How to make oven mitts (free pattern & tutorial)

Learn how to make your own beautiful, handmade oven mitts using this free pattern and step-by-step tutorial. This is an easy sewing project, simple enough for a beginner to make in an hour.

I love my oven mitt’s shape and size, but also its cheerful pink color and the contrasting yellow thread I used for quilting. It does brighten up my kitchen!

You can make your own pair of oven mitts using printed cotton fabrics of your choice.

Related: How to make reusable produce bags tutorial

My oven mitt is a rather short length, but it does cover the wrist. If you want extra arm protection, you can simply lengthen the pattern and make your oven mitts longer.

It’s fully lined and quilted through all the layers. I’ve also added a practical hanging loop for easy storage.

A good pair of oven mitts is a must-have for every family. This makes a great, thoughtful gift for your friends who love to cook or bake. 

Finished size – approximately 11” length x 6.5” width. 

For this project you need to use a larger needle, such as a 90/14 or 100/16, and a walking foot – I’d strongly recommend it. However, for this project I didn’t use one because… I totally forgot.

Let’s take a closer look at my stitching lines and see why a walking foot would have been of great help. My stitches are not even – there is a noticeable difference in stitch length, and that’s because my quilted oven mitt is „dragging”. It is what it is, I’ll do better next time, I’ve already dusted off my walking foot.

Mellysews.com has a great post on why, when and how to use a walking foot for sewing.

The best fabric to use for oven mitts

Thick, 100% cotton fabrics are the best choice for the outer layer of oven mitts. For the inside, you need an insulating layer that is heat resistant, such as cotton batting or Insul-Bright. The lining is usually a light/medium weight cotton fabric.

Depending on how thick is your insulation fabric, you may need 1 or 2 layers per side for your oven mitts. Always read the packaging instructions of your batting if you want good heat protection.

I used two layers of cotton batting for each of my oven mitt pieces. This is exactly what I used for this project – Vlieseline 272 Thermolam batting. It’s a soft, dense, medium-volume batting that insulates very well. The instructions say you should use two layers if you make potholders or ironing pads, and that’s what I did. 

Sewing supplies for making DIY oven gloves

• FREE oven mitt sewing pattern template – download below
• 100% cotton fabric – for the outer layer & lining
• Cotton batting / Insul-Bright batting
• Approx. 19” of double fold bias tape (or make your own with a bias tape maker)
• Fabric scissors
• Iron + ironing board
• Sewing machine
• Sewing machine needle – a larger size, like 90/14 or 100/16
• Walking foot
• Sewing pins / sewing clips

Related: How to make round fabric baskets (free pattern and tutorial)

Step 1 – prepare the pattern and the fabric of your choice

Print the pattern (make sure to set your printer to 100% scale) and gather your supplies. 

To create 1 oven mitt, you’ll need several fabric rectangles each measuring 9” by 12”, as follows:

• 2 pieces of main fabric (the outer layer)
• 4 pieces of cotton batting
• 2 pieces of lining fabric (the inner layer)

If you want to make a pair of oven mitts, cut out another set of fabric pieces.

Also, you’ll need 19” or so of bias tape, but it doesn’t need to be cut on the diagonal – I cut my binding on the grain of the fabric (it works just fine if you need to finish straight edges).

Step 2 – assemble the fabric sandwiches

Then, layer your fabric pieces in this order – lining fabric with the right side down, cotton batting x 2, main fabric with the right side up. Repeat for the other half of the oven mitt.

Next, place the paper pattern over your main fabric rectangles and cut two pieces. You should end up with two exterior pieces that mirror each other.

Place the exterior pieces on top of your fabric stacks like this to make a fabric sandwich. Press with an iron, then pin everything in place.

Step 3 – quilt the oven mitt pieces

Quilt each oven mitt piece with a stitch length of 3.0 mm. Stitch diagonal lines across your oven mitts going in both directions. I started in the middle of the fabric and simply eyeballed the quilting lines.

This is where a walking foot would come in handy.

And this is what the front and the back look like right now.

Then, cut around the edge of your mitt pieces.

Step 4 – prepare the bias binding

If you don’t already have bias tape, make your own using a bias tape maker.

As I mentioned before, I did not cut my binding on the bias, but on the grain of the fabric. It’s much easier and faster, and I don’t need real bias tape for this project anyway. You’ll need a binding strip that is about 19 inches long.

Step 5 – attach bias tape to the bottom of the oven mitt

Now you’ll sew a piece of bias tape to the bottom edge of the first oven mitt piece. You need a piece of the double-fold bias tape that is the same length as that raw edge.

It goes like this: align the raw edge of the bias binding to the raw edge of the mitt, right sides together.

Use sewing clips or pins to secure it in place, then stitch down the fold crease.

The next step is to fold the bias binding over the edge, then back down the other side of your mitt. 

The goal is to cover that visible stitching line. If you have to trim a little bit the raw edge of the mitt to be able to enclose it, there’s no shame in doing that!

Now you sew closely to the edge of the bias tape on the right side of your mitt – that’s basically topstitching. The whole idea is to catch the back of the bias tape all the way. To do this, you need to stitch slowly and continually check the back of the mitt as you go.

My bias binding came out like this – not great, not terrible.

Step 6 – make the hanging loop

Take a 4” piece of bias tape and edgestitch close to both long folded edges.

Step 7 – sew the two halves of the oven mitt together

Sew the oven mitt pieces with right sides facing together. Fold the hanging loop in half and sandwich it between the two pieces. I placed it 1 inch away from the bottom edge of the oven mitt.

The raw edges should stick out a little bit through the raw edges of the mitt, as shown below.

Now sew around the whole mitt with a small seam allowance – you obviously need to leave the bottom un-stitched. Backstitch at the beginning and end.

When you get to the thumb dip area (between the fingers and thumb), make the turn slightly rounded (as opposed to a sharp V-shape).

Trim the seam allowance and notch around all curves of the oven mitt. Clip into the thumb dip area without cutting through the stitches. This Itch to stitch article explains very well when and why you should clip and notch, with great pictures.

This is to reduce the bulk and the tension and it helps you make the oven mitt lie flat and smooth, with nice curves.

Turn your oven mitt right side out using a chopstix or fabric turner, then press flat – and you’re done!

This DIY oven mitt feels comfortable and safe, and is perfect for glorious days in the kitchen!

Hope you enjoyed this sewing tutorial, see you next time!

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