Heart-Shaped Pot Holders

Cooks seeking to renew the spark in their culinary lives need look no further: Creating heart-shaped pot holders is a charming way to add whimsy and color to your kitchen's decor. They also make sweet Valentine's Day gifts. After all, these mitts are warm and fuzzy inside and all heart on the outside.

What You'll Need:

• Cotton batting
• Pins
• Cotton fabric (3 stacks of 12-by-12-inch pieces)
• Bias tape
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Pot holder template

Before you begin, enlarge pot holder template by 200%, print and cut out as indicated. Fold three layers of cotton batting in half; align batting template's straight side with fold; pin, and cut out. Fold three stacked 12-by-12-inch pieces of cotton fabric in half; align heart template's straight side with fold; pin, and cut out. Lay pocket template on one folded fabric heart; cut on diagonal line.

Sew bias tape to straight edge of pockets; backstitch ends.

Layer the pieces, starting with a fabric heart (face down), batting, another fabric heart (face up), and pockets (face up); pin. Sew outside edge, leaving 1/4-inch seam allowance. Trim edge as close to stitching as possible.

Sew bias tape to heart, starting at top center, folding ends under.

Sew 5-inch piece of bias tape, ends turned under, into a loop. Stitch to pot holder.