The Perfect Potholder {Father’s Day Tutorial}

the perfect potholder

I know the claim “The Perfect Potholder” is pretty bold!!  I am a bit of a potholder snob.  I can’t stand silicone ones, I don’t like them if they are too stiff or puffy, I also don’t like them if they are too thin.  I love the cute quilty ones, but I am always afraid to use them.  So I resort to my trusty terrycloth potholders…..behold:

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Aren’t they beautiful!  haha!!  They’ve been used and washed at least a million times and I can never give them up…..until TODAY when I came up with a homemade version that is just as functional yet much more stylish.  The trick is that I cut up a hand towel (or bath towel), layered with batting and quilted it.  Are you ready for the tutorial?  Here we go:

Supplies:

1 bath or hand towel (not kitchen) the thicker the better!

Fat Quarter Bibs and Ribs fabric – still loving it!!

Scraps of cotton batting

fabric for the binding

Therm O Web Spray n Bond

Begin by cutting the towel 8.5″ square

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also cut the batting and fabric the same size, 8.5″ square.

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Use the basting spray to baste all the lawyer together with the batting in the middle.

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Quilt as desired.  I made 4 of these and did vertical lines, diagonal lines and then criss cross.  Using a cup, draw a rounded corner on each of the corners and trim along the line.

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Cut the binding on the bias 2.5″ x WOF, or enough to sew around the potholder.  Sew the binding to the back of the  potholder then pull the binding around and machine sew the top of the binding down.hot pad tutorial_8

Seriously, tears of joy were shed over this project.  I cannot contain my excitement!!  It actually feels just like my old trusty potholders – YIPPEE!!!hot pad tutorial_9

Now that I knew they were a success, I got a little creative.  Try rounding all the corners but the top left corner like this:

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Then sew the binding like this:hot pad tutorial_11

 

Take the little tail and give it a twirl to make a loop to hang or to just be decorative or to just finish the binding nicely.

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They are the perfect addition to my collection of Father’s Day Gifts!!
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Comments

  1. Amanda, you seriously should think about opening an Etsy shop to sell some of your creations! I also covet my trusty ol’ terry cloth potholders! I’m searching for cute ones to go in the vintage trailer we’re currently renovating but can’t find ’em & don’t have the skills to make ’em……

    • Thanks! I think the potholders would be so cute in a vintage fabric!! I have thought about an Etsy shop – only I have a hard time stockpiling anything I make. My mom sometimes asks if I have something she can give as a gift and I have to tell her I don’t have anything because I gave it all away 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. […] Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl shows how to make her Perfect Potholder.  What makes this such a great potholder is that the back is made with a thick toweling to give a good barrier against the heat of a pan.  The front can be any cotton print, so you can make them as cute as they are practical.  It would make a good Father’s Day barbecue gift ensemble.  (She’s got tutorials on her blog for making the coordinating items.)  Get the Perfect Potholder tutorial at Jedi Craft Girl. […]

  2. […] Potholder Jedi Craft Girl shows you how to make easy Perfect Potholders. This is a great beginner sewing […]

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