Making Quilted Pot Holders
You can make your own handmade quilted potholders from fabric scraps that you find around the house. If you have never made quilted potholders, keep reading below for directions on making them for yourself or for gift giving.
Potholders are something that we all need in our kitchens. However, we rarely think of them while we are out shopping. In fact, we don't give them much thought at all until we go to reach for one and there isn't one to be found. The potholder is a greatly needed, but overlooked, kitchen tool.
While true that potholders can be bought in department stores for less than $1.00. These step by step instructions are for those of us who enjoy making things, or who just want to be frugal and recycle old fabric. Since potholders are needed by almost everyone, and are something most forget to buy, they also make great gifts for any occasion. There isn't a better gift than one handmade with love for someone in mind.
To make the basic potholder you will need:
1 - 7"x7" pc. of fabric for the front of the potholder
1 - 8"x8" pc. of fabric for the back of the potholder
1 - 7"x7" pc. of heavy fabric for the inside batting
(old, thick blankets work great for this, but you can use any scrap of HEAVY material)
1 - 1" diameter plastic O ring (this is optional, it is for a potholder that you can hang up, these can be found with craft supplies)
Sewing machine with matching thread, or, if you're feeling industrious, a sewing needle for hand sewing.
Iron
Potholder step by step instructions:
Place the fabric for the potholder front on top of the batting material, right side up. For a professional look, you can quilt the batting and top piece together before securing them to the bottom piece. This can be something as simple as stitching an X across the entire piece, corner to corner, crossing in the middle. You can also be creative and stitch an A for apple, for example, or you can cut out a design, such as a chicken, from another piece of fabric and zig-zag stitch it to the front. The ideas are unlimited. This is the part that really allows your creativity to flow as you personalize these, whether for gifts or for yourself.
Center the batting and top piece on top of the fabric for the potholder back. The right side of the potholder should be facing out. To center pieces, be sure that the extra 1" of fabric on the potholder back evenly borders the other two pieces. Secure the potholder pieces by pinning all three pieces together. To do this, place pins 1" in from the edge of the top piece.
To make the border for your potholder, fold the outer edge of the bottom piece over until its edge touches the edge of the top piece. Then iron it so it stays down flat, tucking corner edges in. Fold over again, so the folded edge comes over top of the top side edge. Iron it down, tucking corners in once again. Once the border is ironed down you will need to pin it down before sewing so it will not move.
Stitch the potholder border edges down to the top piece and batting. You can use a zig-zag stitch or a straight stitch. It doesn't matter which stitch you use. You should choose the one that you feel best suits the style of your potholder.
If you have decided to make this a hanging potholder, attach plastic O ring by hand sewing, either to a corner or to the top center of your potholder. The placement of the O ring will depend on your design.
Congratulations! You have completed your Quilted Potholder! I hope you have enjoyed making these simple potholders as much as others will enjoy receiving them. Remember, there is no other gift as special as one made with love.
