A Love of Potholders!
Potholders do not stir up dreams of a romantic kitchen but believe me, they do add to the decor of any table! By designing your own potholders you can get the perfect coordination of color and design without spending a fortune! Potholders are a staple in the kitchen and besides using them to pick up hot pans, you can use them in place of a trivet on the table or countertop. Potholders are so versatile and their uses go well beyond just the kitchen.
I have previously written an article on a no-sew project. The article can be found here: No-Sew Pillow Covers. You also might enjoy Handmade Bookmarks. And don’t forget about my FREE resource library.
Why Potholders?
Mothers Day is not too far off and this project will make the perfect gift! Since you do not need any special equipment, you can make several and maybe add some tea bags and chocolates to give the perfect gift.
Today’s Project
I have always wanted to be able to have potholders that matched my tea and dish towels. This is a project where I can color coordinate everything to make a total home decor color match. These potholders could even match your dishes if you choose the right fabric.
Speaking of fabric, choose something where 4 or more layers will protect your hands from the heat. Thin cottons are not recommended. I used Flannel combined with t-shirt fabric. Next time, I will go for even thicker inner layers or place a square of fiberfill in the center.
Load up on Materials
The smallest list ever for materials you will need to complete this project.
- Fabric cut into 8″ squares.
- Scissors or rotary cutting tool.
- Ruler.
- Masking tape.
- Crochet hook or you can use a paper clip.
Although I did not create a downloadable for this project, you should visit my resource library to see what other projects and downloadables are available for you (these are FREE).
Step-by-Step Guide for Making a No-Sew Potholder
Make sure you have some fabric to use – I generally use old pieces of clothing. Flannel or t-shirts are absolutely perfect for this project. The heavier the fabric the more heat resistant your potholder will be.
Step 1 – Cut your fabric into the size of potholder you wish to make. In this project, we will be making a square potholder that will measure 4″ x 4″ plus another 1″ for the edging when it is completed. The result is small so I would suggest creating one when the finished size is 8″ x 8″ so you will need to cut fabric 12″ x 12″. When you cut the fringe (see below) you will cut in 1″ intervals instead of 1/2″.
For this project, we will be making our potholder cut your fabric into 8″ squares. I cut two pieces for the outside and another two pieces for the inside as shown in the image below.
Step 2 – Put the four pieces together in the order you wish to have them. This means have the fabric print face outward on the top and bottom. The other two pieces are for padding so their orientation will not matter. See the image below.
Step 3 – Cut a 2″ square out of each corner of the pile you created. See the image below.
Step 4 – Place your masking tape around the trimmed perimeter of the potholder. We are doing this because it will give us a guide for cutting the fringe. See image below:
Step 5 – measure and mark every half inch (1″ if you are making the larger size) all around the potholder inside. You can make a mark on the masking tape. This will be a guide for how wide to cut the fringes. See image below:
Step 6 – Cut half-inch strips all around the potholder. When you have finished cutting, remove the masking tape.
Step 7 – Cut slits into each strip in the center. Fold the strip in half then snip the center – this is how we will make the no-sew edging.
Step 8 – The outside edging. Using a crochet hook, a paperclip or an instrument that will allow you to pull the next fringe part through the hole. An example of pull through is below.
Step 9 – Continue pulling fringes through each other. When you get to the end, pull the first fringe through and tie the ends together and tuck them out of the way. Your potholder is now finished. It will have a fringe all around. These are so cute!
More About Potholders
As normal, here are some recommended readings for making other incredible potholders! We did a no-sew but when you add sewing to the mix, the possibilities are endless. Read these books for great creative stimulation.
30 Ways to Weave a Potholder (Weaving on the Potholder Loom Book 1)
Too Hot to Handle?: Potholders and How to Make Them (Crafts Kaleidoscope)
A Little Video Help
When we did no-sew pillows, I shared a video on the edging. Here is that video again to help you with your edgings.
No-Sew Cozy Pillows
No Binding Pot Holder
How to – Make a Finger Thumb Potholder Using Fabric Scraps
Last Word
Although there was no sewing involved in this project, it does pose its challenges when threading the fringes through each other. I ended up using my fingers to pull the four layers through each other! It turned out great so I am truly happy with the results. The other issue was that the 4″ size was not large enough – next time I am going to create one that is a minimum of 8″ finished measurements.
Although I did not create a downloadable for this project, you should visit my resource library to see what other projects and downloadables are available for you (these are FREE).
I do hope you keep this article and make your own potholder! Please share this article on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Until Tomorrow…
Bette
PS the password for the resource library is love
Please pin this image to Pinterest – I really appreciate all the help to get other people to read this article. Many thanks and Happy Crafting!
