Celtic Square Hot Pad Pattern

The Celtic Square Hot Pad crochet project is a beautiful accessory for the home! You may have noticed that the Celtic Knot featured in the center of this project is the same Celtic Knot that is in the Celtic Crochet Square (which you can find the pattern for here) and the Celtic Knot Bag (which you can find the pattern for here). I really like this knot and how it looks so much more complicated than it really is. I wanted to try re-creating it with dishcloth cotton to see how it would turn out and I love it!

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Practical Uses for this Unique Home Accessory

At first I wanted to create a Celtic Square Dishcloth with this idea but I realized that it was too pretty to use to clean dishes. 😉 But you can make it for a friend or family member to use as a Spa Cloth (body washcloth) or even a large Mug Rug! So, I decided on a hot pad and added an extra layer of crochet to the back to give it more thickness. Plus, when your hot pad is not in use, it can sit on your dining table as a decoration! You can also use it as a centerpiece on your table and put a vase of flowers on it.

Stitches Used in the Celtic Square Hot Pad Project

A variety of basic crochet stitches are used in the Celtic Square Hot Pad crochet pattern. You’ll need to know how to do these stitches: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet. I love how you can create so many different and unique projects using just the basic stitches! I also recommend a few simple techniques as we put everything together that I include detailed explanations of in the “Special Stitches and Abbreviations” section below. Some of the definitions even have a link to a short video tutorial that can help you understand the technique. 🙂

Plus, there is a step-by-step video tutorial for making the knot section of this project on my YouTube Channel here. (It’s one of the videos in our first ever Crochet-a-long series for the Celtic Knot Bag which uses the same knot just on a slightly smaller scale – but all the stitching is the same!) And the cute overlapping edging is super easy to do – I explain it all below but also just created a short video tutorial on it that you can watch here!

Skill Level: Intermediate

Measurements:

Finished Hot Pad = 7 1/2″ x 7 1/2″

Completed Woven Knot = 4 3/4″ x 4 3/4″

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Supplies for the Celtic Square Hot Pad:

Click on the supply name to purchase

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Cotton Dishcloth Yarn

(I used Hobby Lobby Yarn Bee I Love This Cotton in French Lilac (main cord color) and Rosy (cord edging) and Walmart Mainstays 100% cotton yarn in White)

H/5.5mm hook

Yarn needle

Cork board (at least 8” square)

(Foam core poster board, blocking boards (I used a blocking board for this project which you’ll see in a photo below) or Styrofoam square would also work well)

15-20 straight sewing pins

Printout of Celtic Knot diagram – Click here to download the Right-Hander Diagram

Click here to download the Left-Hander Diagram

 12 stitch markers

Special Stitches and Abbreviations:

Back bar of the Chain = When looking at the right side of a chain, you see many “V’s” and the chain looks like a braid. Turn the chain over and you see a series of bumps – it is in these bumps that you will work across the chain to produce a cord with even edges along both sides

Click here to watch a short video tutorial on this technique

Hdc (half double crochet) = YO, insert hook into stitch; YO, draw up a loop; YO, pull through all 3 loops on hook

Back Loop Only = Insert hook only into the back loop at the top of the stitch

Click here to watch a short video tutorial of this technique

Sl st (slip stitch) = Insert hook into stitch, YO, pull through stitch and loop on hook

Back Bar of Each Stitch = Turn project over so you are looking at the wrong side of the stitches; at the top of the stitch are the usual front and back loops; just below the back loop of the stitch you will see another loop that extends across the stitch – this is the “back bar”– insert your hook through this loop (The purple stitches in the photo below pointed to with the black arrows)

Dc (double crochet) = YO, insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) twice

Tr (treble crochet) = YO twice, insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 3 times

Join with sl st (join with slip stitch) = With slip knot on hook, insert hook into stitch; YO, pull through stitch and through loop on hook

Join with sc (join with single crochet) = With slip knot on hook, insert hook into stitch; YO, draw up a loop; YO, pull through 2 loops on hook

