DIY Monogrammed Quilt Potholder: A Quick, Handmade Gift Idea

Project Summary:

Gift-giving season is fast approaching, bringing with it the joy of handmade presents! If you're looking for a quick, thoughtful, and beginner-friendly project to spread a little cheer, a circular quilted potholder with monogram embroidery is the perfect choice. It is both a functional kitchen essential and a personal touch that’s sure to delight friends and family. Whether you're new to quilting or simply short on time, this easy-to-follow tutorial will guide you through creating a beautiful, customized gift that’s both practical and heartfelt.

Supplies & Tools:

Basic sewing machine – Brother Innovis BQ3100, Quilt Club Series sewing machine was featured in this blog post.
Basic embroidery machine – Brother Skitch PP1 embroidery machine was featured in this blog post.
Smartphone or tablet with Artspira appinstalled and login
Download potholder templates here
Printer paper
Printer to print potholder templates
Rotary cutter
Quilting ruler(s)
Cutting mat
Fabrics, quilting cotton – Fabric requirements are based on 42in WOF. Cut:
- Fabric A (Exterior): one (1) 10in square, two (2) 6in x 10in rectangles. Note: you can get creative here and use more than one colored fabric. In this example, I used two different floral prints and a plaid.
- Fabric B (Lining): one (1) 10in square, two (2) 6in x 10in rectangles
- Fabric C (Binding): Bias binding tape, approx. 70in; or ¼ yard, cut into 2½in strips and sewn together to make approx. 70in of bias binding.
Medium-weight tear-away adhesive stabilizer – one (1) 6in square
Insulated batting – Use insulated batting for this project because it provides heat resistance, protecting hands from high temperatures. Cut:
- One (1) 12in square
- Two (2) 8in x 12in rectangles
Coordinating thread(s) – 50-weight for piecing, general construction, quilting, embroidery
Hera marker
Scissors for fabric
Scissors for paper
Measuring tape
Fabric pen or pencil
Pins
Seam ripper
Snips (optional)
Pattern weights (optional)
Quilting gloves
Iron
Basting spray (for spray basting) or safety pins (for pin basting)
Walking foot (Brother MuVit Dual Feed Foot was used in this tutorial)

*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, the author and designer may earn a commission.

Directions:

Read through all the directions before you start. Seam allowance throughout the project is ¼in unless specified. The directions are broken down into four key parts:

Template Preparation & Printing
Basting & Quilting
Embroidery
Assembly & Binding.

Template Preparation & Printing

Step 1: If you haven’t done so yet, download the potholder template here

Step 2: Before printing the templates, ensure your printer settings are set to ‘do not scale’ and print one-sided. Start with printing one page of each type of template used to create your potholder project. Once the templates are printed, use a quilting ruler to make sure the grey ‘Test Block’ on each page measures exactly 1in square.

Two printed templates for a quilted potholder labeled "The Weekend Quilter." One template is a full circle, and the other is a semicircle, both including a ¼-inch seam allowance.

A close-up of a transparent quilting ruler placed on a cutting mat with measurement markings. The ruler displays various lines and angles, including 45 and 30-degree angles, along with labeled measurements for precision cutting.

Step 3: If all pages pass the test, cut out the templates in preparation for basting and quilting. Cut on the solid line of each template.

Basting & Quilting

Step 1: Lay one (1) Fabric A 6in x 10in rectangle on top of one (1) Batting 8in x 12in rectangle. Ensure the wrong side of Fabric A is touching Batting. Baste as desired to create one (1) Quilt Sandwich A.

Repeat this step to create a total of two (2) Quilt Sandwich A’s and one (1) Quilt Sandwich B with one (1) Fabric A 10in square and one (1) Batting 12in square.

Three layers of fabric are laid out on a cutting mat, including printed fabric in yellow plaid, pink floral, and orange floral patterns, each layered with white batting. A pair of scissors and a can of quilt basting spray are placed nearby.

