From Crochet at About.com - Hearts Hot Pad Pattern
Designed by Sandi Marshall

First, make one foundation mesh with white cotton yarn. Instructions for this are at http://crochet.about.com/nmesh.htm

Materials for Hot Pad
2 1/2 oz. red cotton Worsted Weight Yarn
1 oz. white cotton Worsted Weight Yarn
Size H crochet hook
(optional) a 1 inch plastic ring

Finished size, with edging: 9 1/2 inches x 12 inches

Directions
Each graph shows the ruffling pattern for one round, worked on the 11-mesh foundation mesh. The o on the graph indicates where to join the yarn for the beginning of the round. At the end of each round you will join the last dc with a slip stitch to the beginning of the round, then end off and weave in the loose ends.

All the rounds are worked on the same foundation mesh. The rounds don't have to be worked in a certain order, but I've numbered them in a suggested order.

At the beginning of each round, you will ch 3 to start, then work 2 dc around each up-bar and 2 dc around each cross-bar as indicated on the graph.

Note: The following charts are by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Do not republish on another web site, blog page or elsewhere, even if it would be made available to be viewed for free (previous theft for illegal republishing makes it necessary to place this statement here). Honoring my copyrights helps to keep my patterns and tutorials available to be printed out free on this site (crochet.about.com) and helps to make it possible for me to create new patterns and how-to pages.

Rnd 1 - Red

Rnd 2 - Red

Rnd 3 - White

Rnd 4 - White

Rnd 5 - White

Hot Pad Back
At the end of each row, you will chain 3, to turn.
With red, ch 34.
Row 1: Work 1 dc in eighth chain from hook, dc in next 25 ch, ch 2, dc in last ch.
Row 2: dc in first dc, dc in next 2 ch, dc in next 25 dc, dc in next two ch, dc in last dc. (31 dc)
Rows 3 - 11: dc in ea dc across. (31 dc)
Row 12: Instead of a chain 3, to turn, start this row with a chain 5. dc in the fourth dc, dc in next 25 dc; ch 2, dc in last dc. End off.

Joining
Place completed hearts mesh front over the back piece, with wrong sides together. Attach red yarn in top right-hand corner space. Working around chains of both front and back together, work 7 sc in corner space. Working across the top and working through both thicknesses (to join front and back), sc in edge of up-bar,* ch 2; skip next two ch, sc in edge of next up-bar, repeat from * across. Work 7 sc in corner space, sc in edge of cross-bar, * ch 2, skip next 2 ch, sc in edge of next cross-bar, repeat from * across. Continue in this manner across bottom and up other side. End with slip stitch to first sc. End off. Be careful while doing this joining round, to keep the stitches evenly placed through the back piece also. Before beginning, you may wish to pin the two pieces together to keep them in place while joining.

Edging
Rnd 1: Join red yarn in fourth sc of corner space. ch 3, 3 dc in this fourth sc of corner space, ch 1, sc in sixth sc of corner space; ch 1, * 4 dc in next ch 2 space; ch 1, sc in next ch 2 space, ch 1; repeat from * three more times; 4 dc in next ch 2 space; ch 1, sc in second sc of corner space; [ ch 1, 4 dc in fourth dc of corner space, ch 1, sc in sixth sc of corner space; ch 1, * 4 dc in next ch 2 space; ch 1, sc in next ch 2 space, ch 1; repeat from * three more times; 4 dc in next ch 2 space; ch 1, sc in second sc of corner space ], repeat from [ to ] two more times. End with slip stitch to first ch 3.
Rnd 2: slip stitch in next two dc, ch 1, 3 sc in same dc as ch 1; [ * ch 1, 4 dc in next sc, ch 1, (skip next 2 dc), sc in third dc of shell; repeat from * four more times; ch 1, 4 dc in next sc, ch 1, 3 sc in third dc of corner shell ], repeat from [ to ] three more times. End last repeat after last 4 dc in next sc, ch 1 with a slip stitch in first ch 1. End off.

Optional: If desired, sc around the one inch plastic ring to cover and sew this on one corner on the back behind the edging rows so that the ring doesn't show from the front, but will be handy for hanging.

Copyright: This is a copyrighted pattern. Please note:
This Hearts Hot Pad pattern is free for your own personal use only, meaning that you can make items from this pattern as many times as you wish for yourself or for gifts (such as giving the finished items to friends, family or charities) ... but you may not sell items made from this pattern (selling would be a commercial use of the pattern).
This pattern may not be sold or redistributed in any form. All rights reserved worldwide.
copyright 1998 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Questions about copyrights? Owner of Major Pattern Companies Talks About Rights Granted To Pattern Copyright Holder: www.drgnetwork.com/pages/copyrights/index.html
US Gov Copyright FAQ - http://www.loc.gov/copyright/faq.html
Copyright Myths Explained - http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

Reading ruffling charts and ruffling how-to's are in the 1/31/98 feature at
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa013198.htm

See more previous crochet features at:
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/mpreviss.htm

Homepage is at http://crochet.about.com/