Let’s make some quilted potholders with my free easy to follow pattern and tutorial!
I will show you how to make quilted potholders using this featured block, but you can use this method to make a potholder out of any of your favorite blocks! This is a great way to use up orphan blocks or test blocks that you may have laying around. If you love this project as much as I do, I think you’ll like my other free pattern… the Pocket Quilted Potholder!
All seam allowances are 1/4″. Here is what you will need:
- 4 1/4″ square of focal print (keep in mind that if it is directional, like mine, the square should be cut on the bias)
- 1 – 3 7/8″ square- green polka dot
- 2 – 3 7/8″ squares- orange
- 4 – 3 1/8″ squares- yellow
- 2″ wide by approximately 42″ long strip of striped fabric for binding
- 1 1/2″ x 4″ green polka dot (for loop)
- 9″ square backing fabric (I used the focal print)
- 9″ square insulated batting (from The Warm Company, see photo below)
For this project, I used my fabric line Fruitful Hands (Henry Glass Fabrics).
Start by cutting the green square into quarters diagonally, then repeat with the orange squares:
Sew an orange triangle to each yellow square:
Then sew another orange triangle to the other side. Cut off those little “dog ears”:
Next, sew 2 of these units to opposite sides of your focal print square:
Now, sew a green triangle to opposite sides of the remaining 2 yellow square units:
Let’s sew the large triangle units to opposite sides of the focal print unit to make a block (approximately 8 1/2″):
Layer the backing (right side down), the batting, and the block together:
See, isn’t my quilted potholders tutorial easy to follow?
Your backing and batting will be slightly larger than the block. Pin or spray baste layers together.
Quilt as desired. I just “stitched in the ditch”, in other words, right along the seam lines. Trim away excess batting and backing:
To make the loop, press the piece of fabric in half lengthwise, then open up and press the raw edges toward the center fold (right sides out):
Fold in half lengthwise again and top stitch along edge:
Now, fold in half and sew to top edge of front of potholder (I forgot to take a photo before I started sewing on the binding, so you can see the binding there. Just ignore that for now. Just sew that loop on. So sorry…)
Remember the photo of the loop from above?
Want this tutorial in a PDF download? Tell us where to send it!.
Great tutorial! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Joan. I hope you enjoy making them :)
Best tutorial and pics. Love to make them
Great tutorial! Instructions easy to follow:)
Thank you you make this easier for a beginner.
Thank you for this beautiful pattern
I
This is a great tutorial; am looking forward making some seasonal pot holders for myself, family, and friends!
cute! love the fabric!!
Thanks, Sandy. They make great Christmas gifts!
You must be reading my mind. I just bought some Insul-Bright and had this potholder in mind to make. I even have fabric from your fruitful hands fabric line to use.
Well, I guess you better start making some, ha ha!!
when does the Insul Bright go in to the potholder?
It’s the padding between the finished block and the back.
Sherryosborne1973@“
I loved this the first time, and glad to see it again and get inspired all over again! So pretty!
Hi Jacque, I decided to re-post it on my new blog because it has been super-popular over at Craftsy- some days over 2000 downloads of the pattern!!!
Thank you for sharing the tutorial on the potholder. It gave me the inspiration to sewing again and
OOPS, that last post wasn’t finished!!! I plan to make potholders for Christmas gifts!
Yay! I’m so glad Patricia! It’s a small project so you should be able to get it done quickly and feel really good about your accomplishment!
I have made 3 of these potholders so far. I am enjoying everything except the binding! I just can’t seem to get it flipped over and even enough to stitch in the ditch!
Hi Theresa! The back of mine don’t look perfect either! You could hand stitch them, but that takes a long time and it’s not as secure as machine stitching. Maybe you could try cutting the binding strip just a little wider? Do you think that might help?
So charming, and just in time for fall. My readers at FaveQuilts would love this! : )
Kathryn
Thank you, Kathryn! I appreciate your compliment :)
What a beautiful and cherry project. Thank you
Love this site
me encanta con la claridad del proceso para hacer algo tan bonito. Muchas gracias
I’m Just learning to quilt and I can’t wait to try this.
Where do I get your fabric?
Hi Susan,
I do not have a list of shops who carry my fabric, as that end is handled by the manufacturer. However, you can do a Google search and find many online shops who carry it. I also have some in my online shop. If you don’t see what you’re looking for let me know, I have some things here which are not listed in my shop
http://www.jacquelynnesteves-shop.com/category_23/Fabric-Kits.htm
Every day you impress me more with your patterns and your delightful words of encouragement. And everyday I find something new. I don’t know where to start! I will make the potholder and placemat etc. I just bought new batting to finish my snowman quilt.
Thanks for sharing! I love stars and this will be a great gift idea.
I am so disappointed, I have tried several times to download the tutorial for the star potholder and I cannot get to it….just the comments. What am I missing?