Step 2: Place Template A on top of one (1) Quilt Sandwich A – Template A touching the right side of Fabric A. Pin or place pattern weights on top of the Template to secure it in place. Then, with a fabric pen or pencil, trace the outline onto the Quilt Sandwich.

This step shows where to mark the quilting guidelines, which will make the quilting process more efficient and faster.

Repeat with second Quilt Sandwich A and Template A; and Quilt Sandwich B and Template B.

Fabric pieces with batting layers and semicircle templates labeled "The Weekend Quilter" placed on top. The fabrics include yellow plaid, pink floral, and orange floral patterns, laid neatly for cutting.

Step 3: Mark quilting guidelines as desired. For this tutorial, I marked a 1in grid on each of the Quilt Sandwiches.

A close-up of a pink floral fabric with grid quilting lines drawn and stitched. A transparent quilting ruler and a white fabric marking tool are placed beside it on the cutting mat.

Step 4: Quilt all Quilt Sandwich layers together.

Tip: Following the marked guide from Basting & Quilting, Step 2, stitch approx. ⅛in away from it. That way, the layers stay intact when cutting the Quilt Sandwiches in the next step.

Step 5: On two (2) Quilt Sandwich A’s and one (1) Quilt Sandwich B, cut on the marked guideline (from Basting & Quilting, Step 2). Set aside one (1) Quilt Sandwich A and one (1) Quilt Sandwich B for Assembly & Binding, Step 1.

Embroidery

Step 1: Following the directions of the medium-weight tear-away adhesive stabilizer, stick one (1) 6in stabilizer square to one (1) Quilt Sandwich A, with the stabilizer touching the batting side of Quilt Sandwich A. The stabilizer helps prevent the fabric from puckering or the embroidery from distorting during stitching.

It’s okay if the stabilizer has some overhang. It is intentional, as you’ll need that slack to attach it to the embroidery frame. The excess stabilizer will be removed after the embroidery is complete.

A hand holding a piece of batting layered with quilted fabric, partially wrapped with parchment paper or protective fabric sheets to prepare for pressing or layering.

A semicircular fabric piece layered with batting and protective paper sheets, placed on a cutting mat, ready for assembly or further quilting steps.

Step 2: Turn the stabilized Quilt Sandwich A from the previous step around so the batting side is facing down and attach embroidery hoop. This project utilizes the 4in square hoop that comes with the Brother Skitch PP1 embroidery machine.

A semicircular quilted fabric in yellow plaid is positioned inside a black embroidery machine frame, layered with stabilizer for embroidery.

Step 3: Load the Artspira app on your device, browse from the thousands of designs, and select one that you prefer. For this particular project, I typed in ‘E’ in the search bar and selected the letter E with a cross-stitch look.
A phone screenshot of a cross-stitch design showing on the Artspira app featuring various letter "E" designs in different fonts and colors, such as blue and orange, with accents like diacritical marks. The top search bar shows "E" as the query.

Step 4: Create the design and follow the prompts on the app to transfer and stitch out the design onto Quilt Sandwich A.

A Brother embroidery machine actively stitching a design onto the yellow plaid quilted fabric secured in the embroidery frame. The machine's screen and controls are partially visible.

A completed embroidered yellow plaid semicircle is shown in the embroidery frame, featuring a bold letter "E" in pink thread at the center.

Step 5: Remove Quilt Sandwich A from the machine and hoop once the stitching is complete.

Step 6: Tear away excess stabilizer on embroidered Quilt Sandwich A.

The reverse side of the embroidered yellow plaid semicircle, revealing the stabilizer backing and raw stitching on a cutting mat. A rotary cutter and fabric scraps are nearby.

Assembly & Binding

Step 1: With wrong sides touching each other, place embroidered Quilt Sandwich A from the previous step on top of one (1) Fabric B 6in x 10in rectangle. Pin or spray baste to temporarily hold the layers in place. Then stitch approx. ⅛ in away from the edge of Quilt Sandwich A to permanently hold the layers in place.

