I love to give homemade gifts for Christmas or birthdays, and I recently started making quilted potholders to gift to my family. For this tutorial, I made simple Christmas potholders.
How to Make a Quilted Potholder
Potholder Supplies
- You will need quilting cotton for the front, back, and binding. I used 1/2 yard of the red and green, and 1/4 yard of the Winter Wishes print for my potholders.
- Insulbright batting for the inside. I purchased 1/2 yard of Insulbright.
For your quilting cotton, come to KnitFabric.com
Cutting the Fabric For Your Quilted Potholder
Quilted Potholder Step 1: I started the quilted potholders by cutting a 6.5-inch square of my white print fabric for the center of my potholder. Then I cut 4 strips of red 2.5 inches by 6.5 inches and 4 squares of green fabric that were 2.5 inches on all sides. Next, I cut a 12.5″ square of green for the back and two 12.5″ squares of Insulbright.
Quilted Potholder Step 2: My binding was cut at 2.5″ by the width of the fabric for this size potholder. Your binding amount will be different depending on the size of your quilted potholders.
Piecing Together the Potholder
Quilted Potholder Step 3: First, piece the top of your potholder. I used a 1/4″ seam allowance and sewed each horizontal row together.
Quilted Potholder Step 4: After sewing, press the seams in opposite directions as shown and then piece the rows together. Then I like to pin or clip at each seam to make sure they are matched.
Quilted Potholder Step 5: Next, layer your backing, then two layers of Insulbright, and finally your quilt square. Then pin the layers together.
Quilted Potholder Step 6: After pinning, quilt the layers together using the design of your choice. I chose to quilt around the center square and each corner square.
Quilted Potholder Step 7: After quilting, square up your quilt block. I used my ruler to trim the potholder to be 10.25″ square.
Finishing the Edges of the Quilted Potholders
Quilted Potholder Step 8: To finish the edges of the quilted potholders, press the binding strip wrong sides together. Pin the binding onto the wrong side of the potholder leaving the first 3-4 inches unsewn.
Quilted Potholder Step 9: Stitch with a 1/4″ seam allowance stopping 1/4″ before the corner and back stitch.
Quilted Potholder Step 10: Next, fold the binding to the right at a 45-degree angle.
Quilted Potholder Step 11: Then fold the binding back onto itself even with the right edge of the potholder. Begin stitching 1/4″ from the corner and continue this process for each corner.
Quilted Potholder Step 12: When all 4 corners are sewn, fold the beginning end of the binding strip in 1/2″. Then place the final end inside the folded binding to encase the raw edges. Stitch to where to the binding stitching began and backstitch to finish. The folded edge is visible just above my fingers in the below photo.
Quilted Potholder Step 13: Flip the potholder to the right side and fold the binding around encasing the raw edge of the potholder. Topstitch just inside the folded edge of the binding. Fold the corners around to form a 45-degree miter on the front as well.
Quilted Potholder Step 14: Here is the finished view of the front binding sewn.
Now you know how to make a quilted potholder! I can’t wait to see your finished potholders. These would be lovely paired with Genie’s personalized dish towels from the blog last week. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Thank you for joining us to learn how to make a quilted potholder. While you’re here, be sure to check out some of our other articles:
