For almost two months, I have been trying to get a new patch of oven mitts made. I hate to admit how much time it takes to quilt each individual mitt–way too much time. But there is something special about these mitts, so I keep making them. They are great gifts that are fun to look at and to use.
Here is how I make my mitts. First, I piece together a very large–about 4 feet by 8 feet–“quilt” of vintage upholstery fabric. Yes, I have a collection of vintage upholstery fabric. There are a lot upholstery scraps out there waiting to be put to good use, and I am a channel for that. You can use any fabric you like.
I back my mitts with denim. You can use old denim from jeans if you are making individual mitts. I use yardage. I have been lucky in finding denim yardage at the thrift store several times, and my mother-in-law once gave me a bolt of denim. After all these years of making mitts, I have almost finished that bolt.
In between the denim and the upholstery fabric is a layer of Insul-Bright. There are other products out there like Insul-Bright that work just as well, but I have a bolt of this, so I use it. The main thing with this batting layer is that it must protect your hand from burning–so look for products that do that. In the past I have used two layers of Insul-Bright, but nowdays I use only one.
If you were going to make a pair of mitts on your domestic machine you would make a small quilt sandwich like this which is about 10 1/2” by 15”. You would quilt it just like any other quilting project.
Once you have made two of these, you would take your pattern and put it RIGHT SIDE UP on your fabric, then mark around it with a Sharpie. 
You would do this again but with the pattern WRONG SIDE UP. Cut these out, stitch, bind, and you’ve got a mitt!
Because I make these in batches, I use my long arm quilting machine aka Priscilla.
Once I have quilted this large blanket of upholstery fabric, I use a Sharpie to draw outlines of the mitt all over the fabric. As I do this, I must flip the pattern so that half of what I get is the outside of a mitt and the other half is the inside of a mitt. Once, I cut only outsides! Which meant I had no mitts at all.
To keep track of how many outside mitts versus inside mitts I have, I cut as I go–this gives me a visual tally of outsides to insides.
One four foot by eight foot upholstery quilt yields about 18- 20 mitts. I do try and position the pattern so that I get interesting fabric combinations on my mitts which results in a little bit of waste, but I am okay with that.
Several years ago, I had Chris Arend do a photo shot of my mitts. I love what he did.
This is my 100th post on Tales of a Stitcher. Can you believe it? In celebration of this, I am giving away my personal oven mitt pattern complete with instructions to the first 100 individuals who post here and then email me their address.
These mitts are the perfect way to practice quilting AND make great gifts for your loved ones.
Thank you all for your interest in my Artful Oven Mitt pattern. I am no longer giving this pattern away for free, but if you are interested in having one, I do sell them here in the USA for $10.00 which includes shipping. You can pay me via Paypal at mariashell4@gmail.com just mention in the notes that you are puchasing an Artful Oven Mitten pattern. Thank you folks!
These are about the coolest mitts I’ve seen yet – found this link on stitchinggrandma, and she sent me over here. Love ’em!! theremissionary@gmail.com (disregard those other two comments, got the email wrong, cannot BELIEVE I did that!!!)
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These mitts are so cool and colorful. Thank you for sharing.
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They have a Russian peasant feel. So full of color and vitality. I love them.
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Thank you Krissi! I have thought about making them look like Russian nestling dolls. Each one just a bit smaller than the next.
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I absolutely love the serendipity of your oven mitts. Each one has its own personality which makes them totally fun.:)
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Thank you Susie! I hope you enjoy your pattern.
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I’d love the pattern Maria-saw it on Martha Hall’s blog-they are so cool! jenny@quiltskipper.com Thank you!
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Martha’s mitts turned out great. I would love to send you a pattern. I’ll email you the details. Thank you for stopping by.
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I love this pattern and fabric layout! I am hosting the annual Tea and Table Settings event for a fund raiser for our local museum and this year’s theme is Hats, Heels and Handbags. Of course gloves will be a part of that. We have volunteers make things to sell in the boutique at the Tea and would love to use your pattern for the Gloves Dept – Kitchen Gloves. I am hopeful to receive your pattern and permission to sell them at the fund raiser.
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Absolutely Marybeth! That would be a perfect use for this pattern.
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these are works of art that work! I love the photos made of mitt groupings and that you use heavy fabrics in your construction . thank you for the great tips Maria.
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Thank you Sonja! I’m glad you stopped by.
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As soon as I free up my longarm i a am going to make some of these. It looks too fun! I don’t have any upholstery fabric so will have to make due with regular cotton quilting fabric. I suspect durability is the only issue I would have.
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If you use regular cotton fabrics I would make sure to have a thicker lining fabric–denim is great. And I would consider using two layers of insulated batting or one layer of insulated and one layer of regular cotton. Thank you for stopping by!
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I love these mits and think they are a great gift idea! I learned about them on Nina-Marie’s blog ring. I’d love the pattern. Thank you.
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Judith, thank you for stopping by–I’d love to send you a pattern.
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I wandered over here from Martha Hall’s blog, and love the mitts. I cannot find a place to download the actual pattern……………am I doing something wrong??? Thanks….Sharon
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Sharon-I am not technologically advanced enough to have a pattern for you to download. This is very much an old school give away. You post on my blog. I email you and ask for your address, then I mail you a pattern via the US postal service. We will get you a pattern, it will just a take a few days.
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I think these are great. The oven mitts I had that fit have worn just where you need it. the others were massive, and kept getting in food…so no use! I have been using some that are like pockets on either end of a length of fabric. sort of like these. http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/cookshop-collection-traditional-double-pocket-oven-glove-186726?cm_mmc=elp-_-Oven gloves-_-1-_-1 but sometimes I would prefer an actual glove.
If you are still giving out patterns I’d be interested! I read it on Martha Hall’s blog.
Sandy in the UK
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Sandy- Thank you for stopping by. I would love to add England to my list of locations that this pattern has traveled to.
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The oven mitts pattern is just what I need to get started on 2014 Christmas gifts! All the mitts you have made are a great inspiration!
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Sandy–Good for you on getting an early start!
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Thank you! I would love to have the pattern. – I too (like Sandy) am getting a head start on next Christmas. My goal is to cross at least 2 people off my list each month! That will be easy with these pot holders. Thanks for sharing the idea and pattern.
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Ellie- I would love to send you a pattern. I am very impressed with you early planners!
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Hi Maria! If I am in town (still up in the air) I will join you in your Mitt class in April. Good luck with object runway too.
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That’s great news Stacey. Thank you for the support. I’ve got a lot of work to do in the next four days….
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Is it too late? I’d love to have an oven mitt pattern if they’re still available. I just found your blog recently and have spent most of my morning reading entry after entry. Wow!
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I’d love to send you a Artful Oven Mitt pattern! Thank you for stopping–it kind of made my day.
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I also found my way here from Martha Hall’s blog and would love to have the pattern for your oven mitts. I am currently one-handed due to an unfortunate incident the other night involving a large opened can of tomato sauce and my index finger, so I might need to re-name the mitt, cutting mitt. It was fortuitous that our son’s godfather is a plastic surgeon. Five stitches sewn the kitchen table.
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Ruta- I hope your finger is healing. Five stitches is a lot! I would love to send you a mitt pattern. I will email you the details. Thanks for stopping by.
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I came on Martha’s recommendation too. If you still have your pattern available, I’d love to try it out. Love the fun prints you used!
Thanks,
😀 eirdre
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Of course Deirdre. I will put one in the mail for you. Thanks for stopping by!
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How much do you sell these for?
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I sell them at a local gallery for $60.00 a mitt. Thank you for stopping by!
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You sent me a pattern once and I loaned it out and haven’t seen it since. Would you be kind enough to mail me another one??? I would be willing to pay you something for it if necessary. I love the pattern! Its the best. Thank you!
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Ellie-
I dropped one in the mail for you today!
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Oh, thank you! This one will not leave my sewing room!
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Ellie- I hope you got the pattern–tell your to keep their “mitts” off of it. 🙂
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Oh YES! I got it and thank you! This one is definitely for my MIT’s only! 🙂 I cut it out if template plastic so it will last and I never loan my plastic templates. Again, my thanks for a great pattern.
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Ellie- I’m teasing you. Tell your friends if they want one, they can ask me right here. I think I still have about 25 left. And then I will make a new set with tweaked instructions. It’s all good.
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Oh I knew you were teasing! I did make plastic for myself and now will point them to your blog. You’re great! 🙂
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If you are really giving out your pattern STILL, I would love to have one! What a GREAT idea! My best girlfriend (also a quilter) is getting married soon and I would love to give her a set. It would give me a chance to use up some of the upholstry remnants I buy.
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Of course, I will send you a pattern! Thank you for stopping by.
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Hi, Maria, I would love to have this pattern if you still have one available. You have my address from the SBAMQG contract. Thank you!
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Lynne- I would love to send you a mitt pattern. I will put one in the mail tomorrow!
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These mitts are awesome. What a great way to recycle jeans too. I have a huge pile of them plus dressers full of fabric. These are very colorful and useful.
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Hi, Maria.I’d love to have the oven mitt pattern, if you’re still sending them off into the world. cheers,
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Yes. Tonya. I will be in touch about the mitts!
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I stumbled upon your website and blog when I was looking at classes at the Houston Quilt Festival. I am so taking this class—it looks like a fun time and I can learn a lot. Can’t wait for registration to open!
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Thank you Stephanie! We will have a good time!
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Your mitts are fabulous! I have noticed them in other posts that you have made.I would love a pattern. Cant wait to make them. Love all your work. Congratulations on your SAQA quilt being sold the first day.
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Thank you Tricia! Look for an email from me and I will get the pattern to you. I hope you make lots of them!
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If it’s not too late I would like a pattern. These look very nice.
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Are any patterns left? I’m here to help you reach your goal. 🙂
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I had a pattern, used it and have lost it!!! Could I please have just one more??? These are great mitts and fun to make! They make me feel like an artist as I collage the fabric. Thanks.
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Hi Maria, I have a 10 yr old granddaughter who loves to sew! This would be such a fun project for us to share. If you have any patterns left, we would love it!
Thanks,
Patti
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It is in the mail!
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Thank you so much, we’ll have it with plenty of time to make Christmas Presents. My granddaughter and I both thank you very much.
Patti
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Dear Maria,
What a wonderful pattern. Truly “kitchen art!”
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I would love a pattern.
B. Damron
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I will send email Bonnie. You are the very last freebie!
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Thank you and thank you, Maria.
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Of course. My pleasure!
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I would love to help my granddaughter make these. How do I get the pattern. I saw where you were charging 10.00 but don’t know how to do that.
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I have upholstery scraps to use up. Before buying the pattern, I am wondering if one has to use all cotton fabric or if synthetic and other blends work. I’m considered about melting or getting on fire.
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Marilyn- I have used all kinds of things and I have never had problem. If you put them into a fire they will burn, and I wouldn’t use an upholstery fabric that has a plastic coating on one side, but synthetics and poly blends have worked just fine. I hope that answers your questions.
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Great! Then how do I order the pattern?
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Marilyn- I sent you an email with the details! Thank you!
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