How to Make Potholders out of Scrap Material

Scrap material offers a variety of ideas for crafting and sewing. Small fabric scraps can be stitched together to create larger pieces that can then be stitched into beautiful and usable items. Make potholders out of scrap material for a one-of-a-kind addition to your kitchen. All of the material and supplies needed are things you may already own. A simple scrap potholder project can produce many inexpensive gifts for family and friends.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton quilt batting scraps
• Material scraps
• Ruler or tape measure
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing machine
• Straight pins
• Iron

Instructions

1. Cut two 8-inch squares from cotton quilt batting. Cut a variety of 9-inch-long strips from your fabric scraps, 1 to 2 inches wide.

2. Lay one batting square on your work surface. Place a fabric strip right-side up on top of the square and aligned along one edge. Adjust the strip so that 1/2 inch of each short end hangs over the edge of the square. Sew one long edge of the strip as close to the edge of the square as possible.

3. Lay another strip right-side down on top of the first strip. Line up one edge of the new strip along the unsewn edge of the first strip. Adjust the strip with 1/2 inch of each short end hanging over the edge of the square. Pin the aligned long edges to the batting. Sew the pinned edge through the layers of the fabric and the batting base using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Flip the strip over with the right side facing up on the batting and press.

4. Attach additional fabric strips in the same way until the entire surface of the square has been filled. Repeat on the other batting square. Turn the squares over and trim the excess fabric from the edges of the batting.

5. Cut a 2-inch-by-5-inch strip from your scrap material. Fold the strip in half with the wrong sides together and matching the long edges. Iron the fold to create a crease, then unfold the strip. Fold the long raw edges to the center crease and press. Fold the strip in half again, matching the long edges, press and pin. Sew the pinned edge as close to the edge as possible. This is your hanging loop for the top edge of the potholder.

6. Lay one batting square with the fabric side up on your work surface. Fold the sewn 5-inch strip in half, matching the two short ends. Lay the folded strip on the fabric square, centering the raw edges of the strip on one edge of the square. Pin the raw edges to the square. Place the remaining batting square on top with the fabric side facing down. Pin the edges together.

7. Sew around the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave a 2-inch opening along the bottom edge of the potholder. Clip the corners. Turn the potholder right side out through the opening on the bottom edge and press. Top stitch around the edge of the potholder 1/4 inch from the edge. This will create a professional finish to the potholder and close the opening.