Last year we were discussing what sort of collections we would like to see and it was unanimous – we were all about crafting for the kitchen!  And since most of us both knit & crochet, we decided we needed two collections, so we came up with Classic Kitchen Crochet and Retro Kitchen Knits.

I’m particularly excited – all the patterns are by the Knit Picks staff, including me!

While I knit more than crochet, I tend to use crochet more for home decor so I opted to be part of the Classic Kitchen Crochet collection.  I love stripes, so when I was coming up with the Swirly Potholder, I knew I wanted to incorporate at least 2 colors.  But rather than using a typical striping pattern, I wanted them to spiral. Starting it is a little tricky but once you get the hang of the pattern, it goes really fast!

Since it’s a potholder, I wanted to make sure the fabric was dense enough for hot pots & pans.  I went with one of my favorite crochet stitches – half double crochet – and used a smaller hook than the recommended sizes for Cotlin.  Then to be extra safe, I made it double thick and suggest the inside should be filled with an insulating batting such as Insulbrite, which can be picked up online or at most craft stores.  The result is a potholder that both cute and functional!

While I’m obviously partial to my own pattern, all the patterns in both collections are fantastic and useful.  So whether you knit or crochet, you can easily whip up some fun and colorful items to update your kitchen!  I hope you are as delighted with them as we are.