When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

What Is the Best Batting for a Pot Holder?

Have you ever taken a cookie sheet out of the oven with a dish towel? Is this suitable as batting for a potholder?

Maybe you’ve constructed a pot holder and aren’t sure how much batting to use or if the special insulating batting works. I had the same thoughts and went out to find answers to these and other concerns.

Should I Use the Batting for Pot Holder?

If your pot holder is mostly ornamental or will be used as a trivet for objects that are only slightly too hot for your tabletop, don’t worry about the batting; use whatever you wish.

If it were used in the oven frequently, I would recommend getting thicker. I pulled a casserole out of the oven and realized that all of the rivets had been used, so it took me a few seconds to find a spot to lay it down.

While holding a full skillet of ground beef, noodles, and tomato sauce, the last thing you want is your fingertips to start burning.

I would suggest using at least two layers of batting material. Towels, cotton batting, or a mix of batting and Insul-Brite are all options.

Can I Use Insul-Brite for Pot Holder?

It does work. It will keep your fingertips 50 to 100 degrees colder or add 5 to 10 seconds to your carrying time.

Please remember that the instructions state to retain a layer of batting between the Insul-Brite and the heat source (Iron Mark on Insulbrite). They’re not joking.

Polyester is the soft material on both sides of the foil. See how the iron left a mark after 60 seconds in the photo.

The Insul-Brite was sandwiched between two layers of cotton cloth without directly touching the iron. This isn’t microwaving safe because of the foil covering, so keep that in mind when making insulated bread warmer baskets.

When bent, it also creates a gentle crinkling sound. When used appropriately, it’s a fantastic device, and I’d suggest it if you’re concerned about temperature.

However, it isn’t required, so don’t allow the lack of this item to keep you from sitting down at your sewing machine.

Top 4 Best Quilt Battings for Hot Pads & Pot Holders

These items come into touch with heat and can become extremely hot, so make sure they have enough batting in place. Both to keep your hands safe and to keep your work surfaces safe.

1. Insul-Bright Heat Resistant

For hot pads and potholders, this is by far the most popular and recommended batting.

Insul-Bright is a foil layer that protects against heat. Microwaves are not recommended since the material is comprised of foil.

Insul-bright is a thinner batting that acts more like an interfacing layer; use it as a second layer next to the fabric layer, followed by a layer of wadding.

As a result, you may be confident that your hand is shielded from the heat by four layers of cloth and batting.

Because it is a thin layer, a layer of batting is still required to give the pot holders additional cushioning.

2. Pellon Wrap-N-Zap 100% Natural Cotton Batting

I was interested in the Pellon wrap-n-zap batting because of its ability to be microwaved.

Though I don’t think many of us will need to microwave our pot holders or hot pads, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that hot plates will be in contact with the placemats.

As a result of this quality, I believe this is one of the finest batting for pot holders.

Even though the goods are microwave safe, I always urge caution and safety precautions while using them.

Pellon is a well-known brand used worldwide; they have several battings, but this was the one I felt would work best for placemats.

The batting comes with a disclaimer that it is neither fireproof nor flame retardant. The 100 percent cotton batting will shrink 3-5 percent, according to the manufacturer.

You may preshrink your batting before using it and then wash it on a cold setting once you’ve finished your creation.

3. Wool Jumper

Before assembling tried and proven items, I sought input from a variety of forums and organizations.

One of the most frequent solutions was to make the batting out of an old wool sweater. The outer parts are still made of 100% cotton fabric. However, the batting is made of wool.

Wool is prepared in such a way that it naturally extinguishes if it catches fire, something I was unaware of. Surprisingly, it’s a great batting practice for hot pads.

You can feel a wool sweater and use it as batting for pot holders by washing it in hot water.

This is a tried-and-true method that many people employ.

While none of the alternatives are entirely fireproof/flameproof, none of them are.

The advantage of the wool choice is that the thickness will remain consistent over time, providing full coverage when using the hot pads.

4. Warm and Natural 100% Cotton Batting

Many people who create hot pads use 100% cotton batting, 100% cotton fabric, and 100% cotton thread.

100% cotton has characteristics that make it safer to use on warm–hot items. I’ll also point out that you shouldn’t use this batting in the microwave or the oven.

Although there is some shrinking with this brand, many individuals who use it haven’t seen much change. You may preshrink the batting to prevent this from happening later.

Before buying and utilizing batting, make sure it’s 100 percent cotton.

Although the batting isn’t fusible, it’s ideal for quilters and home crafts.

It’s simple to apply and will provide a nice cushion to your placemats.

These are available in various sizes to accommodate different quilt sizes such as cot, double, and queen.

Cotton provides a pleasant feel and cushion texture to the batting.

It isn’t particularly thick and is typically rather thin, making it ideal for use as batting for pot holders.