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Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy Tutorial

Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy Tutorial

As we move into the cooler weather of fall and then winter, we’ll all be making more soups and stews. Because, let’s face it, there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of good hearty soup or stew to warm you up on a cold day.

And as much as I’d like to say that Dave and I eat every meal at the dining room table, that simply wouldn’t be true. We often eat supper with our feet propped up, watching a movie or one of our favorite shows on Netflix.

Eating soup while sitting on the couch isn’t the easiest thing in the world.

In the past, I’ve used a place mat to set the bowl on to keep the heat away from my lap. Well, not anymore!

I’ve been seeing these soup bowl cozies all over the net. In fact, there’s a video tutorial for how to make a bowl cozy that’s been making the rounds and I shared it on my Facebook page @1SuperMomNoCape thinking that they’d make super quick Christmas gifts.

You know how sometimes you see something and it starts the gears turning around and around in your mind? Well that’s what that video did.

A while ago, I showed you a photo of the scrap drawer of my fabric dresser overflowing. To partially solve that problem, I made a Pretty Fabric Pop Up Basket to store all the fabric scraps I use for appliqué.

But what I really need to do to solve the problem of that overflowing scrap drawer is to start making some scrap projects.

All the tutorials for soup bowl cozies that I’ve seen online call for using two 10″ squares.

But for this sewing project, I wanted bright, colorful and scrappy.

In the tutorial, I’ve used leftover charm squares. Since I plan on making many more of these bowl cozies for us and for gifts, I’ll be cutting squares from fabric in my scrap drawer.

This is a super quick project and several could be sewn in an afternoon or evening.

I’ve made the tutorial with lots of detailed photos and explanations so even if you’re a beginner sewer you can feel confident making them.

Want the ad free PDF?

All the instructions you need to make these super handy Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozies are right here in this post. But I realize that it might be more convenient for you to have a copy that you can download to your computer to print out and have beside you as you work. You can purchase the ad free Printable Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy PDF file for only $5 from my shop. It has this complete step-by-step tutorial with all the accompanying photos.

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Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy Tutorial

Materials needed:

8 Charm squares or fabric cut into 5″ squares

Batting cut to 9 1/2″ square

Thread

A quick note: If you’re planning to use these bowl cozies in the microwave, make sure to use 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread. 

Purchase a product such as Pellon Wrap-N-Zap Cotton Quilt Batting which is made specifically for use in items that will be microwaved.

Microwave with bowl inside no longer than 3 minutes.

 

To begin making your Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy:

Select 8 charm squares (or cut eight 5″ squares)

Arrange the squares how you’d like them to be in the finished bowl cozy.

These Best.Day.Ever charm squares by April Rosenthal for Moda are from an older fabric line left over from another project.

Photo of 8 charm squares leftover from Best Day Ever charm square pack from moda.

Flip the square on the right over onto the left square, right sides facing.

Photo of sewing charm squares together in pairs using the chain sewing method.

Sew the pairs of squares together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Quick tip: I’ve marked the 1/4″ seam allowance with small piece cut from a Command hook strip. What I like about using these strips is that they’re easily removable, repositionable and don’t leave a sticky residue on the machine when I take them off.

After sewing the squares together, set your seams with your iron.

Photo of an iron being used to set the seam.

Press the seam allowance towards the darker fabric.

To do this, place the piece on your pressing surface with the dark fabric facing up. Flip the dark fabric up and press.

Photo of an iron pressing the seam allowance of the two charm squares towards the darker fabric.

Next you’ll want to pin the 2 patches together.

With right sides together, nest your seams as in the photo below:

Photo showing how to nest the seams of the two sets of charms square together before sewing them together.

Sew using a 1/4″ seam allowance, as before.

This time you’ll be pressing the seams open. I chose to press this seam open to reduce bulk when everything is sewn together.

Photo of four charm squares sewn together into a square, wrong side up on a pressing surface and an iron pressing the center seam open.

You’ll have two 9.5″ 4 patches like this:

Photo of two 4 patch 9.5 inches blocks sew together and ready to turn into a Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy

Next, you’ll need to cut the 9.5″ squares of batting.

This is an opportunity to use up scraps of batting as well, if you’ve got them.

Here I’ve folded the scrap of batting in half and lined up the 9.5 inch mark along the straight edge.

Cut through both layers.

Photo of a 15 inch quilting ruler lined up on batting to cut two 9.5 inches squares of batting for the inside of the Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy.

Turn the batting, line the ruler up again at 9.5 inches and make a second cut.

Photo of the batting turned the other way to make the final 9.5 inch cut. The 15 inch quilting ruler is placed on at the 9.5 inch mark ready to make the cut.

To attach the 4 patches to the batting:

Using a water soluble marker, draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other. And then again in the opposite direction making a large X.

