Looking for a fun and practical embroidery project? In this tutorial, we'll guide you through creating custom embroidered wrap-around pot holders and a matching trivet using Designs by JuJu’s Quilting Backdrops. I love how this set provides excellent heat protection, and a touch of personal flair to my kitchen.

These mitts and trivet are both functional and stylish. By the end of this guide, you'll have a beautiful, cohesive set that’s perfect for your home.

So, grab your supplies and let's get started!

Supplies

Check out DBJJ’s Amazon store for JuJu’s Favorites. 

For both projects, we’ll need:

  • Insul-Bright insulated batting (it has a heat reflective material in the center; it is NOT microwave safe)
  • Cotton batting scraps
  • Fabrics (my fabrics are all 100% quilting cottons from my stash)
  • Thread (pick one that won’t melt)
  • 2 yards of pre-packaged bias binding (or make your own by cutting 2½” bias strips from your fabric)
  • DBJJ Designs
  • Embroidery Hoops - I used a 9.5" X 14" hoop for these projects.
    • NOTE: The best thing about Quilting Backdrops is that you can choose the design size that fits your hoops. They are so versatile! For example, if your largest hoop is 6" X 10", just make additional panels to get the size/length of trivet or wrap-around mitt that you need.

For the wrap-around oven mitt, we’ll need:

  • 2 pieces of main fabric, cut 7” × 14” for the wrap-around part of the mitt
  • 2 pieces of main fabric, cut 7” square for the pocket 
  • 2 pieces of backing fabric, cut 8½” × 16” for the back of the wrap-around part of the mitt 
  • 2 pieces of backing fabric, cut 8½” square for the pockets 
  • 1 piece of backing fabric, cut 1½” × 7” to cover seam joining the wrap-around mitt
  • 2 pieces of backing fabric, cut 2½” × 8” to bind top of pockets
  • Scraps for appliques

For the table trivet, we’ll need:

  • 2 rectangles of main fabric, cut 7” × 15”
  • 1 rectangle of backing fabric, cut 12” × 14”, pressed in half, wrong sides together to measure 6” × 14”
  • 1 rectangle of backing fabric, cut 9” × 14”
  • Scraps for applique

Optionally, I recommend:

NOTE: If you’re using any materials other than 100% cotton fabrics, batting, and thread, this project will NOT be microwave safe.

Wrap-around Pot Holder

Once you have chosen your designs, load them onto your flash drive or machine. For the wrap-around Pot Holder, I used the 6” square and the 6” × 12” DBJJ Orange Peel 2 Quilting Backdrops designs.

I started by cutting two, 6” × 12” pieces for the “wrap-around” part of the pot holder. I hooped cotton batting. Yes, it can be done! Make sure you loosen the hoop and hoop it on a flat surface. 

NOTE: If you have a hoop tightening screwdriver, it’s great to tighten your hoop. Did you know that you can tighten your hoop 3 - 4 more turns using that little tool? Your fabric, or in this case, batting, will not move now.

Off to the embroidery machine! The first stitch is usually the placement line for the batting, but this is where I added the Insul-Bright. Stitch it down and trim away excess beyond the tack down line.

Then, turn your hoop over and tape your lining fabric to the back of your hoop. I didn’t use a lot of tape because the cotton batting grabs your fabric and holds it in place.

Flip the hoop back over to the front and lay down your front fabric. I cut the front fabrics 7” × 14” and the back fabrics a little larger, approximately 8” × 16”. Above, you can see how I trimmed the Insul-Bright once it was tacked in place.

Stitch the fabric tack down and quilting motif. Remember to change your bobbin to a matching thread for the quilting.

Repeat the steps above for a second, identical, quilted piece. The two pieces will be joined together to make the wrap-around part of your pot holder.

When the quilting is done, trim around both of the rectangular pieces. Be sure to cut the batting out of the seam allowance on one short end of each quilted piece. We will sew these two ends together to make the length for your wrap around pot holder.

Discard the two pieces of trimmed seam, shown on the left and right.

I sewed the seam, pressed it open, and trimmed the seam allowance back some more. Finally, I took a small scrap of fabric that matched the back of my quilted piece, 1½” × 7”, and pressed both long edges toward the wrong side by about a quarter of an inch. I centered this strip over the seam to cover the seam allowance. Sew it down on either side, close to the folded edge using a sewing machine. Trim the ends even to your pot holder body and set aside.

Now, back to your embroidery machine to make the pockets. I used the 6” Square Orange Peel 2 Quilting Backdrops design and added appliques. I added the applique designs right on my machine, but if you don’t have that capability, you will need software such as Embrilliance.

Again, hoop your cotton batting, but this time, add a second layer of cotton batting instead of the Insul-Bright. Stitch the batting down, trim it, and place your front and back fabrics as shown above. Once the quilting has finished, applique the crab on the pocket. Repeat the same steps for the second pocket, and this time, add the lobster.

Trim around both pockets. I left a quarter-inch seam allowance. Bind the pocket top with either pre-made bias binding or self-made binding. Since this is a straight edge, I cut two pieces, 2½” × 8”, and folded them in half along the long edges to bind the pockets, as you would a quilt!

I also rounded the bottom corners of my pockets using a thread spool as a guide for the curve. Stitch around those corners to seal the quilting before cutting. 

Finally, trim all seam allowances to ¼”, for both your pockets and your wrap-around mitt. Lay your pockets on either end of the wrap around mitt and baste in place in the seam allowance. Trim the mitt corners to match the pocket corners. 

Now, all that is left to do is bind with the bias binding. I usually sew my binding to the back and then turn the folded edge to the front to sew it down. I like to use one of the fancy stitches on my machine to sew the binding down, but a straight stitch works great too. That completes the wrap-around pot holder.

Table Trivet

To begin the table trivet, I hooped my cotton batting the same way I did for the wrap-around mitt and used Insul-Bright for the batting placement. After you have trimmed your Insul-Bright, the design will run a fabric placement stitch. Tape the front fabric in place and run the quilting design. 

Now, hoop another piece of cotton batting and make another quilted piece just like the first.

On my second piece, I added the little lobster applique after the quilting was finished. Sew your two pieces, right sides together, on one long edge. Trim the batting out of the seam allowances. Press the seam open.

This time, I made an envelope back so I can easily turn the trivet right side out.

Take your 6” × 12” folded backing piece and place it right sides together on one end of your trivet. Take the second backing piece and place it overtop of the other one, so it overlaps by about ¾”. You might have extra backing hanging over the ends of your quilted trivet, and that’s fine! It will get trimmed later. This technique is similar to making mug rugs, so if you’ve done one of those, this will look familiar.

Sew around all outside edges. I sew between the tack down for the Insul-Bright and the outside tack down for the top fabric. Trim the corners, and trim the seam allowances down to about ¼”.

Turn it right side out through the opening, then use a piece of fusible web to seal the opening closed.

There you go! Two easy and fun Quilting Backdrops projects to add your own personal touch to your kitchen decor. This mitt and quilted trivet set is both adorable and functional and makes for great gifts. Keep experimenting with different fabrics, patterns, and embroidery designs to make each piece uniquely yours.

I hope you enjoy making these projects as much as I did. Be sure to post your creations to social media using the hashtag #designsbyjuju!

Sandie Larsen

Sandie Larsen

Hi! I am Sandie, and so thrilled to be here! I enjoy sewing, quilting, bag making, pattern testing, reading, gardening in containers and traveling with my husband. A good friend introduced me to machine embroidery, and I have been hooked! I love creating for my family and friends.