Scented Hot Pad

Here's a really simple one -- a hot pad scented with your favorite potpourri!  Use it for hot pots, teapots, etc.  Note:  Don't put it in the microwave to heat it up ... I tried that and burned a hole when the potpourri heated up a little too much!

Adjust the size to fit your needs -- I made this one about 6 inches by 6 inches square.







I began with two colorful cotton pieces for the front and back ... as well as two pieces of cotton batting about the same size.  What we'll do is make two bags -- one of cotton batting that we'll fill with potpourri, and a second made of the colorful front/back.  We'll stick the batting bag inside the colorful bag to make our hot pad.

You'd just as soon be generous with seam allowances -- all the edges will be enclosed, so why not make the sewing easy!  For my 6 inch square pad, I used pieces about 7 1/2 inches on a side.






Begin by sewing a square bag from your batting.  Sew along three sides, then invert the bag.

Fill this bag with some of your favorite potpourri.  Smaller pieces of potpourri work better than larger pieces.  I made one bag that had potpourri made with curls of wood shavings and little pine cones.  It worked okay, but was really lumpy.  I made another one that I filled with bags of herbal tea (I emptied the tea bags into the larger cotton batting bag.  I thought it was a good idea, but didn't work all that well (not enough padding).  Try to fill the cotton batting bag so that it's at least 1/3 inch thick.




Now, sew along the fourth side of the batting bag to close it.  No need to slipstitch it -- we're going to completely enclose this bag, so it's okay if this fourth edge is unfinished.



Next, join the right sides of your two outer pieces.  Sew along three sides to make another bag.

Note how I used about a 1/2 seam allowance.
Invert this outer bag so that the right sides are now on the outside.








Insert the cotton batting bag into this colorful outer bag.  Tuck in the open fourth side, then slipstitch it closed.










And ... you're finished!

BTW -- this bag is the one that had the potpourri with wood curls and pine cones.  You can see how lumpy it is!   I ended out shoving down on it really hard with weights to smush (is that a word?) the potpourri a little flatter.  Worked better after that.







Be sure and use front/back pieces of different colors -- that way you can flip the pad depending on your mood, your decorating scheme, or your teapot!