Perky Pig Potholder Pattern

This holder may be made with any of the American Thread Company products listed below:

Material	Quantity	Needle
"DELUXE" Crochet Cotton Article 346	2 Balls White	Steel 3
or
"PURITAN" Crochet Cotton Article 40	2 Balls White	Steel 3
and
"STAR" Six Strand Embroidery Cotton Article 5D	2 Skeins Pink & 1 Skein each Blue, Red, Yellow, Green and Black	Steel 8

Entire potholder is made with a double strand of cotton. With White and No. 3 hook, ch 12, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each remaining st of ch, ch 1, turn.

2nd Row. 2 s c in each of the next 2 s c, 1 s c in each of the next 7 s c, 2 s c in each of the next 2 s c, ch 1, turn.

3rd Row. 2 s c in each of the next 2 s c, 1 s c in each of the next 11 s c, 2 s c in each of the next 2 s c, ch 1, turn.

4th and 5th Rows. Working in s c throughout, increase 1 s c at beginning and end of row, ch 1, turn.

Next 3 Rows. Work even.

9th and 10th Rows. Repeat 4th row.

Next 2 Rows. Work even.

13th Row. 1 s c in each of the next 27 s c, ch 5, turn.

14th Row. S c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each of the next 3 sts of ch, 1 s c in each remaining s c, ch 1, turn.

15th Row. Increase 1 s c at beginning of row, ch 1, turn. Next 4 Rows. Work even.

20th Row. Repeat 4th row.

21st Row. 2 s c in next s c, 1 s c in each of the next 29 s c, ch 1, turn.

Next 8 Rows. Work even.

30th Row. Ch 5, turn, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each remaining st of ch, 1 s c in each s c, ch 1 to turn each of the following rows.

Next 4 Rows. Work even.

35th and 36th Rows. Decrease 1 s c at end of row (to decrease: insert hook in st, pull through, insert hook in next st, pull through, thread over and pull through all loops at one time).

37th Row. 1 s c in each of the next 28 s c.

38th Row. Repeat 35th row.

39th Row. Increase 1 s c at end of row.

40th Row. Increase 1 s c at beginning of row.

41 st Row. 1 s c in each of the next 27 s c.

42nd Row. Repeat 35th row.

43rd Row. Decrease 1 s c at beginning of row.

44th and 45th Rows. Decrease 1 s c at beginning and end of each row.

46th Row. Work even.

47th Row. Repeat 39th row.

48th Row. Work even.

49th Row. Decrease 1 s c, 1 s c in each of the next 17 s c.

50th and 51st Rows. Repeat 44th row.

52nd Row. 1 s c in each of the next 8 s c.

53rd Row. Sl st in each of the next 3 s c, 1 s c in each of the next 5 s c, without breaking thread work a row of s c all around entire section.

TAIL: With White ch 13, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each remaining st of ch, break thread. Sew tail in position. EARS: With Pink "STAR" Six Strand Embroidery Cotton and No. 8 hook, ch 11, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each remaining st of ch, ch 1 to turn each row.

Work 3 rows even, then decrease 1 s c at beginning and end of each row until 1 st remains, break thread.

Work 3 more sections in same manner. Sew 2 sections together and sew in position as illustrated.

SNOUT: With Pink ch 5, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each remaining st of ch.

2nd Row. Increase 1 s c at beginning and end of row. Work 3 rows even. Decrease 1 s c at beginning and end of each row until 1 st remains, break thread leaving an end for sewing. Thread into needle and sew in position. FLOWERS: With Yellow "STAR" Six Strand Embroidery Cotton and No. 8 hook, ch 2, 10 s c in 2nd st from hook, join, break thread. Attach Blue, * ch 3, 3 d c in same space, ch 3, sl st in same space, skip 1 s c, sl st in next s c, repeat from * 4 times, break thread.

Work 1 more flower in Blue and 2 flowers in Red.

LEAVES: With Green "STAR" Six Strand Embroidery Cotton ch 10, d c in 3rd st from hook, 1 d c in each of the next 4 sts of ch, 1 s c in each of the next 2 sts, 3 s c in next st, working on other side of ch, 1 s c in each of the next 2 sts, 1 d c in each of the next 5 sts, break thread. Work 4 more leaves in same manner. Sew flowers and leaves in position as illustrated. With Green and using 12 strands for all embroidery, embroider stem in chain st. With Black, embroider eye, ears, mouth and snout.

BACK SECTION: Work 1st 33 rows same as front.

34th Row. 1 s c in each of the next 5 s c, ch 10, skip 10 s c (thumb opening), 1 s c in each remaining s c.

35th Row. 1 s c in each s c and 1 s c in each st of ch, decreasing 1 s c at end of row. Complete back section same as front.

THUMB: With White and No. 3 hook, work 1 s c in each st of thumb opening (20 s c), without joining rows work 11 rows in s c even.

Next Row. Decrease 5 s c evenly spaced, then work 3 rows even.

Decrease every other st until 8 sts remain, break thread leaving an end. Thread into needle and sew top of thumb together, fasten firmly.

Overcast sections together leaving an opening around head large enough for hand.

Cover a bone ring with s c and attach to back of holder 1 inch from top of back.