Casserole Dish Carrier Tutorial

Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, MOPS and all the other activities I am involved in, it seems I am always carrying a hot pan of food along with me. I went to visit my mom at Thanksgiving time and we normally try to sew something while I am there (usually it is my one of my many projects). This time my mom had borrowed a friend's casserole dish carrier that she was in love with. She had wanted to change it up a bit and needed a little help. After reviewing casserole dish carriers on the internet and trying to find a tutorial for one that reflected a style that I wanted, I decided to design my own by incorporating elements of a few different carriers.

It took about 3 hours from start to finish in order to complete. This project is recommended for the sewer that has some experience. 

Materials Needed:

Fabric (Washable Home Decor Fabric): 2 yards that you will pre-wash (I used 1 yard each of coordinating fabric for the inside/outside of the carrier)
Thread: 1 spool that coordinates with the fabric
Insulated Batting: 1 yard
Oval Plate
Dowels: 2 7/16” diameter cut to 14"
Peg Board: 9 3/4" x 15"
Velcro: 2" wide, 2 pieces cut into 6" lengths each

Sewing Machine
Cutting Mat
Rulers
Rotary Cutter

1.  Wash, dry, and iron your fabric (not the insulated batting).

2.  Cut out of each of your coordinating fabrics and your insulated batting (17" wide and 11.5" wide). 

Detailed directions below:

• Take your first piece of fabric and fold in half with selvage edges together. 

• Take the top fold line and fold it again down to the selvage edge.
•  Line up your square ruler to find your straight edge and use your rectangle ruler to "square" the end of the fabric.

 

• Make your first cut of 17" and then your next cut of 11.5" 
• Do this for both yards of your coordinating fabric

• Your insulated fabric is most likely already folded in half one time.  "Square" the end as stated above and make your two cuts of "17 and 11.5"

• At this point you should have 3 layers of 17" wide materials and 11.5" wide.

3.  Layer the 17" wide fabrics (Right sides together and make sure the insulated batting is facing the correct way according to its directions).  

4.  Cut off the selvage edge from one end and measure the below inches toward the other end and cut. You will want 30" if you want a sleek, small carrier that fits a 9x12 pyrex with a cover or 38" if  you want a carrier that will also hold a bowl.

5.  With the 17" x 30" layers pinned together you will want to grab your oval plate and decide the depth you want your handles.  I had mine about 4 to 5 inches. I marked my plate with a marker and made sure my marks were even by lining it up on my cutting mat.  I then made sure I had it even on my fabric by making sure I had the same number of inches on each side.   You may also see that I notched the batting.  I did this so that when I turn my fabric right side out I can square my corners better.

6.  Layer the 11.5" fabric, right sides facing each other and making sure the insulated fabric is laying the correct way according to the directions.  Cut off the selvage end and then measure 43 inches and cut (43" does not need to be exact, just get as close as your fabric allows). 

7.  Sew 1/2" seam allowance leaving a 4" opening to be able to turn the fabric inside right. On the wider fabric sew right on top of the markings you made from the oval plate.

8.  Cut 1/2" seam where you sewed around the half oval. 

9.  Cut "mountains" inside the oval as pictured below.
 

  
10.  Trim the corners.

11.  Turn inside right and get ready to iron.

12.  Iron down the spot that you left open and the rest of the fabric so that it is nice and flat.  Pin the opening closed.

13.  Make a small seam around the entire piece of fabric (you can see my little helpers feet below).

14.  We need to layer the two pieces now. 

15.  Fold the wider piece of material in half and mark the half way point with a pin on both sides of the fabric.

16.  Fold the thinner piece of material in half and line up with the halfway point of the wider fabric.  Mark each end with a pin onto the wider fabric so that you know where to lineup the thinner piece onto the wider fabric.  Do this on both sides of the fabric.
 

17.  Fold the wider fabric in half width wise and make a crease in the material at the halfway point.  Fold the thinner material in half length wise and make a crease.  Line up the creases with the thinner fabric being on top. Your thinner fabric should line up between the pins you made in the previous step plus line up with the creases you made. Make sure you have an even amount of thinner fabric on each side of the wider fabric and pin it in the corners.

18.  On the thinner piece of fabric sew only one long edge down.  Sew right on top of the seam.  Leave the other seam open to allow you to slide in the peg board as shown below.  Flip the fabric over and sew on top of the seam of the wider fabric.  Sew both edges.  When you are done it should look like the picture below.

19.  Fold down your carrier handles 1 1/4" down, pin and sew straight line right on top of the seam leaving an opening on both sides to be able to insert your handle all the way through.

20.  You should now have a product that looks like this.

21.  Adding the Velcro (2"wide 6" long); place your Velcro 1" from the top and 1" from each side and sew them onto the front of the fabric.  Sew the other pieces of fabric on the backside of the fabric 1" from the top and 1" from each side and sew them down.  This will hold your 9x12 pan tightly in your carrier.
 

22.  Place your dowels through the handles.  Insert your peg board and trim the board if necessary.  You are now ready to take a casserole anywhere this Holiday Season!

 

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Linked to the following link parties:
http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/
http://funtocraft.blogspot.com/
http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/
http://www.happyhourprojects.com/
http://naptimecrafters.blogspot.com/
http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/
http://www.mineforthemaking.com/
http://thecraftyblogstalker.blogspot.com/
http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/
 http://raegunwear.blogspot.com/