Sewing · Pattern
The Heavy Hearth Pad
The layer order matters more than the quilting pattern: cotton outer right side down, batting, insulated lining, batting, cotton outer right side up. Keep every synthetic print and decorative vinyl away from heat-contact surfaces.
Step by step
Step 1
Cut accurately
Cut all layers square and true. A pad that shifts while quilting will never sit flat again.
Step 2
Baste from the centre out
Layer in order and baste from the centre outward so nothing creeps.
Step 3
Quilt a grid
Quilt a simple 2 inch grid or evenly spaced diagonal lines so the layers cannot shift in use or in the wash.
Step 4
Add the hand pocket
Bind the pocket's straight opening edge, place it against the back and baste the three remaining sides.
Step 5
Round the corners and bind
Round the corners with a cup as a guide, then attach cotton binding around the perimeter. Add a 3 inch hanging loop at one corner if you want one.
Step 6
Inspect after every wash
Replace the pad once the insulation is thin, scorched, torn or compressed.
If it goes sideways
Handmade oven pads reduce heat transfer but are not fireproof. Use only when completely dry, never in an oven or near flame, and stop the moment heat comes through.
The Mercantile Letter
Notes from the workroom
Seasonal shop openings, new patterns, and what's rising on the kitchen counter. Sent quietly, never often.