Is Insulbrite really necessary??
 

Back in the old days, people never used insulbrite when they made potholders. Most of the ones that I have taken apart only had a thick layer of cotton batting. I can't really see where it is necessary in order to make a successful potholder. After all, I usually just grab a dishtowel when I remove something from the oven. And, a lot of times, I set a hot pan on a folded dish towel. I can see where it would be necessary when making the casserole cozies to help hold the heat in. But, is it really necessary when just making a simple potholder? I'm planning on making some for Christmas gifts and for Bingo Prizes at our Senior Center and I want to make sure I make them right. What is your line of thinking on this?

I haven't made any potholders yet but bought some insulbrite just last month to do some. I think I want to use it because the extra protection is nice for hot stuff and often I use a potholder to set a hot pan on the table. It's really not a good idea to just use a dishtowel. I'll be watching to see what others think.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. If you are selling or giving away use at least 2 layers of cotton batting. I have one pattern that when I finish the design it is very thick so with that one I don't (I use those a lot so I know they will work that way). If it will be used on formic or a wood tabletop I would use it to direct the heat up.

I've made lots of potholders and have always used one layer of insulbrite with one layer of 100% cotton. I imagine you could use 2 layers of 100% cotton batting...I just never tried it....I wouldn't want the recipient to get burned or hurt in any way. If I remember correctly, on one cup of coffee, I placed the 'shiny flecked side' to the hot side of the pot holders and the cotton batting to the hand side.

Check out the Warm Company: http://www.warmcompany.com/ibpage.html

You could always make a sample of each setup and test it by lifting up a HOT HOT HOT pot! :eek: :shock:


Nan - Indiana

I use insulbrite and warm and natural for my pot holders now, but use to use silence cloth. It is so thick, it only takes one layer. Silence cloth does shrink quite a bit, so would have to be washed before using.

Ok, I had no idea what "Silence Cloth" was so had to google it. Found it at Nancy's Notions. http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...felt+fabric.do

I never buy anything specifically for potholders... It 's amazing what you can use for the insides of potholders. Batting scraps, mattress pads, old towels, old sweatshirts, home dec fabric .. tapestry scraps are particularly nice.

Silence Cloth was once used mainly for table pads to protect the table, but is now used for pot holders, bags or any craft (except quilts) needing batting and protection. I noticed when I followed this link, the Silence Cloth is $11.99 a yard, but it is 60" wide, so you could get a lot of milage out of it for pot holders, especially since it only takes one layer. It is pretty thick, so if your sewing machine doesn't feed thick fabric well, you might want to consider using something else. Hancock fabric used to carry it, so if you can get a small piece of it to try, you would know if you like it. Remember it shrinks, so wash before using.

I use it in mine. You certainly would not have to just be sure it is thick enough not to get burned.

Okay. I had to do the same thing. Never heard of it! I live in a little hick town where we only get what Walmart gets.

I use 3 layers of warm and natural.

I'm with the, 'Better to be safe than sorry' brigade and always use Insul-Bright. People didn't use it in the old days because it wasn't available (they also used to put butter on burns too.......).

I think the fact that you are using these as prizes at a Senior Centre makes the question irrelevant really - imho.

I don't like Insulbrite. I don't like the feel of it and it's messy to cut. I like the heat resistant silver fabric. I put a layer of warm and natural batting with the silver and it works much better to keep the heat away then insulbrite and has less bulk.

This looks great to me. I was just thinking about making some potholders and wondering what to put inside. Thanks!

I made potholders for myself just using W&N batting - can't remember if I used 2 or 3 layers, but I think it was only 2. They work just fine, no heat coming through. The design I used winds up with several layers of fabric in addition to the batting, so that might be a factor. If you're really concerned, make one without Insulbrite and test it out. Chances are it will be just fine.

Is this also called BUMP?

I was wondering the same thing. I have a pattern for an oven mitt that says you're suppose to sandwich one layer of Insulbrite in between two layers of Warm & Natural. Well, by the time you do all of the layering, the pile of fabric and batting is so thick it hardly fits into the machine. Plus... the pot holder or hot pad... whatever it is you're making is so stiff it's hard to use. So, I'm really confused on this one. I certainly don't want anyone to burn themselves but at the same time, if something is so thick you can't use it, what good is it?

Wow that stuff is pricey!!

The last time I made potholders I just used two layers of Request weight Dream Cotton. The main thing is to not quilt them very much. I gave them to a whole bunch of people and nobody has complained yet. I use mine all the time and if something is particularly hot they're soft enough and big enough I can fold them in half.

I have tried them with and without the Insulbrite, and I prefer it with and a layer of warm and natural.

I seldom buy any. I use all kinds of leftover pieces/recycled, and also layer two or more pieces of batting between two cotton or denim pieces.

