Want to make a quilted hot pad with no binding? This hot pad tutorial will show you a quick and easy way to sew a modern quilted hot pad—perfect for beginners or anyone looking for fun quilting projects!
Small quilting projects are the perfect way to enjoy a bit of sewing without the commitment of making a full quilt. I recently put together a roundup of modern quilted placemats, and hot pads felt like the next logical step. We had some leftover half-square triangle blocks from our Fantastic Slides quilt, and I wanted to put them to good use—that’s how these modern Bear Paw blocks came to life—one of my favorite traditional quilt blocks with endless modern variations!
In this tutorial, we’ll make a 7.5” x 7.5” quilted hot pad, a perfect size for everyday use. I used one of my Bear Paw blocks on one side and a solid fabric on the other, but you can easily adapt the design to fit any quilt blocks or fabric you have on hand. The same goes for size—it’s easily adjustable! Check out the tips at the end of the post.
Now, let’s dive into the tutorial!
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How to Make a Quilted Hot Pad?
7.5×7.5” No Binding Hot Pad Tutorial
This tutorial will guide you through the steps to sew a quilted hot pad with no binding—making it a quick and easy project.
Required Tools:
– cutting mat
– ruler
– marking pencil
– pins
– sewing machine
– iron
– iron board
Materials:
– (1) 8” chosen fabric/block for back
– (2) 7.5” batting pieces *make sure that your batting is heat-resistant (I used 100% cotton bating)
– (1) 5×1.5” fabric piece for the hook
– thread
Step-by-step tutorial for quilted hot pad
Cut all fabric and batting pieces to size. Prepare your quilt block or chosen fabric for the front and back, and trim the batting to be ½” smaller than the fabric.
Take the front side fabric/block and one piece of batting and center both pieces. Pin to keep the layers in place. Repeat for the back side.
Quilt both sides in your desired quilting pattern. I chose a simple grid quilting pattern, but you can find more inspiration in our straight-line quilting patterns.
Take a 5×1.5” fabric piece. Fold both longer sides towards the center, then fold again to form a ⅜” strip. Sew along the longer side to secure it. This will create the hook for hanging your hot pad.
Measure the hook you created in Step 3 and cut it to your desired length—I cut mine to 4″. Then, place it on the corner of the hot pad, ensuring the loop points towards the inside fabric. Secure it in place with a seam, staying within ¼” from the corner.
Place both quilted sides right sides together. Sew around with a ¼” seam allowance, leaving a 3-4” gap on one side to turn the hot pad inside out.
To reduce bulk at the corners, carefully trim them.
Using the gap, turn the hot pad inside out. Push out the corners and press the seam at the gap for a smooth finish.
Hand-stitch or machine-stitch the gap closed for a neat finish. Then, use an iron to press the hot pad, giving it a polished, professional look.
Tips for Size Adjustments:
This quilted hot pad is easily adjustable, so you can choose the size that best fits your needs in the kitchen. Keep in mind that the finished size will always be ½” smaller than the unfinished block you’re starting with, as the ¼” seam allowance on each side reduces the overall dimensions. To minimize bulk in the seams, the batting pieces are cut ½” smaller than the fabric, leaving ¼” of fabric around both top layers of the hot pad.
Sizing example:
– Finished hot pad: 7.5” x 7.5”
– Unfinished pad tops (front & back): 8” x 8” (finished size + 2x ¼”)
– Batting: 7.5” x 7.5”
Hope this tutorial sparked your creativity and inspired you to make your next favorite quilted hot pad. Let us know in the comments if you give it a try!
