Homemade Christmas Gift: Quilted Potholder

Potholders protect your skin from burns when pulling hot baking sheets out of the oven, removing pots from the stove or bringing a hot dish out of the microwave. They provide a layer of insulation between the heated metal, glass or plastic and your flesh. When potholders aren't in use, however, they are usually sitting out in your kitchen visible to you and guests. Make your own quilted potholders that will protect you from burns as well as look decorative when displayed in your kitchen.

Materials:
1/3-yard cuts of 3 cotton-quilting fabrics
Cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Ruler
Heat-resistant batting
Sewing machine
Iron

Step 1
Use a cutting mat with a rotary cutter and ruler to cut pieces from the three cotton-quilting fabrics. Cut a 2-inch square from Fabric A. Cut two 2-inch by 2-inch squares and two rectangles 2 inches by 5-1/2 inches from Fabric B. Cut two rectangles 5-1/2 inches by 2 inches, and two rectangles 9 inches by 2 inches from Fabric C. All of these cuts include 1/4-inch seam allowances.

Step 2
Align the edges of the 2-inch Fabric A square with the edges of the first 2-inch Fabric B square with right sides of the fabric facing each other. Sew one of the matched edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Align one of the edges of the second 2-inch Fabric B square with the edge of the Fabric A square opposite the sewn edge, right sides facing. Sew these edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. You now have a row of three 2-inch squares, with the Fabric A square in the center. Iron the seams flat.

Step 3
Pick up one of the Fabric B rectangles measuring 5-1/2 inches by 2 inches. Align one long edge of the Fabric B rectangle with one long edge of the row of squares, right sides of the fabric facing. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Align one long edge of the second Fabric B rectangle with the other long edge of the row of blocks, right sides of the fabric together. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press the seams flat.

Step 4
Pick up one of the Fabric C rectangles measuring 5-1/2 inches by 2 inches. Align one long edge of the Fabric C rectangle with one side edge of the pieced blocks and strips, right sides of the fabric together. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Align one long edge of the second Fabric C rectangle with the other side edge of the pieced blocks and strips, right sides of the fabric together. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch inseam. You now have a pieced block with a row of squares in the center surrounded by a border of rectangles. Iron the seams flat.

Step 5
Pick up one of the Fabric C rectangles measuring 9 inches by 2 inches. Align the long edge of the Fabric C rectangle with the bottom edge of the pieced block, right sides of the fabric together. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Align the long edge of the Fabric C rectangle with the top edge of the pieced block, right sides of the fabric together. Sew the edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Iron the seams flat. You now have a pieced square measuring 9 inches by 9 inches.

Step 6
Cut a 9-inch by 9-inch square from Fabric A and from the heat-resistant quilt batting. Stack all the pieces: the 9-inch by 9-inch square of Fabric A is on the bottom with the right side of the fabric facing down, the heat-resistant batting goes on on top of Fabric A and the pieced square is on the top with the right side facing up. Pin the pieces together.

Step 7
Sew a diagonal line across the stack of materials from one corner to the opposite corner. Sew another diagonal line, parallel to the first and 1 inch to the right. Continue sewing parallel lines an inch apart across the whole square. Repeat the process to the left of the first line. Now you have a quilted square.

Step 8
Cut a strip of Fabric A measuring 2-1/2 inches wide by 45 inches long. Fold the strip in half lengthwise so it is 1-1/4 inches wide. Iron the folded strip to fix the crease. This strip of fabric is your binding.

Step 9
Align the raw edge of the folded strip of fabric with the raw edge of the quilted potholder. Position the end of the binding strip 3 inches up from one of the corners of the square; it doesn't matter which side of the square you start on.

Step 10
Sew the binding strip to the quilted square with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Stop when you reach 1/2 inch from the corner.

Step 11
Fold the strip at a 90-degree angle out away from the perpendicular edge of the quilted stack. Fold the binding strip back to the right over top of itself so the raw edge of the binding is flush with the raw edge of the quilted stack. This creates a mitered corner for your binding. Begin stitching 1/2 inch from the folded edge of the binding; sew the binding along the next edge of the potholder with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Continue working your way around the potholder in this fashion until the binding is sewn around all four edges. Overlap the ends of the binding by 1 inch. Trim any excess binding.

Step 12
Flip the binding over the edge of the potholder so the folded edge of the binding strip now reaches over the edge to the backside of the potholder. Press the seam of the binding flat.

Step 13
Sew between the binding strip and the pieced block on the right side of the potholder to secure the folded-over binding to the back. This technique often is referred to as "stitch in the ditch" as the seam can't be seen on the front where it's sewn in the ditch, only on the backside. Stitch in the ditch all the way around the potholder to complete it.