Lovely Pot Holders Tutorial

Lovely Potholders

Materials:

3 fat quarters of coordinating fabric (approx. 18" x 20" each)

18" x 20" piece of cotton batting or scraps to fit pattern (I used Warm & White)

18" x 20" piece of Insul~Bright or scraps to fit pattern

1 sheet of paper for pattern

Other supplies:

Walking foot and denim needle for sewing machine

Pins for basting

Quilting ruler

Fabric marker

Note: This tutorial is for two pot holders.

1. Fold paper and cut out a heart following the measurements in the picture.  It's important not to make the "dip" in the middle too steep.

2.  Fold the point up and crease.

3.  Cut two half hearts and two full hearts from each material (TWO of the fat quarters- one for the outside and one for the lining, batting, and Insul~Bright).

Materials shown in the picture are enough to make ONE pot holder.

4.  Draw lines for quilting on your outside fabric for both pot holders.  I made a 1" grid pattern using my quilting ruler.

Use the lines from the front piece to mark the back piece.

5. Layer one full heart in this order: lining fabric right side down, batting, Insul~Bright, top fabric right side up.

6. Pin and quilt.

First, I quilted one line in each direction in the center to secure the pot holder. 

 Once you've finished quilting, trim the excess batting from the heart.  

7. Layer and quilt the half heart.  Trim the excess.

Repeat steps 6 & 7 with the other pot holder.

8.  Prepare binding from your third fat quarter.  I used 2.5" strips to make mine.  If you're not a quilter, this is an excellent tutorial from Crazy Mom Quilts on how to prepare and attach binding.  This is a great binding reference from Martha Stewart as well.  I finished my binding with the Overlap Finish, as she calls it.

Unfortunately, this is where I stopped taking pictures.  I guess I just got caught up in the excitement of finishing...

9. Bind only the straight edge of each half heart.  Trim the excess binding.  Do not worry about finishing the edges.  We'll cover them later.

10.  Place one half heart and one full heart together, lining fabrics together.  Topstitch around the edges using a 1/8" inseam if you can to attach the half heart to the full heart and secure the edges.  Repeat.

11. Attach your binding to each pot holder.  Miter the corners at the dip and point of each heart.

And there you have it!  Enjoy!