JUst a hint……use a zig-zag or fancy stitch on your machine to sew the back of the binding, easy and ‘Quick’……..(mistakes won’t show)
Thanks for the great tip, Mary!
I enjoy your website. You sound like a very happy person. Thank you for the patterns.
Well, you know Sue- some days are better than others! Ha ha. Thanks for taking the time to comment, I truly appreciate it!
I love the quote from MaryBeth Chapman! Also wanted to let you know that I find old jeans work great for making potholders the right thickness without having to use Insulbright and they are still bendable. I use two layers of denim and very thin layer of batting in mine.The tutorial is very easy to follow.Nice Work!
Connie- recycling old jeans is a fabulous idea! Thanks for the tip!
Nice pattern, but if I might may a suggestion to make it even faster?? First add a 3/4″ or 1″ border to the front (and back if you like)
Place 2 same-size fabric layers right sides together with the batting just cut a little shy on the top and sew all around (still catching the batting) leaving a turning opening.
Turn all, close opening by hand, press and sew 1/4 inch all around if possible in the ditch.
The End.
PS
I would omit the loop since no one has potholders hanging on hooks in the kitchen anymore. Most are in the 3rd drawer with the place mats, right?
Thank you so much for sharing and the tutorial is awesome as well!!
Thanks for the lovely Pot Holder directions, I will be making
this for Christmas Gifts, thank you again for the lovely
tutorial.
Thank you for this tutorial, I just have finished my first potholder!
Greetings from Holland
I just found this and I LOVE IT!! I have been looking for Weeks for the right Tutorial and the perfect pattern…I just found it! :) Thanks for posting this, these are going to be fun to make! Starting one now! You, my friend, are amazing! Enjoy your catch up sewing day! Couldn’t find how to follow and enjoy :( But still going to sew along haha :) Stay warm! Snowed in here in Michigan lol <3
Love it.looks so easy
Great Tutorial!! Very clear and precise! Looking forward to making many of these, if not 100!
Thanks so much!
I just made one of these potholders and it was very easy. Love the tutorial and it was so very helpful. Going to be making many more for Christmas gifts. Thanks for the pattern and the tutorial Jacquelynne.
I was wondering if the material has to be cotton or can you use polyester, also? Beautiful Hot Pad.
Hi Susan,
I’m not sure if polyester would melt when in comes in contact with heat? I would recommend trying a small corner first to make sure, before you put the whole project together.
Omg!! I can’t wait to try this!! Thank you for sharing
..
This a great present for family members, I love the patterns and was easily followed for me as a novice, thank you for this.
Very pretty. Just a hint to anyone making potholders. If you have old ironing board covers, the silver type, use a layer of it inside your potholder for protection. JoAnn Fabrics also sells it by the yard.
Just the reminder I needed for suitable size and how to do a separate hanging loop (not part of the binding fabric). Thank you :)
Love the quilted potholder tutorial. I am new to quilting but want to get started with something fun…..
Jacquelynne – You’re so generous. I appreciate it. Thank you.
Thank U. Pattern is very lovely.
I am in the throes of making potholders for Christmas gifts, so your post is quite timely. The binding method is going to help me. Thank you
Merry Christmas
Thank you so much for the tutorial. I am going to make sets I am thinking to include like 2 regular size potholders and then a larger one to actually set a hot pan on. Love your tutorials. Keep them coming.
MERCI pour ce tuto. Je commence a vouloir faire du patchwork et je vais essayer. Cordialement
Catherine
You make simple. I like that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Cant wait to make some
I seems to me this pattern also makes a cute mug rug or is a mug rug smaller?
At any rate thank you for the cute pattern.
I had just started making a Christmas pot holder and can’t wait to do this one. What a great way to make the star points. Thanks for sharing.
Where is the PDF version – I cannot watch a tutorial and work at my machine – I need a printable version so I can take it to my sewing area and do this – PLEASE SEND PDF versions of all the free patterns to the email below. I just joined and am still learning how to do this
PDF version is available – just click on the words that say “Click here for a PDF of this tutorial”. Pretty easy – just read!!
your instructions are excellent. thank you for sharing/
I made this same quilt pattern (and a number of other quilt patterns) pot holder to sell at our church “itsy-bitsy” craft fair, using old towels as batting. They were gone fast! Love the kitchen theme fabrics that you used, they’re so beautiful and bright cheery colors. Thanks for sharing!
Jacquelynne, Thanks so much for the pattern, I making it for Christmas for 2021. I’m getting a head start.
Looks easy enough provided I catch the back edge of the binding when I stitch-in-the-ditch on the front. Has anyone tried ironing a crease off-center in the binding before sewing it on so that the half folded to the back is slightly wider and will have a better chance of getting sewn down?
Is this the crinkly sounding insul-brite or is there one without the metallic layer?
Thanks for sharing your pattern!