Easy Sewing Project – Apple Hot Pads and Coasters

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are my own.

This year I’ve decided we are going to get back to basics in our household. I feel like things have become too commercialized, and my kids are constantly asking to use their electronics. But I want more for them. I want them to be able to have skills beyond how to capture the flag in Fortnight (or whatever you do in that game).

I want my kids to be able to create things with their hands, to cook, to mend, and to use their creativity.

To get started on this path I’ve decided we are making homemade presents for everyone for birthdays and holidays this year, and I started by getting myself re-acquainted with my long lost and dusty sewing machine (hey… I was not immune to all the tech clutter in my life either). 🙂

I also upgraded my Cricut from an Explore Air to a Cricut Maker. I figured the upgrade was worth it because I want my kids to learn how to sew, to make their own jewelry out of leather and/or wood, make home decor, and and I’d be using my machine to help cut out the materials to make it a little easier for us.

I know I’ll definitely get enough use out of the Maker to justify the price. We can make gifts for everyone, use it to make home decor, and so much more!

The first thing I started with was an easy sewing project. I had a ladies sewing night that I hosted at my house and we all made apple hot pads and apple coasters. It was so much fun to have everyone over to try out my new Cricut Maker, and very helpful to have some more experienced sewers there to remind me what to do. 🙂

There was lots of food, lots of wine, and plenty of laughter to go around!

Easy Sewing Project – Apple Hotpads/Coasters

Materials:

• Fabric in light and dark coordinating prints (finished size for coasters is approximately 5″ square, and hot pads are slightly larger at approximately 6 1/2″ square)
• Green felt for leaf
• Faux leather or jute rope for stem
• Cotton batting (I purchased this kind)

Instructions:

The instructions for both the apple coasters and apple hot pads are the same, the pattern size is simply different. You can find both patterns in Cricut Design Space at the links below.

Apple Coasters Pattern
Apple Hot Pads Pattern

The hardest part of making these apple hot pads and coasters was picking out which fabric we wanted to use — and we had a lot of it to choose from!

If you don’t have as many fat quarters as my friend, Jessica, has, don’t worry you can just grab some at your local fabric store or even order online!

Once we decided which fabric we each wanted to use, we ironed any creases out using my EasyPress! While technically not an iron, it actually worked really well for this purpose. 🙂

Once you have selected the appropriate pattern from above, open it in Design Space and simply hit make-it to start cutting out the pieces. Everything is already sized to the appropriate dimensions so you really just need to place your fabric on your mat and you are good to go!

Here is the suggested order to cut your materials with your Cricut Maker for this easy sewing project:

Cut The Stem

Cut your stem out of faux leather using the included Design Space pattern and the standard grip mat, or alternatively simply snip off a length of jute rope to use instead.

Cutting Tip: You can find Faux Leather Cutting Instructions here!

Cut The Leaf

Using your Cricut Maker and the pattern in Design Space, cut your leaf out of felt.

PRO TIP: when cutting felt, place a piece of transfer tape (or contact paper) sticky side up on your mat, then place the felt on the transfer tape. This will protect your mat and prevent the fuzz from the felt sticking to your mat. 

Set these pieces aside as you will use them once you start sewing.

Cut Your Fabric

Adhere your first choice in fabric to the pink fabric mat and insert into your Cricut Maker. Each coaster or hot pad will need two rectangles in this fabric as well as two in your second choice of fabric. If you are making more than one hot pad/coaster, be sure to cut out enough pieces right away to avoid going back and forth.

It has been suggested that you put the fabric right side down on the mat, however, we did it both ways and it didn’t seem to make a difference. You WILL, however, want to make sure that if you have a direction specific pattern that you arrange the rectangles so that they are cutting in the right direction. 

You can do this directly in Design Space by moving around any pieces on the mat prior to cutting (see image below).

Make your selection for what you are cutting (fabric — and what type you are using), then follow the prompts to cut out your rectangles.

Remove your rectangles from the mat. Since having this sewing night I’ve learned that you should avoid touching the pink mat with your fingers if you can. Use tweezers to grab the fabric and help remove it from the mat in order to avoid touching the mat. Any fabric strands stuck on the mat are okay and will not hinder future projects or the function of the machine.

Repeat these steps for the second fabric choice. You should have a total of four rectangles per coaster or hot pad.

Sew Your Fabric

Once you have four rectangles, two of each fabric pattern, you will sew them together. Take two alternating colors and sew together down the middle lengthwise. Press the seam open. Repeat with the remaining two rectangles making a matching mirror image.

Cut Your Apples

Once your rectangles are sewn together, you will cut an apple out of each square. Place your squares of fabric in the top left corner of your pink mat and insert the mat into your Cricut Maker. The machine will cut out the apple shape with ease using the rotary blade! It will also draw your seam allowance with the fabric pen.

Remember, there are mirror image apple shapes included in the design. You cannot simply cut the same apple twice, you must use both of the apple images included in order to have them line up correctly when you sew them together.

Completing Your Apple Hot Pads & Coasters

Cut out a square of batting slightly larger than your apple shape. For the coasters, it should be approximately 6 1/2″ square. You can simply do this freehand as it doesn’t need to be perfect, or you can choose to create and cut a square using your Maker.

With the edges and seams matching, place a set of apple pairs right sides together. Layer the batting square underneath and pin.

Fold your faux leather cord in half to form a loop. Sandwich the loop at the top of the apple between the units with the raw ends extending 1/4″ past the raw ends of the unit. Baste in place.

Backstitching at the beginning and end, stitch around the apple leaving an opening for turning that is at least 2″ wide.

Trim the batting to the edge of the shape, clip the curves and turn right side out.

Turn the opening under 1/4″ and press.

Blind stitch the opening closed.

Position a felt leaf 1/4″ to 1/2″ in from the top edge of the apple and pin.

Top stitch around the apple, catching the tip of the leaf in the stitching.

If you are looking to try an easy sewing project, have a fun sewing night with the girls, or just try your hand at a sewing project using your Cricut Maker, this is an easy and fun project to start with!

Common Questions About The Maker

Looking to get a Cricut Maker and wondering what else it can do? 

Check out all these materials you can cut with your maker, and think of the fun projects you could do!

• Everyday Iron-on
• Premium permanent vinyl
• Leather
• Fusible fabric
• Chipboard
• Cardstock
• Paper
• and more!

Wondering if it will be easy to learn the software?

There are so many tutorials online and on YouTube that it’d be hard to find a project you couldn’t do. With that being said, it can be a bit intimidating at first if you’ve never used the software before. I found that if you play around with the software even just a little bit, you can master it in no time.

It is really easy to learn and use, and if you find yourself with a question or two, you can feel free to join my Facebook group: Craft Cutters – Cricut Learning Community, where you can ask away, find project inspiration, and more!

If you have an older model Cricut and are looking to upgrade, will you be able to use your old cartridges?

The short answer is not directly. The good news is you don’t lose out on any of those cartridges you already purchased! You can simply link them to the Design Space software and continue to use them in a new and expanded way! Instructions for cartridge linking can be found here. 

Can you upload your own images to Design Space?

This is a question I get asked a lot, and the answer is YES! I’ve done a whole video tutorial on this very subject which you can find in my Facebook group, here.

Cricut Maker FAQ

For more info about the Cricut Maker and Maker FAQ, head here.

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Photography by: Elizabeth Carpenter Photography.  (Facebook Page)