Yes, mike'sgirl, it is pricey, but it is 60" wide, and you could get 6 cuts across at 10"X 10" each for less than $4.00. Actually, you can probably get it cheaper at Hancock's if they still carry it. The silence cloth is just a suggestion, because it only takes one layer, but warm and natural, insulbrite and some of the other suggestions here work well too. I knew a lady who never used anything but old terry cloth towels for batting to make pot holders, and she wouldn't think of using anything else.

I use 3 layers of W&N. everyone loves them. I do a 9 patch for the top. I use a decorative stitch on all the seams & I use a binding around it. A little more work. But they make great gifts

My mom used to use a couple of layers of my dad's old insulated long johns and it worked find as batting in hot pads! Good way to recycle.

I agree with Lori S I personally like old towels and have never burned my fingers yet on taking anything out of the oven I do not like sewing with insulbrite really dulls the needles and besides I like using scraps

I stack my potholder like this: outside fabric top, cotton batting, insulbrite, cotton batting and bottom fabric.. makes for a stiffer pot holder and Quilts nice then I bind it..... I don't use dish towels or hand towels because one day I grabbed one that was damp and oh boy did the heat go right through to my hand... you could use the dish towels as the fabric to use but I would still use insulbrite and the cotton batting... I wouldn't use poly batting because with hot dishes it could MELT. and the new mattress pads are mostly Poly fill now Too..

Cost wise, I think the idea of using 2 layers of batting or an old bath towel sounds so much better.

I have made several pot holders, as gifts and I do use it. I don't want to take a chance that someone might get burned. Better to be safe in my opinion.

I have never used it,never will.They are just potholders! If you make nice ones for friends chances are they wont really use them,they will be their "display"ones. Same at my house,I don't use my pretty ones.The ones I use just get batting or flannel in them.

I try to get most of my supplies at Hancock's. Here the first 3 Wed of the month is either military discount or senior citizen. I like the fact that this discount is applied on top of all other discounts, you don't have to be in your 60's to particpate, I'm 59 and have been using it for a few yrs and its always the first 3 Wed of the month. Unlike the competitor that doesn't have a certain set day for thier discount.

the only thing I would say is... cotton batting!! Polyester WILL melt! I bought really nice microfiber dishcloths and towels, and within a week, tried to wipe up a spill on my smooth cooktop, and yup! You guessed it... melted it!!! :(

It's obviously not absolutely necessary but it's a nice addition to make sure you don't burn your fingers. If I was making the potholder for someone else I'd use insulbrite.

$4.00 for what? I don't understand that.

I have some potholders made with just 2 layers of an old terry towel. Must be 30-40 years old. A few burn holes have been mended. A friend threatened to buy me some new ones, but I said, "Please don't. I won't use them." When people come over, I dig a little deeper in my drawer and pull out some nicer ones, but these old ones are still my favorites.

When I started sewing (not too long ago) I made a bunch of potholders using one layer of Insulbrite. I had a potholder for 20 years that I got when I was in Pennsylvania at an Amish store (guess I should have known back then about my calling to quilt) and that potholder only had a thin piece of batting. I made Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas potholders. Then I read about how you need to have two layers, one Insulbrite and one regular cotton batting so I decided to not give away the potholders I made so I ditched them and made new ones with the two layers. I admit is it not as much fun this way but I know they are safer.

I have never used it. Made lots of pot holders. I made the folded star pot holders out of Christmas fabric 2 years ago and use them all year long. They still look brand new.

When using insulbrite is there a front and back......

I bought insul-bright and have the instructions that came with it. There's no information about which side of the in-sulbright should face the heat. I went to the insul-bright website and they don't tell you which side to put toward the heat, either. This should be easy to figure out!!! Does anyone know which side of the in-sulbright should face the heat?

I have previously used the "silver" fabric that years ago was used for the tops of ironing board covers. When Insul-Brite came on the market I purchased a few yards to make a long table runner for my DS and DDIL to protect their buffet, as regular products did not keep the coffee pot from destroying the top from the heat. So far they have been very pleased with it's performance. When making pot holders I would use the Insul-Brite along with a layer of cotton batting. I would just piece bits of left over batting for the pot holders and oven mitts, so the "left-overs" were put to good use. I like the way that Insul-Brite has performed when I've used it for pot holders and oven mitts, and it doesn't take much to make a pot holder.

[QUOTE=maviskw;6228138]$4.00 for what? I don't understand that.

maviskw, what I meant was if you buy say 1/3 of a yard of the silence cloth for $4.00, you can get enough batting for six 10" potholders out of it, because the fabric is 60" wide. However, that does not allow for shrinkage, and Silence cloth does shrink.