Can’t find what you need? Make it! Oven Mitts

I really like to cook, but I have to admit that I am not the safest in the kitchen when it comes to hot objects. I have bumped my hands and arms more times that I would care to admit when I am taking things out of the oven.

I had been looking for a set of longer oven mitts for a long time, and everything I found had really large hands, so much so that I was having trouble grasping things. It was like putting on a pair of oversized mittens and trying to pick small things up. So I decided to make my own.

I had a fun botanical print that went well with my kitchen decor. I purchased some insulated batting called Insul-Bright©. It is a polyester and mylar batting that can be sewn on a regular sewing machine. I have since used it in other projects.

Making a quilted fabric

I started by cutting large sections of the outer fabric, a liner fabric, and the insulation into a big rectangle. I wanted to quilt the fabric first, then cut out the shapes of the mitts and assemble them.

I pinned the layers together and quilted them in two direction to get a diamond pattern. I completed stitching in one direction, then marked a line in the other direction and completed the quilting. My sewing machine has a small guide that lets me do even rows of stitching easily.

Adding the binding

After I completed the quilting, I cut out the mitts and sewed them together. To finish the edges, I used bias binding. Bias is fabric cut on the diagonal, and it has a little bit of stretch to it, allowing you to more easily sew curves.

I also used a little loop of the binding so that I could hang them up. They are machine washable, but I don’t put them in the dryer. If I were to make another set, I would probably put in two layers of the Insul-Bright©.