Crochet a Washable Cotton Pad for an Iced Glass
Single crochet makes a flat, absorbent coaster for glasses that sweat in late summer. This small square is a manageable first project because it repeats one stitch and is easy to unravel when the edges start drifting. Put a waterproof tray underneath for very wet glasses or delicate furniture.
Yarn and size
Gather about 25 yards of smooth worsted-weight cotton yarn, a 5 mm crochet hook, scissors, a blunt yarn needle, and two removable stitch markers. Aim for a square about 4 inches across. Gauge varies, so measure the worked fabric rather than relying on the starting chain alone.
Make the square
- Make a slip knot and chain 16. Insert the hook in the second chain from the hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, then yarn over and draw through both loops. Repeat across for 15 single crochet stitches.
- Chain one and turn. Work one single crochet under both top loops of each stitch across, beginning in the first stitch. Do not count the turning chain as a stitch or crochet into it at the end. Mark the first and last stitches if you have trouble spotting them.
- After several rows, check the width without stretching. If 15 stitches are too narrow for your glass, restart with extra chains; if too wide, subtract a few. Keep the stitch count constant once you settle on the width.
- Repeat the second row until the height matches the width. Cut the yarn leaving a 6-inch tail, pull it through the last loop, and weave both tails back and forth through stitches on the underside.
Square up the corners
If the foundation edge draws inward, remake the chain more loosely or use a hook half a millimeter larger just for that row of chains. If the sides taper, count each row and look for a skipped last stitch. To settle a slight curl, dampen the coaster, pat it into a square on a dry towel, and let it dry flat. Wash according to the yarn label and dry between uses.