I love this Clover Water Soluble Marker. I have never had it Not come out with a quick spritz of water. And I’ve never had it reappear after pressing, washing or when exposed to colder temperatures.

Photo of a quilting ruler place on the diagonal across the center of the 4 patch block with a Clover water soluble marker to mark the diagonal line.

Place each 4 patch on a square of batting. Pin and sew along the marked lines.

Make sure to remove the pins as you get to them, so that you’re not sewing over them.

Photo of a presser foot of a vintage Singer sewing machine as it sews on the diagonal line marked in the previous photo.

Once you’ve sewn one line, sew the line going in the opposite direction.

Photo of sewing a diagonal line in the opposite direction on the 4 patch block.

Next, fold each of your 4 patches with batting in half, right sides facing. On each end of the fold, mark 1 inch from fold and 2 inches from end.

Photo of a quilt ruler lined up to mark 1 inch from the fold and 2 inches from end.

Draw a diagonal line from one mark to the other.

Photo of a quilt ruler lined up to draw a diagonal line from one mark to the other.

Sew on the diagonal line, starting at the outside edge sewing towards the point.

Backstitch at the beginning of the seam but not the end!

Trying to backstitch at that tiny point through that thickness of materials may leave you with a tangled mess of threads.

Photo of sewing along the line from one mark to the other.

I prefer to tie a knot at the point as you’d do when making the dart in a garment.

Photo of the knot in the thread at the point of the dart that was just sewn in the previous photo.Repeat on the other folded corner.

Next, fold each piece in half in the opposite direction. Once again mark the corners to make your diagonal lines.

Photo of the batting backed 4 patch block folded in the other direction and a quilting ruler lined up to mark the corner as before.

Sew those two corners as before.

Trim off the excess fabric and batting on all four of the corners just sewn on both of the 4 patch pieces.

Photo of a pair of scissors trimming off excess fabric from the darts sewn in the previous steps.

You should now have two pieces that look like this:

Photo of two 4 patch squares with batting and the darts sewn to form the curved bowl part of the Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy.

Pin those two pieces right sides together, matching seams.

Photo of the two pieces for the soup bowl cozy pinned right sides together.Sew all the way around the outside using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Make sure to leave a section open for turning.

Photo of the two pieces being sewn together with a quarter inch seam allowance, starting at the double pins which indicate where to leave the opening.

Quick tip: Mark the places where you want to start and stop with two pins with the same color heads, as shown below:

Close up photo of place how pairs of pins are used to indicate where to leave the opening.

Trim excess fabric from corners to reduce bulk.

Photo of the tip of a pair of scissors clipping the corner of the soup bowl cozy before turning right side out.

Starting with the corner opposite the opening, turn the piece right side out.

Photo of the corner of the soup bowl cozy being turned right side out starting with the corner opposite the opening.

Now is a good time to push that corner all the way out using a point turner.

But if you don’t have a point turner, the tip of your scissors or a chop stick will work just fine.

Photo of the corner pushed out to a form a nice point.

Continue to turn the piece right side out.

Photo of the soup bowl cozy half way to being turned right side out.

Once it’s turned completely right side out, use the point turner to form nice square corners on the other three corners.

Photo showing how to push all the corners to form a point after the soup bowl cozy has been turned all the way right side out.

Stitch the opening closed using a ladder stitch.

Photo of sewing the opening closed using a hand sewing needle and thread.

Press well.

Photo of an ironing pressing soup bowl cozy well.

Topstitch all the way around the outside edge, stitching about 1/8″ from the edge.

Photo of topstitching all the way around the pressed edge of the bowl cozy.

And there you have it… a finished charm square bowl cozy.

Photo of the finished charm square soup bowl cozy.

It goes perfectly with my green soup bowls.

Photo of a green bowl in finished soup bowl cozy.

And if you get tired of that side of the bowl cozy facing up, it’s reversible!

Photo showing the reverse side of finished bowl cozy.

Photo of the green bowl sitting in reverse side of finished bowl cozy.

 

Get the ad free PDF

All the instructions you need to make these super handy Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozies are right here in this post. But I realize that it might be more convenient for you to have a copy that you can download to your computer to print out and have beside you as you work. You can purchase the ad free Printable Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy PDF file for only $5 from my shop. It has this complete step-by-step tutorial with all the accompanying photos.

If you make one, two or even more Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozies using my tutorial I’d love it if you tag me. I’m @supermomnocape on Instagram, @1SuperMomNoCape on Twitter and @1SuperMomNoCape on Facebook.

If you’d like to follow me on any or all of those, I’d welcome that too. 🙂

 

Pin this tutorial so you can come back to it at any time by clicking on the Pinterest button under this post.

And of course, I’d love it too if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter.

