Make Potholders From Old Jeans

Make potholders from an old pair of discarded jeans. The jean pockets make a handy (no pun intended)pocket for slipping in your hands. The entire process took less than an hour. These are great for the kitchen, for carrying hot dishes to a potluck, or for use at your favorite guy's grill. Seriously, it took longer to write this blog than to make these potholders.

1. Find an old pair of discarded jeans.

2. Cut squares around the pocket as allowed. Depending on the jean size, you will have larger or smaller potholders.

3. Cut squares of denim to match the pocket denim squares.

4. For the insulation lining, use two layers of thick wool batting cut to equal squares, or you use several layers of denim squares cut from the jean legs. I had a felted wool sweater that I chose to cut the lining from.

5. Place the denim pieces together with right sides facing and the lining on the bottom. The first potholder I made I did the most logical thing and sandwiched my pieces with the lining in the center. What was I thinking!Your pieces should lay a) denim - face down b) denim - face up c) lining. Pin pieces together.

6. Stitch 3 sides of the potholder with a 1/2" or 5/8" seam allowance. This may depend on how much fabric is allowed around each pocket.

7.Turn the layers inside out with the both pieces of denim on the outside. The lining should be sandwiched in between the denim. Press.

8. Turn in the remaining side and pin. Topstitch the remaining side closed. I preferred to handstich the remaining side closed.

9.) Repeat with remaining pocket.