This is a square, flat, knitted cotton hot pad with an optional hanging loop. It works up nice and thick, especially after machine washing in hot water. Size 7 or size 8 needles can be used, and there is a great deal of flexibility over which size and type of needles to use for the cables.

Mariah’s hot pad requires very little finishing, just some grafting and a couple of ends to weave in.

The pad’s thickness comes from a reversible cable pattern. As cables go, these are not very tricky, so experience with cables is not needed to be able to complete this hot pad, and when you finish, you will have experience! Cables usually have a wrong side, but this hot pad looks great on both sides.

Even so, this is not a pattern for beginners. A knitter needs to be very good at knit and purl stitches and pretty good at reading what is on the needles to follow the pattern. Pictures are included to help with needle reading.