How To Make Kitchen Mittens: Easy Guide

Can you make your own kitchen mittens? Yes, you absolutely can! Making your own kitchen mittens, also known as DIY oven mitts, is a rewarding and practical craft that’s perfect for beginners. These homemade pot holders offer superior protection and a touch of personal style to your kitchen. This guide will walk you through creating fabric insulated mitts that are both functional and stylish, perfect for anyone looking for easy sewing crafts. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right materials to the final stitch, ensuring you end up with a fantastic set of kitchen safety items.

Gathering Your Materials: The Foundation of Great Mittens

Before you start to sew kitchen gloves, having all your supplies ready makes the process much smoother. Think of this as preparing your ingredients before cooking! For durable and protective kitchen mittens, you’ll need specific fabrics and notions.

Fabric Choices: More Than Just Pretty Patterns

The right fabric is crucial for creating effective fabric insulated mitts. You need layers that can withstand heat and provide a good grip.

Outer Fabric: This is the part you’ll see! Cotton, cotton blends, or even denim work well. Look for pre-washed fabrics as cotton can shrink. Fun prints, classic solids, or even quilting cotton for quilting oven mitts are excellent choices.
Insulating Layer: This is the heart of your oven mitt’s protection.
- Insul-Bright: This is a polyester batting specifically designed for hot surfaces. It’s a fantastic, readily available option that reflects heat.
- Old Towels or Thick Cotton Batting: You can also use multiple layers of thick cotton batting or repurposed thick cotton towels. Ensure they are 100% cotton for best heat resistance. Avoid synthetic materials like polyester fleece directly against the heat, as they can melt.
Lining Fabric: A soft, breathable fabric like 100% cotton is ideal for the inside of your mitt. This makes them comfortable to wear.

Essential Notions and Tools

Beyond fabric, a few key items will help you assemble your mittens perfectly.

Sewing Machine: While you can hand-sew, a sewing machine is highly recommended for speed and durability. If you’re new to sewing, familiarize yourself with your sewing machine essentials.
Thread: Choose a strong, good-quality cotton or polyester thread.
Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors are a must for clean cuts.
Rotary Cutter and Mat (Optional): These can make cutting fabric quicker and more precise, especially for lining up your hot pad patterns.
Pins: For holding fabric layers together.
Iron and Ironing Board: Pressing seams as you go makes a huge difference in the finished product.
Fabric Marker or Chalk: For transferring your hot pad patterns onto fabric.
Ruler or Measuring Tape: For accurate measurements.
Bias Tape (Optional but Recommended): This helps create a clean, professional finish around the edges. You can buy pre-made bias tape or make your own from fabric scraps.

Deciphering Hot Pad Patterns: Creating Your Blueprint

A good hot pad pattern ensures your mittens are the right size and shape. You can find many free patterns online, or you can draft your own.

Finding and Using Hot Pad Patterns

Online Resources: Search for “free oven mitt patterns” or “DIY oven mitt patterns.” Many quilting and sewing blogs offer downloadable templates.
Creating Your Own:
1. Trace around your hand, leaving a little extra room for comfort and the thickness of the fabric.
2. Add about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) for seam allowance around the traced hand shape.
3. You’ll need two pieces for the outer fabric, two for the insulating layer, and two for the lining for each mitt.

Cutting Your Fabric Pieces

Once you have your pattern, it’s time to cut.

Outer Fabric: Place your pattern piece on the outer fabric and trace around it with a fabric marker. Cut out two pieces per mitt.
Insulating Layer: Cut out two pieces of your insulating fabric (Insul-Bright or batting) for each mitt, matching the outer fabric shape but without adding seam allowance. This layer should sit inside the seam.
Lining Fabric: Cut out two pieces of lining fabric for each mitt, following the same pattern as the outer fabric, including the seam allowance.

Tip: If you’re making quilting oven mitts, you might want to “quilt” your batting to the outer fabric before cutting the final shape. This involves sewing simple lines through both layers to keep them from shifting.

Assembling Your Mittens: Step-by-Step Stitching

Now for the fun part – bringing your kitchen mittens to life! Follow these steps carefully to create durable and functional DIY oven mitts.

Layering and Quilting (Optional but Recommended)

For extra durability and a professional look, especially for quilting oven mitts, you can quilt the outer fabric to the insulating layer.

Lay one piece of your outer fabric right side up.
Place the insulating layer on top of the outer fabric, centering it.
If you’re not using Insul-Bright, you might want to add a layer of cotton batting behind the Insul-Bright for extra thickness.
Pin all layers together securely.
Using your sewing machine, stitch simple straight lines across the layers – diagonal lines, a grid pattern, or even free-motion quilting can work. This keeps the layers from shifting inside your fabric insulated mitts.
Trim any excess batting or fabric to match the outer fabric shape. Repeat for the second mitt.

