How To Sew A Square Potholder with Bias Tape (free pattern)

This potholder is more of an advanced sewing project because of the layers of batting and bias tape (which can be a little harder to work with).

But the result is a professional-looking potholder with beautiful details, such as the quilting stitches and edges finished in an accent fabric.

Sew a set of these or try my two other patterns for a pot pincher and tea towel to make a gift set.

 

Materials

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• Cotton or linen fabric (avoid synthetic materials)
• Thermal/heat-resistant batting (Insul-Bright or something similar) (this has “heat-reflective” properties)
• 100% cotton batting (this adds extra insulation)
• 1/2” double-folded bias tape (is 1/2” wide when double-folded) (here’s how to make your own so it matches your material)

 

Thread

• Tools
• Sewing machine
• Walking foot (I purchased this universal one) (required for sewing through multiple layers of batting without your fabric puckering)
• Iron
• Scissors
• Pins or clips

 

Step 1

Print your free pattern and cut out your pattern pieces.

You’ll need:

• 2 pieces of fabric for the front and back
• 1 piece of thermal batting
• 1 piece of cotton batting
• 2 pieces of fabric for the pocket
• 1 piece of thermal batting for the pocket
• 1/2″ wide bias tape:
  • 8″ piece
  • 32″ piece
  • 6″ piece (optional: for hang tab)

Step 2

Layer your bottom fabric wrong side up, thermal batting, cotton batting, then your top fabric right side up.

Sew the main pieces of your potholder together using a quilting stitch and your walking foot.

Your layers will shift during sewing, so retrace your pattern piece and cut off any excess batting/fabric.

Step 3

Sew your 8″ piece of bias tape to the right side and top edge of your pocket.

Fold your bias tape over to the other side, clip into place, then stitch from the right side again, about 1/8″ away from the inside edge of the bias tape.

 

Step 4

Position your pocket on the potholder and use a basting stitch to sew from the top edge of the pocket down, on both sides.

I don’t baste all around my pocket, as I find my pocket always shifts, and one side of it ends up higher than the other.

If you’d like to add a hanging loop to your potholder, take your 6″ piece of bias tape, double-fold it, then press. Top-stitch along each (6″ long) side, then fold in half lengthwise, matching up the ends.

Place that tab anywhere above the pocket and baste it in place.

 

Step 5

Sew the first side of your bias tape to the potholder.

Sew the end of your bias tape right up to where you started stitching the start of your bias tape on, without going over.

Flip the end of your bias tape open, then fold your potholder in half so you can place the starting end of your bias tape on top of the end piece, at a 90-degree angle. Pin into place.

You’ll sew diagonally across your bias tape from where the two edges of the bias tape intersect, up to your stitching.

Check that your bias tape seam sits flat, then cut off the excess ends.

 

Step 6

Before clipping the second side of the bias tape into place, it helps to use the tip of your iron to press the edge of the potholder down so it compresses the batting a bit and flattens the fabric so it’s easier to wrap the bias tape around. I only press down with the tip (I don’t let the iron sit on the potholder).

Clip the second side of the bias tape into place.

The other step I take to help the bias tape sit flat and make it easier to sew is to run the iron over it before sewing. This step does need to be completed after clipping and by just undoing a clip or two at a time, ironing, then clipping again.

If you see how bubbled the bottom corner is:

Then I run my iron over it:

And it sits much flatter.

From the first side (that you already stitched the bias tape on), sew about 1/8″ in from the inside edge of the bias tape, checking as you go to be sure you’re catching the other side of your bias tape.