These casserole carriers are simple to make and are perfect for upcoming pot luck gatherings.  You can make them different by using an assortment of fabrics (maybe from your “stash”) and embroidery designs.

Materials:

2 pieces of fabric cut into a 22 inch square*

2 pieces of fabric cut into 4 inches by 22 inches

*(For red and white carrier, cut 4 squares 11-1/2 inches square instead of one of the 22 inch squares.  Sew them together with a ½ inch seam and continue as directed below)

Small pieces of fabric of your choice for cupcake appliques

1 piece of low loft batting or washable felt cut in a 22 inch square and 1 piece cut into 4 inches by 22 inches

Medium weight tear away embroidery stabilizer

Embroidery designs - Dakota Collectible Collections #970426 Redwork Memories and # 970443 - Crafty Cupcakes.

2 – 3 inch metal or heavy plastic rings (Can be found in the purse section of Hobby Lobby or check the $1 jewelry store for bracelets)

4 buttons of your choice

Instructions:

1.   Place the right sides together of the 22 inch square fabric with the square of batting on the outside.  Place pins around the outside edges to keep them even while stitching. 

2.   Stitch around the outside edge, leaving about 5 inches unstitched.

3.   Turn the fabric to the right side through the hole you left unstitched.

4.   That will leave the batting sandwiched on the inside.  Slip stitch the opening together.

5.   Press the square. Top stitch around the outside of the square.  I stitched the width of the side of the pressure foot.  

6.   Mark a horizontal and vertical line through the center of the square so that you can follow them and straight stitch through all layers to hold the batting in place.

7.   Using a printed template of your design, mark the position of the design in the corners of the square, leaving enough space for the corner to be folded down.  I put a cupcake in each corner.   When using the redwork design, I only embroidered two corners because of the larger sizes of the designs.

8.   Hoop the stabilizer and the corner of the square with the markings lined up in the center of your hoop.  Stitch the first color of the cupcake design for a placement line.

9.   Place a piece of fabric over the stitching and stitch the next color.

Trim around the stitching as close to the stitching as possible.

Stitch the next color.
 

10.               Continue stitching an outline, placing the appliqué fabric on top, stitching, trimming and finishing the embroidery design.  Remove the stabilizer.

11.               Embroider the other designs in the corners. 

Handle

1.   Place the fabrics for the handle together as you did on the square fabric and stitch the two long sides and one short side.  Turn the handle right side out.  Fold the raw edges left on the short side to the inside and top stitch to close the opening.

2.   Stitch a line down the center of the length of the handle or top stitch along each edge as done below.

Finishing

1.   Place the end of the handle under opposite corners of the square.  Mark a line 2 inches from the tip of the corner and line that up a line marked 2 inches from the end of the handle.  Stitch along the line.  Fold the triangle shaped corner down and stitch the decorative button in the center.
 

2.   For the corners of the square that do not have the handle stitched to them, fold the corner down the same measurement as the corners to which the handle was sewn.
 

3.   Place a ring inside this fold and machine stitch the corner down.  (If your ring is too thick for the 2 inch measurement, you may fold it down a little more to be able to stitch.)

4.   Sew your button on the triangle the same as the other corners.

         
          Thread the handle through both rings and your carrier is finished!    (The buttons do not show on this picture because I photographed it before sewing on the buttons.)

By Virginia

Please let me know any comments you may have below. Thanks!