In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to sew a bowl cozy that your family will love! Use cotton fabric, batting, and thread to make your bowl cozy microwave safe.
My family absolutely loves their bowl cozies. In fact, it’s probably each of our kids most favorite item I’ve ever made them!
I’ve been sewing up these microwave safe bowl cozies for years. Today, I’m sharing with you not only how to sew a bowl cozy, but I’m sharing all my best tips, too!
How to Sew a Bowl Cozy
Once you learn how to sew a bowl cozy, you can sew one up in less than 30 minutes. And if you have multiple bowl cozies to make, it will go even faster as you get into “mass production mode” or what is commonly referred to as “batch sewing.”
Batch Sewing
Batch sewing is simply the process of streamlining the sewing process. Instead of completely making one bowl cozy and then making another one, you do each step in batches:
- Cut out all fabrics
- Mark all stitching lines
- Stitch all darts
- Stitch all cozies
- Press/iron all bowl cozies
- Topstitch all cozies
By working in batches, it will save you a lot of time and allow you to make more cozies in less time. (I think I just said the same thing two ways??)
So, in other words, if you’re making 10 bowl cozies, you would cut out 20 pieces of fabric, 20 pieces of batting, mark all your stitching lines on all 20 pieces, stitch (quilt) all 20 pieces, mark all 80 darts, stitch all 80 darts, then sew the bowl cozy pieces together two at a time.
Supplies Needed
To make one bowl cozy, you will need:
- (2) 10-1/2″ squares of cotton fabric
- (2) 10″ squares of cotton batting
- cotton thread (use cotton in your bobbin, too)
Tools and Equipment Needed
You don’t need anything special to make bowl cozies. You probably have everything you need.
- fabric scissors
- small scissors
- rotary cutter
- acrylic ruler (small ruler, 12-1/2″ ruler, 6×24″ ruler)
- self-healing mat
- fabric marker
- Wonder clips
- bone folder
- iron
- ironing board
- sewing machine
- 90/14 sewing machine needle
Video Tutorial
I literally walk you through every step and explain what I’m doing and why in my YouTube video on How to Sew a Bowl Cozy.
In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to sew a bowl cozy with squared corners. You can also sew a bowl cozy with rounded corners. I’ll briefly tell you how to do that. But, I think it’s better served in a separate tutorial.
FAQs
Q: Do I have to use cotton fabric?
If you want the bowl cozy to be microwave safe, you MUST use 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton batting, and 100% cotton thread (use in your bobbin as well).
Q: What batting do I use?
Again, if you want the bowl cozy to be microwave safe, you MUST use 100% cotton batting. I recommend Pellon Wrap & Zap. If you do not want or need the bowl cozy to be microwave safe, you can use your favorite batting.
Q: Do I have to use two layers of batting?
No, you do not have to use two layers of batting. I have found through the years that two layers of batting (one on each piece of fabric) aren’t totally necessary. You can definitely get by with only using one layer of batting.
Q: What does it mean to “nest” your seams?
Nesting your seams means that your seam allowances are going in opposite directions. You still line up the seams, but the seam allowances are pressed in opposite direction. For example, the seam allowance on the top piece of fabric is pressed to the left and the seam allowance on the bottom pieces of fabric is pressed to the right. By doing this, the two seam allowances kind of butt up against one another or “nest”. They really do kind of lock in place.
Q: What size needle do I use?
I recommend using a 90/14 sewing machine needle. You will be stitching through two layers of cotton fabric, two layers of cotton batting, plus the two seam allowances, so 6 layers of material.
Q: How do I round the corners?
If you want to round your corners, you can use a plate, a bowl, a lid, anything round to help you mark your corners. Place the round object on top of the wrong side of your fabric against one of the corners. Use your fabric marker to draw a circle onto the back of the fabric along the curve of the round object. Then cut along the drawn curve. Repeat for all the corners.
More Questions?
If you have more questions, please leave them in the comments below and I’ll be glad to answer them!
Learn to Sew a Bowl Cozy
Learn how to sew a soup bowl sized bowl cozy in this tutorial. You can make your bowl cozy microwave safe by using 100% cotton fabric, batting, and thread.
Materials
- cotton fabric
- cotton batting
- cotton thread
Tools
- fabric scissors
- rotary cutter
- acrylic ruler
- self-healing mat
- fabric marking pen
- Wonder clips
- bone folder
- iron
- ironing board
- sewing machine
- 90/14 sewing machine needle
Instructions
- Make Fabric Cuts
(2) 10-1/2" squares of cotton fabric
(2) 10" squares of cotton batting
- Mark Quilting Lines
Lay one 10-1/2" square of cotton fabric face down. Lay one 10" square of cotton batting centered against the wrong side of the cotton fabric.
Using your ruler and fabric marking pen, draw a diagonal line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Then draw a diagonal line from the top right corner to the bottom left corner. (You should have just drawn an "X" on top of the batting.)
Repeat for the second pieces of fabric and batting.
- Quilt
Next you will stitch along the marked lines. Using a long stitch length (I used 3.0mm), stitch along each marked line. Repeat with the second piece of fabric/batting. (This type of stitching is called "quilting".) - Prepare Darts
Take one quilted square and fold it in half, right sides together. Pin or clip the raw edges together to keep the fabric straight. With the fold on the right and raw edges to the left, measure over 1" from the fold and make a mark along the raw edge. Then measure down from the raw edge along the fold and make a mark 2" from the top. Use your ruler to draw a diagonal line from the 1" mark down to the 2" mark.
Flip the folded fabric over to the other side, with the fold still to your right. Mark the dart 1" over from the fold and 2" down.
