Potholders, oven mitts, trivets, bowl cozies…all super useful items that people have in their homes. Wouldn’t it be great to make your own? You certainly can, and we want to share some helpful tips to get you started.
Why Sew Your Own?
It’s easy to grab these things off the store shelf, but there is a lot of value in creating them with your own hands.
- Sewing your own gives you the opportunity to coordinate your decor or make multiple versions which can be swapped out for fun seasonal accents throughout the year.
- Your version will be a much higher quality than the factory-made ones and probably cost less money. You can use your time and skill to invest in creating something that will last for years.
- All of these items make amazing gifts. Think about housewarming parties, wedding gifts, college graduation, or just a sweet gesture to show someone you care. Everyone uses potholders and oven mitts!
- Things like coasters and potholders are great scrap buster projects because they are small and can use up fabric that wouldn’t work for larger pieces.
Safety Is #1
When you are creating something which is intended to protect yourself and your surfaces, you want to make sure you get it right. Here are some good rules to go by:
- Use only heat-safe fabrics and threads like cotton, wool, and linen. Synthetic fabrics (polyester, acrylic, fleece, etc) will not just expose you to the heat, they can even melt when they come in contact with it.
- BEWARE: glaced cotton threads have a coating that can build up in your sewing machine, always double check that the thread you choose is machine-safe.
- Use enough layers. Projects that will come in direct contact with oven-hot items should have at least 2 layers of cotton batting inside or use Insul-Bright, an interlining specifically made for insulating against heat.
- Add some structure. Even if there are enough layers of the correct materials, you want to make sure the project is not going to shift around or be too floppy. You want to be able to maintain a firm grasp while using it.
- Test it out. If you are trying out a new design or material, take the time to give it a try before finishing.
- BEWARE: some interlinings, like Insul-Bright, are not microwave safe due to the use of metalized fibers. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Fabric and Notions
We’ve talked about what you should and should not use, let's dig a little deeper on specific ones.
- Cotton and linen fabrics- they insulate, do not melt and are readily available in tons of weights, colors and patterns. This is the perfect choice for the outer-most layer on your project. Keep in mind the fabrics are flammable and are not intended to be used with open flame.
- Wool fabric- also a great option that will not melt from heat and wool has the added bonus of being naturally flame resistant(not fireproof). Do be sure to follow care and wash instructions to maintain your finished shape.
- Cotton thread- the melting risk with synthetic materials extends to thread as well. Be sure you select a cotton thread when you are crafting a project that will come into contact with hot temperatures.
- Interlinings- There are several brands of interlinings that will work well to add insulation from hot surfaces, so you have lots of options. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendation for the number of layers and use.
Ready To Put These Ideas To Use?
Click the link below to download a free pattern for a Bowl Cozy and follow along with the video tutorial.
FYI
Another important factor when creating these heat-proof sewing projects is that they will come in contact with food, beverages, mess, etc so being able to wash them is important. Usually, it is okay to clean them in your washing machine but you may want to dry them flat or on your most gentle drying cycle to ensure that their shape and form is maintained.
It is a good idea to check the manufacturer’s care recommendation while choosing your interlinings and notions so you can choose the ones which will work best for your intended outcome.
BONUS TIP
This is an opportunity to embrace seasonal fun! Because most of the heat safe items are small and easy to store- be whimsical and make many variations to use throughout the year.
Maybe you have a little bit of fabric left over from a christmas project- make a potholder! Pull together some autumnal colored fabric scraps and make a couple bowl cozies to enjoy your favorite fall soups.
These small, simple projects can bring SEW much fun to your daily life.
Happy Sewing!
Do you have some additional thoughts about heat safe sewing? Join our helpful Facebook group to post pictures, ask questions, and celebrate sewing wins with other like-minded sewists.