Star Stitch Doubled Potholder {Crochet Pattern}

 Copyright 2010-2012 LiLu Studios: This Crafting Life, by Lori Steffens. {http://www.thiscraftinglife.com/} Make it, Wear it, Love it, but above all, Share it, don't Sell it!
Star Stitch Doubled Potholder

Materials:
Size H hook   
Cotton yarn-  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.  Cotton is able to withstand very high heat and will not melt.  It will catch fire if exposed to flame, but it will not melt.  Acrylic yarn will melt when coming into contact with very hot items from the oven and is not to be trusted as an actual useable potholder material.  Acrylic yarn is fine when used for trivets, provided that your dish has cooled slightly prior to being used for it.  I personally used Lily: Peaches and Cream Yarn.  I really like the Peaches and Cream yarn and Sugar and Cream for kitchen items because it gives a thick and durable feel.

Pattern notes:
The star stitch for this pattern is worked using only the first row of the pattern.
View the Star Stitch Pattern
As you're working this pattern, if you run into any trouble, please view my Thick and Easy 1 Hour Potholder. 

This pattern is mostly a free form spiraling round pattern.  Do not get hung up on where you are on a row, you can figure out if you are right by laying it as it will go together as shown in the pictures.  You may end your potholder before or after i do, depending on the yarn that you use and the tension of which you crochet.  The important thing is that it meets together as shown in the pictures.
You will not join rounds, instead moving on to sc in the top of the last round directly.

Pattern:

Ch. 35

Row 1: Insert hook in 1st stitch of chain. Draw a loop through each of the 1st 5 stitches of chain, throw yarn over hook and draw it through all the stitches on hook, closing the cluster by chaining 1. * Draw a loop through the eye formed by chaining 1, another through the back part of last upright stitch of the star just made, then through the same stitch of chain in which the 5th stitch of previous star was taken, then through each of the next 2 stitches. Wrap and take off 6 loops. Close as before. *  Repeat from *.* to end.  When at the end, create an extra two stitches by doing the following- begin star as directed, but when you get to the "next 2 stitches" part, draw up a loop from the first one, yo and pull through just one loop, then yo and pull through the same st.  Then repeat again in this fashion one more time.  Do not turn the piece, just continue working on the other side.

Row 2: repeat row one.  You should end up having created an extra st at each end.  Do not turn, continue working as in rounds.

Round 2: Work star stitch all the way around, and do not join at the end of the round, instead keep working in a spiral pattern.

Round 3-10.  (check yours by laying it flat, you'll be able to tell if you've got the right amount of rows.
Finish off, and sew along the seam to make a square.

Notes: Blocking will help this potholder flatten out a little, you may also iron it on a low low setting or tack it together in a couple of places if it gaps out. :)

Another note!  Once you understand this pattern, you can make these in any size!  Follow the same formula, but increase your starting chain!  By making it bigger, you can make yourself a bigger potholder!