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DIY Catholic Potholder Tutorial | For the Heart of the Home

By Alysa Morrissey

Faith in the Kitchen: Easy DIY Catholic Potholders with St. Nick-Inspired Fabric

The kitchen has long been called the heart of the home, and for good reason. It’s where we gather to share meals, swap stories, and nurture one another in both body and spirit. For Catholic families, it’s also where faith quietly takes root in the ordinary rhythms of daily life: saying grace before dinner, chatting about the saints, or enjoying laughter over dessert. What better way to add faith and beauty to this sacred space than with a handmade, faith-inspired sewing project?

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to make DIY Catholic potholders using St. Nick Oranges on Cream (small) and St. Nick Orange and Cranberry Plaid fabric from The Little Rose Shop. The oranges symbolize St. Nicholas’s spirit of generosity, while the plaid adds a touch of warmth and tradition. Together, they make a charming addition to any Catholic kitchen, whether for daily use, gifting, or creative family crafting.

Supplies Needed

This easy potholder pattern is perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a quick, meaningful sewing project. Here’s what you’ll need:

Flat lay of Catholic sewing supplies including fabric, batting, scissors, ruler, and thread for DIY potholder tutorial
  • Featured Fabric:
  • Insul-Bright batting (for heat resistance)
  • 100% cotton batting (for padding)
  • Coordinating cotton thread
  • Sewing machine (or hand needle for hand stitching)
  • Pins or clips
  • Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
  • Ruler or cutting mat
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Optional: Loop for hanging, bias binding for a finished edge, or decorative topstitching

Tip: Always use 100% cotton fabrics and batting for heat safety—polyester can melt when exposed to high heat. The natural fibers of The Little Rose Shop’s fabrics make them perfect for kitchen projects that are both safe and beautiful.

How-To

This simplified method uses a “flip and turn” technique—sewing your potholder inside out and then flipping it for a clean, finished edge. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for beginners. If you’d like to elevate your project, we’ve included an optional Step 7 and 8 at the end for adding a hanging loop or classic binding edge.

Step 1: Cut Your Fabric

For each potholder, cut:

  • One 8” x 8” square from St. Nick Oranges on Cream (small) (front)
  • One 8” x 8” square from St. Nick Orange and Cranberry Plaid (back)
  • One 8” x 8” square of Insul-Bright batting
  • One 8” x 8” square of cotton batting

Step 2: Layer Your Fabrics

Stack your pieces in this order:

  1. Back fabric – right side up
  2. Front fabric – right side down (so both right sides are together)
  3. Layer both battings on top

Pin or clip the layers securely, leaving about a 3” gap on one side for turning later.

Step 3: Sew Around the Edges

Using a ½” seam allowance, sew around the entire square, leaving the 3” gap open. Backstitch at the beginning and end to secure. This simple approach allows you to easily flip the potholder right-side out without needing binding.

Step 4: Clip Corners and Turn

Trim the corners diagonally (being careful not to cut through the stitching) to reduce bulk. Then, turn your potholder right-side out through the gap. Use a pencil or chopstick to gently push out the corners so they’re crisp and square.

Step 5: Press Flat

Press the potholder flat, folding the edges of the opening inward so they line up neatly. You’re nearly done!

Step 6: Topstitch to Close and Finish

Topstitch around the entire edge about ¼” from the border. This closes the turning gap and adds a lovely finished look. For an extra detail, sew a few diagonal quilting lines across the middle of the potholder to secure the layers and add texture.

Step 7: Add a Hanging Loop (Optional)

If desired, make a loop for hanging. Cut a small strip of fabric (2” x 6”), fold it lengthwise, stitch along the edge, then fold in half. Attach the loop to a corner before or after topstitching.

Step 8: Add a Binding Edge (Optional)

If you’d like to add a classic, quilted finish, here’s how to attach a binding edge to your potholder. It adds durability, charm, and a professional look that makes your handmade project truly shine.

Adding fabric binding edge to handmade Catholic potholder for quilted finish
  1. Cut your binding: Use your St. Nick Orange and Cranberry Plaid fabric for a beautiful contrast. Cut 2-inch-wide strips on the bias (diagonally) or straight-grain. You’ll need about 36 inches of binding for one potholder.
  2. Join and press: Sew your binding strips end-to-end with diagonal seams to create one long strip. Press the seams open, then fold the binding strip in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and press again.
  3. Attach the binding: Align the raw edge of your binding with the raw edge of the potholder (on the front side). Start stitching about 3 inches from one end, leaving a tail loose. Sew around the edge using a ¼” seam allowance. When you reach each corner, stop ¼” from the edge, backstitch, pivot the binding at a 45° angle, fold it back down, and continue sewing to create neat mitered corners.
  4. Join the ends: Overlap your starting and ending tails, trim the excess, and sew together with a diagonal seam. Press open and finish sewing the binding closed.
  5. Finish the back: Fold the binding over the edge to the back of the potholder and press. Hand stitch or machine stitch the binding in place, covering the seam. Take your time—it’s a small detail that makes a big difference.

Step 9: Use or Gift with Purpose

That’s it! You’ve just made a functional, faith-inspired potholder that can be used daily or given as a heartfelt handmade gift. Whether it’s for your kitchen or someone else’s, this project is a beautiful reminder that love and faith are sewn into the ordinary moments of life.

Faith reflection: St. Nicholas is known for his quiet acts of generosity. As you create or give your potholder, think of how you can bless others in simple, unseen ways, just as he did.

FAQs

1. Can I make this project by hand?

Yes! This pattern is simple enough for hand sewing. A sturdy backstitch will hold the layers securely, and you can even quilt by hand for a more personal touch. Hand sewing can be a beautiful way to slow down and turn your creativity into prayer.

2. Is this potholder safe for hot cookware?

Absolutely. As long as you use Insul-Bright and 100% cotton materials, your potholder will be heat-safe. Avoid synthetic fabrics or threads, which can melt when exposed to high heat.

3. Can I customize the size?

Definitely! You can make smaller versions (6” x 6”) for mug rugs or larger ones (9” x 9”) for casserole dishes. Adjust your batting layers to maintain flexibility and heat protection.

4. How should I care for my handmade potholders?

Machine wash in cold water on a gentle cycle and lay flat or tumble dry low. Over time, your potholders will soften, becoming even more comforting, just like faith that’s practiced daily.

5. What other fabrics from The Little Rose Shop work for this project?

We offer many Catholic-inspired fabrics that would look beautiful for this pattern! Try pairing saint-themed prints, Marian florals, or liturgical colors to make seasonal sets for your kitchen or for gift-giving.

Related Links

Conclusion

This DIY Catholic potholder tutorial is a gentle reminder that faith can be practiced in the everyday; in the hum of the sewing machine, the warmth of the kitchen, and the small acts of love that fill our homes. By creating something useful and meaningful, you bring beauty, care, and faith into your daily routines.

Whether you hang your new potholders in your own kitchen or gift them to someone you love, may they serve as a quiet witness to the truth that holiness begins at home often in the simplest of ways.

Shop The Little Rose Shop Fabric Collection →

The Little Rose Shop is a Catholic online gift shop providing books and gifts for the Catholic family to bring faith into everyday life. Additionally, The Little Rose Shop makes their original catholic artwork available for other catholic creatives to use for Catholic fabric projects and crafts, or Catholic home decor via wallpaper. Learn more about The Little Rose Shop Fabric at: https://thelittleroseshop.com/pages/fabric