Learn how to sew a reversible microwave safe bowl cozy. Use 100% cotton thread, batting and fabric to make a bowl cozy.

This blog post originally appeared September 3, 2018. It has been updated for clarification and new photos.

I made these bowl cozies for each of our children a few years ago for Christmas. Through the years, we’ve been gravitating towards more handmade or homemade gifts for Christmas. We really try to make the holidays more about memories and time with family than about the gifts under the tree. This year, our Christmas gift giving was almost 100% handmade gifts.

The bowl cozies were a big hit. In fact, my husband loves the bowl cozy and literally uses it daily. (He’s a little obsessed with those Rice Sides from Knorr right now.) When I prepare the Rice Sides for him, I usually make them on the stovetop, but even so, the bowl gets pretty hot! Then there’s ice cream. My Corelle dishes get pretty cold when filled with ice cream. The bowl cozy is perfect for bowls of ice cream!

Microwave Safe Bowl Cozy

So, whether you use the bowl cozy in the microwave or not, it’s perfect for protecting your hands from hot or cold bowls! And because the bowl cozies are made with 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread, they are completely microwave safe! I feel like I need to issue a word of caution – be sure that if you’re going to use your bowl cozy in the microwave that you use 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread.

This post contains affiliate links to products I use and/or recommend. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at absolutely no additional cost to you!

Supplies:

Most of the below links are to the exact products I use and can be purchased on Amazon, JOANN Fabrics or your favorite craft store. When possible, I have linked to the product on Amazon. Why? Because I love using Amazon Prime. I mean, who doesn’t like free 2-day shipping? And, usually, the best prices around?

Sewing Machine
Scissors
Rotary Cutter
Cutting Mat (Sometimes you can use a 50% off coupon at JOANN or Hobby Lobby – never pay full price!)
Bone Turner
Cotton Thread (Love this thread! Again, use your discount coupons and never pay full price!)
Metal Ruler
10” x 10” square of Cotton Fabric
10” x 10” square of Coordinating Cotton Fabric
2 – 9-1/2” x 9-1/2” squares of Cotton Batting (I used the Warm and Natural brand from JoAnn)

Helpful Hints:

This pattern can easily be modified for larger bowls; simply cut your squares at 12” or 15” and adjust your darts to 2-1/2” for the 12” squares or 3” for the 15” squares.
You can also cut your batting 1” smaller to make sewing the edges easier and less bulky. For example, instead of cutting your square of batting 10”, cut it 9”.

Important Note: If you plan to microwave your bowl, only use 100% cotton fabric, batting, and thread to avoid fire hazards. So, in other words, if you use anything besides 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton batting or 100% cotton thread and put this bowl cozy in the microwave, it can catch fire.

Instructions:

Here is an overview of the instructions. For detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

Step One: Cut Fabric

Step Two: Attach Batting

Step Three: Sew Darts

Step Four: Sew Together

Step Five: Turn Right Side Out & Topstitch

Your microwave safe bowl cozy is complete and completely reversible! You can whip up a set of these in no time!

Sew a Reversible Microwave-Safe Bowl Cozy

Yield: 1 Cozy

Learn how to sew a reversible microwave-safe bowl cozy. These bowl cozies come in super handy for handling hot microwaved foods. They also work great for cold foods like ice cream!

Materials

100% cotton fabric
cotton thread
cotton batting

Tools

sewing machine
scissors
rcutting mat
bone turner
metal ruler
Wonder Clips

Instructions

Cut Fabric

From main fabric cut a 10"x10" square.
From the contrast fabric cut a 10"x10" square.
From the cotton batting, cut two 9-1/2"x9-1/2" squares.

Attach Batting

With a square of your main fabric face down, center a piece of cotton batting and pin or clip in place. Sew an "X" in the fabric by stitching from corner to corner. You can use a quilting stitch, zig zag or
straight stitch.
Place the contrast fabric face down, center a piece of cotton batting, pin in place and sew an X across the fabric, just like the main fabric.

Sew Darts

Fold each piece of fabric/batting in half, with the batting side out. Make a mark 1-1/2” from the fold along the top edge. Make a second mark 2-1/2” from the top, along the fold. Draw a line connecting the two marks. Stitch along the line. Trim seam allowances.
Repeat three more times so that you have four corners sewn and trimmed. Repeat with the coordinating fabric/batting.

Sew Together

Open up the main fabric right side up, so that it’s sitting like a bowl.
Open up the contrasting fabric batting side up, so that it’s sitting like a bowl.
Place the contrasting fabric bowl inside the main fabric bowl (right sides together) and pin together.
Sew around the edges, using a ¼” seam allowance. Leave a 3” opening for turning. (Try not to leave the opening at a corner.) Trim seam allowances and clip corners.

Turn Right Side Out

Turn bowl right side out. Use bone turner to push out corners of bowl.
Press the opening and edges of bowl flat.
Top stitch ¼” around top of bowl cover, making sure to turn in the edges of the opening.

Bowl Cozy by The Birch Cottage

Notes

Helpful Hints:

You can easily modify this pattern for larger bowls; simply cut your squares at 12” or 15” and adjust your darts to 2-1/2” for the 12” squares or 3” for the 15” squares.

You can also cut your batting 1” smaller to make sewing the edges easier and less bulky. For example, instead of cutting your square of batting 10”, cut it 9”.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you plan to microwave your bowl, only use 100% cotton fabric, batting, and thread to avoid fire hazards. So, in other words, if you use anything besides 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton batting or 100% cotton
thread and put this bowl cozy in the microwave, it can catch fire.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bowl Cozy Gift Idea

These bowl cozies really do make lovely, unexpected gifts. Whether you’re looking to make a handmade gift for Christmas, wedding, bridal shower, birthday, Mother’s Day, Christmas Day, co-worker gifts or maybe even as a thank you gift for your neighbor who shovels snow from your sidewalk.

As you can tell from the different pictures, I really have sewn quite a few reversible microwave safe bowl cozies for family and friends!

How to Care for Your Bowl Cozy

And, if you’re going to gift these reversible microwave safe bowl cozies, be sure to include a Care Tag so the recipient knows how to use and care for their new favorite handmade gift.

You’ll find the following care tags that you can download and print from The Birch Cottage blog:

Happy sewing! If you make these microwave safe bowl cozies, I’d love to see a picture of your finished work. In fact, you can go share a photo over on A Handmade Home Facebook Group’s page. Hope to see ya there!

Til next time…

Sew a Reversible Microwave Safe Bowl Cozy