Collage photo with the soup bowl cozy in the top photo and the cozy with a bowl in it in the bottom photo with text overlay saying Charm Square Soup Bowl Cozy Tutorial.

I would be so pleased if you chose to share by clicking on one of the buttons below!

19 Comments

  • Jeanne Z
    December 9, 2021 11:39 am

    In one of the photos, it looks like a Command strip on the plate on top of a piece of scotch type tape. Is this set up as a stitch gauge? How does it work? Does the Command strip peal right off the tape? I have used them to place extra lighting on my machine but have trouble removing the tape residue.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      December 12, 2021 12:08 pm

      Hello Jeanne,

      The scotch tape was there to hold down the seam guide that had lost some of it’s stickiness and had started to peel up. These vintage Singer sewing machines didn’t have seam guides etched into the metal plate the way more modern ones do. I’ve since replaced the seam guide sticker with a new one so I no longer need the scotch tape.

      I’ve never had a problem with the command hooks leaving a residue of adhesive. But then I don’t leave them in place for longer than it takes to do a quilting project.

      I use the command strip to keep a consistent scant 1/4″ seam allowance when I’m piecing quilt blocks. Then I remove it when I work on just regular sewing projects.

      Hope that helps.

  • Lynn
    December 18, 2019 5:26 am

    i have trouble at the seam not the point..it is “cumbersome”..not sure why I’m have this problem. I try opening up the seam to sew, but I’m just doing something wrong. So much bulk, and I do trim excess fabric once i stitch the 1/4 inch…

  • Lynn
    November 4, 2019 7:56 am

    What is the finished size of these cozies? I made some from another tutorial last year but they only hold a 5-6” bowl. Yours appear larger.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      November 7, 2019 1:42 pm

      Hello Lynn,

      Mine hold about the same size bowl. They’re designed to hold a regular cereal or soup sized bowl. But if you need them larger, you could try cutting larger squares and then follow the tutorial from there.

  • RoAnn
    June 14, 2019 1:36 am

    I’ve tried bowl copies from other tutorials but I love your use of “charm” squares. It’s such a great way to use my fabric and batting scraps. I am a widow and quite often I have a Lean Cuisine instead of preparing a meal for one. Have you ever considered designing a cozy for a Lean Cuisine or Smart One container? Thanks again for your design and photo instructions.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      June 19, 2019 2:58 pm

      Thank you RoAnn, for your wonderful comment.

      I hadn’t thought of making them for frozen dinners… that’s a great idea. I’ll have to see what I can come up with. 🙂

  • Michele T
    December 12, 2018 6:59 am

    I love that you made these with charm squares… perfect for making a set that matches.

  • Jacque
    September 25, 2017 7:58 am

    Awesome tutorial, very clear and great photos. Love the tip on how you mark the 1/4 inch, too!

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:02 pm

      I’m playing catch up replying to comments today as I’ve gotten behind.

      Thank you Jacque for such a lovely comment!

      That little trick with the 1/4 inch mark has made such a difference when I’m piecing quilt blocks. Before I started using that (and a nifty little ruler that I really need to post about) I always had trouble with getting an accurate 1/4″ seam consistently for every project.

  • Jenny
    September 23, 2017 8:19 am

    Bet the turtles would love some soup! We miss the turtles.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:29 pm

      Hello Jenny,

      Your comment made me smile.

      We have a really fun turtle post that we’re planning for Christmas Eve again this year as Dave and I are going on vacation and taking the turtles with us so we can create an extra special story.

      I have another one on a hard-drive that crashed that I’m hoping can be retrieved once I’ve got the extra money to pay to have that done. I lost six months of photos because what I thought was being backed up wasn’t.

      But there are definitely more turtle stories in the works. 🙂

  • Holly Maudsley
    September 23, 2017 6:59 am

    Love the idea for using charm squares! Quick Christmas gift…….homemade, washable, and reusable. Thanks for the idea and great directions. I so love that it’s not a video!

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:35 pm

      Thanks so much for your sweet comment Holly!

      Dave and I are planning to start doing video tutorials but that will be in addition to a photo tutorial with written instructions because I know that not everyone has the time or the bandwidth to watch video tutorials.

  • Rachel
    September 23, 2017 5:56 am

    What a great idea!

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:35 pm

      Thank you Rachel!

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:39 pm

      Thank you Rachel!

      I’ve got several more that I’m working on. I found some more charm packs that only had a few squares each left in them, so I’m trying to get those used up before I start cutting into my scraps.

  • mary
    September 22, 2017 4:48 pm

    Those are so cute! The options are unlimited in the patchwork. Thanks so much for sharing the idea.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      October 2, 2017 1:41 pm

      Thank you Mary!

      It’s a good thing I’ve got lots of scraps because I’ve had a few “orders” from our kids for sets for themselves.

Comments are closed.