Recycled Denim Potholder
I’ve been on a bit of a kick recycling denim jeans lately. I’ve made several tote bags from old jeans which are posted here under the Denim Crafts category. I’ve been wanting to make a potholder and still want to make a oven mitt too. But first things first, right? Here is my recycled denim potholder complete with a jeans pocket!
Here is my denim potholder in use.
Old recycled denim makes great potholders. All you need is an old pair of jeans, some cotton for padding and I added a piece of insul-bright. Insul-bright is an inexpensive reflective material that is designed for providing padding for potholders, oven mitts etc. Use only 100% cotton towels and cotton crafting batting. Do not use polyester batting or towels as the heat passes right through that material. I paid less than a dollar for a small piece of insul-bright so I figure this is a bargain to provide a good insulation for my potholder. Plus I have leftovers for my future oven mitt project.
Below you will find my step-by-step picture tutorial on how to make this recycled denim potholder.
Cut a piece of denim from an old pair of jeans about 9 inches long with the leg seams intact. If your pant leg is too wide, just sew a seam down each side to make the denim shell as shown.
All Pictures are Clickable
Fold over and press a hem on both unfinished edges as shown.
A picture that shows the insul-bright I used.
I used an old cotton towel for additional padding for my insert inside my denim shell. Cut your cotton towel and insul-bright piece just slightly smaller than your denim piece. I zig-zag’d around the towel and insul-bright piece to secure them together.
Trim your edges and insert this inside your denim shell.
Here is the denim shell shown with the towel and insul-bright inserted inside.
I then pinned and stitched around the top and bottom hems once to close them off and again to secure the insert inside in place. Finish by sewing a trimmed jeans pocket on the outside of the potholder around on 3 sides of the original pocket stitching.
Finished potholder is approx. 8″ square.
Filed under: Denim Crafts on November 16th, 2007
another project that could be entered into my contest…… hint, hint!!
So… where do you find the insul-bright? Good job and I’m looking forward to seeing the oven mitt next!
Nan,
I purchased my insul-bright at Walmart. Thanks for stopping by and I will have to check out your contest.
You are quite crafty! What a great idea! Do you have to add some padding and stuff in it also or is it just one layered?
Amber,
Yes if you check the tutorial I show the extra layer of cotton needed for the potholder. You can use two layers of 100% cotton recycled towel pieces or insul-bright for insulation inside the denim shell.
Cindy,
I have given all my jeans to Goodwill. I should have known you earlier to do wonders with recycling. Thanks for sharing another great idea.
Very cool!
great idea!
Great idea. I was shopping this weekend and saw where someone had made a purse from old jeans. The purse even had some bedazzling done to it.
Excellent tutorial as usual Cindy!
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A friend made me a pair of potholders very much like these, and I can tell you they’re just great — you can put your fingers right into the pocket, so no slipping when you’re lifting a hot casserole dish.
Hmm, now that I see from your tutorial how easy these would be to make… a great idea for Christmas gifts in a hurry, for those few people who always seems to get forgotten off the list! (I’m thinking piano teacher, nephew’s girlfriend, neighbours who drop in with gifts you weren’t expecting…)
Love recycling jeans! WTG!!!
Great, innovative idea. Linked it in my blog!
what a creative idea! i need to make one too..
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