Repeat with the other quilted fabric square.
Using a 2.4mm stitch length and starting at the raw edge and with the fold to your right, stitch along the marked line. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end to secure your stitches.
Repeat with the other darts.
Now, unfold the fabric squares and re-fold along the other two raw edges. Pin or clip the raw edges. Again, measure over 1" and down 2" and mark. Draw a diagonal line connecting the two marks. Flip the fabric over to the other side and mark the darts, just as you did with the first quilted piece. You should have four darts on each of the quilted fabric pieces. - Stitch Together
Lay one of the fabric pieces right side up and the other right side down on top. Line up corners, darts, and raw edges. Pin or clip in place. When you pin the darts, I like to "nest" the darts. What I do is to fold the fabric on the bottom towards the right and the fabric on the top towards the left so that the seams are "nested."
Starting just above one of the darts, stitch using a 3/8" seam allowance. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end to secure your stitches. You will stitch around the perimeter of the bowl cozy, pivoting at each corner and slightly pivoting at each dart. Leave a 2-3" opening for turning.
Clip corners to about 1/8-1/4". Clip on each side of the darts, be careful not to clip the stitching.
Turn right side out. Use a bone folder to help push out the corners. - Press
With your iron on the cotton setting, press the seams nice and flat, making sure to press the seam allowance in on the opening. - Topstitch
Increase your stitch length to 3.0mm and topstitch 1/4" away from the edge around the entire perimeter of the bowl cozy. Stitch a second row of topstitching about 1/2" away from the edge around the entire perimeter of the bowl cozy. When you reach a corner, be sure to stop stitching with your needle in the down position, 1/4" away from the edge, raise your presser foot, rotate the fabric counter-clockwise, lower the presser foot, and continue stitching. I also like to slightly pivot at darts. In other words, stitch to the dart seam, stop with the needle in the down position in the middle of the seam, raise the presser foot, and slightly rotate the fabric so the edges are lined up with your seam guide, and continue stitching. You should also be able to feel that your dart seam allowances are lying flat. If not, just use your fingers to kind of push them in to place.
Use either a locking stitch or backstitch at the beginning and end to secure your stitches.
Notes
3/8" seam allowance, unless otherwise noted
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
SCHMETZ Universal Sewing Machine Needles - Size 90/14 -
Gutermann Natural Cotton Thread -
Pellon, Natural Wrap-N-Zap Cotton Quilt Batting, 45 by 36-Inch -
Janome Memory Craft Horizon 8200 QCP Sewing Machine -
PILOT FriXion Clicker Erasable Retractable Gel Ink Pens -
VENCINK Genuine Bone Folder -
Oliso TG1600 Pro Plus 1800 Watt SmartIron with Auto Lift -
Clover Wonder Clips -
Omnigrid Clear Quilting and Sewing Ruler, 1" x 6" -
Omnigrid R125 Quilter's Square, 12-1/2 x 12-1/2-Inch -
Fiskars Acrylic Ruler, 6x24 Inch -
Fiskars Softgrip Scissors Straight Stainless Steel, 8 Inch,Gray -
Fiskars Forged Embroidery Scissors, 4 Inch
Download Bowl Cozy Care Tags
I created this set of printable Bowl Cozy Care Tags for you. If you decide to gift your bowl cozy, it’s really handy to include instructions for how to use the bowl cozy and how to care for the cozy.
Just enter your first name and email address in the below form to have the care tags delivered straight to your email inbox!
Your privacy is important to me. I promise to never sell or share your contact information. Feel free to unsubscribe at any time (although I hope you don’t).
More Sewing Tutorials
I hope you enjoyed learning How to Sew a Bowl Cozy. If so, you might also like these other sewing tutorials from Hooked on Sewing:
I would like the free bowl cozy printouts please… And thank you so much for offering them to us… that is so sweet of you… Hope your Thanksgiving was a blessed one… Merry Christmas…
tammy davis
Hi, Tammy! Thank you for leaving a comment! I have emailed the bowl cozy care tags to you. Please let me know if you receive them or not! Happy sewing!!
Pam Baker
The Birch Cottage
Can you use “glacéd” cotton thread.?
Hi, Dori. That is a very good question. The quick answer is “yes”. You can use glacéd cotton thread because it is made from 100% cotton thread. It does have a special coating on it to make hand quilting or sewing leather, etc easier. As far as I know, it cannot or should not be used in a sewing machine. It is intended for hand quilting and sewing. If you have other information, please share.
Pam Baker
Hooked on Sewing
Do I have to use wrap n zap for it to be microwave safe or would any 100% cotton batting work?
Hi, Angela. You can use any 100% cotton batting that states it is microwave safe. Not all cotton battings are safe for the microwave. It even all 100% cotton battings are truly 100% cotton or safe for the microwave.
I hope this helps!!
Pam Baker
Hooked on Sewing
Love your patter and the easy to follow directions!!!
If you were going to use just one layer of batting, would you still do the “X – stich on the other side?
If possible could I get a copy of the label printout.
Thank You!!!
Hi, Leslie. No, I would not do the “x” stitching on the fabric that did not have batting. The x stitching is just a way to secure the batting to the fabric.
I’ll send you a link to download the bowl cozy care tags.
Thanks for asking!
Pam Baker
Hooked on Sewing
I usually starch all my cotton fabric. Is that recommended for this project or will it make any difference if I do?
Hi, Mary. Starching is not necessary as you aren’t piecing fabrics together, but rather sewing darts and stitching the two pieces of fabric together. However, you can starch the fabric if you prefer. I do typically iron the fabric even if I don’t starch it.
Hope this helps!!
Pam Baker