Click here to watch a short video tutorial on this technique

Sc (single crochet) = Insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops on hook

Join with hdc (join with half double crochet) = With slip knot on hook, YO, insert hook into stitch; YO, draw up a loop, YO, pull through all 3 loops on hook

Click here to watch a short video tutorial on this technique

Invisible Join = Once completed last stitch, fasten off and pull yarn through loop on hook (do not YO); Thread this yarn tail onto yarn needle and insert needle under both loops of first stitch of round from front to back; Insert needle down through center of the 2 loops at the top of the last stitch; Weave in remainder of tail on Wrong Side of project

Click here to watch a short video tutorial of this technique

YO (yarn over)

Hk (hook)

Lp (loop)

Ch (chain)

St (stitch)

Sp (space)

Notes:

First 4 cords are crocheted

Then they are woven into a Celtic Knot using the provided diagram

Next an edging is worked into the woven knot to create the hot pad

Then a plain backing piece is crocheted and attached

Instructions for the Celtic Square Hot Pad Pattern by Jennifer Ryan:

All special stitches are written in bold and italicized text & defined above

You can watch a video tutorial on making the cords here (The video shows with different yarn but the stitches are the same – You’ll want to start at time stamp: 5:37

Cord 1 – Make 2:

Approximately 13” long x ½” wide – no edging

Approximately 13” long x ¾” wide with edging

You will be marking 2 sts with stitch markers to help you with the edging round – these instructions are marked with blue highlighter – in the next round you will be skipping these stitches which will help make the rounded parts neater and more round

With French Lilac ch 54

Working in the back bar of the chain, hdc in 3^rd ch from hk and in each of next 19 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

hdc in each of next 25 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

hdc in each of next 5 chs. Fasten off with long tail for assembly.

Cord 1 – Edging:

With Rosy and working in back loop only, join with sl st in 1^st st; sl st in each st across; ch 1, sl st along short end of cord, ch 1; continuing to work in back loop only, sl st in each st across other side of chain making sure to skip the sts marked by the stitch markers. Fasten off.

Add a stitch marker to the end of each of the completed Cord 1’s so you remember for the weaving step

Cord 2 – Make 2:

Approximately 13” long x ½” wide – no edging

Approximately 13” long x ¾” wide with edging

With French Lilac ch 52

Working in the back bar of the chain, hdc in 3^rd ch and in each of the next 4 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

Hdc in each of the next 15 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

Hdc in each of the next 8 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

Hdc in each of the next 15 chs;

2 hdc in next ch;

Mark ch at base of sts with stitch marker;

Hdc in each of the next 3 chs. Fasten off with long tail for assembly.

Cord 2 – Edging:

Work the same as for Cord 1 – you will skip the 4 sts that are marked with stitch markers

Here are the weaving supplies: corkboard, sewing pins and diagram

Weave Knot:

**There is a step-by-step video tutorial of how to weave this knot and add Round 1 to it in this video here – For Round 2 and beyond, the video is different so just use the written instructions below**

Print out the Celtic Knot Diagram in color – There are 2 diagrams – one for Right Handers and one for Left Handers. Make sure to use the correct one

**You may want to print out an extra diagram to place on the side – it helps to have it there to refer to while you weave the knot and the diagram gets full with the cords**

Pin diagram to corkboard

Place the beginning of Cord 1 on the diagram at the black asterisk on the pink path

Lay cord along pink path in the direction of the black arrow

Pin cord in place as you go keeping the cord on top of the pink path

Place the beginning of the other Cord 1 on the diagram at the black square on the blue path

Lay cord along blue path in the direction of the black arrow

Place the beginning of Cord 2 on the diagram at the black circle on the green path

Lay cord along green path in the direction of the black arrow

Make sure to correctly pass either over or under according to the diagram

You may want to thread the yarn tails onto the yarn needle to help you pass over and under the other cords when weaving the rest of the cords

Place the beginning of the other Cord 2 on the diagram at the black triangle on the white path

