Crochet dishmat

Crochet dish mat

This is part of my kitchen crochets. These dish mats are perfect for setting on the counter to set your dishes on for air drying. Place them on the counter alone or next to your drying rack. They also make great hot pads for casserole dishes.

This uses a small V stitch which allows air to circulate under dishes yet is stable enough to set glasses on.

Hook: H
yarn: Worsted kitchen cotton (I like Sugar & Creme or Peaches'n creme)

gauge: Gauge is not really important but I get 4" = 7 dc2tog groups and 6 rows

You can make these any size you like but I prefer mine to be about as wide or slightly wider than a hand towel. Make them as long as you need, I like to have mine be the same length as the depth of my counter top.

Chain in multiples of 3. For mine like to have about 78 chains long. you can eyeball this pattern to your personal preference.

Basically all this is is dc2tog (but in the ch 1 spaces) with 2 stitches in each ch1 space, ch1 between each dc2tog. repeated over and over. I break it down in the pattern.

Row 1: dc in 3rd chain from hook, *ch1 yo, insert hook into same ch stitch just worked, yo and draw up loop, yo draw through 2 loops on hook, skip next ch, yo, insert hook through next ch stitch, yo draw up loop, yo draw through 2 loops on hook, yo draw through last 3 loops on hook* repeat from * to * all the way to the end DC in same ch as the last stitch worked.

Row 2: Turn, ch2, dc in next ch1 sp, ch1 * yo, insert hook into same space just worked, yo and draw up loop, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo insert hook into next ch1 space, yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, yo, draw through last 3 loops on hook.* repeat from * to * to the last ch1 space. yo, insert hook into same space just worked, yo, draw up loop, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into ch2 space of turning chain, yo, draw up loop, yo draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw through last 3 loops on hook.

Work row 2 until mat is long enough. Cut yarn and weave in ends.

for the trim I work them in a reverse SC.

I recommend attaching the yarn to the right corner of the end if you are left handed and the left hand corner of the end if you are right handed and ch1. work reverse sc (aka crab stitch) around the edge stitch for stitch along the top and bottom. when working along the sides work one stitch into each space and into each row. Work last reverse sc in same space where you joined the yarn. cut yarn and weave in ends.

If you do not want to work the reverse sc you can simply crochet around the edge and over the loop and join as normal.

Reverse SC/crab stitch is my favorite way to put edgings on my kitchenware's. Creates a decorative yet simple and sturdy edging.

To work a reverse SC you insert your hook into stitch behind the one you just worked into, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, repeat around. Reverse sc has you working backwards to the direction you normally crochet so for lefty's you will be working right to left and for righties you will be working left to right.

Here are some great video tutorials for reverse single crochet.
Left hand
Right hand

Here is a close up of the one I just made. Sorry I don't have my camera so am using my scanner. Click on the photo for a close up detail of the stitches.