Happy belated birthday to Ti, who blogs over at Sewing by Ti! To celebrate her day (which was yesterday), she’s been hosting a blog tour showcasing “Gifts to Sew” all week long and today is my turn! I’m showing off a beautiful set of bowl cozies that I gifted to my mother-in-law for Christmas.
EYMM’s Bowl Cozy & Tortilla Warmer pattern is a great option for sewn gifts. I’ve made several sets and love that I can customize the gift to fit the recipient’s kitchen or their color/pattern preferences. My mother-in-law collects frogs and likes the color purple, so I chose to do one side with a frog print and found a coordinating bright floral with a purple background for the second side. I love how the darts make the cozy shape hold up around a bowl and that the extra fabric around the corners allows a hot bowl to be carried without burning fingers! Plus, the cozy is a pretty quick project to make, so if you’re making a gift for a family you can easily put together 4 or 6 or 8 or however many without it taking too long!
Now, let’s talk about materials real quick. If you want to be sure that the bowl cozy (or the tortilla warmer) can safely be used in the microwave, it’s very important to use 100% cotton fabrics, batting, and thread (and bias tape, in the case of the warmer). “Quilter’s cotton” woven fabric is a great choice and comes in a wide array of prints, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding one or two to suit the color palette you’re after.
For the inside, Pellon makes a batting called Wrap-N-Zap that is specifically microwave-safe. I’ve noticed that some of the other batting options that claim to be 100% cotton still have a polyester scrim built in. Scrim in batting is kind of like a grid that helps stabilize the fibers. If the scrim is polyester, it’s not good to use in microwaves because it can melt or catch fire. Please, for safety reasons, check the packaging carefully before using batting in a microwavable project.
Thread is another thing that you’ll need to double-check fiber content before using. Most seamstresses use some sort of all-purpose thread for sewing clothing. Generally, all-purpose thread is made from polyester because poly is stronger than a 100% cotton thread. This is great for clothes, where you definitely don’t want to risk breaking seams and exposing yourself, but poly isn’t safe to use in the microwave. Make sure you use a 100% cotton thread to be safe.
I love that the Bowl Cozy pattern allows for a reversible finished item. My mother-in-law can choose which side to have face up around her bowl, depending on her mood. 😉
Happy Sewing!! ~ Joelle
P.S. Don’t miss any of the great gift ideas linked below on the Gifts to Sew Tour!
Sunday, April 22nd: Sewing By Ti (intro), With Love In Every Stitch, Sewing With D
23rd: Stitched By Jennie, Tales from a Southern Mom, Aurora Design Fabrics
24th: Sewjourns, Big Fly Notions, Sewing Blue, JOT Designs USA
25th: Sewing By Ti, Auschick Sews, Hazelnut Handmade
26th: Sewing With D, EYMM, Middle River Studio, Aurora Design Fabrics
27th: Our Play Palace, My Sewing Roots, Make it Sew with the Bear and Pea, Seams Sew Lo
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