Sewing the Mitt Layers Together

This is where your sewing machine essentials come into play.

Take one quilted outer piece and one lining piece for a single mitt.
Place them right sides together. The outer fabric should be on the bottom, and the lining on top.
Pin around the edges, leaving the bottom open (the wrist opening).
Sew around the pinned edges with a 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) or 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) seam allowance, following the shape of your pattern. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam for strength.

Turning and Finishing the Mitt

Clip Curves and Corners: Carefully clip small notches into the seam allowance around any curved edges and snip off the corners. This helps the fabric lie flat when turned right side out. Be careful not to cut through your stitches!
Turn Right Side Out: Reach inside the opening and carefully pull the fabric through, turning the mitt right side out. Use a point turner or a chopstick to gently push out the seams and corners.
Press: Iron the mitt flat, pressing the seams neatly.

Attaching the Bias Tape: A Professional Touch

Bias tape gives your kitchen gloves a clean, finished edge and reinforces the opening.

Prepare the Bias Tape: If you bought pre-made bias tape, it’s ready to go. If you’re making your own, cut fabric strips on the bias (at a 45-degree angle) and press them in half lengthwise.
Attach the Bias Tape:
- Open one side of the bias tape.
- Pin the raw edge of the bias tape to the raw edge of the opening of your mitt, right sides together.
- Sew along the fold line of the bias tape, attaching it to the mitt.
- Fold the bias tape over the raw edge of the mitt and pin it in place on the inside.
- Stitch the bias tape down, catching both the folded edge and the fabric underneath. Aim to sew close to the edge of the bias tape.

Tip: You can also add a loop for hanging your mitts. Before attaching the bias tape, fold a small piece of fabric or ribbon into a loop and tuck it under the bias tape as you sew it on.

Creating a Perfect Pair: Making the Second Mitt

Repeat all the steps above for the second kitchen mitten. Ensure you are cutting and sewing the mirror image of the first mitt so you have a left and a right.

Customizing Your Kitchen Mittens: Adding Flair

Now that you know how to make basic kitchen mittens, you can get creative!

Embroidery and Appliqué

Embroidery: Add your initials, a simple design, or a cute kitchen motif with embroidery floss.
Appliqué: Cut out shapes from contrasting fabrics and appliqué them onto the outer fabric before you start sewing the layers together. Think little hearts, stars, or even little kitchen tools!

Contrasting Fabrics and Piping

Contrast Cuffs: Use a different fabric for the cuff part of the mitt.
Piping: Add fabric piping around the edges before attaching the bias tape for a more structured, professional look.

Quilted Designs

If you’re into quilting oven mitts, experiment with different quilting patterns. Stippling, straight lines, or free-motion designs can add texture and visual interest.

Maintaining Your Homemade Pot Holders

To keep your DIY oven mitts in good condition:

Washing: Most cotton mittens can be machine washed on a gentle cycle with cold water. Avoid harsh detergents.
Drying: It’s best to air dry your kitchen mittens. High heat in a dryer can degrade the insulating properties over time.
Inspect Regularly: Check for any loose threads or worn areas.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Kitchen Mittens

Here are some common questions people have when embarking on this project:

Q: Can I use any fabric for the inside of my oven mitts?
A: It’s best to use 100% cotton for the lining. Natural fibers are more breathable and less likely to melt if they come into accidental contact with extreme heat. Avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester fleece or polyester blends directly against the heat source.
Q: How many layers of batting do I need?
A: For good insulation, at least two layers of cotton batting or one layer of Insul-Bright is recommended. More layers will provide more protection, but can also make the mitt bulkier and harder to handle.
Q: Why are my oven mitts still too hot to handle?
A: This could be due to insufficient insulating material, using synthetic fabrics that melt, or not allowing enough seam allowance to create a buffer. Ensure you are using heat-resistant batting and that your layers are properly secured.
Q: Is it difficult to sew with bias tape?
A: Bias tape can be a little tricky at first, especially on curves. Taking your time, pinning securely, and using a zipper foot or a bias tape foot on your sewing machine can help greatly. Practicing on scraps is always a good idea.
Q: Can I make these without a sewing machine?
A: Yes, you can hand-sew your kitchen mittens. It will take significantly longer, and you’ll want to use a strong backstitch for durability. Ensure your stitches are small and consistent for the best results.

Making your own kitchen mittens is a fantastic way to add personalized touches to your kitchen and create functional kitchen safety items. With a little practice, you’ll be able to whip up pairs for yourself, friends, and family. Enjoy your new, custom-made protection from the heat!