Repeat this step with the second Quilt Sandwich A and Fabric B 6in x 10in rectangle; and Quilt Sandwich B and Fabric B 10in square that were set aside from Basting & Quilting, Step 5.

Three quilted fabric pieces—a circular orange floral piece, a semicircular pink floral piece, and a yellow plaid piece with an embroidered "E"—are placed on rectangular yellow fabric backgrounds.

A close-up of the yellow plaid quilted semicircle with the embroidered "E" being stitched onto a yellow fabric background. The edge stitching is visible.

Step 2: With a pair of fabric scissors and using Quilt Sandwich as guide, cut excess Fabric B from ALL Quilt Sandwiches.

Set all Quilt Sandwiches aside for Assembly & Binding, Step 5.

Step 3: Take Fabric C 2½in x 70in binding strip, cut into two (2) 2½in x 10in binding strips for both Quilt Sandwich As and one (1) 2½in x 4in binding strip for the potholder loop.

Step 4: With wrong sides facing each other, fold two (2) Fabric C 2½in x 10in binding strips and one (1) Fabric C 2½in x 4in binding strip in half lengthwise. Press fold with iron. Set the shorter strip aside for Assembly & Binding, Step 10. Fabric C 2½in x 10in binding strip shown in the photo example below.

Yellow fabric strips being prepared for binding, with one strip folded lengthwise and partially pressed. A hand adjusts one strip, and an iron is visible on the cutting mat.

Step 5: Take one (1) Quilt Sandwich A from Assembly & Binding, Step 5, turn it around so Fabric B is facing up. Take one (1) folded Fabric C 2½in x 10in binding strip from the previous step, match up the raw edge of the binding strip with the straight raw edge of Quilt Sandwich A. Then sew approx. ¼in away from the raw edge. Don’t forget to reverse stitch the start and end of the seam.

Repeat this step with the second Fabric C 2½in x 10in binding strip and Quilt Sandwich A.

A yellow fabric semicircle is laid flat on a cutting mat with a rectangular yellow fabric strip positioned at the top edge, ready for sewing.

A sewing machine is stitching the yellow fabric strip to the yellow semicircle, showing the progress of attaching the binding.

Step 6: Fold Fabric C binding strip over to the right side of Quilt Sandwich A and machine sew to secure it.

A hand guides a pink floral semicircle through a sewing machine while attaching a yellow fabric strip along the straight edge.

A close-up of a sewing machine needle stitching the yellow binding onto the pink floral semicircle.

Two semicircular quilted fabric pieces, one yellow with a monogrammed "E" and one pink floral, each with yellow fabric bindings sewn to the straight edges.

A close-up of the yellow binding stitched onto the monogrammed yellow fabric and the pink floral fabric, highlighting neat stitching details.

Step 7: Remove excess Fabric C binding strips from both Quilt Sandwich A’s.

The two semicircles from the previous image are trimmed and arranged with colorful scissors and scrap fabric pieces nearby on the cutting mat.

Step 8: Following the image below, aligning the raw edges, place two (2) Quilt Sandwich A’s on top of one (1) Quilt Sandwich B, with the wrong sides touching each other. Then pin to hold in place.

A full circular piece formed by combining a yellow quilted fabric backing and the pink floral semicircle on top, pinned and ready for assembly.

The final circular potholder design with the yellow monogrammed "E" semicircle on top and the pink floral semicircle at the bottom, both with yellow bindings and securely pinned in place.

Step 9: Stitch approximately ⅛in away from the raw edge to create a Potholder Sandwich. This step keeps the Quilt Sandwiches together in preparation for binding in the following steps.

A sewing machine stitching the combined quilted layers together, finalizing the assembly of the circular potholder design.

