How to Sew Large Casserole Dish Hot Pad (Free Pattern)

With this sewing tutorial, learn how to sew large hot pads, big enough for casserole dishes! 

These casserole hot pads not only add a pop of color to your dinner table but also provide a practical solution for protecting tables and countertops from the heat of hot dishes or pots. 

Our free extra large hot pads sewing pattern is easy to make and is the perfect alternative to using multiple potholders.  You'll want to make more than one for yourself!

About Our Large Casserole Hot Pad

For our casserole hot pad pattern, you’ll need fabric for the top and back, along with two layers of batting and a layer of Insul-Bright for the inside.  The Insul-Bright helps reflect the heat away from your table or countertop.  Besides those items, you’ll just need some standard sewing supplies you probably already have on hand.

We provide a detailed step-by-step photo tutorial for making this casserole dish hot pad.  Visual learners can also benefit from a free accompanying YouTube video!

It's the Perfect Gift!

These hot pads make beautiful gifts for: Birthdays, Wedding Showers, Christmas, Housewarming, Mother’s Day, Hostesses, Neighbors, Co-Workers, Teachers, and Thank You Gifts.

Personalize the casserole hot pad with fabrics matching the personality of the recipient.  Or match the theme of the kitchen.

Free Printable Casserole Dish Hot Pad Tags

If gifting, roll the hot pad up, tie it with a ribbon and include one of our free printable casserole hot pad tags.

To get the free printable gift tags for the casserole hot pad, go to the end of this tutorial where you'll find the download link for the printable PDF.

To learn how to make your own casserole hot pads using our free pattern, watch our video tutorial and follow the photo tutorial below with its step-by-step instructions.

Lots of casserole hot pad patterns are just the size of the casserole dish.  The charming trivet pattern we've designed is sized to fit under a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with room to spare. It can also be used as a centerpiece, table topper or placemat.

Step 3: Piece Together Hot Pad Top

First, let's make the front piece.

Piece the top piece by using a ¼” seam allowance.  Sew the two smaller side pieces (2 ½” x 8”) to the main fabric.  Then sew the top and bottom pieces.  Press the seams toward the darker fabric.

To machine quilt, I used a standard diagonal lines quilting pattern.  Learn how to use this quilting method by reading on or use your favorite method to quilt the layers together. Align your ruler with the 45-degree angle along the bottom edge and draw a diagonal line across the pieced top with a fabric marker.

Step 5: Quilting the five layers together

Quilting the five layers together will be much easier if you have a walking foot because the project is quite bulky and the pieces will feed through the machine smoother.  But if you don't have one, you can still quilt without it - just take your time.

Attach the guide bar to your sewing machine and set it 2” from the needle so you can space your quilting lines 2 inches apart.  Set the stitch length longer; I use a stitch length of around 3.

Start machine quilting by lining up your needle so it’s stitching along the drawn diagonal line.Once the first diagonal line is sewn, use the guide bar to quilt the remaining lines, spacing them 2 inches apart. Be sure to remove any pins as you sew.

STEP 6: Trim Piece

As you quilted, the layers may have shifted a bit. Trim off any batting or fabric if needed to remake it into a perfect rectangle.

Step 7: Binding The Casserole Hot Pad

Double-fold binding will be used to cover the raw edges of the hot pad.

Prep the binding strips by cutting strips 2 3/4” wide and joining them to make a strip at least 68 inches long.  Not sure how to join the strips, check out our page on how to join binding strips. Fold the binding in half lengthwise and press.

Flip the hot pad so the back is facing up.  Starting on one of the long sides, leaving a 5” tail align up the raw edges of the binding with the raw edge of the hot pad.  Begin sewing the binding to the hot pad using a 3/8" seam allowance; remember to backstitch when you start. When you approach corners, they will be mitered.

As you approach the starting point, STOP 5 - 6 inches away.  It’s important to leave a 5 – 6 inch gap between where you started and where you end.  Again, don’t forget to backstitch.

To join the two ends of the binding strip, take the hot mat to the ironing board and fold the two ends back on themselves until they butt up together in the middle of the unsewn gap.  Press these folded ends with an iron to make a crease.

Now, open the binding and with the right sides together, match the creases, pin and sew together on the crease line. Before trimming and sewing this portion of the binding to the project, make sure that the length of the binding fills in the unsewn gap correctly. If it does, clip excess fabric away making a 1/4" seam.  Finger press the seam open, refold it and finish sewing the binding to the hot pad.  If it doesn't, readjust the stitching.

STEP 8: Finishing the Binding

Although this is entirely optional, I have found that it helps to get a neater finish if I use an iron to press the binding up, away from the back of the hot pad.

After pressing, flip the hot pad right side up and fold the binding around the raw edge to the front of the hot pad making sure to cover the stitching line that shows on the front. I love using Wonder Clips for this, but you can use pins.  When you get to the corners, miter them.To sew the binding to the front of the hot pad, start at a corner.  Carefully use a straight stitch and sew 1/8 inch or less from the inside folded edge. This is called edgestitching. Don't forget to backstitch when you start sewing. As you sew you may want to go slowly and reposition the fabric as necessary as you go.

Continue stitching the binding to the hot pad until you reach the next corner. When you get there, with the needle down, pivot the hot pad and begin stitching again.

Continue sewing until the binding is completely sewn onto the casserole hot mat.

You’re finished.  I REALLY, REALLY love the way it turned out.  This project is so easy, so economical, so functional.

It's fun and quick to make too—taking only about an hour to make after a bit of practice!

Gifting the Casserole Dish Hot Pad

These large casserole dish hot pads make wonderful gifts—roll them up, tie them with a ribbon, and pair them with smaller hot pads like our folded star potholder.

Remember to include the free casserole hot pad tag with your hot pad.  It tells the recipient what it is and how to care for it.

We hope you enjoyed learning how to make the casserole dish hot pad and make some for yourself, friends and for gifts.

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