appreciate a jackelope hell-demon.



pattern: Carrot Field Potholder by Ala Ela
yarn: Much of this was bought in my early days, before I kept things like ball bands around. On the upside: stash buster! I know for sure I used some Cascade 220 Heathers (9407 for the light green; no idea for the dark green), some regular Cascade 220 for the light brown, and some Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted for the carrots (purchased on the Navajo reservation where they either removed the ball band or it had yet to make it to the place where they add ball bands -- I suspect the latter, and either way I'm not sure of the color).
needles: size 8 for most of it, then size 9 on the carrots on the first before switching back to size 8s on the second.
made for: Pieces and another friend
notes: Lots. Seriously, if you're considering making this, go to the Rav link for my detailed notes.

The reason why I had so many not-quite-right bits is because I really reworked the pattern in a lot of ways. It would be bad knitter's etiquette to write my version of the pattern out here, so I will just highlight the really important bit.

If you consider making any potholder ever, do not use just any old scrap yarn. Different yarns conduct heat differently. Wool is by far the best insulation, and it is naturally flame-resistant. Most craft-store yarns contain at least part acrylic, which, when exposed to high temperatures, will melt and bond to your skin. (Go iron your high school graduation robe if you're not convinced.) This is a terrible thing to happen in the kitchen.

For more information on what happens with different fibers, see Amy Singer's excellent resource No Sheep for You.

It's also smart to felt your wool potholder to make it thicker, stiffer, and more useful as something other than a weird square-shaped thing with carrot poking out to go over your hand.

Most experienced knitters will know this, but honestly, I only learned it a couple years ago. I'd hate for anyone to get hurt from lack of knowledge.

Now for my dummy bit: I didn't swatch. Heh.

I forgot that felting happens more vertically than it does horizontally. That may limit the usefulness of these two FOs, I fear. But on the upside, (1) I also gave them nifty cookbooks, and (2) Laila the Pet Lizard may find a new, colorful, 100-percent wool addition to her terrarium.