Batman Potholder Made With Recycled Items

It is difficult to find a Christmas present for my brother. While brainstorming for ideas, I remembered he collected Batman comics and was cooking Thanksgiving dinner the last time I spoke with him. I decided a Batman potholder would make a perfect gift. This is what I created using mostly recycled items. It came out so well I plan to make another one for my college son.

• Heavy black fabric (twill, demin)
• Padding material (diapers, batting, towels)
• Light weight black fabric
• Black single fold bias tape (3 inches folded to 1 1/2 inch)
• Light weight yellow fabric
• Fusible interfacing
• Cord/string
• Batman pattern (image size about 5 1/4 inches X 2 3/4 inches)

For the black fabric, I used an old pair of high waisted, too-tight black twill pants that were hanging in my closet.

For the padding, I used old diapers sewn together. Cotton batting, mattress pads, or old towels would also work.

I made my bias tape from fabric scraps. If you buy bias tape, make sure it is wide since the potholder is thick.

I used mitty braid I had for the cord but you could use part of an old black shoelace.

From the heavy black fabric, cut a 8" rectangle for the front and larger (about 9") rectangle for the black. It is easier if the back is larger than the front, but you do not need to be precise when cutting the back.

From the padding, cut a 9" rectangle.

Pin the three layer of fabric together in the following order:

• Front right side up
• Padding
• Back right side down

Place about 4 inches of bias tape (fold inside/left, raw edges outside/right) on one side running to corner. Make a mark 1/4 inch from corner for mitering. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, start sewing about 1 1/2 inches from corner, leaving 2 1/2 inches free for seaming. Stop and back stitch at miter mark.

Miter corner by folding bias tape up and straight with next side and then down. Start stitching 1/4 inch from corner. Make sure to back stitch. Continue sewing sides and corners in this way until you have sewn 1 inch from last corner.

Make a mark where the bindings should join. Baste and check. Sew seam. Trim seam and press open. Sew last side.

Iron interfacing to back sides of yellow and black fabric scraps. Cut out batman symbols. I traced the oval but found it easier to pin the bat symbol directly to the fabric and cut around it.

Since I wanted the batman symbol towards the top of the potholder, I placed my oval about 1 1/4 inches from the top edge. Attach oval with zigzag stitch.

Because of the details of the bat symbol, I attached it with a closely spaced, narrow zigzag stitch.

Trim back edge to 1/4 inch. Trim padding slightly larger to fill out binding.

Sew binding on the back with blind stitch. Miter corners.

Tie a knot in a 7" cord. Attach to back with whip stitch.