A rectangular strip of yellow fabric being prepared, pressed flat with visible fold lines, and held by a hand against a grid cutting mat.

Step 10:Take the folded Fabric C 2½in x 4in binding strip from Assembly & Binding, Step 4, unfold the strip. Using the center crease as a guide, fold the raw edges of the binding strip towards the center and press, Then, using the center crease as a guide again, fold the loop in half again. Therefore, there should be four layers stacked on top of each other.Sew approx. ⅛" from the edge to secure the four layers of fabric.

A rectangular strip of yellow fabric being prepared, pressed flat with visible fold lines, and held by a hand against a grid cutting mat.

A strip of yellow fabric being folded and pressed with a finger on a wool ironing mat, showing neat fold lines for a binding loop.

A close-up of an iron pressing a folded yellow fabric strip on a wool ironing mat, with fingers holding the fabric in place for precision.

A close-up of a sewing machine needle stitching along the center of a folded yellow fabric strip, securing the layers together.

A hand holding a stitched yellow fabric strip, showing neat pink stitching along the edge.

Step 11: Following the photo below, take the folded binding strip from the previous step. Attach the binding strip to create a loop to hang the potholder up by lining up the raw edges of the binding strip and the raw edge of the Potholder Sandwich. Sew ⅛" from the edge to secure loop in place. Don’t forget to reverse stitch the start and end of the seam.

A quilted circular fabric piece with yellow plaid and pink floral patterns. A folded yellow strip is pinned at the top as a loop for hanging.

The back view of a quilted circular fabric piece showing the yellow hanging loop pinned in place, with visible stitching lines.

A completed potholder with quilted floral and plaid fabric sections, yellow edging, and a hanging loop, held up by a hand in front of a quilted background.

Step 12: Finally, enclose the raw edge of the Potholder Sandwich with the remaining Fabric C binding strip using your preferred binding method. If you’re not sure how to attach the binding, be sure to check out my previous guest blog post on Brother Stitching Sewcial, or if you’d like to add a little flare to your finish, there’s a second blog post on using decorative stitches on your sewing machine to machine bind. And if you need additional visual support, be sure to watch my Facebook recording on how to machine bind on Brother's YouTube channel.

The following photos show how binding is attached by machine. Again, these steps are broken down in more detail in the blog posts and YouTube video listed in the paragraph above.

A circular quilted fabric piece with bright orange and yellow floral patterns, pinned with yellow binding fabric around its edges.

A sewing machine stitching yellow binding onto a quilted circular piece with a pink and yellow floral design and cross-stitch embroidery.

The finished quilted circular potholder, featuring yellow plaid and floral fabrics with a pink cross-stitched letter "E" and bright yellow binding.

Close-up of the top portion of the potholder showing the neat stitching of the yellow binding against the yellow plaid fabric.

And there you have it—a charming circular quilted potholder with a monogram that’s perfect for holiday gifting! This project is a wonderful way to add a handmade, personal touch to your presents, while still keeping things simple and beginner-friendly. Whether you make one or a whole set, these potholders are sure to be appreciated for both their style and utility. Plus, with the gifting season in full swing, it’s a quick and rewarding way to create something special for your loved ones!

The completed potholder placed on a cutting mat, surrounded by sewing tools including scissors, thread spools, a rotary cutter, and a quilting template.

Don't forget to share your finished piece with your community and tag me on social media so we can see how your version turned out! Happy quilting!

@The.Weekendquilter

@BrotherSews

FAQs

What is the potholder quilt method?
Potholder quilt method involves creating individual quilted squares and rectangles, tracing the templates onto them, cutting along the outlines, stitching the pieces together, and finishing the edges to complete the project.

What do you put inside a potholder?

Insulated batting should be used while making a potholder. Regular batting isn’t sufficient to protect against heat.

DIY Monogrammed Quilt Potholder: A Quick, Handmade Gift Idea

Project Summary:

Supplies & Tools: