DIY Fabric Jar Opener – Easy 10-Minute Sewing Project
These DIY fabric jar openers are one of those simple little sewing projects that are surprisingly handy in the kitchen!
They’re quick and easy to make, require only a small piece of fabric, and are a great way to use up some of those fabric scraps you have tucked away.
The grippy shelf liner on one side helps you grip stubborn jar lids, while the fun cotton fabric on the other side makes them cute enough to leave in a kitchen drawer or give as a gift.
And the best part? You can make one in about 10 minutes!
These would be fun to make in coordinating fabrics as a set, tuck into a kitchen-themed gift basket, or make several at once for quick handmade gifts.
Why You’ll Love These DIY Jar Openers
Quick and beginner-friendly
Takes about 10 minutes to make
Great scrap fabric project
Uses inexpensive shelf liner
Washable and reusable
Handy for opening stubborn jars
Makes a practical handmade gift
Easy project to sew in batches
Materials and Supplies
You don’t need much to make these jar openers.
Quilting cotton or other lightweight cotton fabric
Coordinating thread
Sewing machine
Ruler
Pins or fabric clips
Turning stick or point turner
Iron and ironing board
A few small scraps of regular paper
Fabric Cutting Measurements
Cut:
1 piece of cotton fabric: 6½ x 6½ inches (16.5 x 16.5 cm)
1 piece of non-slip shelf liner: 6½ x 6½ inches (16.5 x 16.5 cm)
This is a perfect project for digging through your fabric scraps and finding some fun prints!
How to Make a Fabric Jar Opener
1. Cut the Fabric and Shelf Liner
Cut one 6½-inch square from your cotton fabric and one 6½-inch square from your non-slip shelf liner.
Before sewing, take a look at the shelf liner and determine which direction has the least amount of stretch.
Place the cotton fabric right side facing down onto the shelf liner.
Line up the edges.
2. Mark the Opening
Along one of the “non-stretchy sides”, mark a 2½-inch opening.
You’ll leave this section unsewn so you can turn the jar opener right side out.
Pin the fabric and shelf liner together around the outside edges.
3. Sew Around the Edges
Using a ¼-inch seam allowance, sew around the outside edge.
Backstitch at the beginning.
When you reach a corner, stop approximately ¼ inch from the edge with the needle down, lift the presser foot, pivot the fabric, and continue sewing.
TIP: Sew a little slower than usual when sewing the shelf liner. It can have a tendency to grab or shift, so keep everything flat and gently guide it as you sew.
Continue around the square until you reach the other side of the opening you marked.
Backstitch to secure the seam.
4. Clip the Corners
Clip diagonally across each corner to remove some of the bulk.
Be careful not to cut through your stitching.
5. Turn Right Side Out
Turn the jar opener right side out through the opening.
Use a turning stick or point turner to gently push out the corners.
Roll the seams between your fingers if needed to help get the edges nice and flat.
Give the fabric side a light press.
Be careful when ironing near the shelf liner. Some shelf liner materials may not tolerate high heat, so keep the iron on the fabric side and use an appropriate temperature.
6. Close the Opening
At the opening, tuck the seam allowance of both the fabric and shelf liner toward the inside so the edge lines up with the rest of the jar opener.
I like to use a pin here instead of a sewing clip because it keeps everything from shifting while I sew.
7. Mark the Diagonal Quilting Lines
Using a removable fabric marking pen, draw a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite corner.
Repeat with the other two corners so you have a large X across the jar opener.
I like using a heat-erasable marking pen because the lines disappear when heat is applied.
Place a pin in the center to keep the two layers from shifting while you sew.
8. Topstitch Around the Jar Opener
Topstitch around the outside edge using approximately a ⅛-inch seam allowance.
This topstitching will also close the opening you used for turning.
Here’s a little trick that makes sewing the shelf liner much easier:
Grab four small scraps of regular paper.
As you approach each corner, slide a little piece of paper underneath the corner of the jar opener.
The paper gives the feed dogs something to grab onto and helps keep the shelf liner moving smoothly through the sewing machine.
Another sewing tip: Hold onto the top thread for the first few stitches when you begin topstitching. This can help prevent those annoying tangled or “bird’s nest” stitches from forming underneath.
9. Sew the Diagonal Lines
Now stitch along the two diagonal lines you marked earlier.
Backstitch at the beginning and end of each line.
These stitches help keep the cotton fabric and shelf liner together and give the finished jar opener a nice quilted look.
Remove any remaining pieces of paper and trim loose threads.
Give the fabric side one final press if needed to remove your heat-erasable markings.
Your DIY jar opener is finished!
10. Sew the Diagonal Lines
Now stitch along the two diagonal lines you marked earlier.
Backstitch at the beginning and end of each line.
These stitches help keep the cotton fabric and shelf liner together and give the finished jar opener a nice quilted look.
Remove any remaining pieces of paper and trim loose threads.
Give the fabric side one final press if needed to remove your heat-erasable markings.
Your DIY jar opener is finished!
Click on the link below to download the FREE PDF Pattern Instructions.
Batch Sew Them
Once you have everything cut out, these are really easy to assembly-line sew.
Cut several fabric and shelf liner squares at once, sew all the outside seams, turn them, and then do all the topstitching.
Before you know it, you’ll have a whole stack!
They’re great to have on hand for:
Hostess gifts
Christmas gifts
Mother’s Day gifts
Housewarming gifts
Teacher or neighbor gifts
Craft fairs
Stocking stuffers
Kitchen gift baskets
Or just make a couple for yourself. Sometimes the simplest sewing projects end up being the things you use the most!
Watch the DIY Jar Opener Video Tutorial
If you’d rather see the process in action, be sure to watch my DIY Fabric Jar Opener video tutorial.
I’ll walk you through the entire project and show you my little paper trick for sewing over the shelf liner without it getting hung up at the corners.
Grab a fun piece of fabric from your scrap bin, get your sewing machine out, and make a few of these handy little jar openers.
Simple, useful, and finished in about 10 minutes — my kind of sewing project!
Have fun sewing!
Topstitch approximately ⅛ inch from the seam.
Trim the panels back to the correct size.
Next, prepare your zipper and add the zipper tabs as you normally would.
Mark your zipper placement points and sew the zipper into the pouch according to your pattern instructions.
