With the holidays fast approaching I am super behind on my present making. Sewing creates products way faster than knitting, which is what I normally do. Below you will find pictures and instructions to make your own pot holders. My family loves to cook so they are very useful gifts.
I try to give gifts that have a purpose and won’t just sit on a shelf collecting dust. Everyone has lots of knick knacks at home and the holidays is not the time to be adding to the pile. I do like my little figurines and picture frames as much as the next person. However, I do not need random home décor or items that I have an abundance of. Sometimes asking someone what they need is the best way to make/get something that the person actually wants. I’ve been told that gift cards are impersonal, but I would be excited to get some because it will help me bring down my weekly budget. Grocery and gas gift cards can make the world of difference to people. Consider other gifts such as covering a few months of someones Netflix subscription or a months payment towards someone’s student loan. They may not seem like Christmas presents, but you would be bringing cheer to people.
How to Sew a Pot Holder
I like to make patterns for my sewing projects whenever possible. Even if it is something as simple as a square pot holder. This is because I feel more confident that the sides will be even all the way around. The average pot holder is about 6.5″ x 6.5″. In the pictures below my end size will be a 9″x9″ pot holder. My mom had mentioned that she could use some bigger pot holders for pans so I thought I would try some larger ones. Do not forget to add a seam allowance when deciding how big you want to make your pot holders.
To start, you will need:
2 pieces of the fabric
1 piece of Insul-Bright
When picking your exterior fabric that will be touching the pot be mindful of fabrics that will melt with heat. Anything that you can’t use an iron on will not do well in the kitchen. The fabric I used was 100% cotton.
Insul-Bright is a needled insulated lining that is used for a variety of projects. It is not for use in the microwave. This material will keep the heat of a pot or serving dish from burning or marking the surface that it is on.
Once the pieces are cut out pin the exterior fabrics right sides together. Then add the Insul-Bright on top and pin all the way around. I used double pins to indicate where I plan on leaving an opening. The opening needs to be big enough to pull the fabric through when ready to flip the project right side out.
Stitch all the way around leaving an opening. Do not leave the opening on a corner or it will not be even when you try to top stitch.
Clip corners. Be careful not to clip any stitches. This will help to make corners less bulky and be able to have a more defined look.
Find the opening you left. Reach inside between your two exterior fabric layers and flip the pot holder so the fabric is right sides out.
Iron flat paying special attention to opening. Ironing will help the fabric lay flat and keep edges even. Ironing is not the most convenient task, but can make a huge difference when sewing.
Do a top stitch all the way around to seal the whole and define the shape of the pot holder. If you would like you can stop here and have a nice pot holder or you can do a design. I have picked to do a checker board pattern.
I use chalk and a ruler to make my lines so that I can sew in a straight line. If the line was short I could eyeball the line, but for the even spacing between lines doing the math will give the best outcome. If you are going to use chalk or pencil make sure that it for fabric use.
Once your done sewing your design clip any loose threads and you have yourself a great pot holder!
If you use chalk it will come off with a damp paper towel or you can throw it through the washing machine.
More sewing projects to come! Some can’t be posted yet so that people don’t know what they will be getting for the holidays. Shhhh…..