While looking for my copy of the May 2008 issue of Crochet!, I discovered that it was under our Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server protecting the table on which the server rests.

Clearly this new electronic gadget required an old-fashioned solution: namely a trivet.

In order to make a something that would both protect the table from the heat emanating from the device and, at the same time, better allow the heat to escape, it seemed to me that texture would be a necessary component of any design I was considering.

It did not take me long to realize that this project presented the perfect opportunity to try Sarah London‘s Wool Eater, a pattern I had been eyeing for the past two weeks.

As the name of the pattern suggests (Crocheted Wool Eater) this motif uses generous amounts of yarn and creates a dense and substantial fabric (with a hint of texture), perfect for afghans, rugs, totes, and, as it happens, trivets.

After settling on the pattern, the next thing I needed to figure out was what yarn to use. After some consideration, I decided to use Lamb’s Pride worsted weight, a wool and mohair blend, and I settled on two colors: Jaded Dreams and Limeade.

Working with a 4.5 mm hook so that the resulting fabric would be reasonably tight, here is the mini-server trivet:

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this project and found Sarah London’s written directions to be clear and the accompanying pictures very helpful. And, if you want to see what others have thought to do with this pattern, you can check out this Wool-Eater’s group at flickr group