Lay cord along white path in the direction of the black arrow

This cord will pass over and under alternately throughout because it is the last cord of the knot

Pin cord ends across and remove all other pins so you can remove the knot from the board

Turn over so Wrong Side facing; Using yarn tails and yarn needle sew cord ends together

Tie yarn tails in a double knot and weave in on Wrong Side making sure they do not show on the Right Side of knot

Knot Edging:

Round 1:

You will refer to the numbers and letters on the Celtic Knot Diagram for this first round of edging

You will be working in the loop behind the sl st edging of all the cords (shown by the black arrows in the photo above in the “Special Stitches and Abbreviations” section)

(If you would like to make this round even more secure, you can work in 2 loops on the back of the cords below the sl st edging)

Here you can see Round 1 of edging completed

Mark each ch-1 sp with a stitch marker to help you find it for the next round

With third color join with hdc in 3 sts away from where cords meet at “1” (see Diagram); hdc in each of the next 2 sts; * ■ dc at next cord cross (1); sc in each of next 4 sts (on Section A); dc at next cord cross (2); sc in each of next 4 sts (on Section B); dc at next cord cross (3); hdc in each of next 3 sts (on Section C); (dc, ch 1, dc) in next st – Corner; ■ hdc in each of next 3 sts *;

(You will be repeating the same stitches that you completed for the first side of the square along all other sides)

Repeat from * to * 2 more times; Repeat ■ to ■ 1 time; join with sl st to 1^st st of round. (19 sts on each side with ch-1 sp at each corner)

Round 2:

Ch 2, hdc in each st around working 2 hdc in each ch-1 sp at all corners;

Mark both hdcs at all corners with a stitch marker;

join with sl st to top of starting ch-2. Fasten off. ( 21 hdcs along each side)

Round 3:

With same color as crocheted the cords, join with hdc in any st (but a corner); hdc in each st around making sure to work 2 hdcs in each of marked sts at all corners; Fasten off with invisible join. (23 hdcs along each side)

Here is a close-up of the last round stitches

**There is now a short video tutorial on how to do this edging – just click here or the image below to see how easy it is! **

Round 4:

(For this last round you will see the instructions written here and then again with photos demonstrating each step)

With same color as crocheted the cord edging, join with sl st in any st (except a corner); (ch 3, remove working lp from hk, insert hk into next st, replace working lp onto hk; pull hk and lp through current st; insert hk into next st; YO, pull through st and lp on hk) around ending with sl st (or invisible join) into 1^st sl st of round. Fasten off.

Now the step-by-step instructions with photos for this round:

(ch 3, remove working lp from hk, insert hk into next st;

replace working lp onto hk;

pull hk and lp through current st;

insert hk into next st; YO, pull through st and lp on hk) around ending with sl st (or invisible join) into 1^st sl st of round. Fasten off.

Backing Square:

With same color as crocheted cords (or darkest color), ch 24

(This should be about the same length as your completed square but slightly smaller plus 2 chains)

Row 1:

Hdc in 3^rd ch from hk and in each ch across. Turn. (22 hdc)

Row 2:

Ch 2, hdc in each st across. Turn.

Repeat Row 2 until square measures slightly smaller than completed Celtic Knot motif – approximately 17 rows

Finishing and Assembly:

Optional: Using needle and yarn tails sew crossings/gaps on Wrong Side of Celtic Knot

Weave in ends or tie all in double knots and trim (these will not show because we will cover the backside with the backing square)

With tapestry needle sew backing square to Wrong Side of Celtic Knot motif working through edge of backing square and Round 3 of Celtic Knot motif

Your Celtic Square Hot Pad is Complete!

Your Celtic Square Hot Pad is complete! I hope you enjoyed making this project and enjoy seeing it used in your home. I like having this project sitting in the middle of my dining room table as a decoration. Where did you decide to put your finished project? Let us know in the comments below!

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Thank you for stopping by – Happy crocheting!

Jennifer

Copyright – Jennifer E Ryan- www.celticknotcrochet.com- all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others.

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