While it might seem like an obvious comparison, as I was designing this little guy, I realized potholders are much like puppets. I feel rather silly having never thought of that before now.
To make your own penguin pot holder, you will need:
- The Pattern – download from Payhip HERE
- 1/4 yard of cotton batting
- 1/4 yard of black cotton fabric
- 1/4 yard of white cotton fabric
- felt (white, black, yellow, and red)
- matching thread
How to sew a Penguin Pot Holder
- Cut two of the main body pieces from the black fabric, two from the white fabric, and four from the batting. (I did NOT include a seam allowance in the pattern. You will need to include a seam allowance when cutting out the body piece)
- Cut the white belly patch from the white fabric (do not include a seam allowance)
- Cut the facial features from felt
- Pin two layers of batting to the wrong side of each of the black body pieces
- Stitch the white belly patch to the black front body piece (I used the appliqué stitch on my machine)
- Using black thread, stitch small semi-circles to the top of the felt beak
- Stitch the facial features (inner eyes, outer eyes, beak, and bow tie) to the body piece
- Match up each black piece with a white body piece, right sides facing, and sew a straight line across the bottom
- Unfold each set and lie flat on top of one another with the right sides facing, matching the black pieces with each other and the white pieces with each other.
- Pin and the sew all the way around, leaving a gap at the top of the white pieces (far left in the above photo)
- Clip along the curves, especially in the head (to give the penguin's head a more circular shape)
- Turn the entire thing right side
- Using a ladder stitch, close the gap in the white fabric
- Stuff the white fabric inside the pocket formed by the body of the penguin
- Align and press the bottom seam
The penguin can easily be changed from a boy to a girl by cutting the bow tie from pink instead of red and moving it to the head, instead of the neck.
I'm pretty sure my first penguin has been confiscated by my daughter to join her collection of puppets (you can find many of the puppets we made for her here) but I plan to make a few more of these for Christmas gifts.
Hope you enjoy the penguin potholder as much as we have!
Hi! I'm Alicia from Felt With Love Designs where my husband, Patrick, and I write about all of our crafty and artistic endeavors. Patrick is the artist behind our designs. I create all our patterns and designs based on his sketches and bring them to life with a needle and thread.
This penguin is lovely ,thank for the pattern .
I think he is so stinking cute!!!! How could I print the tutorial for my friend, who doesn’t go on the internet? Thanks a million!
Your browser comes with a print function so you can right click on the page and select print. You may have to fiddle with your print settings to get it to come out on the page how you like, but you’ll usually be able to preview before printing.
Thanks for the tutorial and pattern. I just finished making this today. While this would be perfect size for a teenager, my hand barely fit into it. A man’s hand definitely would not fit into it. If I were to do this one again, I’d enlarge the main part of the body by at least 25%.
I just finished making one (Christmas Eve!) and it fits my hand nicely – I have very large hands, too. Did you possibly forget to add the seam allowances to the body pattern, as instructed? They are not included on the pattern.
That’s so cute. My daughter is always stealing my pot holders. I know I’d never see this one! LOL!
I need to learn how to sew, this is the cutest! 🙂
This is adorable! I’ve always wondered how to make pot holders myself -now I know!
That is really cute! I need some sewing skills.
This is way too cute! My daughter and I LOVE penguins!! I’ll have to make several for gifts this year. I may “tweak” it just slightly though to add a thumb/tail in the back and do as Deby suggested and use the Insul-Bright because I plan to use this little guy a LOT! Thanks for sharing such an adorable project.
Such a fun pot holder. Love it!!!
This is so adorable, and perfect for the upcoming season!
So cute. And what a perfect gift this would be for someone! I love handmade gifts.
Super cute and simple design to sew. Thanks for sharing it.
This is so cute and so appropriate right now. The John Lewis advert has just launched in the UK and it’s always huge. Plus, they have a super cute penguin in it this year and everyone’s gone nuts for him!!
Katie <3
How adorable is this??? I just love it!
So stinkin cute! These would make perfect gifts!
How cut and how much fun to make.
This is so cute I love penguins.
This is so cute! I love penguins!!!
Cute!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for later today that links to your pattern:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-penguin-pot-holder/2014/11/06/
–Anne
Oh my gosh this is so cute! Perfect little holiday gifts!
Love this! Penguins are my fave, too. And this would make a perfect teacher gift! -Deanna {sewmccool}
Oh my goodness!! That is so ridiculously cute! I wish I was more crafty and could do things like this.
This is superbly adorable! I LOVE penguins!
Okay, this is super cute! I have a guy friend who is obsessed with penguins, he’d love this haha.
This is so cute! I am in need of some Christmas pot holders 🙂
This is just too cute! I love crafting, I’ll have to try it out!
Such a sweet little penguin! I bet this would be awesome to put in with other Christmas presents too right?
What a cute pot holder! You’re very creative.
Really cute! I have never made something like this before, I looked at the materials and don’t see anything that jumps out has special heat-proof materials, is it just the batting? Or is it decorative and not for use as a “real” potholder?
If you plan to use it for really hot things, like getting pans out of the oven, you can add a layer of Insul-Bright as well as or instead of the batting.
Too cute! It looks pretty easy to make too.
This is adorable! Perfect for my DIY Christmas gifts this year!
HOW CUTE! What a great idea…it even looks like something I MIGHT be able to make! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Very cute, and nice, easy instructions too!
This is adorable! I really like the idea of animal shaped potholders – they’re just so quirky!
This is the cutest pot holder I have ever seen and since I love penguins its adorable
I want to make one for every teacher! So cute!
Wowwww
This is really CUTEEEEE !!
Great idea with beautiful result
you’re very creative 🙂
Oh my goodness! My oven mitts are getting old and worn, and this would be a great DIY to replace them! <3
such a sweet idea! would make great holiday gifts!
That is SO cute! I wish I could sew!