Celtic Knot Trivets (Canning Jar Sealer Ring Hot Mats)

 

I'm not totally sure where I picked up the hot mat/trivet in the picture above. I'm quite sure it was a freebie from somewhere and I brought it home, thinking it was a cool idea and I intended to attempt to replicate it. The circles are crocheted around those old red rubber canning jar rings. And I was able to purchase some of the rings as well. But I've had this since before my marriage ended and life kind of got in the way since. However, now that I'm retired, I decided to give it a try. 
By the way those rubber rings are still available at Canadian Tire and Home Hardware, and maybe other places as well. I'm not sure if people still do their canning using these, but someone must be using them for something since they're still being sold. And since they're still around, I'll share with you how I made mine. 
The original one in the picture appears to be made from Phentex, which is a synthetic yarn. I would be concerned about the yarn melting if the item placed on it was overly hot. I opted instead for a cotton yarn, Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. I do have quite a large stash of it, so I wouldn't have to make any purchases. And I used the hook suggested on the yarn label: 5.00 mm (US H/8).
I did an internet search to see if I could find the pattern, but nothing I found initially was exactly the same. So that meant I had to count stitches. The hot mat requires 6 rubber rings as the seventh ring in the centre, which joins them all, does not have a rubber ring and is done as a band of double crochet, which is woven through the rings and then joined end to end. I counted 49 double crochet in one ring, but I opted for 50 because I wanted to make sure it was full enough. And I think it's easier to remember a round number. 

The challenging part was the first stitch. Yes, I suppose I could have just done a slip stitch through the ring and chained 3 to make the first double crochet. But somehow I don't think that would look right and maybe would make the stitch taller than it should be because the chain 3 would be on top of the rubber ring, whereas the rest of the double crochet stitches would be around the rubber ring. Anyway, I opted to just start with the slip knot on the hook, loop around the hook, put the hook through the ring and draw up the third loop, and then finish the double crochet - a standing double crochet, I guess. The challenging part was keeping everything from getting too loose and sloppy for this first stitch.But I managed it. And then I could proceed with the other 49 double crochet. Joined with a slip stitch to the top of the first double crochet, and the first ring was done, aside from working in the ends. 

Since it's just double crochet, the rings work up pretty quickly. Don't ask me how much yarn I used. As I said, I'm just using leftovers in my stash. As the original was done in two colours, I opted for two different colourways as well. But it could be done in all one colour, or each ring done in a different colour, or whatever makes you happy, or you have available. 
Work in all the ends before proceeding to the next step. 
I shared this project with my sisters that crochet. And my oldest sister wanted to know how to assemble it and found this video: 

It's worth a watch as it is often easier to see an actual demonstration of techniques rather than just pictures and descriptions. But I do not recommend using plastic pop can rings or synthetic yarn because rubber or silicone rings and cotton yarn are more heat proof. Nor is her stitch count right to work with rubber rings. I counted 55 stitches in the joining ring on my sample project. I chained 57 and worked a double crochet into the third stitch from the hook, and double crocheted to the end of the chain, counting 55 stitches. Somehow I ended up with an extra chain, so maybe you should only chain 56? Anyway, I worked it in when I joined the ends. Leave a long tail when you fasten off the end to use in stitching the ends together.

Now for the really challenging part - weaving the band through the rings. You might follow what she does in the video. It might make more sense than the mess I have in the picture above. She does hers in a row and then bends it around to form a circle. You just have to make sure that you overlap the two end circles correctly and weave in the right direction. Please don't join the ends as she does in the video. Leave a long tail when you fasten off the last stitch and use a yarn needle and stitch the ends together. Then work the ends in. You should never just tie a knot. 
You've basically just made a Celtic knot. 

Finally finish the edge of the hot mat with single crochet in the back loops of 17 double crochet on the outside edge of each of the 6 circles. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet, finish off and work ends in. 
Admittedly, using variegated yarn makes it look messier than using solid yarn because you can't see as readily where the loops are going. But it's still pretty. 
Since I had 6 more rings in the box, I decided to make another one, only this time I decided to make the 7th ring/joining band more of a circle instead of just a flat band. In other words, wider on the outside edge than on the inside edge. Here's how I did it:

• Ch 51, not including slip knot (52 stitches including slip knot)
• In 3rd chain from hook, dc 
• 1 dc in each of next 7 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch
  
• 1 dc in each of next 9 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch - repeat to end of row

Basically, you should increase one every 10 stitches. There should now be 55 stitches, but don't blame me if it doesn't work because I'm not a crochet pattern designer. 
I liked this technique better, but care must be taken when weaving the band through the rings as it tends to stretch. And this is true using either technique for making the band. I suppose I could reduce the number of stitches (50 maybe instead of 55?), but I would be concerned if I should ever wash it and the yarn shrank. And it's just not that significant to keep experimenting. 
And this second time, I decided to try lining the rings up in a row to weave in the joining band, like in the video. For me, that was a bad mistake. I ended up making a couple of mistakes and had already stitched the band together before I realized it. I was able to snip it apart, realign the trivet correctly, and stitch the band back together again. Hopefully, it won't unravel sometime down the road. And I also ended up with the rings overlapping in a counterclockwise direction, and I think it looks neater in a clockwise direction, like the first one, and my sample one. 

Regardless, it's done, I've finally completed a project that's been waiting for years, I've used up some of my yarn stash, and they both look pretty. And I will likely put these in my camping equipment, as I don't think I have any trivets in there. I'm hoping to go camping with my daughter and grandson soon, if the rain ever stops long enough. 
If you have any questions about my techniques, please just message me using the contact form in the right sidebar. Or comment on this post.