Mickey Mouse Hotpad / Potholder Tutorial

I love Mickey in the kitchen!

I love the shape of those black ears.

They make me happy!

So, I thought I needed some hotpads / potholders

or it can be used as a trivet.

Heck, shrink down the pattern and they could be coasters!

Here is what you need:

7 - 9" long strips by approx, 1 1/2 - 2" in width

I like 3 black ones for ears and the other 4 are different colored prints

1 yard of Ric Rac 5/8" width

2- 9 " squares of Insulated Batting

1- 9" square for the backing

Pattern

Thread

Fray Check

• Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew your 7 strips into a rectangle.

• I like my strips a little wonky sometimes. You can sew some of them at an angle. Right sides together and angle the top strip. Trim the excess fabric even with the seam allowance.


• Press all the seam allowances the same way.

• Layer the 2 squares of batting under the rectangle. Right side of rectangle facing up.

• Sew through all 3 layers in random lines going vertically across then horizontally. You may keep them straight or slanted.

• On the back of the now quilted batting, trace the pattern piece onto the batt with a pen. This will be your stitching line. **If you are doing a hot pad with black ears on top, be sure to check your placement of pattern and the black stripes. I like the hat to look a little off kilter. :)

• With right sides together, pin the quilted rectangle to the backing. *Check your edges to see that your stitching line is covered.
• Mark a 3 inch opening at the bottom of the shape. Start and stop sewing at these marks.
• Sew directly on the drawn line.


• Trim around the sewn line, leaving approx. 1/4" seam allowance. I leave a little bit more than 1/4" seam around the opening so that it is easier to turn under once you turn it inside out.


• I like to 'clip' all around the hot pad.

• Clip into the seam so that you are 3-4 threads away from the seam. In the tight curves between the ears on top and on the side of the 'face', clip 2-3 times right close together. This will ensure that it will be smooth on the other side. Don't clip through the seam or you will need to sew over that line again. **I clip just barely around the allowance that is the opening. You still need to clip just a bit so that it will ease in when you go to close the seam.

• Turn inside out. I use a blunt knitting needle to smooth out all the curves. Where the opening is, iron an approx. 1/4 " seam allowance, matching up the front and the back. It will be bulky here. Pin the opening close.

• Have thread in your bobbin that will coordinate with the topside of the hotpad. Use thread on the top of your machine that will coordinate with the ric rac. I recommend topstitching all the way around the hot pad, closing up the opening, first. (although the picture doesn't show it)

• To attach the ric rac, I work from the back of the hot pad and start at the lower right hand side. I want half of the ric rac to show on the front. I line up the half way point of the ric rac right on the very edge, trying to go over the same topstitching line I just did. If you would like a loop for hanging, when you get to the first ear, I just make a twisted loop and catch it in my sewing.
• When you come to the end, just cut your ric rac to match up with the starting point, adding a 1/4". I turn this 1/4" under and sew it down.

• Apply Fray Check to the ends of the ric rac to avoid fraying.
• Get Cookin'!!

You can always add the ric rac to the front.

This one is shown without the 'black ears'.

I've got a few, little, cute kits in my store.

Everything you need to whip one of these up!

Come join us at our 2015 Quilt Retreat!!